Pokemon: Spiritual Master-Chapter 413: The Rotom Who Dreams of Becoming the Strongest Photographer (BONUS)

Tobias was originally based on the 2009 Pokémon TCG World Champion in the anime.

To be honest—

Johan didn't have particularly strong feelings toward Tobias.

It wasn't because of his good looks—after all, no matter how handsome he was, he still couldn't compare to Johan or Steven.

It also wasn't because Tobias had both a Darkrai and a Latios—

After all, even a Officer Jenny had a Latias, and that was pretty normal.

The main reason?

It was probably because when Johan watched the anime years ago, Tobias had been a total 'deus ex machina.'

And not just any deus ex machina—he had zero buildup.

Everyone knew how it went—the "childhood friend" always lost to the surprise newcomer.

So naturally, most people weren't very fond of "out-of-nowhere" characters like that.

Cough.

Of course, Johan wasn't the type to let childhood frustrations from the anime influence his treatment of people in real life.

But—

Tobias was definitely worth paying attention to.

Originally, this was just supposed to be a fun and relaxing "Baby Cup."

But the moment a guy with Legendary Pokémon showed up, the entire tournament changed.

Then again...

Even Ash had nearly taken down two of Tobias's Legendaries.

So how strong could he really be?

Not to mention, this was before Ash had grown into his prime.

Tobias's actual strength was unknown.

Whether he even had Darkrai and Latios at this point was also unknown.

"Ka-kaah~~"

From the shadows, Gengar emerged.

Its crimson eyes gleamed menacingly, its signature cloak billowing dramatically.

It stared at Tobias's red cape, then at its own cape.

Hold on a second.

This guy... is copying my look?!

Tobias blinked at Gengar, especially at the matching cloak.

For a moment—

His mind went blank.

He and a Gengar... were wearing the exact same outfit?

Who would even believe that if he told them?

"Ahem."

Johan cleared his throat and gently pressed down on Gengar's head.

Then, he asked, "So, Tobias—what brings you here?"

Gengar, meanwhile, gave Tobias's shadow a subtle wink.

Tobias snapped out of his daze and smiled.

"I'm the founder of the Pokémon Trading Card Game."

"I'd like to discuss a business collaboration with you, Professor Johan."

"A collaboration?"

Wait—wasn't Matori the one in charge of these things?

But before Johan could say anything, Tobias continued—

"But we can talk about that later. For now... would you be interested in an exhilarating Pokémon TCG match?"

As he spoke, he pulled out a deck of cards—and even an extra deck, as if already prepared.

Johan's eyes narrowed.

This was... a duelist's challenge?

But before he could let his competitive side take over, Johan quickly shut it down and declined with a polite smile.

"Next time. Definitely next time."

Rule number one of life:

Updat𝓮d from freewēbnoveℓ.com.

Never—under any circumstances—play cards against the person who MAKES the cards.

They can literally print new cards at will!

What if halfway through the game, Tobias suddenly whipped out a new rule and said—

"Johan-boy."

Tobias blinked.

...That was not the response he was expecting.

Seeing his confusion, Johan explained—

"The Lily of the Valley Conference is still ongoing. Right now, my focus is on the tournament, and to be honest... I'm not very good at card games."

Tobias paused, then nodded in understanding.

"That's fair. I was too forward."

Though he was slightly disappointed, he still smiled confidently and said—

"Then let us battle through our Pokémon instead, in this tournament!"

"Of course."

Johan nodded, secretly relieved that the topic had finally shifted back to normal.

"Then... I'll see you on the battlefield."

"Good!"

As Johan walked away, Tobias suddenly realized something.

Wait.

Wasn't I supposed to be discussing a business deal?

How did this turn into a Pokémon battle challenge?!

"Ah, well... it's all the same."

Tobias casually brushed back his hair.

"After all, our real goal is to use this tournament to promote Pokémon TCG."

"If I win the championship, it'll be great advertising."

Plus...

As a true card game enthusiast, Tobias had sensed something in Johan.

A kindred spirit.

Johan definitely understood the beauty of Pokémon TCG.

He was just too focused on the tournament right now.

But once the tournament was over—

There was no doubt in Tobias's mind.

He would absolutely get Johan to play a match with him!

From the shadows beneath Tobias's feet, Darkrai silently emerged.

"That Gengar was strong."

Darkrai's voice drifted through the air, a whisper as ethereal as mist.

Tobias smirked.

"Of course. We're up against Professor Johan, after all."

"You seem to respect him quite a bit," Darkrai observed.

"Of course. He's a teacher worthy of everyone's respect."

Darkrai nodded, recalling the moment Gengar had noticed it watching.

For some reason...

Darkrai had a very unsettling feeling.

That Gengar...

It might be far more terrifying than it seemed.

"Then let's go train," Darkrai said.

"If we want to win, we should at least prepare properly."

Tobias nodded in agreement.

"Mm. Just one more match, and then we'll train."

Darkrai: "..."

—

At the stadium entrance, Johan met up with Cynthia and the others.

"You're back already?" Flint grinned. "Who'd you run into?"

"Just a 'challenger,'" Johan said, pointing behind him.

"Oh?"

Flint's eyes lit up. "I'll go check them out!"

Without another word, he ran off toward where Johan had come from.

Cynthia, Fitzwilliam, Aime, and Johan simply stood there, unfazed.

Steven hesitated.

"Is that... okay?"

Johan waved dismissively. "It's fine."

Steven raised an eyebrow.

