(A/N: Bow down, mortals! A new Legend has ascended—King Rycon! Here is a bonus Bonus Chapter! PS New = Bonus Chapter.)
The Breeder Camp was nearing its end, and everyone was doing their best to strengthen their Pokemon as much as possible. The goal? To secure a strong ranking before the final assessment.
This year, the promotion quota had been set at forty-eight participants. Well, technically forty-seven, since one had already been expelled for buying berries and completing tasks dishonestly. Of those remaining, only eight breeders would advance to the next level. The first-place winner would also receive a secret treasure from the Breeders Association. Even the bottom seven would get rare Pokemon items, but their combined value didn't come close to a tenth of what the first-place prize was worth.
With such high stakes, the camp had descended into chaos. Everyone was aiming to make a mark in the final battle.
However, John hadn't seen a single fully evolved starter Pokemon among the competitors. Meanwhile, his Totem Bulbasaur had evolved into Venusaur less than a week after the camp had started.
That alone was enough to make him a target.
The other breeders didn't just want to challenge John; they wanted to push him out of the top eight entirely. It wasn't just jealousy—this was about survival.
The final battle followed the same rules as the very first fight of the camp: a full-scale brawl.
As Azure, the mastermind behind the rules, put it: "It started in chaos, so it should end in chaos. That's what you call symmetry!"
When the rules were announced, many trainers immediately turned their attention to John. They even formed an unofficial alliance, the "John Suppression Squad," with the sole purpose of taking him down.
For one, John's Venusaur was simply too powerful. On an individual level, he was practically guaranteed first place. And with first place came the ultimate treasure-level Pokemon item. No serious competitor could ignore that kind of reward.
Some also wanted revenge for the time John had utterly crushed their Gyarados in an earlier match. They figured that since this time everyone was starting on equal footing, if they teamed up, surely they could take him down.
Plus, if they eliminated the strongest competitor first, that left an extra promotion spot open. And with John gone, the treasure-level rewards would be anyone's game.
With all these motivations in play, tensions ran high before the final battle even began.
"The battlefield is limited to a five-kilometer radius around the camp," Azure announced lazily, lounging in a chair with his feet up. He wore sunglasses, a cigarette in one hand, and a stopwatch in the other. "If you step outside the boundary, you're eliminated."
"Final rankings will be determined based on elimination order."
"The battle lasts for one full day. If the fight isn't settled by then, the remaining competitors will move on to one-on-one duels."
As soon as he finished speaking, a wave of movement spread through the camp. Trainers scrambled into the surrounding forest, searching for cover and strategic positions.
Unlike the first battle, which had taken place in an open field, this time the fight would take place in dense woodland. This wasn't just a test of Pokemon strength—it was also a game of stealth and survival.
Some figured they didn't need to fight at all. If they could hide well enough, they might secure a top-eight spot without ever throwing a punch.
However, there was one priority before all else: take down John.
Nearly thirty trainers locked eyes on him, standing still and waiting for him to make the first move. They weren't hiding their intentions at all.
John sighed. "So that's how it is."
Azure grinned and gave him a friendly wave. "Have fun, John!"
John rolled his eyes. He was pretty sure Azure was targeting him on purpose, but he had no proof.
"If you want to lose that badly, I won't stop you," he muttered, stepping into the forest.
The squad followed immediately. No words were exchanged, but their intent was clear.
John arrived at a wide clearing and stopped. He had already chosen his battlefield. The group encircling him spread out, forming a ring twenty to thirty meters away. Pokeballs were in hand, waiting for the signal.
Just then, Azure strolled out of the woods and into the clearing. He looked around at the two sides, clearly enjoying the show.
John's opponents didn't seem worried about his presence. After all, teaming up against a single competitor was completely within the rules.
The director of the camp simply shrugged and raised his stopwatch. "Alright then. Start!"
A single firework shot into the sky, exploding with a loud crack. The sound echoed across the battlefield, marking the official start of the final battle.
"Charmeleon, use Flamethrower!"
"Quilava, use Flame Wheel!"
"Pignite, use Flame Charge!"
More than thirty trainers called out commands at once. Almost all of them had Fire-type Pokemon.
It wasn't a coincidence.
These trainers had deliberately chosen Fire-types as a last-ditch effort to counter John's Venusaur.
In total, over thirty trainers had opted for Fire-types, while only a handful had picked Grass or Water-types. This created an interesting dynamic. Once the Fire-types took out the Grass-types, the Water-types would have their chance to strike back.
But first, they needed to take down John.
John wasn't worried in the slightest.
He tossed his Pokeball into the air, and with a flash of light, his Totem Venusaur appeared.
The second the massive Pokemon emerged, a suffocating pressure spread through the battlefield. Its sheer size and the aura surrounding it made many trainers pause. Even the Fire-types hesitated for a brief moment.
A single thought ran through their minds: Is this thing even beatable?
John smirked. "Venusaur, use Frenzy Plant!"