Bab 108: Chapter 108: I was tricked
The stadium buzzed with electric tension, the crowd roaring in unison as the final round was announced. I stood still, my black jacket flapping slightly in the cool breeze, eyes narrowing as I caught sight of my opponent. Kade "The Edge" Strickland, standing tall and unyielding across the battlefield, a cold smirk playing on his lips.
"Trainers, send out your Pokémon!" the referee's voice boomed.
I tilted my head slightly, feeling the familiar weight of Shadow perched on my shoulder. His red eyes gleamed with an eerie glow, a silent threat to anyone who dared challenge him. My fingers grazed his dark fur as I whispered, "It's time, Shadow."
With a quick nod, Shadow leapt gracefully from my shoulder and landed on the field, his form bristling with dark electricity. The sight of him—jet black with streaks of electric blue—sent ripples through the crowd. I could almost hear their disbelief. After all, Shadow wasn't your average Pokémon.
Across the field, Kade's smirk grew more pronounced. "Reaper, show them what real power looks like." His Garchomp, towering and monstrous, stomped onto the field. Its presence alone was a thunderous statement of Kade's dominance. The jagged spikes along its back bristled as Kade raised his Mega Stone, the sharp glint in his eyes betraying his hunger for victory.
The blinding light of Mega Evolution engulfed Reaper. When it faded, the once intimidating Garchomp now radiated a terrifying aura of primal energy. Spikes longer, claws sharper, eyes glowing with the same murderous intensity as Kade's.
I remained calm, hands in my pockets, my mind already calculating the next ten moves. "Shadow, 𝘚𝘩𝘢𝘥𝘰𝘸 𝘊𝘰𝘱𝘺." My voice was steady, each word laced with the confidence of knowing exactly how this was going to end.
Black electricity crackled around Shadow as his form began to shift, warping and twisting until he stood as a pitch-black version of Reaper. The crowd gasped, but I didn't care. This wasn't for them. This was for me. For the win. For the power I'd come to crave.
Kade's eyes darkened. He saw what was happening, but it didn't faze him. "Reaper, 𝘚𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘴 𝘋𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦."
The air around Garchomp pulsed as its claws shimmered with a deadly glow, its energy rising with each deliberate movement. The power building inside him was palpable, a ticking time bomb waiting to explode.
"Shadow, 𝘚𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘴 𝘋𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦," I commanded.
Shadow mirrored Reaper's movements, but faster—more precise. His blackened claws sliced through the air with an almost arrogant grace, absorbing the energy and amplifying it in a way that felt more... deadly. My heart rate didn't spike. I knew what Shadow could do. What we could do.
Kade's smirk turned into a sneer. "End this with Earthquake!"
Reaper slammed its foot into the ground, the sheer force of the attack ripping fissures through the battlefield. The ground beneath Shadow quaked violently, cracks snaking toward him like jagged teeth ready to devour.
"Shadow, Dragon Rush!" I barked.
With a burst of dark energy, Shadow shot into the sky, leaving behind a trail of crackling blue and black lightning. The Earthquake tore through the field beneath him, but Shadow was already diving back down, a blazing aura forming around his streamlined body.
Kade didn't flinch. "Stone Edge!"
Reaper responded instantly, its massive claws hurling jagged stones from the ground toward Shadow. The stones flew with lethal precision, sharp as razors. But Shadow was quicker—he twisted mid-air, the electric aura deflecting the rocks with brutal precision, each stone exploding into dust.
I didn't waste a second. "Shadow, Metal Claw!"
Shadow's claws gleamed silver as he charged Reaper's exposed flank, closing in with terrifying speed.
"Dig!" Kade's voice cut through the air, sharp and calculated.
Reaper disappeared underground, the battlefield growing eerily still. Dust swirled as Shadow's attack swiped through empty air. But I was already a step ahead.
"Shadow, Bulldoze the ground!" I commanded.
With a thunderous stomp, Shadow sent a rippling shockwave across the field, forcing Reaper out of the ground prematurely. Dirt and debris flew into the air as Reaper emerged, eyes locking onto Shadow's. The battlefield had become a war zone, each breath charged with lethal intent.
Kade's smirk returned, colder than before. "Perfect. Dragon Claw, full power!"
Reaper lunged with blinding speed, its claws glowing with a vicious energy aimed straight at Shadow's throat.
"Block with Metal Claw, then follow up!" I commanded, my voice cutting through the stadium's deafening roar.
The metallic clash rang out, sparks flying as their claws collided. The force of the hit rattled through the field, but neither Pokémon gave an inch. Both were locked in a brutal dance of power and precision, but Shadow had the advantage—faster, more fluid, perfectly mimicking Reaper's strengths without its flaws.
"Now, Earthquake!" I snapped.
Shadow leaped back, slamming the ground with terrifying force. The tremor tore through the stadium, shaking the very foundation beneath us. Reaper staggered, momentarily unbalanced.
Kade's face twisted, the realization of the shift in momentum dawning on him. "Not yet! Stone Edge!"
But I was ready. "Shadow, Dragon Rush!"
Shadow became a blur, his dark lightning form crashing through the jagged stones with brutal efficiency. Each rock disintegrated as Shadow barreled toward Reaper.
Kade's eyes narrowed, seeing the inevitable. "Last stand, Earthquake!"
Reaper slammed the ground, sending another shockwave toward Shadow, but it was too late. The two titanic forces collided with a thunderous explosion, shaking the stadium to its core.
When the dust finally settled, the battlefield lay in ruins. Reaper was on one knee, panting heavily, struggling to stay upright. Shadow stood tall, completely unscathed, his red eyes glowing with an unsettling calm.
The referee's voice cracked through the stunned silence. "Garchomp is unable to battle. Punit and Shadow win!"
Kade's fists clenched as he recalled Reaper, his face a mask of cold fury. "Next time," he hissed, "you won't be so lucky."
I didn't respond. I didn't need to. Shadow returned to my shoulder, his red eyes still burning as the adrenaline of battle began to fade. My alter ego, the cold strategist, eased back, replaced by a small, almost imperceptible smile. It was over. For now.
But the victory tasted... too easy.
I barely had time to savor it before everything shifted. One moment I was in the stadium, the next, teleported to a desolate peak, trees looming around me.
I frowned, my voice a low, calm murmur. "This wasn't the plan."
Friday's voice echoed in my mind, sweet but detached. "You've got Shadow, and the Horizon Shop is now open with a 60% discount."
I sighed, glancing at Shadow. "Seems like I was tricked into something bigger."
Shadow nudged my cheek, biting my finger lightly before nuzzling against me. I sighed again, the weight of the world settling back on my shoulders as I walked through the trees, wondering just what I'd gotten myself into.
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
Vivid_Horizons
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Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
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