Pokémon: My Titles Know No Limits! [555]

A glob of venom gathered in Gengar’s hand—then slammed into the dazed Pangoro.

What looked like a light, airy strike sent Pangoro flying!

Its legs gouged two long furrows across the floor.

By the time Pangoro steadied itself, an unnatural purple hue was spreading across its face.

“Poisoned!” Zinnia cried.

Bea’s heart tightened. “Pangoro, [Snarl]!”

With a roar, Pangoro unleashed a deafening shockwave, Dark energy rolling toward Gengar.

But Gengar never fought head-on.

The moment the sound waves approached, it simply widened the gap between them.

Pangoro tried to close in, but Gengar, with its agility and ability to slip into shadows at will, evaded every time.

From the perspective of Zinnia and the others, it looked like Gengar was toying with Pangoro in the palm of its hand.

And as the battle dragged on, poison steadily drained Pangoro’s stamina. Bea grew more and more agitated—but it did nothing to improve Pangoro’s position.

At last, too exhausted to continue, Pangoro dropped to one knee, panting hard, glaring up at the grinning ghost above.

A heartbeat later, darkness closed in. The bamboo stalk fell from its mouth, and Pangoro collapsed, out of the fight.

“Your Pangoro needs more training in agility and ranged offense,” August said.

Bea nodded.

She had already realized it herself—once strung along by a mobile foe like Gengar, her Pangoro could only be dragged around passively.

But she didn’t falter. After recalling Pangoro, she pulled out her second ball, brimming with energy. "August-shishou, let’s continue!”

August smiled. That indomitable spirit was what he liked most about her.

He recalled Gengar as well, tossing another Poké Ball. “My second Pokémon is this one!”

With a flash, Dragonite appeared, little wings beating.

“Dragonite, huh? Then go—Hawlucha!”

Bea’s colorful wrestler Pokémon flipped onto the field, landing in a perfect gymnast’s pose.

Its eyes burned into Dragonite.

Dragonite raised a stubby paw and waved politely. “Dru~!”

Caught off guard by such manners, Hawlucha hesitated—then raised a hand to return the greeting.

Only then did both drop into serious stances.

Since this was a guidance battle, Bea struck first.

“Hawlucha, [Bounce]!”

Hawlucha crouched low, then launched itself skyward.

At its peak, it folded into an elbow-drop, plunging toward Dragonite.

“Against Flying-types, unless you’re a hundred percent sure, don’t ever put yourself in the air!” August snapped his fingers.

“Dru~”

Dragonite’s wings shuddered.

[Hurricane]!

A violent storm blasted forth, hammering the descending Hawlucha.

The acrobatic dive instantly became a ship tossed in a gale.

By the time Hawlucha’s strike landed, it had been blown so far off target that Dragonite was nowhere near. Its feathers were a mess, its form ragged.

“Throw away the item!” Bea shouted.

Hawlucha tore off the black belt at its waist.

Freed from its weight, it bounced lightly from side to side—its speed now so sharp it left afterimages in the air.

“Oh? [Unburden] ability?”

When it lost its held item, its speed doubled.

Already quick, Hawlucha was now blisteringly fast.

“[Acrobatics]!” Bea cried.

Hawlucha soared again—this time sure of itself.

Its speed was such that only afterimages could be seen, its real body impossible to track.

Dragonite’s reaction was swift—round paws raised, one covering its face, the other its belly.

Impact came at once.

Wham!

A flying kick hammered Dragonite’s gut.

“Dru~!”

It staggered backward, reeling, but when it moved to counter, Hawlucha was already gone.

A strike from behind sent it lurching again.

Attacks rained from all directions, Hawlucha darting faster than the eye could follow.

Bea’s heart soared. Could this be it—the day she finally defeated August-shishou, her first true victory?

But then her eyes met August’s.

And she realized: not once had he looked anxious. His brow hadn’t furrowed.

He still has something left…

The thought had barely formed when the tide turned.

As Hawlucha dove again, Dragonite’s antennae twitched.

Predicting its line, Dragonite’s claw swept out—snaring Hawlucha mid-kick!

“Caught…! No—Hawlucha, break free!”

It thrashed, but Dragonite’s grip was unyielding.

