Chapter 57: Terastal Ghost

A Fire+Ghost-type Cremor, fine in normal battles, struggles to gain advantage against a Mega-evolved Squirtle whose power has surged dramatically... Now is the time to activate Terastallization.

The rainstorm drenching the battlefield never ceased; under Hai Dai’s astonished gaze, Luo Mu drew a deep breath, reached into his pocket, and hurled the Terastal Pearl straight at Cremor: “Cremor, Terastallize!”

The Terastal Pearl, flung above Cremor’s head, instantly blazed with brilliant light; crystalline Terastal energy rained down, forming a blue crystal that instantly enveloped Cremor.

Crack—

A crisp shattering sound rang out; as the crystal shattered into glittering shards, Cremor stood firm, its body gleaming as if plated with crystal. Terastal energy coalesced above its head into a ring of tombstones as the base for a spectral crown—a ghostly, violet-purple crown proclaiming Cremor’s Terastal type.

Terastal Ghost!

Luo Mu had considered the possibility of Cremor being Terastal Fire; the ideal outcome would have been Terastal Grass Cremor, but Terastal Fire wasn’t unworkable.

Yet since Cremor’s Terastal type was Ghost, all those considerations were unnecessary.

Clearly, my luck still holds—time to sound the counterattack!

“Charge in—Shadow Claw.”

Cremor felt the rain’s influence now negligible under Terastal enhancement; with swift steps, it swung its flame-blade, now sheathed in a massive, crystal-laced violet claw, and slammed it straight at the momentarily stunned Mega Squirtle.

The claw struck Mega Squirtle’s face directly; it reeled backward like it had been slapped, losing balance and toppling over.

“What is that!?” Zhi Mi’s face darkened; Luo Mu’s sudden Terastallization left him stunned. Zhi Mi gritted his teeth: “Next attack—Cannon Beam!”

Cremor immediately pressed the advantage; the Yuannian fire on its flame-blade surged—Hui Nian Jian, which restored its lost HP upon landing, was undoubtedly its best choice.

Squirtle’s response revealed its status as Elite Four’s ace: enduring the dizziness from Shadow Claw, it fired twin white beams from its arm-cannons into the ground, using Cannon Beam’s recoil to reposition itself, then fired its back-mounted cannon straight at Cremor.

Cremor frowned, cleaving through the Cannon Beam with a single slash, moving with the elegance of a medieval duke, then twisted its body and swung its second flame-blade horizontally at Mega Squirtle’s abdomen.

“Kame!”

Mega Squirtle winced, clutching its abdomen as it retreated; the flame clinging to its blade burned like a persistent curse on its shell, draining its HP—while the flames dissolved into light particles, flowing into Cremor’s body.

Hai Dai raised an eyebrow: “Hmm... Hui Nian Jian—what a nuisance. Left unchecked, it will inevitably shift the balance: Mega Squirtle’s HP will dwindle, Cremor’s will replenish.”

Zhi Mi didn’t fully understand Cremor’s moves, but years of battle experience let him see the core truth: he couldn’t let this become a war of attrition—otherwise, Mega Squirtle’s advantages would vanish entirely!

“Full power—Dragon Pulse!”

Mega Squirtle’s crimson pupils flashed sharply; blue-purple auras erupted from its two arm-cannons and its back cannon. Moments later, three waves of light roared forth, coalescing into a monstrous dragon that howled toward Cremor.

Luo Mu narrowed his eyes: “In an energy clash, we don’t lose—Terastal Burst!”

Before Cremor, vast amounts of Ghost-tinted Terastal energy gathered, then erupted as a thick beam of light.

Energy clashed and dissolved against energy; Mega Squirtle’s Dragon Pulse, amplified by its “Super Launcher” trait, was terrifyingly powerful—but Cremor’s Terastal Burst, through layered advantages, ultimately prevailed.

Terastal Burst shattered Dragon Pulse; the residual energy poured entirely into Mega Squirtle’s body, embedding it deep into the ground.

Zhi Mi clenched his teeth, determined to buy time for Mega Squirtle to recover—no way would he let Cremor press the advantage: “Hold!”

“Ka... me.”

Mega Squirtle’s weak voice echoed as a pale green barrier rose; Zhi Mi exhaled in relief.

“Useless—you saw this move just now, didn’t you?” Luo Mu shook his head and issued the final order: “Phantom Ambush!”

A channel of Ghost energy reappeared beneath Cremor’s feet; Cremor leapt straight into it, reappearing instantly before Mega Squirtle.

“Damn it...!”

Zhi Mi’s pupils shrank—he realized he’d made a fatal mistake.

Phantom Ambush is one of the few moves that can break through Protect...

Cremor swung both flame-blades without mercy.

Even tinged with Ghost energy, the Terastal energy swirling around the blades still blazed brilliantly.

First blade—shattered Protect.

Second blade—Mega Squirtle fell.

The instant Mega Squirtle lost consciousness, its Mega Evolution power collapsed like a breached dam, vanishing entirely—leaving only a dazed Squirtle lying on the ground, incapacitated.

Zhi Mi opened his mouth, then closed it again, words stuck in his throat, unable to speak.

A thousand thoughts dissolved into a sigh of resignation. Zhi Mi recalled Squirtle, smiled bitterly, and shook his head: “I misjudged the battle—that’s why you lost.”

“You did well, Squirtle.”

Hai Dai blinked, then shouted: “Squirtle is unable to battle! Cremor wins!”

“Wulu lu!”

As soon as Hai Dai spoke, Wensiangketou dashed onto the battlefield, ecstatic, cheering for Cremor now that its Terastallization had ended.

Cremor’s usually cold expression softened slightly, clearly enjoying Wensiangketou’s praise.

“Well done.”

Luo Mu stepped forward and gently patted Cremor’s now-shrunken flame-blade back.

Though he couldn’t fist-bump it like in its Charmander days, these gestures served as channels for emotion.

Cremor barely suppressed the urge to leap like Wensiangketou, instead nodding calmly, projecting reliability.

Luo Mu merely smiled, choosing not to expose Cremor’s attempt to look cool.