Alex looked at Crobat and, with a small, almost amused smile, said, "Me too."
For a moment, Crobat was completely stunned. The implication settled in slowly.
The whistling pressure in the cavern intensified, and within seconds a crescent-shaped figure burst into view, moving with unnerving speed despite lacking wings.
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Pokémon: Lunatone
LV: 63
Type: Rock/Psychic
Abilities: Levitate
Gender: Genderless
Potential: Shallow Diamond (14%)
Moves:
- Confusion [E], Harden, Moonblast [E], Power Gem, Psyshock, Rock Throw [E], Tackle, Hypnosis [M], Rock Polish [E], Psywave, Embargo, Rock Slide, Cosmic Power [M], Psychic [M], Heal Block, Stone Edge, Future Sight, Explosion, Magic Room,
- (Perfect Talent) Dream Eater [M], (Perfect Talent) Shadow Ball [M],
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Alex quickly processed the details displayed by his system.
It was unmistakable. A Lunatone, and at Level 63 it clearly stood within the Champion tier. The aura density alone confirmed that this was the true Area Leader of 31.
Five Master Rank moves. Yet it only has a Shallow Diamond potential.
That combination suggested age—significant age. This Lunatone had likely refined its techniques over a very long lifespan, compensating for its limited upper ceiling through mastery rather than explosive growth.
It was stronger than Alex had initially estimated. But not beyond his max. calculation.
Mega Scizor stood firm at the front, aura sharpened and compressed. The connection between them had stabilized, allowing Alex to feel Scizor's readiness like a drawn blade.
"Be careful," Alex said calmly. "This Lunatone can use Hypnosis. Don't look directly at it."
Psychic-types specialized in mental interference, and with Master Rank Hypnosis combined with Perfect Talent Dream Eater, a single lapse in attention could shift the entire battle.
Scizor subtly adjusted his stance, angling his vision downward to rely more on peripheral tracking and aura sensing rather than direct eye contact. The rest of the Pokemons began the reinforcement plan. This is Alex's plan-b if Scizor somehow lost.
Lunatone hovered silently in front of them, its single crimson eye glowing faintly as psychic energy gathered around its crescent frame. The air distorted slightly under the pressure of its presence.
Then the psychic field around it intensified, signaling the beginning of the Champion-level duel Alex had come for.
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Pokémon: Mega Scizor
LV: 56 (+5)
Type: Bug / Steel
Abilities: Technician
Gender: Male
Potential: Shallow Diamond (0%)
Moves:
- Leer, Quick Attack, Focus Energy [E], Double Team, Feint, Fury Cutter, Wing Attack, Agility [E], Slash, Razor Wind, Iron Defense, X-Scissor [E], Night Slash, Bullet punch, Double Hit, Iron Head, Brick Break [E],
- (Perfect Talent) Roost [M], (Perfect Talent) Metal Claw [M],
- (TM) Protect [E], (TM) Swords Dance [M], (TM) Toxic, (TM) Thief, (TM) Facade, (TM) Giga Impact [E], (TM) U-turn [E], (TM) Sandstorm [E], (TM) Substitute, (TM) Safeguard, (TM) Light Screen, (TM) Return, (TM) Aerial Ace [E], (TM) Acrobatics,
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Scizor used Swords Dance, which he had already begun preparing immediately after Mega Evolving.
Lunatone also began preparing a move as soon as it flew toward Alex's group. It used Hypnosis, expecting Scizor to fall asleep due to the sudden activation of the technique.
Surprisingly, Scizor, although struck by Hypnosis, did not fall asleep because he was not looking directly at Lunatone when the move was used.
Lunatone was surprised, but not truly nervous that its strongest control move had failed. It had enough battle experience to remain calm even when things did not proceed optimally.
Alex kept his eyes closed and perceived the battle purely through psychic energy. He said quietly, "B3."
Scizor and Lunatone began preparing their next moves at almost the same time.
Lunatone attempted to maintain distance while charging its technique, while Scizor ran directly toward it. Both Pokémon had nearly identical speed at that moment, so their relative positions changed only slightly. Alex had expected this.
Scizor initiated the next step by completing Agility.
The moment Alex sensed that Scizor had finished first, he realized something was wrong. He immediately transmitted telepathically, "Pause the plan and prepare to use Protect."
Lunatone's move required noticeably more preparation time than a standard Master Rank technique, but there was a reason for that.
The move it was forming was a fusion of two Master Rank techniques.
Over nearly two years, Lunatone had painstakingly combined Shadow Ball and Psychic after witnessing another Champion-level Pokémon perform a similar fusion. It had struggled due to limited guidance and repeated failures, but eventually succeeded.
The result was a self-created move called Astral Collapse.
Lunatone gathered a swirling black sphere similar to Shadow Ball, but instead of pure darkness, violet psychic energy spiraled tightly around it. The sphere distorted the surrounding light and emitted subtle pressure waves that pressed against the cavern walls.
Astral Collapse shot toward Scizor at high speed, slightly warping space around it before impact.
Scizor, already prepared, activated Protect and managed to block most of the force before the barrier shattered and residual energy struck him directly.
Although Alex's eyes were closed, this heightened his sensitivity to psychic fluctuations, allowing him to perceive that the move was not only powerful but carried a secondary mental effect.
For a brief second, Scizor experienced an explosive psychic shock inside his mind before it dissipated.
Alex immediately understood that Astral Collapse inflicted psychological damage in addition to physical impact as long as the target was struck.
The effect on Scizor was quickly suppressed, but Alex briefly considered whether the outcome would have been different if Scizor had been weak to Psychic-type attacks.
Scizor had not lost much HP and immediately resumed advancing toward Lunatone while preparing his next attack.
Lunatone, after releasing Astral Collapse, experienced momentary mental exhaustion and only began forming another move once Scizor was already within close range.
Scizor used Metal Claw, striking Lunatone directly.
With a base Attack stat of 150, amplified by Swords Dance, Technician, STAB, and super-effective type advantage, the damage was severe.
After that single hit, Lunatone's HP dropped below fifty percent, and visible tension entered its movements.
Realizing it could not win in a direct confrontation, Lunatone attempted to retreat.
Scizor immediately began preparing another Metal Claw and closed the distance without hesitation.
Lunatone tried to use Rock Polish while retreating to increase its speed, but it was not faster then Scizor.
Scizor's second Metal Claw connected cleanly, knocking Lunatone unconscious.
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