In a battle of this level, there was only one chance to escape. Missing it was fatal.

Dragonite’s other paw clenched, arcs of lightning dancing around it.

[Thunder Punch]!

Crack!

Electricity surged through Hawlucha, its feathers bristling.

Sparks burst from its body as it convulsed, then slumped limp, black smoke curling from its mouth.

Out cold.

Dragonite dangled the fainted Hawlucha a moment, then made a (＾－＾)V gesture toward August.

“Lost again…”

Bea sagged. She had seen the light of victory—so close.

And yet, just a step short.

Dragonite landed gently, set Hawlucha back down, and patted Bea’s shoulder in comfort.

“Do you know how Dragonite located it?” August asked.

Bea blinked. “How?”

“Static.”

“When the [Hurricane] ruffled its feathers, friction with the air built up static charge. At that speed, the stray sparks became enough for Dragonite to track.”

Her eyes widened in sudden understanding.

She would never have noticed. Without August, she might never have realized at all.

Two bouts down. Only one remained.

What would shishou's last Pokémon be?

Her pulse quickened as she saw him pat the snoozing Mew atop his head.

Could it be… Mew? The thought thrilled and terrified her.

But she guessed wrong.

Guidance battles weren’t for bullying with mythicals.

He only patted Mew because she’d drooled in his hair.

Adjusting her sleeping pose, August finally produced another Poké Ball.

“My third Pokémon is her!”

With a glow, Gardevoir emerged, elegant as ever.

Pulled from her ball mid-slumber, she stretched, casting August a questioning glance.

“This is a student’s guidance match. I’m counting on you, Gardevoir,” he said.

She rolled her eyes, then turned to Bea.

Seeing her, Bea tensed even harder than before.

She knew well from the Hisui summer camp—if Mew’s strength was a five, Gardevoir’s was at least twice that.

She had never expected him to bring her out.

“August’s shameless,” Sabrina muttered.

Blue and Zinnia both nodded.

Yes—who used Gardevoir in a student match? No shame at all.

But after the initial shock, Bea’s fighting spirit only blazed brighter.

“Go, Machamp!”

Her ace appeared, flexing eagerly—until she saw her opponent.

“…”

She turned to Bea, eyes asking plainly: Are you sure?

That was August’s Gardevoir.

Bea nodded firmly. “Yes. She’s our opponent.”

Machamp sighed—but like her Trainer, once the battle began, she became deadly serious.

She squared up.

Bea lifted her hand. “Shishou, I’ll use it now!”

“[Dynamax], huh? I’ve been waiting for this.”

This was the real purpose of the guidance match—to observe [Dynamax] up close, to prepare for Rose and the World Championships.

On the sidelines, Sabrina, Blue, and Zinnia leaned forward eagerly.

Bea raised the ball—Machamp was drawn inside.

And then the ball swelled huge in her hand.

With both arms she hurled it.

A thundering crash—

Gigantamax Machamp rose over forty meters tall, legs shadowed black, waist circled with crimson clouds, eyes glowing, arms etched with molten lines.

The stadium’s system instantly detected the [Dynamax]—and switched the BGM.

“This music’s awesome!” Zinnia shouted.

Sabrina and Blue, for once, agreed.

Say what you would of Rose—when it came to commercializing the League, no one did it better.

The music carried even outside. All of Stow-on-Side looked up at the colossal Machamp’s head protruding above the stadium roof.

“Again!”

They knew this scene all too well.

Noise. Disturbance.

The price of living by a Gym.

Gardevoir gazed up at her titanic foe, then turned to August.

Clearly waiting for him to enlarge her too.

“…I don’t know how yet,” August coughed.

He’d barely been in Galar a day. He hadn’t learned [Dynamax] at all.

Gardevoir: “?”

She looked at Machamp, then back at him, incredulous.

You expect me to fight like this?

“Make do, make do,” August muttered, unable to meet her eyes.

Her expression shifted to resigned exasperation. But a battle was a battle.

She lifted herself into the air, body glowing blue, rising until she stood eye to eye with Machamp.

She had never been in the habit of looking up to anyone.

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This is a fan translation of 我，宝可梦称号大师！ by 落唯 白良. All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!