Team Rocket's Second-in-Command!-Chapter 395: Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command! []

If Ditto really had used Drill Peck to attack Skarmory's rear, it would've sullied its image entirely.

For now, Skarmory was left nursing its bruised pride (and tail) as it rocketed skyward after Ditto's sneak attack.

But neither Luo Yuan nor Ditto planned to let up.

Luo Yuan's strategy had always been about pressing the advantage and finishing opponents in one decisive wave.

"Ditto, Flash Cannon!"

The same move that had appeared earlier in the battle now returned, unleashed by Ditto in its Skarmory form.

After a brief charge, a dazzling beam shot skyward, striking the recovering Skarmory dead center.

Still reeling from the earlier hit, Skarmory tumbled through the air, spiraling downward.

Steven's heart sank.

Fortunately, Skarmory's special defense and resilience were solid. Though injured, it wasn't out yet. Skarmory managed to stabilize itself mid-fall and narrowly dodged the follow-up Air Cutter.

Steven let out a sigh of relief.

If Skarmory had gone down here, it would've been catastrophic.

But his relief was short-lived.

Under Luo Yuan's command, Ditto moved again.

Its wings glowed as it abruptly accelerated, mimicking Skarmory's prior attack patterns to perfection.

Seeing this, Skarmory grew furious. It wanted to retaliate immediately.

But years of Steven's training kept its emotions in check.

What's a little mimicry? Skarmory thought. It could mimic too.

There was no way this impostor, a half-baked flyer, could surpass a born-and-raised Flying-type like itself!

As Ditto closed in, Skarmory executed a barrel roll, imitating the move Ditto had used earlier.

Its roll was more fluid, more elegant, and (at least in Skarmory's opinion) far superior in execution.

And yet...

Bam!

Skarmory's attempt at showing off left it wide open. Ditto's wing struck true, knocking it off balance.

Before it could recover, Ditto looped back with an Aerial Ace, targeting the disoriented Skarmory.

Another clean hit.

The cumulative damage, combined with its prior injuries, was too much. Skarmory plummeted to the ground, losing its ability to battle.

Even as consciousness slipped away, Skarmory was dumbfounded.

How could this Ditto dodge its attacks so easily, yet it failed to avoid Ditto's counters?

As Ditto flew past, it caught a glimpse of Skarmory's bewildered expression and couldn't help but chuckle inwardly.

Unlike Skarmory, Ditto had Luo Yuan's psychic-enhanced data feeds guiding its every move. It didn't need to strategize or calculate—Luo Yuan handled all that. Ditto only had to execute.

What did Skarmory have?

Nothing but its own instincts.

In Pokémon battles, teamwork was everything. It was never a one-Pokémon show.

"Skarmory is unable to battle. Ditto wins!" Lance declared the result of the round.

As he spoke, Lance cast a glance at Steven.

Steven's expression was visibly stiff.

So far, he had lost four Pokémon, including his ace, Metagross.

Meanwhile, Luo Yuan had only lost one: Garchomp.

The outcome was becoming increasingly clear.

On the sidelines, President Zvitch looked grim. He was already contemplating how to handle Silph Co.'s inevitable domination in their industry.

Silph Co. had executed a flawless marketing strategy through this battle, utterly overshadowing Devon Corp's Pokémon Navigators.

Zvitch had pinned his hopes on Steven to turn things around, but with defeat looming, it was obvious Devon Corp's losses—both on the battlefield and in the communications market—would be devastating.

In contrast, Silph Co.'s president was grinning ear to ear.

Some celebrated, others despaired.

While Silph Co.'s president eagerly prepared a victory celebration (blissfully unaware of the potential for tempting fate), Steven quietly recalled his fallen Skarmory.

This match had been brutal.

Luo Yuan had humiliated him, using a Ditto—essentially a copy—with weaker stamina to completely outmatch his Skarmory.

The battle was a masterclass in strategy.

But Steven wasn't the teacher here; he was the student being schooled.

His confidence shaken, Steven touched the two remaining Poké Balls at his belt.

He knew his chances of victory were slim, but he wasn't about to give up.

This was more than a battle—it was his final stand as Champion, a fight to prove he was still worthy of the title.

Steeling his resolve, Steven's tense expression relaxed, replaced by his usual calm smile.

"Let's keep going. The match isn't over yet," he said, releasing his fifth Pokémon.

From the Poké Ball emerged Cradily.

Its tentacle-like appendages swayed gently, and its ancient, almost alien appearance gave it an aura of being from a bygone era.

"If you're ready, then let's begin!" Luo Yuan replied, his eyes fixed on Ditto.

Just as Steven prepared to issue his first command, something happened that left him utterly speechless.

Ditto didn't transform into Cradily, as Steven had expected.

It didn't remain in its Skarmory form either, nor did it revert to its default state.

Instead, Ditto's body shifted and twisted until it took on a completely new form—Luo Yuan's.

Steven's jaw dropped.

"What is this!?"

Ditto, now a spitting image of Luo Yuan, stood confidently on the battlefield.

Was it planning to fight Cradily in human form?

The absurdity of the situation boggled Steven's mind.

Could a human's strength even compare to a Pokémon's?

And while Steven respected Luo Yuan's skill, wasn't this a bit too dismissive?

Steven's thoughts raced, but he was overthinking things.

Far from being dismissive, Ditto's current transformation wasn't just strong—it was, without counting legends like Deoxys, Mewtwo, or Rayquaza, its most formidable form to date.

---

T/N: REF IS THAT ALLOWED??

...

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