Pokemon: Spiritual Master-Chapter 453: Dark Balls? Just Trash.

Ate it...?

The Marauder stood frozen in shock, staring at Gengar, who had just licked its lips after swallowing the Dark Ball whole.

This was the first time he had encountered something like this.

The Dark Ball—an unbeatable tool capable of capturing any Pokémon, wild or already owned—had just been eaten.

No reaction at all?

This 𝓬ontent is taken from fгeewebnovёl.co𝙢.

Even if he had thrown it into water, it would've at least made a splash.

Unwilling to believe it, he threw another Dark Ball at Gengar.

"Ka-kaah!"

Once again, Gengar opened its mouth and gulped the ball down.

The Marauder: "..."

Was this even allowed?

He was seriously beginning to question how Johan had captured this Gengar. It completely disregarded the basic laws of Pokémon battles!

And that ability to mass-hypnotize wild Pokémon—since when could Gengar even do that?

But if he couldn't forcibly capture Gengar, he had no choice but to keep fighting.

Celebi was a Pokémon he had to catch!

"Tyranitar, kick up a Sandstorm!"

The Marauder abandoned the idea of capturing Gengar and switched to brute force.

"Tyrannn!!"

With a roar, Tyranitar summoned a swirling storm of sand around itself.

At the same time, his Scizor, Excadrill, and other Pokémon sprang into action.

"Oowoo~~"

Ninetales stepped forward gracefully, snow-white powder drifting from its fur. The snowfall, which had already started, thickened under its control.

The battle of weather began—howling wind and snow against raging sand.

The Marauder finally realized how troublesome Johan was.

His Tyranitar had been enhanced by a Dark Ball. Yet, despite striking first with its Sandstorm, it wasn't overwhelming Ninetales' snow. Instead, it was beginning to be countered.

In raw power, his Pokémon couldn't match Johan's.

But he had an advantage.

Sheer numbers.

"All of you, whip up a Sandstorm!"

The Dark Ball-enhanced wild Pokémon—including Sandslash, Nidoking, Dugtrio, and Rhyperior—roared in response.

"Garrr!!"

The swirling sands surged even higher, intensifying the storm.

"Yoji!!"

Larvitar finally realized the opposing Pokémon were enemies. It stomped its foot and roared, though its small, high-pitched voice lacked any real intimidation.

"Oowoo~~!!"

Ninetales' expression grew more serious. Against this many Pokémon using Sandstorm at once, its Blizzard was at risk of being suppressed.

The Marauder smirked, sensing the tide turning in his favor.

"Hyper Beam! All of you!"

A hum filled the air.

Nidoking, Nidoqueen, Ursaring, and several other powerful wild Pokémon opened their mouths, energy gathering.

But Johan's Pokémon weren't just standing still.

"Urshifu, Surging Strikes!"

"Tinkaton, Gigaton Hammer!"

"Dragonite, Dragon Rush!"

"Charcadet, Ninetales, Help Hand!"

"Garruu!!"

Urshifu charged forward, punching the ground so hard it cratered beneath its feet. Ignoring the raging Sandstorm and charging Hyper Beams, it rushed straight at Tyranitar.

A soft glow emitted from Charcadet, sending energy surging into Urshifu.

Tyranitar roared and slammed its claws down, sending jagged stone spikes shooting up from the ground to intercept Urshifu.

But Urshifu danced between them effortlessly, moving like flowing water before landing a devastating punch square on Tyranitar's face.

BAM!!

A follow-up kick. A sweeping punch.

Tyranitar was sent flying.

"Close Combat!"

Without hesitation, Urshifu pressed forward, launching a flurry of strikes. Tyranitar could only roar in pain, unable to resist.

In the end—

A powerful spinning kick sent Tyranitar crashing to the ground, creating a massive crater.

Meanwhile, battles raged on all sides.

"Draaa!!"

Dragonite dive-bombed from above, targeting the Marauder himself—only for Scizor to intercept.

BOOM!!

A deafening crash shook the battlefield. Dragonite was halted midair, but Scizor was sent flying like a cannonball.

"Cha!!"

Tinkaton spun its massive hammer, gaining momentum with each rotation. The air pressure alone was enough to sting.

When the time was right, it let the hammer fly—

BOOM BOOM BOOM!!

Like a scythe cutting through grass, wild Pokémon were sent sprawling.

The Marauder's Weezing tried to block it, but sensing the incoming force, it wisely floated away, letting the hammer pass.

CRASH!!

The battlefield was devastated.

Seconds later, silence fell.

The Marauder's breathing hitched.

But he wasn't done.

"Weavile!"

A shadow flitted behind Johan, Weavile's claws poised to strike his throat.

"Sir, watch out!" Professor Oak's grandson, Gary, shouted.

Johan didn't move.

Got him!

A victorious gleam flickered in the Marauder's eyes—only to vanish the next second.

CRACK!!

