Chapter 138:Mewtwo's Confusion vs. Melmetal! Jangmo-o and Arcanine!

Mewtwo's Confusion vs. Melmetal! Jangmo-o and Arcanine!

“Melmetal.”

Yuki gazed blankly at Melmetal, which was posing proudly in front of Mewtwo.

The rust on its body proved that it was quite old.

However, it still energetically struck poses that it thought were impressive under the watchful eyes of the people and Pokémon around.

“Melmetal~”

Melmetal seemed very happy.

“Dad, what’s going on?”

Yuki looked at her father with a puzzled expression.

Yuuji explained, “After I learned that Makototaka would likely come to Towada Lake, I asked Oranguru to help me find Melmetal.”

“I knew that dealing with Makototaka wouldn’t be easy.”

“The league wouldn’t be able to keep an eye on Future Technology without real evidence.”

“So, I needed the help of the one-eyed hero of this forest to have a chance against Makototaka.”

“Fortunately, both Oranguru and Melmetal were willing to help me.”

Makototaka looked at Melmetal and rubbed his hair vigorously.

A large amount of dark, shiny short hair slowly fell away under his scratching.

Losing control of the future left Makototaka feeling extremely frustrated and anxious.

“Steel Mewtwo, what are you waiting for? Get moving!”

Mewtwo glanced at Makototaka but didn’t act immediately.

Mewtwo could sense that the opponent before it was very strong.

It was the first time Mewtwo had encountered such a powerful opponent since its birth.

Additionally, Mewtwo could feel that this Pokémon’s life aura was strange.

Its body seemed a bit unstable, as if it were about to disintegrate at any moment.

Was this condition indicative of death?

Mewtwo looked at Melmetal and asked curiously, “Are you about to die?”

“Melmetal~”

Melmetal nodded, informing Mewtwo that its life as a Melmetal was coming to an end.

Mewtwo was even more puzzled.

“Then why do you look so happy?”

“Melmetal~”

Melmetal felt that being able to fight to protect this forest in its final moments was truly wonderful!

It felt that someone still needed it, and that was great.

Being able to participate in a meaningful battle in the last moment of its life was the perfect conclusion.

“Melmetal~”

Melmetal waved at Mewtwo.

“The meaning of battle?”

Mewtwo fell into contemplation, questioning what the meaning of its battles was.

Makototaka, watching Mewtwo still standing there, shouted impatiently, “What are you waiting for? Take it down already!”

“We don’t have that much time for you to drag this out.”

With the ability to see the future gone, this damned Pokémon created for him was becoming increasingly disobedient.

The feeling of losing control filled Makototaka with fear.

Mewtwo looked at Makototaka.

It recalled the scene of its first birth.

It was a white room, surrounded by a cold metallic sheen.

Who am I?

Where am I?

Mewtwo felt confused.

There were many people around it.

They were cheering and celebrating.

They were celebrating the success of the experiment, rejoicing in its birth.

They said to the sharply dressed Makototaka, “It’s a success; this is Mewtwo!”

“An existence that transcends Mew!”

Makototaka approached Mewtwo and said, “From now on, you will be my Pokémon.”

Mewtwo asked in confusion, “What is a Pokémon?”

“Why am I yours?”

Makototaka replied, “Pokémon are beings born to assist humans.”

“You were created with my resources, so you will serve me.”

“What am I supposed to do?”

“The purpose of a Pokémon’s existence is, of course, to battle!”

“So, you just need to help me battle, and that’s enough.”

Thus, Mewtwo began to follow Makototaka.

Its strength increased daily.

However, the increase in power did not bring it happiness.

Mewtwo remained lost.

It battled, but felt no satisfaction, only emptiness.

All opponents fell before its attacks without resistance.

Mewtwo found it boring.

Battling was a tedious affair.

However, Makototaka seemed very pleased.

Makototaka grew more and more invested in Mewtwo.

He claimed that his relationship with Saharan was one of mutual use.

Was it the same for him and Makototaka?

But it seemed that he didn’t need anything from Makototaka.

“Mewtwo, hurry up and act!”

Makototaka urged impatiently.

He couldn’t help but think that, indeed, Pokémon were not as useful as machines.

If only he could control Mewtwo like a robot.

The armor on Mewtwo was designed for that very purpose.

However, the effect was not significant.

For Makototaka, if Mewtwo could obediently help him accomplish anything, then it would certainly be the best tool.

And a useful tool should be cherished and maintained.

But if that tool could no longer be used, then it was just scrap metal.

Makototaka was anxious, but Mewtwo was deep in thought.

It was contemplating the difference between itself and Melmetal.

It remembered Melmetal’s words.

Could battling also hold meaning?

“Melmetal~”

Melmetal stretched its body, looking at Mewtwo as it offered a reminder.

Bam~

A thunderous explosion echoed through the air.

Melmetal rushed to Steel Mewtwo’s front at a speed approaching teleportation.

