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he knowes pokemon more than i know _Chapter_074_en
Chapter 74
Chapter 74: The Bluff (Second Update)
Author: Samsung Charmander (Author Name)
With his identity exposed, Lambda, who was wearing a grunt's uniform, no longer bothered to hide. As he took off his hat, a mass of pink liquid strangely appeared on his face and clothes, writhing continuously as if something was about to detach itself from his body.
*Squelch.*
A moment later, a soft and adorable pink Pokémon landed on the ground, its body jiggling like jelly.
*Beep*. Ditto, the ---- Pokémon. Its body structure is a masterpiece of creation, a perfect case study for sexology. Not only can both male and female Pokémon use it for three days, but humans can as well.
The Pokédex reported automatically.
Ash scratched his head. What was 'rbq'?
Once the Ditto's disguise was shed, the grunt transformed. He now looked identical to the Lambda standing beside him, right down to the flashy purple hair and the luxurious uniform befitting a superior. At the same time, the aura of the *other* Lambda—the decoy—plummeted, and he began to bow.
According to the usual script, it was always Lambda's decoy who would be put in a desperate situation. Just as the enemy thought it was all over, his real self would quietly appear from another location, dazzling everyone.
That's why he had another nickname: The Eccentric Lambda.
As for what happened to the decoy, they usually ended up with no corpse left behind.
This was the expendable decoy Lambda had raised, and it was also his greatest secret.
But now, his greatest secret had been seen through in a single glance by some reckless kid. Lambda's expression became exceptionally grim.
He refused to believe that some crappy Pokédex had actually identified him; even Team Rocket's vast and unparalleled database couldn't do that.
Then the answer was obvious. It was this youth with the 'Z' symbols on his cheeks who had pierced through his heaven-defying disguise with a single glance.
*Tattoos on his face? How tacky! And what's with that expression, as if he's shocked by his own abilities? Such terrible acting!*
Since you now know my earth-shattering secret, don't even think about leaving the Pokémon Tower alive today.
Ash, of course, had no idea about the myriad thoughts running through Lambda's mind. Pointing at the Ditto trembling on the ground, he asked curiously, "Hey, mister, wasn't it hot with your whole body stuffed in there?"
In truth, he really wanted to poke the Ditto with a stick.
"..."
Lambda's expression remained unchanged as he sized up his target, refusing to let Ash's nonsense disturb his composure.
Although it was, indeed, very hot.
But using a Ditto for a disguise was an extremely difficult technique. He was confident that the number of people in the Kanto Region who possessed this skill could be counted on one hand, and he was absolutely the strongest among them.
Unless something as absurd as a master of disguise suddenly descended from another world, there was no way anyone's skills were superior to his.
Expecting the Ditto to have air conditioning? Don't get greedy. With that thought, Lambda suddenly launched his attack, shouting:
"Hmph! Golbat, use Mean Look!"
Golbat flapped its wings and shot up. Directly in front of its gaping maw, a large black eyeball suddenly opened. A strange power swept out, causing Charmander and Cubone to freeze in place.
*I don't know what he has planned, so I'll just take out these two weaklings first!*
Ash, showing no weakness, commanded, "Charmander, use Flamethrower!"
A pillar of fire shot toward the sky. Golbat's speed was impressive, and it evaded with a spiraling flap of its wings. The searing pillar of fire left a scorched mark on the ceiling.
Lambda gave a sinister smile and instructed, "Golbat, use Confuse Ray."
Upon hearing the command, Golbat's expression also turned sinister. It suddenly shot a ball of white light from its large mouth, hurling it forward.
*Pop.*
The strange ball of light exploded in front of Charmander and Cubone, enveloping them in Confuse Ray. The next second, several small, yellow, lightning-like birds began to circle above both Pokémon's heads, and their steps became unsteady.
Seeing this, the Ghost Marowak in the back quickly threw its bone club, aiming for a surprise attack on Golbat. The bone spun rapidly in mid-air, only to pass right through the target.
"Idiot, did you really think a Ground-type move would work?"
Lambda cackled. Golbat swooped toward Marowak, its wings glowing with a chilling white light as it swung them like a slap.
Marowak didn't dare to be careless, holding its bone club in front of itself to block. But its body, having been scanned by the black-tech detector, was currently unable to exert much of its power as an evil spirit.
*CLANG!!*
It was swatted away, sent flying backward.
Using the recoil, Golbat took flight again, but this time, it flew straight for Charmander.
Ash didn't dare to be careless and quickly shouted, "Here it comes! Charmander, use Fire Spin to restrict its movement!"
"Rooar!!"
Charmander fiercely spewed a burst of flame, which coiled into a majestic ring of fire. Then, the attack suddenly changed direction and successfully hit a completely bewildered Ash.
Ash: "?"