Weavile's claws stopped inches from Johan's throat, blocked by an invisible barrier.

And behind that barrier—was a thin layer of ice.

Johan caught Ninetales' warning glance out of the corner of his eye.

"Weavile?"

BOOM!!

A blast of ghostly blue fire slammed into Weavile.

Charcadet's eyes burned with determination.

Simultaneously, a beam of pale moonlight followed, striking Weavile midair.

"Below." Johan's voice was calm.

"Oowoo!"

Ninetales exhaled a breath of freezing air, sealing the ground beneath Johan in thick ice.

Excadrill, which had been burrowing up for a sneak attack, found itself frozen in place.

Waiting for it—

"Goka!!"

Charcadet's fists glowed red-hot as it punched Excadrill, flames surging through the tunnels.

The Marauder cursed.

"Useless!"

But before he could finish, a chill ran down his spine.

Something was behind him.

Sweat dripped down his back as he turned his head—

Gengar grinned at him.

"Ka-kaah!"

The Marauder's pupils shrank.

But his machine wasn't useless—it was Team Rocket's top technology, modified for him.

Just as Gengar reached for him, barriers of Light Screen and Reflect activated around the cockpit.

"Ka-kaah?"

Gengar prodded the barrier, intrigued.

The Marauder let out a breath. Not many Pokémon could sneak up on him.

But then—Gengar chuckled.

With a swipe, a dimensional rift appeared.

And through it, Gengar's hand emerged—inside the barrier.

Holding a Shadow Ball.

The Marauder paled.

BOOM!!

The machine exploded, black liquid seeping into the Lake of Life.

Pollution spread.

Celebi, seeing the corruption worsen, panicked.

"Bi!!"

It flew from Johan's arms, glowing green, trying to purify the lake—

But this time, the pollution resisted.

Johan's eyes darkened.

The Dark Ball's effects had seeped into the poison.

"Attack Celebi!"

The Marauder threw more Dark Balls.

"Celebi!"

"Gengar!"

"Ka-kaah!"

Gengar dropped Weavile, appearing in front of Celebi, swallowing the Dark Balls whole.

Meanwhile, the Marauder's reinforcements arrived.

"Boss, the kid who stole from us ran!"

Johan's eyes narrowed.

Silver?

So Silver had already clashed with them?

Giovanni had worked so hard to reform Team Rocket for Silver's sake—yet the Marauder had just made him hate them more.

You really deserve to die.

But first—

"Ninetales, freeze the lake!"

"Oowoo~~"

A blizzard sealed the black liquid.

Time to finish this.

The Marauder and his men were swiftly overwhelmed.

Bound by vines, they lay defeated.

Johan glanced at the Dark Balls in his hands.

Then—

CRACK!

He crushed them underfoot.

The Marauder's eyes widened in horror.

"Dark Balls? Just trash."

"You!"

The Marauder's eyes widened in rage.

"Yoji!!"

Larvitar, still furious, stomped over and slapped the Marauder across the face.

Hands on its hips, it glared at him.

Look at what you've done to the forest! And you still dare complain?!

Johan's actions signaled the rest of his Pokémon. Gengar and the others promptly destroyed every remaining Dark Ball.

Immediately, the wild Pokémon and those under the Marauder's command were freed.

Seeing this, Gary Oak let out a breath of relief. Yet, a hint of guilt flickered across his face.

He had doubted his teacher.

To Johan, the Dark Balls...

Their design was interesting—a sort of "cheat code" in reality—but their flaws were too severe.

More importantly, Pokémon captured this way would never form a true bond with their Trainers. In a world where Mega Evolution, Dynamax, and Terastallization were becoming mainstream, such Pokémon would never reach their full potential.

Unless they could forcibly capture Legendaries...

But clearly, Dark Balls weren't capable of that.

So—

Dark Balls?

Just trash.

"T-Turn me in to the Pokémon League!"

The Marauder, now sporting a swollen cheek from Larvitar's slap, suddenly changed his tune.

Johan scoffed.

"Nice try."

He turned to Gengar.

"Wake them up."

"Ka-kaah~~"

Gengar let out a sinister chuckle and snapped its fingers.

The previously hypnotized wild Pokémon slowly stirred.

Without the Dark Balls suppressing their wills, their eyes filled with rage.

And they all turned toward the Marauder.

"N-No! Stay back!!"

Johan smirked.

"Relax, you won't die."

Death would be too troublesome to explain.

The Marauder's gaze darkened with resentment.

As long as he survived—as long as he lived through this—

The League couldn't hold him forever.

He still had hidden resources, caches of funds, and the knowledge of Dark Ball technology.

He could rebuild. He could rise again.

But before he could sink any deeper into his thoughts—

"Oh, right."

Johan's voice snapped him back to reality.

With a mocking smirk, Johan casually added:

"Your 'family' should be here soon to pick you up."

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Powerstones?

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