Mega Punch!

Mewtwo barely managed to open a protective barrier, but the barrier it created at that moment shattered like glass.

Melmetal's fist pierced through the protective barrier and smashed heavily into Mewtwo’s face.

Mewtwo's pupils constricted, and its helmet shattered instantly, revealing its pale purple face.

Under the force of the impact, Mewtwo's body slid rapidly backward.

It was like a laser shooting out, crashing through trees one after another.

Deep skid marks appeared on the ground.

Flames ignited in the grooves.

With this punch, Mewtwo was blasted hundreds of meters away.

A booming sound echoed from afar.

As the loud explosion rang out, thick smoke rose.

Mewtwo flashed and used Teleport to reappear in front of Melmetal.

“I want to know the meaning of my battles.”

Mewtwo raised its hand, condensing a blade of psychic energy.

“What is the difference between you and me?”

Whoosh!

Mewtwo waved its hand, and Psycho Cut instantly extended, slashing toward Melmetal.

“Melmetal~”

Melmetal opened its arms.

Bam~

Psycho Cut was blocked by Protect.

In the next moment, countless light points gathered at the opening in front of Melmetal.

The opening aimed at Mewtwo.

Flash Cannon!

Boom~

A dazzling beam pierced the sky!

After watching their battle for a while, Natsume turned his attention back to Saharan: “Saharan, let’s continue.”

Saharan frowned.

He looked at Natsume and said, “Doesn’t our battle seem unimportant now?”

Natsume shook his head: “No, it’s still important.”

“Your Pokémon haven’t completely lost their battle strength yet.”

Saharan replied, “Huh?”

Saharan looked at Natsume in confusion.

Clearly, the focus right now was on the battle with Melmetal.

Natsume thought to himself that while Saharan didn’t care, his task was still incomplete.

Natsume patted his Dragonite and said, “Dragonite, keep attacking Tyranitar.”

“Dragonite~”

Dragonite nodded slightly.

“Dragonite~!”

As Dragonite flew toward Tyranitar, it used Dragon Dance!

“Serperior!”

Serperior unleashed Leaf Storm once again!

The Leaf Storm rushed straight toward Saharan.

“Damn it, Reuniclus, Teleport!”

Saharan cursed.

He immediately instructed his Reuniclus to take him away from Serperior's Leaf Storm.

“Awooo~”

Arcanine panted, looking at Natsume.

Arcanine needed Natsume's healing, and then it wanted to take care of that Skarmory as well.

Natsume placed his hand on Arcanine’s body, and Eternity Power surged into Arcanine.

After using Overheat, the energy that Arcanine had exhausted began to recover.

“Arcanine, next time in battle, reserve some energy for yourself; don’t always go all out at once.”

Natsume advised Arcanine as he looked at it.

“Awooo~”

Arcanine nodded to show that it understood.

Soon, Arcanine felt that its body had mostly recovered.

It turned to look at Skarmory.

“Awooo~”

Arcanine howled: “Flare Blitz!”

Flare Blitz was the ultimate move of the Fire type.

Although it has immense power, it also inflicts some damage on the Pokémon using it.

Natsume looked speechlessly at the Arcanine, transformed into a blazing fireball.

Wrapped in the roaring flames, Arcanine rushed forward with Flare Blitz toward Skarmory, which was using Roost on the ground.

Well, that was a waste of breath.

Among Saharan's six main Pokémon, Ferrothorn was directly overwhelmed by Arcanine.

It didn’t even have a chance to show its true strength before being knocked out of the battle by Arcanine.

Of course, this was thanks to Celebi's support for Arcanine.

Skarmory, although it hadn’t lost its fighting capability yet, had reached the point of landing to use Roost.

Clearly, Skarmory was in very poor condition.

Vaporeon was also unable to battle due to Serperior's targeting.

Now, the only Pokémon that truly had battle strength left in Saharan's hands were Reuniclus, Excadrill, and Tyranitar.

Reuniclus closely protected Saharan.

In an Elite-level battle, Saharan was cautious about letting Reuniclus stray too far from him.

“Excadrill!”

At that moment, Excadrill charged quickly toward Serperior.

“Serperior~”

Up to this point, Serperior had only used two attacking moves: Leaf Storm and Frenzy Plant!

There was no flashy control; it was just simple, brutal suppression!

Boom, boom, boom!

The ground shook as massive vines twisted violently in the air, wildly swinging toward Excadrill.

Bang, bang, bang!

The earth trembled with each pound from Frenzy Plant.

Excadrill struggled to dodge the blows of Frenzy Plant.

As it quickly hopped on the vines, just as it was about to charge in front of Serperior—

Boom~

A giant vine shot up in front of Serperior, wrapping around Excadrill’s body.

Countless thick Vine Whips twisted in the air like giant snakes, entangling together and attacking Excadrill.

The vines relentlessly whipped against Excadrill's body.

