Pokemon: I Transmigrated Twice-Chapter 222: Pokemon: I Transmigrated Twice []

Here you go:

5 new review = 5 extra Chapters.

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Much like the situation where Trip, who won the Pokémon World Tournament Junior Cup, gained the right to challenge Alder.

Red, who just won the Kalos Youth Cup, also faced off against Diantha.

To most people, these kinds of matches are seen as a way for the local champion to fulfill a youngster's wish to battle the champion.

However, once the match started, everyone quickly realized that something was off.

Facing Red's Charizard, Diantha's Gardevoir couldn't take it down right away and was instead put on the defensive by Red's tactics.

["I told you, that kid is going to be something else in the future!"]

In the [Loving and Harmonious League] chat group created by Goodshow, Lt. Surge sent a message.

"Flamethrower!"

Before anyone in the group could reply, Red had already seized on a flaw Diantha's Gardevoir exposed, and—unusually excited—shouted out.

Stephen was a bit surprised. Although he knew that Red's future peak strength would far surpass Diantha's, he didn't expect that Charizard would be able to push a champion to this point right after evolving.

He must have exploded with potential this time.

After all, in the original story he did beat Giovanni at Silph Co. once.

But back then Giovanni was busy retreating, so he probably wasn't fighting at full strength.

"No way!? Is Miss Diantha going to lose!?"

Korrina, who was about Ash's age and sitting in the audience, jumped up in shock.

If their champion lost to a rookie trainer, where would the Kalos League's reputation be?

"Gardevoir! MEGA Evolution!"

Diantha didn't have time to think. She touched the Keystone pendant at her collarbone with her right hand.

A dazzling rainbow light spread out like a shield, blocking the Flamethrower.

"Psychic!"

Before the light of evolution even faded, a wave of pale purple psychic energy poured out.

Charizard, who had just evolved half an hour ago, spread its wings and tried to fly up to dodge.

But it was a step too late—the psychic wave caught it and compressed it as if by invisible hands, then slammed it heavily into the ground.

Boom!

After the loud crash, Red's Charizard could no longer get up.

The rainbow light symbolizing MEGA Evolution faded as well, revealing MEGA Gardevoir on TV screens everywhere.

"Ch-Charizard is unable to battle. Gardevoir wins."

The referee, regaining his composure, announced the result.

For a moment, the arena erupted in thunderous cheers.

But the cheers weren't for the local champion who won, but for Red—the challenger who lost.

"That kid is going places!"

"Of course! He even forced Diantha to use MEGA Evolution. Is he a rookie who only started traveling this year? Is the next Leon about to be born?"

"That Blue kid isn't simple either!"

"Reaching Leon's level is tough though. Leon became champion in his first year—a total monster!"

"Leon got lucky. If you check the records, you'll see that when Rose became chairman of Galar, Peony didn't want to be champion anymore. When Leon challenged for champion, Peony let him win."

"By the way, don't you guys think Diantha seems a little...weak?"

"To be honest, even if Malva had battled instead, she wouldn't have been pushed this hard."

Diantha took a shallow breath and signaled Gardevoir to return.

The psychic queen left MEGA form and returned to normal, turning into a red light and entering Diantha's Poké Ball.

"You're excellent, Red. Interested in coming to Kalos?"

Diantha walked forward and extended her hand.

"Just lucky... For now, I only want to challenge the Indigo League."

Red adjusted his hat and replied quietly.

He admitted that he'd pulled out all the stops this time—if they battled again, the result could be very different.

But Diantha shook her head, indicating Red didn't need to be humble.

No matter how much Red pulled out his potential, the fact that a champion was forced to use MEGA Evolution by a rookie was already humiliating enough.

It was like the national soccer team being forced into a penalty shootout by a county-level team.

...

"By the way, Hoopa, I found your power."

In the VIP lounge, Baraz remembered something and took out a strangely shaped jar from his backpack, colored the same purple-gray as Hoopa.

"The Prison Bottle!"

Hoopa exclaimed.

"What's that?" Malva asked curiously.

"A hundred years ago, my great-grandfather..."

Baraz quickly told Malva the story of how his great-grandfather Ghris used the Prison Bottle to seal most of a rampaging Hoopa's power in this jar a century ago.

"There's something like that..."

Malva looked shocked.

During their earlier dates, she'd heard Baraz talk about how powerful Hoopa was a hundred years ago.

She'd always wondered—if this little thing was so strong, how did it end up like this in just a century?

Turns out, most of its power was sealed in this jar!

"Hoopa, with this, you should be able to return to your old self."

Baraz handed the Prison Bottle to Hoopa.

Though he was being a bit of a simp right now, he truly saw Hoopa as family.

That's why, once he learned about the Prison Bottle, he went deep into the desert to retrieve it for Hoopa.