"Are you sure?"

Johan smiled.

"He's not gonna win."

The group froze.

Flint might be a bit reckless sometimes, but his strength was undeniable.

Aside from Cynthia, there weren't many people who could guarantee a win against him.

Especially when he got serious.

Seeing their confused expressions, Johan casually explained—

"It's a card game."

"Pfft—"

The entire group burst into laughter.

Right.

Flint might be a powerhouse in Pokémon battles—

But in card games?

Yeah.

He wasn't winning anything.

Meanwhile, at the stadium entrance—

Flint, holding a Poké Ball.

Tobias, holding a deck of cards.

Both men stared at each other in total confusion.

"Wait... aren't we battling?"

"Wait... aren't we playing cards?"

—

That evening, Johan's hotel room.

Knock, knock.

When Johan opened the door—

"Professor Oak?"

Johan blinked in surprise.

"What's with that look?" Professor Oak asked, amused.

Johan chuckled.

"Ahaha... I thought it was someone trying to hand me an 'underground business card.'"

Professor Oak looked even more confused.

"Underground business card?"

"Never mind. I just met a card game enthusiast earlier today."

"Oh, I see," Professor Oak nodded.

Though, in the back of his mind—

What do card games have to do with underground businesses?

Professor Oak stepped inside, pulling out a brand-new Pokédex from his bag.

"I've upgraded your Pokédex. This version has a more comprehensive database and is even better suited for Rotom."

He handed it over to Johan, who took it with curiosity.

Professor Oak briefly explained the new functions of the upgraded Pokédex.

"Go ahead and let Rotom try it out," he suggested.

"Rotom," Johan called out.

"Rotto~! Here I am!"

From somewhere deep in the room, Rotom shot out of an electrical socket, zipping through the air like a bolt of lightning.

The moment it saw the new Pokédex, its eyes lit up with excitement.

In an instant, it phased into the device.

Bzzt—!

The Pokédex's shape shifted slightly, adapting to Rotom's presence.

A face appeared on the screen, and small mechanical arms and legs extended from the device.

"Rotto~! The new Rotom Pokédex is ready to serve, rotto!"

Johan was momentarily stunned.

Wait a second...

Isn't this... the same design as the Alola Rotom Dex?!

Had they already developed this model so early?!

Professor Oak observed the changes with satisfaction.

"Looks like a perfect fit."

This upgraded Pokédex was specially designed to integrate seamlessly with Rotom. If everything worked well, Oak planned to mass-produce it for other Trainers.

Meanwhile—

From behind the doorframe, Gengar cautiously peeked out.

Its glowing red eyes darted toward the unexpected visitor.

The moment it saw Professor Oak, Gengar's entire body froze.

It had been curious about who had come knocking so late at night—

But the moment it saw who it was—

It immediately regretted it.

Too late.

Professor Oak had already noticed it.

"Oh? Gengar?"

"Ka-kaah!!"

For some reason—

The fearless, mischievous Gengar suddenly seemed nervous.

Johan was highly amused.

Gengar, who feared nothing and no one, was acting like a guilty child caught sneaking around.

Professor Oak chuckled warmly and walked toward it.

"I brought you a gift."

"Ka-kaah? (・・?)"

Johan ignored Gengar's panicked expression and turned back to Rotom.

"So, how do you like it?"

"Rotto~! It's amazing! I feel like I can store even more electricity now!"

"Want to take it out for a spin tomorrow?"

Rotom immediately sparked with excitement.

"Bzzzt! Really?! Rotto!!"

Johan smirked.

"Yeah. I've got a secret weapon."

Rotom's screen flashed brightly.

"A secret weapon?!"

Johan had only been joking, but Rotom took it completely seriously.

And not only that—

It seemed genuinely eager to take the stage.

Wait... is this thing starting to think like Gengar?!

"Why are you so hyped?" Johan raised an eyebrow.

Rotom's screen flickered as it explained,

"I'm just curious! If I take pictures from on stage instead of in the audience, will they turn out different, rotto?"

As a professional Pokémon photographer, Rotom never missed a chance to experiment with new angles and perspectives.

"Let's see how things go tomorrow," Johan said.

"Understood! Rotto!"

Truthfully, Rotom wasn't actually interested in battling.

It just wanted to take pictures from a new point of view.

If Johan had really meant for it to fight, or even sweep opponents one by one...

Yeah, that wasn't happening.

Compared to battling, Rotom still preferred photography.

"You'll get your chance," Johan said.

"Huh? Chance for what, rotto?"

Johan smirked.

"I'll make sure you get the chance to meet... the greatest Pokémon 'photographer' in the world."

Rotom's screen flared with excitement.

Johan coughed, suppressing the grin threatening to spread across his face.

Then, with a completely serious tone, he declared—

"The mission to take down the strongest 'photographer' is in your hands, Rotom!"

A Few Days Ago—

At a Pokémon Daycare, Johan had purchased an Egg.

But after taking it home, he realized—

It was fake.

A fake Pokémon Egg.

Could he let that slide?

Absolutely not.

He immediately reported it to Officer Jenny.

And today—

She had contacted him again, saying she needed more details about the fake Pokémon Egg case.

So, Johan had gone in to give his statement and cooperate with the investigation.

Fortunately, he had a good relationship with Officer Jenny.

Together, they had managed to track down the seller's contact information.

When they called...

They discovered—

The seller was actually a Pokémon Hunter.

And so—

Cough.

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Powerstones?

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