Excadrill was rendered unable to battle from the constricting force of Frenzy Plant!

Meanwhile…

“Skarmory!”

Skarmory looked at the charging Arcanine and felt a bit frightened.

Who wouldn’t be afraid of a “mad dog”?

As Skarmory flapped its wings, preparing to fly into the air,

Arcanine leaped forward and crashed into Skarmory.

Bang!

Skarmory clumsily rolled on the ground, pressing its wings down.

“Awooo~”

Arcanine pinned Skarmory's chest with one paw.

“Awooo~”

“Skarmory~!”

From Arcanine's mouth, a Flamethrower instantly engulfed Skarmory’s body.

Skarmory’s steel-like body turned bright red under the intense flames.

At the same time, the flames on Arcanine burned even more fiercely.

“Skarmory!”

Skarmory let out a piercing scream.

Saharan anxiously shouted, “Reuniclus, save it!”

Gardevoir pointed a finger at Reuniclus.

Dazzling Gleam.

Should it save Skarmory or protect Saharan?

“Reuniclus.”

Reuniclus used Protect on the spot.

Bam~

The attack from Dazzling Gleam was blocked.

Skarmory, engulfed in flames, lost its battle capability.

Seeing that Skarmory was unable to battle, Arcanine let out a long breath.

“Awooo~”

Arcanine panted and ran back to Natsume.

It nuzzled against Natsume’s body.

It had completely run out of Fire-type energy.

All its energy was spent.

Natsume patted Arcanine’s head and said helplessly, “You’ve already scored two takedowns; leave the rest to Dragonite and Serperior.”

As Natsume spoke, he once again used Eternity Power.

Arcanine’s stamina was restored.

Natsume instructed Arcanine to sit properly beside him.

“Awooo~”

Arcanine seemed to be satisfied with the fight.

It obediently lay down.

“Jangmo-o.”

Jangmo-o cautiously approached Arcanine.

When Jangmo-o first saw Arcanine, it thought the silly dog was quite foolish.

But now, after witnessing Arcanine's battle style, Jangmo-o felt a sense of admiration.

“Awooo~”

Noticing Jangmo-o carefully making its way toward him, Arcanine extended its long tongue playfully and gave Jangmo-o a gentle head licking.

“Jangmo-o.”

Jangmo-o shook its head.

It wanted to know how it could become as strong as Arcanine.

Seeing someone admire it, Arcanine proudly raised its head.

Getting stronger is simple; you just need to put in the effort.

“Jangmo-o?”

Arcanine replied, “Awooo~”

How do you put in the effort?

Well, it’s about eating well, sleeping well, and protecting the farm, and then you’ll get stronger.

Of course, if you enjoy training, you can hang out with that group of Fighting-type Pokémon and spend every day in the gym on the farm.

However, Arcanine thought that might be a bit boring.

Although Arcanine goes a bit wild during battles, it’s true that most Fighting-type Pokémon are like that.

They are not only wild but also obsessed.

In the end, Arcanine concluded, “Awooo~”

In short, going to the farm will make you stronger.

Jangmo-o quickly asked how to get to the farm.

Arcanine nudged Natsume.

“What’s up?”

“Awooo~”

Arcanine wanted a Poké Ball.

Natsume looked at Jangmo-o beside Arcanine.

Name: Jangmo-o
Type: Dragon
Level: 1v20
Ability: Overcoat
Individual Values: HP 31, Attack 31, Defense 31, Special Attack 31, Special Defense 30, Speed 30
Moves: Tackle, Leer, Protect, Dragon Tail, Headbutt, Work Up
Inherited Moves: Dragon Breath, Counter
Potential: Champion

Jangmo-o's data was quite impressive, especially as a near-godly level Pokémon.

Natsume thought to himself: Even the Pokémon from my farm have learned to capture other Pokémon actively.

Natsume handed a Poké Ball to Arcanine.

Arcanine bit down on the Poké Ball and then placed it in front of Jangmo-o.

“Awooo~”

Jangmo-o looked at Arcanine and then at Serperior and Dragonite.

“Jangmo-o!”

Jangmo-o wasn’t hesitant anymore.

It reached out to touch the Poké Ball with its heart-shaped forehead.

Whoosh~ A red beam shot out.

It captured Jangmo-o in the Poké Ball.

Ding~

The Poké Ball stopped shaking.

Jangmo-o was successfully captured.

Only Saharan witnessed this scene.

Yuuji and Makototaka had their attention focused on the battle between Mewtwo and Melmetal.

Saharan had been closely watching Natsume.

He hoped to find an opportunity to turn the tide through Natsume.

While he didn’t see any chance to turn the tables, he did see Natsume capture Jangmo-o.

Saharan felt as if he could vomit blood from anger.

At a time like this, you’re still capturing Pokémon?

And capturing one that was supposed to belong to me?

Saharan really wanted to unleash a furious Fury Swipes on Natsume.