The powerful flame struck his upper body, charring him instantly.
"Chaaaw!"
Immediately after, Golbat's Wing Attack struck, sending the defenseless Charmander and Cubone flying several meters. A single blow was enough to make Cubone lose its ability to battle. The slightly better-off Charmander was also staggering in place, looking like a candle in the wind.
"Alright, show me your real strength now," Lambda said with disdain. "Stop trying to fool people with these babies."
These words made Ash secretly gulp.
*Ahem, this* is *my real strength...*
No, wait, he still had his trump card—the old Gengar of Kanto!
Ash quickly scanned his surroundings, trying to find any trace of Gengar.
*As expected of the old brawler, he's already turned invisible, right? Letting me draw attention on the front lines while he prepares to attack from the shadows...*
Ash couldn't help but marvel, his heart immediately steadying.
*Sometimes, catching a Pokémon whose strength is far beyond your own is a really great feeling...*
"Charmander!" he quickly shouted.
"Roar!"
Hearing the sharp cry, the staggering Charmander instantly snapped out of its confusion. Although it had taken a hit, it still stood firm, the flame on its tail burning brightly.
It let out a low growl at Golbat. Its imposing might wasn't great, but it faintly carried a hint of inviolable, superior Dragon's Might.
It was imitating the aura of that peerless Charizard from the battle against the giant Pokémon at the lighthouse.
*Not very big, but it has quite the attitude...*
Lambda's expression changed slightly. He rubbed his chin, thinking to himself that this Charmander's aptitude seemed extraordinary, which only strengthened his desire to defeat it.
*Crushing a genius... there's nothing more satisfying than that!*
"Golbat, use Air Cutter."
Golbat's wings began to flap frantically, and gusts of wind transformed into sharp daggers that pierced through the air.
Ash's eyes lit up as he shouted, "Charmander, block them with Fire Spin!"
This time, Charmander didn't hit an ally. It successfully used Fire Spin, quickly forming rings of fire in mid-air that enveloped all the incoming daggers.
With a toss of its head, all the daggers were thrown off course, slamming into the surrounding floor. Not a single one landed within half a meter of Charmander.
This was a technique it had used back at the Power Plant.
The Fire Spin didn't stop there; it swept toward Golbat once again. By the time the latter could react, its body was already completely enveloped in flames, trapped tight!
Seeing this, Lambda merely sneered, "A petty trick. Golbat, use Air Cutter."
Golbat's body shuddered and its wings flapped wildly. It unleashed several sharp blades of wind from its position, their power far greater than the previous attack.
*Swoosh!*
*Swoosh!*
*Swoosh!*
With just a few slashes, it completely sliced the Fire Spin apart, sending countless sparks scattering to the ground.
And at that very moment, from one of Golbat's blind spots, an orange figure leaped into the air and bit down hard on the still-smug Pokémon.
"ROOAAR!!"
A fierce red light shone in Charmander's eyes. Using both its teeth and claws, it gripped tightly onto Golbat's wings. With a powerful twist of its body, it managed to drag Golbat's entire large frame down, pinning it firmly to the floor.
"Chaaaw!!"
"Roar!!"
The dragon and the bat thrashed about on the floor, each trying to pin the other down.
This attack did make Lambda's expression falter slightly. This Charmander's strength was clearly lower than his Golbat's, yet it was able to close the gap in this way.
But in the end, it was a futile struggle. Even if the gap was narrowed, it still existed. This was merely delaying the inevitable.
Seeing his plan succeed, Ash's eyes shone with a brilliance that could pluck the sun and moon from the sky. He shouted, "Now, Gengar!!"
According to the script, Gengar should have appeared behind Lambda right at that moment, grabbed him in an Uchiha-style tackle, and slammed him to the floor, ending the battle.
"What!?"
Even Lambda's expression changed drastically, and he hurriedly scanned his surroundings.
*This reckless kid really isn't simple. He actually had a Gengar lying in ambush nearby.*
*Damn it!*
*I was careless!*
He had taken one look at Ash's appearance and assumed he was just some naive, reckless trainer who would only engage in a simple 1v1 solo battle, not considering that he would employ so many tricks.
*At this speed, a Gengar would absolutely not give him the chance to send out his ace, Crobat!*
*Damn it, am I, Lambda, Team Rocket's Number One Strategist, going to be defeated here today?*
A long moment passed.
Charmander, out of stamina, fainted on the ground. Golbat flew up again, but judging by the wounds on its wings, it had also taken considerable damage.
Only... Gengar never appeared.
Lambda: "..."
So this kid was just bluffing?
Ash: "..."
For some reason, he suddenly felt an itch in his palm. He looked down and saw that a piece of white paper had appeared in his hand at some point.
He opened it to find a drawing, at about the level of a kindergarten doodle.
