Pokemon: Spiritual Master

The Legendary Beast: Entei!

It is said in legends that only righteous Trainers can encounter the legendary Entei. Otherwise, Entei's sacred flames will burn everything in their path.

Clearly...

Morty, who had just used underhanded battle tactics, was not the "righteous" Trainer this legend referred to.

Morty's gaze shifted between Johan and Entei, and a realization dawned on him.

Entei must have come for Johan-sensei, a Trainer deeply connected to his Pokémon.

Even from a distance, Morty could feel the scorching heat radiating from Entei. Yet Johan, standing much closer and facing Entei directly, seemed calm and unfazed.

"As expected, Johan-sensei has earned Entei's approval," Morty thought to himself.

Little did he know...

The real reason Johan wasn't feeling the heat was thanks to the Ice Ninetales standing protectively in front of him.

"Oowoo~~"

Ice Ninetales glared at Entei with an icy expression.

Bringing all this heat right at the start? What are you trying to do?

Entei's deep, piercing eyes stared directly at Johan.

At the same time, Johan felt the Rainbow Feather in his pocket begin to stir. Taking a deep breath, he muttered, "Can I borrow a flame?"

Morty: ??

Entei's expression turned solemn. Its mouth opened slightly, and a wave of heat surged forward.

"Goka!!"

Charcadet stepped forward, standing in front of Johan. Despite the intense heat, it declared boldly: Show me some respect!

Entei paused, slightly surprised.

It carefully examined Charcadet, whose earnest demeanor was unmistakably genuine. After a moment, Entei nodded slightly in acknowledgment.

"Ka-kaah?!"

Morty's Gengar stared in disbelief.

Good grief. Even Entei gives this little guy face?

Charcadet nodded back, and flames burst forth from its body. Its previously normal coloring turned fiery red again.

Entei's mane began to ripple as heat waves surged in response.

"This is..."

Morty wiped the sweat dripping from his forehead.

"Johan-sensei is really going to fight Entei here?"

Johan, too, was momentarily taken aback.

Wait. Does "giving face" mean we're about to duel?

Looking at Charcadet's determined posture, it was clear—it wanted a one-on-one showdown with Entei.

Johan could only sigh internally. This kind of "respect" is worse than nothing at all.

In the shadows:

A small figure slipped quietly from the darkness, observing Johan, Charcadet, and Entei with curious eyes.

It was Marshadow, but given the current situation, no one noticed its appearance.

"Listen up," Johan whispered to his Pokémon companions.

"If Entei decides to play dirty... well, then we won't play fair either. On my command, we'll all pile on and take it down!"

Realistically, they stood little chance, even as a group, and not even Mega Evolving Gengar would tip the odds in their favor.

But dignity was dignity. If things went south, they'd throw a few hits and make a run for it.

"Ka-kaah!!"

Gengar and the others nodded in agreement.

"Garrr!!"

Entei raised its head slightly, unleashing waves of heat as flames began to rise.

Charcadet, though clearly outmatched in aura, refused to back down.

"Goka!!"

Charcadet let out a deep roar, flames erupting more fiercely from its body than during its previous battle with Banette.

"Ice Ninetales, support! Kubfu, guide it!" Johan commanded as he focused his Aura powers.

Entei, a Legendary Beast, was bullying an unevolved Charcadet?

"Then don't blame me for bending the rules!"

Johan channeled his Aura into Charcadet, strengthening its body. The flames on Charcadet's body grew hotter and brighter, and its reddish hue intensified.

Sure, this kind of tactic would be illegal in an official League battle. But here? Rules didn't matter.

"Charcadet!" Johan shouted.

"Goka—!!"

Charcadet let out a deafening roar as its flames surged to unprecedented heights.

If one observed closely, the flames on Charcadet's body pulsed rhythmically, like water rippling in sync with its breathing.

Morty gasped audibly.

Killing intent?

Had Johan and Charcadet been holding back earlier?

The showdown began:

BOOM!

Entei unleashed a torrent of flames, and Charcadet retaliated by unleashing every ounce of firepower it had.

The Rainbow Feather in Johan's pocket and the scattered red fragments from the Burned Tower seemed to dim slightly under the intense heat.

The two fiery forces collided head-on.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The energy clash was so intense that Morty's Gengar twitched nervously.

This time, the gym might really collapse.

Johan held his breath.

Seriously? A firepower duel? Which way should I even dodge?

The entire gym trembled under the collision of energy. The already damaged wall disintegrated completely, and loose debris was vaporized instantly.

The chaos erupted quickly but subsided just as fast.

When the flames finally cleared, all that remained was scorched ground.

In the center of the battlefield, Charcadet knelt on one knee, bracing itself with its arms and gasping for air.

Its flames had dimmed, and its body was visibly weakened.

On the other side, Entei stood tall and majestic. Yet its gaze toward Charcadet carried a hint of respect.

ROAR!

Golden flames flared around Entei.

"Ka-kaah!!" Gengar shouted furiously.

Oh, so you still want more? Let's all gang up on you!

Just as the group prepared to charge, Entei moved.

But instead of attacking, Entei's golden flames engulfed Charcadet.

Surprisingly, the flames caused no harm. Instead, they seeped into Charcadet's body, healing its injuries.

Moments later, Charcadet stood up, fully recovered, with no sign of its previous exhaustion. A faint golden light flickered where its wounds had been.

"The Flames of Life? Entei's blessing?" Morty exclaimed, his eyes wide.

Entei's blessing?

Johan pondered.

Similar to Suicune's "Blessing of the North Wind"?

So, this battle had essentially been a test?

Entei was testing Charcadet, and now, it seemed to have acknowledged Charcadet's worth.

"Ka-kaah~~"

Understanding the situation, Gengar patted Charcadet's shoulder with a grin.

Good thing it didn't try anything foolish.

Entei nodded at Charcadet and then cast a deep glance at Johan before preparing to leave.

"Wait, Entei!"

Johan called out, causing Entei to pause and glance back.

Clearing his throat, Johan said, "Uh... I wasn't kidding earlier. Can I borrow a flame?"

He gestured toward the corner of the gym, where a crate of wood chips sat.

Entei: ...

"Goka~~" Charcadet chimed in.

Entei rolled its eyes in exasperation.

For the first time, it had encountered a Trainer and Pokémon pair who shamelessly pushed their luck.

Reluctantly, Entei opened its mouth and released a stream of golden-red flames toward the crate.

WHOOSH!

The flames consumed the crate instantly, leaving most of the wood chips in ashes. Only a few pieces remained, glowing faintly with embers akin to those at the base of the Burned Tower.

As expected, these wood chips carried a connection to the Flames of Life.

"Thanks," Johan said as he turned back, only to find that Entei had already disappeared.

"Left in such a hurry," Johan muttered.

Looking at the ruined gym, Johan quickly realized something.

"Uh, Gym Leader Morty, I'm really sorry. I didn't mean for things to get this bad."

Morty wiped the sweat from his forehead and waved his hand dismissively.

"No need to apologize, Johan-sensei. Damages caused during gym battles are my responsibility as the Gym Leader."

After all, it had been his suggestion to challenge Johan in the first place.

As for Entei?

For someone passionate about the Burned Tower and the legendary beasts, seeing Entei was worth any price.

"By the way," Morty said, handing Johan the Fog Badge and a TM for Phantom Force.

"Please accept these."

Johan accepted them without hesitation.

Next stop: Bell Tower.

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Powerstones?

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