Chapter 572 - 572: 572. Doubles

"Burn, Charizard! Mega Evolution!"

A little boy in a black Charizard-themed trainer suit struck the exact same pose Jacob had used during his very first Mega Evolution, even reciting the same words.

Nearby, other children scrambled to copy Jacob too, calling out the line he had used to Mega Evolve his Sceptile: "Sceptile, answer my heart—Mega Evolution!"

Amelia watched the scene with her eyes curved and her lips lifted in a warm smile, one bright enough to chase away the winter chill. "Jacob, look at that. Everyone adores you."

"Ask them how their schoolwork is going, and they'll probably stammer and have no answer."

"But ask them how many times your Charizard appeared in the High School Cup, how many different moves it used, and which ones it used against which opponent—they'll recite it all without missing a beat."

"That's because you're truly their idol."

Watching the children play, Jacob's thoughts drifted back to the High School Cup arena and that unforgettable summer.

Less than a year had gone by, yet it already felt distant.

He realized it had been a long while since his last real battle.

The thought settled something in him—once he got back, he would make time to enter the Gym Leader-level professional league. Otherwise, people would soon forget last year's High School Cup Champion, the once-celebrated prodigy Trainer Jacob.

He turned to Amelia. "Want to have a battle? Just to warm up for the day after tomorrow."

Amelia laughed. "Sure, but I should warn you now—I'm not going to be much of a challenge for you. How about a doubles match instead? You and I against Master and your brother."

"That works!" Jacob's eyes lit up at the idea. "A legitimate excuse to rough up my father and my brother doesn't come along often. Let's do it!"

......

The gym battlefield.

Jacob and Amelia took their places on one side, while Asher and Rory stood across from them. The stands were already full, and more spectators kept pouring in, all hoping for a glimpse of Jacob.

"This will be a 2-on-2 double battle. Each trainer may use only one Pokémon, and no substitutions are allowed," the referee announced, then looked to both sides. "Are you ready?"

"Ready!"

"Begin!"

At the referee's signal, all four trainers hurled their Poké Balls at once.

"Go, Sceptile!" Jacob had thought it over and settled on Sceptile—not for any tactical reason, but simply because Sceptile had hatched in the Grass-Bug Secret Realm, and showing off its strength here would be good advertising for the Realm.

"Let's go, Orbeetle." Amelia sent out her own ace without hesitation. Having learned both Light Screen and Reflect, Orbeetle was easily the best support Pokémon she owned.

"Go, Dondozo!"

"Go, Aerodactyl!"

Jacob and Amelia exchanged puzzled glances at the sight of their opponents' Pokémon.

If Jacob remembered right, this Dondozo was the massive one his father had caught in the Secret Realm Gap tied to the Gigantamax Lapras. Back then it had been Quasi-Heavenly King-level; now it had climbed all the way to Heavenly King-level.

And this Aerodactyl—the same one Jacob had once run into in the Underground World—was also Heavenly King-level.

No wonder his father and brother had only hesitated for a moment before agreeing so cheerfully. So this had been the plan all along.

Two troublemakers, through and through.

Fine, then. If that's how they wanted to play, they'd better not complain when he called on the ancestor of Iron Valiants.

An Orbeetle at Gym Leader-level and a Sceptile at Quasi-Heavenly King-level, facing down two Heavenly King-level Pokémon? Even with a Mega Evolution, the odds of winning were razor thin.

If they wanted a real fight, he'd give them everything.

......

"Jacob, why the long face?" Asher called out. "Don't you know how to smile? Where's your fire, your youthful spirit?"

Jacob's brow twitched at his brother's teasing. Right then, he wanted nothing more than to have Sceptile answer with a Leaf Blade aimed squarely at him.

"Since you won't move first, I will." Asher grinned and gave the command. "Aerodactyl, Aerial Ace!"

Both Orbeetle, a Bug/Psychic-type, and Sceptile, a Grass-type, took double damage from Flying-type moves, which was exactly why Asher had chosen Aerial Ace.

At the same moment, Rory's voice rang out from the other side. "Dondozo, Curse!"

Ghost-type moves work differently when used by a non-Ghost Pokémon, and for Water-type Dondozo, Curse would lower its Speed while raising both its Attack and Defense. Given how sluggish Dondozo already was, the drop in Speed barely mattered.

Dark energy swirled around it as its Attack and Defense surged upward.

Meanwhile, Aerodactyl shot into the air before diving back down, its body wreathed in Flying-type energy, its wings slicing forward like blades in a Dual Wingbeat aimed straight at Orbeetle.

"Orbeetle, Reflect!" Amelia's plan for Orbeetle was simple and clear. As the weakest Pokémon on the field, it only needed to hold the line as pure support, leaving the real offense to Jacob's Sceptile.

Psychic energy shimmered around Orbeetle as a shining barrier of Reflect formed before it, ready to soften any physical blows aimed at their side for the next several turns.

As Aerodactyl bore down, Jacob raised his hand to reveal the jade pendant set with a Key Stone, a smile breaking across his face. "Sceptile! Mega Evolution!"

The crowd erupted the moment the words left his mouth. Watching a Mega Evolution unfold this close was worth the trip alone.

"Mega Evolution!"

"That's Jacob's signature move—Mega Sceptile!"

"Why not Charizard? I wanted to see his Mega Charizard!"

......

Amid the excited chatter, Sceptile was wrapped in brilliant light. Its already-tall frame stretched even taller, and its long tail bristled with sharp new thorns.

Its cold eyes locked onto the descending Aerodactyl.

"Sceptile!"

"So cool!"

......

Jacob watched his newly evolved Sceptile and swept his hand forward. "Sceptile, Dual Chop!"

Dragon-type energy wrapped around Sceptile's forearms, blazing like twin indigo flames as it shaped itself into a pair of scythe-like blades.

Sceptile kicked off the ground with tremendous force, launching itself skyward to meet Aerodactyl head-on.

Boom!

Flying-type energy collided with Dragon-type energy, and the resulting shockwave thundered across the arena.