Team Rocket's Second-in-Command!

Some battles are planned, others are unexpected—but a true Champion embraces them all. Consider this bonus Chapter one of those surprises.

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"Mamoswine is unable to battle! Gabite wins!"

The referee's announcement marked the conclusion of the match.

Only then did the spectators snap out of their daze after witnessing Gabite's sudden disappearance and reappearance.

Just as they were about to cheer, a new development seized their attention.

Gabite's body began to glow with a radiant white light.

Encased in this brilliance, its form rapidly transformed. Its height increased significantly, its arms and dorsal fins expanded several times over, and its overall presence became even more imposing.

"Gabite has evolved into Garchomp!"

"It evolved? Earlier than I expected," Luo Yuan remarked, unfazed by the sight of his newly evolved Garchomp.

Even during its time as Gabite, Garchomp had been accumulating a substantial amount of Dragon energy.

With Luo Yuan's rigorous training regimen, abundant resources, and frequent battles, it was only a matter of time before Garchomp reached this evolution.

On the opposite side, Ryuji stood in stunned silence.

"..."

He couldn't describe how he felt at that moment.

Not only had he lost the match, but his opponent's Pokémon had evolved during the battle.

It was a crushing blow.

Recalling the sequence of events, he looked up and asked, "How did your Garchomp suddenly disappear earlier?"

Ryuji was convinced that if Garchomp had been hit by Mamoswine's Blizzard, he would have secured the win.

In good spirits after Garchomp's evolution, Luo Yuan didn't mind explaining.

"I used Substitute."

Normally, a Substitute wouldn't have fooled Ryuji or Mamoswine. But by tunneling underground and slipping out of sight, Garchomp had created a perfect opportunity.

The real Garchomp stayed hidden beneath the battlefield while its Substitute engaged Mamoswine.

"That tactic..."

Ryuji's mind reeled.

"You weren't worried about Earthquake?" he asked, recalling how devastating it could have been.

Luo Yuan simply smiled without answering, his confidence palpable.

Ryuji immediately realized his question was foolish. If Luo Yuan had used this strategy, he had already accounted for Earthquake.

After all, Garchomp had managed to counter it with Iron Head.

This realization deepened Ryuji's respect for Luo Yuan.

The man was either a master strategist with complete control of the battlefield or an audacious gambler willing to risk everything for victory—or perhaps both.

"We still have one round left. Let's not waste any time. Send out your last Pokémon," Luo Yuan said.

His calm, almost assured demeanor irritated Ryuji.

Even though he had lost the previous round, he'd pressured Luo Yuan during the first half of the match. His final Pokémon was his ace, and he was confident that Garchomp, despite its evolution, must be exhausted after two grueling battles.

But just as Ryuji was about to respond, Luo Yuan calmly withdrew Garchomp.

Using Garchomp had served its purpose: gaining battle experience and triggering its evolution. Now that it had evolved, there was no need to keep it in the fight.

Releasing a new Poké Ball, Luo Yuan sent out his next Pokémon.

Roar!

A colossal Dragonite emerged, its massive frame towering over the battlefield.

As it landed, the hidden Stealth Rock scattered across the arena collided with its body, but they couldn't pierce its thick scales. Only the explosion from the rocks caused a negligible amount of damage.

"You were saying?" Luo Yuan asked, turning to Ryuji.

Ryuji clenched his fists.

"...Nothing."

---

The battle resumed, and the outcome was decisive.

Boom!

Dragonite's enormous body slammed into Feraligatr, which was already paralyzed from an earlier Dragon Breath.

"Body Slam!"

The move's power scaled with the user's weight, and the massive Dragonite made full use of it.

The sheer force of the attack pinned Feraligatr to the ground, leaving it no chance to recover.

Dragonite shifted slightly to stand back up, revealing Feraligatr, which was deeply embedded in the battlefield.

The referee approached, examined the barely conscious Feraligatr, and raised his flag.

"Feraligatr is unable to battle! Dragonite wins!"

Ryuji hurriedly recalled Feraligatr, his hands trembling slightly as he stared at Dragonite.

Earlier, when he'd watched Keita's match against Luo Yuan, he had dismissed Keita's performance as subpar.

But now, after experiencing Luo Yuan's strength firsthand, Ryuji realized how wrong he had been.

Keita hadn't been weak—Luo Yuan was simply far too strong.

Acknowledging his defeat, Ryuji gave Luo Yuan a respectful nod before leaving the arena.

He felt ashamed of his previous arrogance. With his current skill level, he had no business competing for an Elite Four position.

Not only did he need to improve, but he also realized how much he had to learn.

Ryuji decided to retreat to Mt. Silver for intense training before attempting anything similar again.

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The crowd, however, was far from subdued.

"Luo Yuan!"

Applause and cheers erupted as the audience chanted his name.

The commentator fueled the excitement further.

"With incredible strategy and overwhelming strength, Luo Yuan advances to the Top 8!"

"This marks Luo Yuan's 15th consecutive victory in this tournament!"

"According to my research, the Indigo League's all-time record for consecutive wins is 19. Will Luo Yuan be the one to break it?"

The crowd buzzed with curiosity and anticipation.

Luo Yuan didn't respond to the speculation. He simply smiled, waved to the audience, and left the arena.

---

As he walked off, a notification buzzed in his pocket.

Malva had managed to contact Team Rocket through a black-market intermediary.

Though her makeup had altered her appearance, Matori—forewarned by Luo Yuan—immediately recognized her as Malva during the video call.

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A true Champion knows that every battle, every choice, and every unexpected twist shapes the path to mastery. Consider this bonus Chapter a rare encounter—one that wouldn't be possible without the right support.

That's why you should support WiseTL at [patreon.com/WiseTL]—where every pledge helps bring more high-quality translations to life, staying true to the original while flowing naturally in English. After all, excellence is in the details.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have more to prepare for. But you? You should take this opportunity—you never know what rare finds await.

—Cynthia