On the left was a chubby Pokémon that vaguely resembled Gengar.
In the middle, a crooked "1" and "0" were drawn.
On the right was another Gengar.
The meaning was exactly as pictured.
Ash: "..."
---
(The third update will be out later.)
(end of chapter)
Author: Samsung Charmander (Author Name)
With his identity exposed, Lambda, who was wearing a grunt's uniform, no longer bothered to hide. As he took off his hat, a mass of pink liquid strangely appeared on his face and clothes, writhing continuously as if something was about to detach itself from his body.
*Squelch.*
A moment later, a soft and adorable pink Pokémon landed on the ground, its body jiggling like jelly.
*Beep*. Ditto, the ---- Pokémon. Its body structure is a masterpiece of creation, a perfect case study for sexology. Not only can both male and female Pokémon use it for three days, but humans can as well.
The Pokédex reported automatically.
Ash scratched his head. What was 'rbq'?
Once the Ditto's disguise was shed, the grunt transformed. He now looked identical to the Lambda standing beside him, right down to the flashy purple hair and the luxurious uniform befitting a superior. At the same time, the aura of the *other* Lambda—the decoy—plummeted, and he began to bow.
According to the usual script, it was always Lambda's decoy who would be put in a desperate situation. Just as the enemy thought it was all over, his real self would quietly appear from another location, dazzling everyone.
That's why he had another nickname: The Eccentric Lambda.
As for what happened to the decoy, they usually ended up with no corpse left behind.
This was the expendable decoy Lambda had raised, and it was also his greatest secret.
But now, his greatest secret had been seen through in a single glance by some reckless kid. Lambda's expression became exceptionally grim.
He refused to believe that some crappy Pokédex had actually identified him; even Team Rocket's vast and unparalleled database couldn't do that.
Then the answer was obvious. It was this youth with the 'Z' symbols on his cheeks who had pierced through his heaven-defying disguise with a single glance.
*Tattoos on his face? How tacky! And what's with that expression, as if he's shocked by his own abilities? Such terrible acting!*
Since you now know my earth-shattering secret, don't even think about leaving the Pokémon Tower alive today.
Ash, of course, had no idea about the myriad thoughts running through Lambda's mind. Pointing at the Ditto trembling on the ground, he asked curiously, "Hey, mister, wasn't it hot with your whole body stuffed in there?"
In truth, he really wanted to poke the Ditto with a stick.
"..."
Lambda's expression remained unchanged as he sized up his target, refusing to let Ash's nonsense disturb his composure.
Although it was, indeed, very hot.
But using a Ditto for a disguise was an extremely difficult technique. He was confident that the number of people in the Kanto Region who possessed this skill could be counted on one hand, and he was absolutely the strongest among them.
Unless something as absurd as a master of disguise suddenly descended from another world, there was no way anyone's skills were superior to his.
Expecting the Ditto to have air conditioning? Don't get greedy. With that thought, Lambda suddenly launched his attack, shouting:
"Hmph! Golbat, use Mean Look!"
Golbat flapped its wings and shot up. Directly in front of its gaping maw, a large black eyeball suddenly opened. A strange power swept out, causing Charmander and Cubone to freeze in place.
*I don't know what he has planned, so I'll just take out these two weaklings first!*
Ash, showing no weakness, commanded, "Charmander, use Flamethrower!"
A pillar of fire shot toward the sky. Golbat's speed was impressive, and it evaded with a spiraling flap of its wings. The searing pillar of fire left a scorched mark on the ceiling.
Lambda gave a sinister smile and instructed, "Golbat, use Confuse Ray."
Upon hearing the command, Golbat's expression also turned sinister. It suddenly shot a ball of white light from its large mouth, hurling it forward.
*Pop.*
The strange ball of light exploded in front of Charmander and Cubone, enveloping them in Confuse Ray. The next second, several small, yellow, lightning-like birds began to circle above both Pokémon's heads, and their steps became unsteady.
Seeing this, the Ghost Marowak in the back quickly threw its bone club, aiming for a surprise attack on Golbat. The bone spun rapidly in mid-air, only to pass right through the target.
"Idiot, did you really think a Ground-type move would work?"
Lambda cackled. Golbat swooped toward Marowak, its wings glowing with a chilling white light as it swung them like a slap.
Marowak didn't dare to be careless, holding its bone club in front of itself to block. But its body, having been scanned by the black-tech detector, was currently unable to exert much of its power as an evil spirit.
*CLANG!!*
It was swatted away, sent flying backward.
Using the recoil, Golbat took flight again, but this time, it flew straight for Charmander.
Ash didn't dare to be careless and quickly shouted, "Here it comes! Charmander, use Fire Spin to restrict its movement!"
"Rooar!!"
Charmander fiercely spewed a burst of flame, which coiled into a majestic ring of fire. Then, the attack suddenly changed direction and successfully hit a completely bewildered Ash.
