Pokemon: Spiritual Master-Chapter 506: The Dragonslayer Becomes the Dragon

"Professor Johan?!"

"Is it really him?"

"He's coming to give us a lecture?"

"And together with Headmaster Drayden too!"

The students of Opelucid Academy were buzzing with excitement upon hearing the news that Professor Johan would be teaching a class.

Iris was among them, though she wasn't as excited about Johan specifically. Since she didn't use the internet much, her knowledge about him came mainly from her classmates' chatter—she knew he was strong, but not exactly how strong.

What really had her attention was Drayden.

She had battled him once—and lost miserably. They weren't even close in strength. So now she was eager to see how this admired "Professor Johan" would fare against her mentor.

Inside Opelucid Gym, students filled the stands. Unlike Kanaz Pokémon Academy, Opelucid's student body was made up of much younger kids, most under twelve.

In addition to the students, Officer Jenny and Champion Alder were also present.

"It's Champion Alder!"

"Mr. Alder!"

"Champion!"

Alder's presence caused a wave of excitement as well. To these children, Alder was the strongest trainer in Unova—"the ultimate."

They had no idea about his personal losses or internal struggles.

Alder smiled warmly and waved at the children. Friendly as always.

At that moment, a gym staffer approached Alder with a microphone.

"Mr. Alder, would you mind giving commentary for the children?"

Since Johan and Drayden's battle might be too complex for the younger audience to follow, a commentator was essential.

"Gladly!"

Alder accepted the task enthusiastically. Teaching the younger generation was something he truly enjoyed.

Now, on the battlefield, Johan and Drayden stood at opposite ends.

Drayden looked like a more rugged Colonel Sanders, but when he rolled up his sleeves, his aura became fierce and commanding.

Johan, on the other hand, exuded confidence as well.

Among all the types he'd fought, Dragon-types were one of the easiest for him—Ice Ninetales, Fairy/Steel Tinkaton, Dragonite... all well-suited for anti-Dragon battles.

He was a full-blown "Dragon Master Slayer."

"The battle will be a 2v2 rotational match. The first side to lose both Pokémon will be declared defeated," the referee announced.

Once both sides confirmed, the match began.

"Send out your Pokémon!"

Drayden, prepared, threw his Poké Ball without hesitation.

"Go, Haxorus!"

A powerhouse! The crowd roared.

Johan followed suit, tossing his own Poké Ball.

"Let's go, Dragonite!"

"Draaa!!"

Dragonite emerged with powerful flaps of its wings, undaunted.

Cheers erupted. Dragon vs. Dragon? This was going to be a show.

Haxorus was known to be Drayden's ace. The fact he used it right away showed the respect he held for Johan.

Iris clenched her fists in the crowd.

She had lost to that Haxorus before—and lost badly. Her Excadrill had even lost trust in her after that battle.

As for Dragonite, the pseudo-legend of Kanto, even wild ones were notoriously strong. Trained, it was a force to be reckoned with.

"Garrr!!"

Haxorus snarled, sharpening its crimson axe-like tusks. It was fired up.

Dragonite responded in kind, letting out a deep roar.

It didn't care who it fought—especially not other Dragon-types.

The tension was electric even before the first move.

The referee dropped the flag.

"Battle, begin!"

"Garrr!!"

Without waiting, Haxorus roared again. A deep red aura began to swirl around it.

Johan raised a brow.

"Rivalry" ability?

[Rivalry: Becomes stronger against same-gender foes, weaker against the opposite.]

Unexpected. Most Haxorus used "Mold Breaker" for versatility. But here, Rivalry gave a better stat boost.

"Dragon Claw!" Drayden commanded.

No setup—just straight offense.

Johan anticipated this.

Haxorus already had the upper hand in attack stats and now had Rivalry. But he stuck with his plan.

"Dragon Dance!"

"Draaa!!"

Haxorus charged with claws glowing in dark violet. Dragonite flapped its wings, channeling an intense rhythm. Its aura grew.

The students gasped.

They thought Dragonite would just take the hit?

Dragon vs. Dragon—this was going to hurt!

As Alder explained: "Excellent judgment!"

