Pokemon: Psychic Master

Crackle—

Sparks flew from the campfire.

The air was heavy with tension, and even the playful stars above seemed to twinkle nervously.

Suddenly, the silence was broken by the mechanical voice of the Rotom Dex:

"Crawdaunt, the evolved form of Corphish. A Rogue Pokémon with Water and Dark typing. Known for its aggressive and erratic behavior, Rotto!"

Johan and his friends frowned in unison.

A Trainer here, in such a remote area?

What's more, Charcadet had launched the first attack—meaning the newcomers likely harbored ill intentions. Johan trusted Charcadet's instincts completely.

Then came a deep, gruff voice:

"Damn it!"

As the smoke cleared from the clash of fire and water, a group of figures emerged from the haze.

Johan's pupils contracted slightly.

Team Aqua.

At the forefront was a shirtless man, muscles rippling across his torso. On his chest, the unmistakable "α" symbol was tattooed in bold ink.

It was Matt, one of Team Aqua's three top Admins!

Why is Team Aqua here?

Johan glanced down at the pale-purple crystal in his arms.

For Jirachi.

His mind raced.

In the Pokémon Adventures manga, Archie—the leader of Team Aqua—once targeted Jirachi at the Battle Frontier. Using Jirachi's power, he created a liquid form of Kyogre known as the Sea Monster, nearly sinking the entire island.

So, they've already set their sights on Jirachi here?

Johan's lips curled into a sarcastic smirk.

Funny how it always goes.

In the movies, Butler—an ex-Team Magma scientist—sought Jirachi's power to create Groudon.

In the manga, Archie used Jirachi to make a liquid Kyogre.

Seems like every criminal group wants Jirachi for their bootleg Legendary Pokémon projects.

Flannery was the first to shout:

"Who are you?!"

One of the Team Aqua grunts stared at their fallen Crawdaunt, his face blank with disbelief.

"C-Crawdaunt's down already?"

He couldn't believe his eyes.

That was a Water-type Pokémon. Even if the opposing Charcadet used a powerful Fire-type move, there's no way it should've been knocked out in one hit.

What he didn't know was that Charcadet hadn't even used a strong move.

It had only used Ember.

Another grunt gulped nervously.

"I-It looks like… that's Johan…?"

Matt frowned.

"Johan?"

The name wasn't unfamiliar to him. He had heard rumors about a rising star in the Pokémon League, someone who had won the Indigo Plateau Conference and was making waves in the Hoenn region.

But Matt didn't care much for League Trainers.

Most of them were soft. They might have strong Pokémon, but out in the wild?

In real battles?

They were vulnerable.

Johan held the crystal closer and muttered to his friends:

"Stay alert. These guys aren't amateurs."

Steven, Roxanne, and Flannery all nodded seriously, the tension in the air thickening.

This wasn't a friendly sparring match.

This was a fight for survival.

Matt smirked and tossed two Poké Balls into the air.

Flash!

Two Pokémon materialized—Mightyena and Sharpedo.

The instant they appeared, the air seemed to thicken with menace.

Intimidate.

The dark aura radiating from the two Pokémon made even seasoned Trainers shiver for a moment.

Sharpedo wasted no time. It wrapped itself in a torrential whirl of water and shot forward, aiming straight for Johan's group.

Aqua Jet.

Matt wasn't holding back. His Pokémon weren't targeting their opponents' Pokémon.

They were going for the Trainers.

A direct attack on humans.

Johan didn't flinch.

The moment the attack came, Alolan Ninetales stepped forward, scattering a flurry of snowflakes and erecting a shimmering Aurora Veil.

The translucent barrier absorbed the impact, dispersing the powerful water attack into harmless mist.

Johan's voice was calm and steady:

"Tinkaton."

Bang!

The little pink Pokémon grinned widely, swinging its massive hammer onto its shoulder.

It took one step forward—then another.

With a gleeful giggle, Tinkaton charged straight for Sharpedo.

Wham!

The impact was thunderous. Sharpedo, still drenched in its water aura, was launched backward like a ragdoll.

"Dragonair! Dragon Rush!"

Draaa!

From the sky, Dragonair descended like a divine beast. Wrapped in a veil of draconic energy, it tore through the air with incredible speed.

Boom!

Dragonair collided with Mightyena, slamming the dark Pokémon into the dirt.

Matt gritted his teeth.

He hadn't expected such precise coordination from a League Trainer.

His Sharpedo and Mightyena—both powerful, seasoned Pokémon—had been taken down within moments.

Steven was already giving orders to his Pokémon.

"Metagross! Meteor Mash!"

"Aggron! Stone Edge!"

Boom!

The battlefield erupted in chaos. Jagged stones burst from the ground, and Metagross's fist gleamed like a shooting star as it crashed into its target.

Matt's frustration grew.

How the hell are they so fast?

And then—

Thump!

One of his grunts collapsed.

Matt glanced sideways, startled.

Another grunt went down.

They weren't even getting the chance to send out their Pokémon.

Matt felt a chill run down his spine.

"...What the hell is happening?"

He felt something tap him on the shoulder.

Slowly, he turned around—

And came face to face with Gengar.

"Ka-kaah!"

The ghost Pokémon grinned wickedly, its expression twisted into a mask of malevolent glee.

Matt stumbled backward, sweat dripping down his face.

With a trembling hand, he fumbled for another Poké Ball.

"G-Go! Crawdaunt! Crobat!"

The two Pokémon appeared instantly, forcing Gengar to retreat temporarily.

But in that brief moment—

Matt's mind was flooded with terrifying visions.

He saw himself lost in a dark abyss, his grunts collapsing one by one, the twisted laughter of Gengar echoing in his ears.

His heart pounded in his chest.

Thump. Thump.

His breathing quickened.

Thump. Thump.

He wiped his face, his hand coming away soaked with sweat.

When he looked back at Johan's group, he saw a nightmare scene.

His Sharpedo, Mightyena, Crawdaunt—all knocked out.

Most of his grunts had collapsed as well, lying on the ground, twitching or unconscious.

Even the ones who remained standing were pale-faced and trembling.

Matt's mind spun.

What the hell is this?

These people—

They're not Trainers.

They're monsters!

"Kubfu!"

The small bear Pokémon stepped forward, taking a sturdy martial arts stance.

"Goka!"

Charcadet's body blazed with fire, its eyes locked on Matt.

And there, riding on Dragonair's back—

Tinkaton.

The little Pokémon raised its massive hammer and pointed it at Matt, ready to strike.

Matt's survival instincts kicked in.

"Screw this!"

He grabbed two of his remaining grunts and threw them forward as distractions.

Then he jumped onto his Crobat's back and yelled:

"Get us out of here!"

The Crobat flapped its wings furiously, lifting Matt into the air.

As they soared away, he couldn't help but glance back.

His mind replayed the scene over and over.

That group of Trainers and their terrifying Pokémon…

All of them grinning like villains in a horror movie.

For the first time in his life, Matt felt genuine fear.

Who's the real villain here?

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Powerstones?

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