Hoopa looked at the jar that matched its colors, fell silent for a while, and then said: "No need, Baraz. Hoopa likes things the way they are now."

Recalling its experiences from a hundred years ago, Hoopa suddenly felt scared.

If it regained its old power...would it still be itself?

It was very satisfied with its current life.

Meray was by its side, Big Brother Stephen, Baraz, Sonia—they were all good to it. Usually, it played games with Mew and Zoroark.

It felt like it didn't need that much power anymore.

"Well...alright then."

Baraz didn't force Hoopa.

"Next, let's welcome the league's strongest champion, Dr. Stephen, to present the award to the final winner of the Kalos Youth Cup—Red!"

At this moment, the announcer's passionate voice rang out.

Everyone in the room looked out the window.

They saw Stephen carrying the trophy toward Red.

"Baraz, I'm going to play with everyone!"

Seeing Stephen handing the trophy to Red and about to return, Hoopa prepared to fly over.

Before Hoopa could fly half a meter, Malva suddenly threw a Poké Ball.

Her Delphox appeared, blocking Hoopa's path. Hoopa nearly crashed, startled: "W-What are you doing?"

"Malva, you..."

Baraz looked at her confused.

But when he met Malva's emotionless gaze, the rest of his words got stuck in his throat.

At that moment, she felt like a stranger.

No—he realized he'd never really known the real her.

"The Super Genie of Auras who can summon legends without limit—I found out about this nickname after much research."

Lysandre had also called out his Pyroar, which moved close to Baraz, baring its sharp fangs.

"If you don't want him to get hurt, use your power to help us summon the Cocoon of Destruction. You've been with Dr. Stephen for so long, you should know where it is."

"Chairman Lysandre, you!?"

Baraz's mind was spinning.

Not only was gentle Malva acting like this, but even the usually approachable Lysandre now seemed like a stranger.

"Hurry! Before that man comes back, bring me the Cocoon of Destruction!"

Seeing Stephen finishing the award ceremony and walking over, Lysandre became anxious.

"Roar!"

Pyroar cooperated, slashing Baraz's arm with its fangs.

"Ah!"

Baraz cried out, dropping to one knee, clutching his bleeding arm and gasping.

"Next time, I won't be so gentle."

Lysandre had dropped all pretense.

Today, Team Flare's plan had to succeed!

Pyroar bared its fangs again, this time seemingly about to swallow Baraz's whole arm.

Hoopa, terrified, finally snapped out of its daze, its big eyes filled with conflict. With a pained shout, it said, "I'm sorry! Big Brother!"

The next second, Hoopa took off the golden ring hanging from its right horn and tossed it high.

At this moment, the award ceremony had finished, and the audience was leaving in an orderly fashion under the staff's guidance.

"Huh? What's that?"

Korrina, who had come to watch with her grandfather, suddenly noticed something unusual.

Not just Korrina.

Sonia, Nessa, Blue, Gary...more and more people in the audience.

All saw a golden ring appear next to Stephen.

"That's...Hoopa's..."

Diancie, next to Sonia, blinked her gem-like eyes. "Is Brother Stephen leaving...wait, that's not right!"

Nessa originally thought Stephen was using Hoopa's power to leave, but quickly realized something was wrong.

The moment the golden ring appeared, Hoopa's little hand reached out and snatched a Poké Ball from Stephen's belt.

"What's that troublemaker doing!?"

Sonia's eyes widened.

The thousands of departing spectators all paused.

They didn't know exactly what was happening but sensed that something was wrong.

"Hahaha!"

At that moment, Lysandre's wild laughter rang out from the VIP box.

"C-Chairman?"

Diantha was bewildered—what was going on?

On the stands, Lysandre held the Poké Ball containing the Cocoon of Destruction, laughing maniacally.

Finally, finally, it was his!

Both keys to activate the ultimate weapon were now in his hands!

"You've got what you wanted, now let Baraz go, okay?"

Hoopa asked cautiously.

Having been protected by Meray and Stephen all this time, this was almost her first encounter with such human malice, and she was terrified.

"We still need you to do one more thing for us."

Lysandre sneered:

"Come with us. I don't want Dr. Stephen using your power to chase after us."

Though both keys were in his hands, Lysandre had to take Hoopa—at least she couldn't be left with Stephen.

Otherwise, Stephen could immediately use her power to catch up.

"T-That's not possible!"

Hoopa panicked.

"Oh? Don't you care about this guy's life?"

Lysandre pointed at the sweating Baraz, threateningly.

"N-No, it's just that Ho-Hoopa can't go through her ring."

Hoopa waved her hands.

"What?!"

Lysandre and Malva's faces fell.

"That's right, you're not going anywhere."

Suddenly, Stephen's voice rang out.

Lysandre and the others turned sharply—Stephen was already sitting on a MEGA Altaria, smiling at them.