"Johan recognized Haxorus's Rivalry ability. Dragonite, having less offensive momentum, chose to boost instead."

Still—wasn't it going to get hit?

"But Dragonite has Multiscale!" Alder added.

Multiscale—when at full HP, it halves incoming damage.

Many students lit up in realization.

Yes! Dragonite's Hidden Ability!

The claw slammed into Dragonite's belly, and while the impact was hard, its thick scales absorbed the blow.

Drayden's brow twitched.

"Wide Slash!"

Haxorus twisted mid-air, its tail sweeping toward Dragonite. This move lowered physical attack upon impact.

Johan could've ordered Dragonite to dodge with Extreme Speed.

But he looked into Dragonite's eyes—and saw only burning determination.

So instead, he shouted something unexpected:

"Air Slash!"

Dragonite flapped its wings—two blades of wind slammed into Haxorus before its tail could land.

BAM! BAM!

Haxorus flinched!

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Alder gasped.

That wasn't the safest move.

Air Slash had a chance to flinch, but wasn't guaranteed. Dodge would've been smarter.

But Johan gambled—and it paid off.

Trust.

Dragonite trusted Johan to let it fight how it liked.

Johan trusted Dragonite to flinch the opponent.

This wasn't in textbooks. It was pure bond—trainer and Pokémon in sync.

Drayden felt it too.

This was the difference between academic training and real-world experience.

Iris clenched her fists.

She suddenly realized: if it were her, she'd make the same call.

Because she'd done the opposite earlier—and Drayden had criticized her.

She and her Fraxure had misaligned goals.

They didn't understand each other yet.

Back on the field—Haxorus was flinched. Its Wide Slash interrupted.

Dragonite now had the advantage.

But Drayden wasn't done.

"Outrage!"

Haxorus's eyes turned crimson, power surging, rage boiling.

Using Outrage's berserk state to cancel the flinch!

Genius—and terrifying.

Even Johan hadn't predicted that.

Outrage from a Rivalry-boosted Haxorus? Most would panic.

Johan?

He smiled.

"So be it. Dragonite—Outrage!"

The crowd exploded.

Dragon vs. Dragon, both using Outrage?

"DRAAA!!"

Dragonite unleashed its fury—its aura bursting in shades of crimson and deep blue, forming the shape of a mythic dragon.

BAM!

The two clashed in mid-air, no finesse, just raw power.

The resulting shockwave rocked the protective barrier around the audience.

This was how Dragons fought.

Drayden kept a straight face, calculating his next move.

Until Johan shouted—

"Dragon Rush!"

BAM!

Dragonite flapped up and dove down. Its Outrage fused with Dragon Rush. Aura formed a monstrous silhouette. It crashed into Haxorus.

How!?

Outrage was supposed to lock a Pokémon into uncontrollable rage.

How did Dragonite follow a command?

Alder's voice rang out:

"It's the bond—they're so in sync, Dragonite can obey even in Outrage."

The students were stunned.

Could bonds really be that strong?

BOOOOOM!

A massive blast and cloud of dust.

And when it cleared—

Dragonite stood tall.

Haxorus was down.

"Haxorus is unable to battle!"

Three shocking moments:

Air Slash caused a flinch.

Haxorus canceled flinch with Outrage.

Dragonite used Dragon Rush mid-Outrage.

None of it in textbooks.

Iris eyes sparkled. "This... this is it."

The Dragon Master's path.

Drayden returned Haxorus with a deep look at Johan.

He hadn't expected this.

Johan had achieved something even he hadn't: commanding during Outrage.

No wonder this young man was respected by so many.

If not for that Air Slash, the battle would've dragged on.

Drayden wasn't just a Gym Leader—he was on par with many Elites.

But surprises and unpredictability were part of battles. Johan had passed the test with flying colors.

Drayden exhaled slowly. His expression turned serious.

He drew another Poké Ball.

"Go, Altaria!"

Johan's eyes narrowed.

Altaria, huh?

Leading with Haxorus, then sending out Altaria second...

He had a bold suspicion.

Could it be—

The Dragon Traitor is about to take the stage?

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Powerstones?

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