Boom!
A loud crash echoed as Cradily was slammed into the ground, creating a large crater amidst a cloud of dust.
Due to its high Special Defense of 107 and solid Defense of 97, Cradily wasn’t immediately knocked out. Though it was thrown from high above, its durability allowed it to endure the impact.
Fighting through the pain, Cradily launched a counterattack from within the smoke.
Rat-tat-tat!
A rapid barrage of seeds shot out of its mouth as it used Bullet Seed. At the same time, its tentacles flung nearby rocks at Luo Yuan—no, at Ditto hovering in midair.
But under Luo Yuan’s psychic control, the attacks were effortlessly neutralized.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Luo Yuan launched a Psychic Slam straight into the crater.
Boom!
The powerful mental force struck Cradily, creating another wave of dust and debris.
When the smoke finally cleared, everyone saw Cradily lying motionless in the pit, unable to continue battling.
Floating serenely above, Luo Yuan wasn’t the least bit surprised.
He knew the extent of his psychic power. While Steven’s Cradily was undoubtedly strong, after enduring so many of his attacks, it was only natural for it to lose.
“Cradily is unable to battle! Luo Yuan… or rather, his Ditto, is the winner!”
Lance, announcing the result, almost called Luo Yuan’s name by mistake.
But who could blame him? With Ditto transformed so convincingly into Luo Yuan, it felt like the trainer himself was on the field.
—
As the outcome was declared, viewers watching the broadcast remained spellbound.
Could a human really dominate a Pokémon like this?
While internet jokes about sliding tackles defeating Ursaring were a dime a dozen, they were always seen as mere banter.
But now, seeing a human-shaped Ditto defeat the Pokémon of Hoenn’s Champion… it felt like their understanding of the world had been turned upside down.
Of course, a few skeptics argued it was Ditto’s power, not Luo Yuan’s.
But any trainer familiar with Ditto’s transformation knew that wasn’t the case.
If it wasn’t Ditto’s doing…
Could those sliding tackle memes actually have been real all along?
—
Steven recalled his Cradily with a deep breath.
Like the viewers, he was questioning everything he thought he knew.
But the string of losses left him no time to dwell.
He just wanted the match to end—the sooner, the better.
Reaching for his final Poké Ball, Steven glanced briefly at his father, President Zvitch, who wore an expression of utter despair.
“This battle was a mistake from the start,” Steven thought to himself.
Resolving to see it through, he hurled his last Poké Ball.
“Go, Aerodactyl!”
Just like Lance, Steven’s team included an Aerodactyl.
Aerodactyl, having witnessed everything from within its Poké Ball, let out a defiant roar upon entering the battlefield.
The idea that a human could defeat its teammates was simply absurd.
Radiating power, Aerodactyl roared again, releasing a wave of pressure that surged toward Luo Yuan.
—
Ten minutes later…
Luo Yuan hovered in the air, not a hair out of place, while Aerodactyl lay unconscious on the ground, belly up and utterly defeated.
The contrast between its fierce entrance and its current state was almost comedic.
“Ditto is the winner! With all six of Steven’s Pokémon unable to battle, the victor of this match is Luo Yuan!” Lance announced.
As the results echoed through the arena, President Silph’s radiant smile grew even brighter.
He popped open a bottle of champagne he’d prepared earlier, cheering alongside his staff with the energy of a man half his age.
And why wouldn’t he celebrate?
This single match had solidified Silph Co.’s dominance in Hoenn’s telecommunications market for at least the next five years.
It also marked the end of the Zvitch family and Devon Corp’s reign as their rival.
On the other side, President Zvitch looked on with a grim expression, unable to intervene as his competitors celebrated.
As the losing side, he had no choice but to accept defeat.
Zvitch approached Steven, placing a comforting hand on his son’s shoulder.
He didn’t blame Steven for the loss. Steven had been instrumental in building Devon Corp into what it was today.
Steven managed a small smile, assuring his father he was fine.
Then, he turned to Luo Yuan. “Congratulations, Luo Yuan.”
Despite their previous opposing roles, Steven still remembered Luo Yuan’s help during Hoenn’s crisis with Groudon and Kyogre.
Recalling Ditto, Luo Yuan responded with his usual humility, “It was pure luck.”
As always, Luo Yuan’s modest demeanor as Johto’s Elite Four member endeared him to Hoenn’s trainers watching the broadcast.
At that moment, Lance and the chairman of Hoenn’s Pokémon League approached.
After exchanging greetings with Lance, Steven turned to the chairman, pulling out a letter.
“Chairman, please accept my resignation.”
This decision wasn’t born from his defeat in battle. Steven had made up his mind long before.
As Hoenn’s Champion, he had engaged in this match for personal reasons. Win or lose, he couldn’t justify staying in his position afterward.
The Groudon and Kyogre incident had also left him disillusioned with the role.
Steven preferred exploring caves and collecting rare stones to managing the responsibilities of a Champion.
With his successor already chosen, he handed over the reins to Wallace.
Lance looked at Steven in surprise, while the chairman, already aware of Steven’s intentions, silently accepted the letter without comment.
As Steven relinquished his title, he felt an overwhelming sense of relief.
For the first time in a long while, he felt truly free.
—
This is a fan translation of 我，火箭队二把手！ by 落唯 All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!
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