Lysandre's heart skipped a beat, and he shouted, "Team Rocket! It's your turn!"

Team Rocket!?

The tens of thousands of spectators and countless TV viewers were all shocked.

Even regional champions and elites were stunned.

After the Indigo Plateau Battle, Team Rocket's infamy was enough to scare children into silence.

But for TV viewers like Cynthia and Alder, that wasn't the shocking part.

What shocked them was that these words came from Lysandre, the Chairman of the Kalos League.

That's not something a good guy should say.

"Slowbro! Hydro Pump!"

"Houndoom! Flamethrower!"

Two figures hidden in the crowd sent out their Pokémon.

Water and fire—two opposite ranged attacks—shot toward the VIP box.

"Stephen!"

Nessa, Sonia, and others shouted in worry.

However, Cynthia, watching on TV, was calm.

The next second, as Cynthia predicted, the Hydro Pump and Flamethrower zoomed just past Stephen's shoulders.

The real target—was Lysandre!

"Delphox!"

Malva's eyes widened, making a snap decision.

Delphox waved its wand, instantly creating a barrier to block the two attacks.

Lysandre's face darkened further as he glared at the two prominent figures in the audience.

"What are you doing?!"

"Oh, nothing at all."

Mask on, Will stood up amid the stunned crowd, spreading his hands and grinning:

"Joker said, compared to Dr. Stephen, it's better to take you out first."

Lysandre growled, "So, compared to Hoopa, he values his brothers more?"

He wasn't surprised; after all, the chubby kid had shown killing intent toward him yesterday.

"Not really. It's just that Joker dislikes you more than Dr. Stephen."

Will recited last night's rehearsed line, "We'll take care of you first, then him."

She pointed at Lysandre, then at Stephen.

"What...what's going on? I'm confused..." Sonia scratched her head, feeling her brain wasn't enough for this.

Nessa narrowed her eyes, "That Lysandre wants to hurt Stephen and even teamed up with Team Rocket, but in the end, Team Rocket decided to take out Lysandre first, is that it?"

Although she didn't know Stephen was Joker, as his woman, Nessa knew that Lysandre, the Kalos League chairman, was secretly the leader of Team Flare.

From their earlier exchange, she'd pieced together most of what happened.

Hearing this, Diantha was still in shock.

No, but why would Lysandre want to hurt Stephen?

"Blastoise! Swampert!"

Nessa sent out her two strongest partners.

"Anyone who dares hurt Stephen will have to go through me!"

"Big Brother, I-I didn't mean to, waaaah~"

Hoopa sobbed in grievance.

"It's okay, don't worry about it."

Stephen jumped onto the stands, waving with a smile. "Come back first."

Hoopa nodded, wanting to fly into Stephen's arms.

But Delphox blocked her again.

Malva knew she couldn't let Hoopa return to Stephen. The little one wasn't strong herself, but as support, she was invincible!

"Malva, what are you doing?"

Stephen's smile became even more exaggerated, but this time it wasn't the gentle one he showed Hoopa—it was murderous.

Bang—!

A Poké Ball on Stephen's belt opened by itself.

Tapu Bulu appeared behind Stephen like Star Platinum.

As the true core of Malva's team, even her ace Delphox didn't dare meet Tapu Bulu's eyes, retreating in fear.

"I've known for a long time that Team Rocket can't be relied on, and now my judgment is proven right."

Lysandre suddenly spoke.

"Oh? So what?"

Stephen's smile became even more pronounced.

He admitted that Lysandre, as a criminal mastermind who infiltrated the League and became Chairman, was smart.

But if your strength doesn't match your smarts, what's the point?

The next second, the sound of helicopter blades chopping the air came from above the arena.

On the side of the helicopter was the Lysandre Labs logo!

The next second, a giant box was dropped from the cargo bay, crashing heavily to the ground.

"What's that..."

Sonia, Nessa, Red, and others narrowed their eyes at the box.

Through its translucent sides, they could see a small, jellyfish-like Pokémon restrained inside.

"That is!?"

Having experienced the Yveltal incident in Vaniville Town last year, Diantha, Dresna, and others were shocked.

They recognized it—it was Zygarde, the god of order!

But at the moment, Zygarde's expression was filled with pain.

[Damn...damn...damn humans!]

Just then, an angry young boy's voice echoed in everyone's mind.

That voice—it was Zygarde!

"Do it."

Lysandre gave a low command.

In the transport helicopter above, Team Flare's chief scientist pressed a button on the control panel.

Instantly, the blue core in front of Zygarde in its cell form began to glow ominously.

Its expression grew even more pained and twisted.

It hurt! It hurt so much!

[Humans! Must be destroyed!!!]

The childish voice, filled with explosive anger, made every person present feel a deep sense of dread.