Ash: "?"
The powerful flame struck his upper body, charring him instantly.
"Chaaaw!"
Immediately after, Golbat's Wing Attack struck, sending the defenseless Charmander and Cubone flying several meters. A single blow was enough to make Cubone lose its ability to battle. The slightly better-off Charmander was also staggering in place, looking like a candle in the wind.
"Alright, show me your real strength now," Lambda said with disdain. "Stop trying to fool people with these babies."
These words made Ash secretly gulp.
*Ahem, this* is *my real strength...*
No, wait, he still had his trump card—the old Gengar of Kanto!
Ash quickly scanned his surroundings, trying to find any trace of Gengar.
*As expected of the old brawler, he's already turned invisible, right? Letting me draw attention on the front lines while he prepares to attack from the shadows...*
Ash couldn't help but marvel, his heart immediately steadying.
*Sometimes, catching a Pokémon whose strength is far beyond your own is a really great feeling...*
"Charmander!" he quickly shouted.
"Roar!"
Hearing the sharp cry, the staggering Charmander instantly snapped out of its confusion. Although it had taken a hit, it still stood firm, the flame on its tail burning brightly.
It let out a low growl at Golbat. Its imposing might wasn't great, but it faintly carried a hint of inviolable, superior Dragon's Might.
It was imitating the aura of that peerless Charizard from the battle against the giant Pokémon at the lighthouse.
*Not very big, but it has quite the attitude...*
Lambda's expression changed slightly. He rubbed his chin, thinking to himself that this Charmander's aptitude seemed extraordinary, which only strengthened his desire to defeat it.
*Crushing a genius... there's nothing more satisfying than that!*
"Golbat, use Air Cutter."
Golbat's wings began to flap frantically, and gusts of wind transformed into sharp daggers that pierced through the air.
Ash's eyes lit up as he shouted, "Charmander, block them with Fire Spin!"
This time, Charmander didn't hit an ally. It successfully used Fire Spin, quickly forming rings of fire in mid-air that enveloped all the incoming daggers.
With a toss of its head, all the daggers were thrown off course, slamming into the surrounding floor. Not a single one landed within half a meter of Charmander.
This was a technique it had used back at the Power Plant.
The Fire Spin didn't stop there; it swept toward Golbat once again. By the time the latter could react, its body was already completely enveloped in flames, trapped tight!
Seeing this, Lambda merely sneered, "A petty trick. Golbat, use Air Cutter."
Golbat's body shuddered and its wings flapped wildly. It unleashed several sharp blades of wind from its position, their power far greater than the previous attack.
*Swoosh!*
*Swoosh!*
*Swoosh!*
With just a few slashes, it completely sliced the Fire Spin apart, sending countless sparks scattering to the ground.
And at that very moment, from one of Golbat's blind spots, an orange figure leaped into the air and bit down hard on the still-smug Pokémon.
"ROOAAR!!"
A fierce red light shone in Charmander's eyes. Using both its teeth and claws, it gripped tightly onto Golbat's wings. With a powerful twist of its body, it managed to drag Golbat's entire large frame down, pinning it firmly to the floor.
"Chaaaw!!"
"Roar!!"
The dragon and the bat thrashed about on the floor, each trying to pin the other down.
This attack did make Lambda's expression falter slightly. This Charmander's strength was clearly lower than his Golbat's, yet it was able to close the gap in this way.
But in the end, it was a futile struggle. Even if the gap was narrowed, it still existed. This was merely delaying the inevitable.
Seeing his plan succeed, Ash's eyes shone with a brilliance that could pluck the sun and moon from the sky. He shouted, "Now, Gengar!!"
According to the script, Gengar should have appeared behind Lambda right at that moment, grabbed him in an Uchiha-style tackle, and slammed him to the floor, ending the battle.
"What!?"
Even Lambda's expression changed drastically, and he hurriedly scanned his surroundings.
*This reckless kid really isn't simple. He actually had a Gengar lying in ambush nearby.*
*Damn it!*
*I was careless!*
He had taken one look at Ash's appearance and assumed he was just some naive, reckless trainer who would only engage in a simple 1v1 solo battle, not considering that he would employ so many tricks.
*At this speed, a Gengar would absolutely not give him the chance to send out his ace, Crobat!*
*Damn it, am I, Lambda, Team Rocket's Number One Strategist, going to be defeated here today?*
A long moment passed.
Charmander, out of stamina, fainted on the ground. Golbat flew up again, but judging by the wounds on its wings, it had also taken considerable damage.
Only... Gengar never appeared.
Lambda: "..."
So this kid was just bluffing?
Ash: "..."
For some reason, he suddenly felt an itch in his palm. He looked down and saw that a piece of white paper had appeared in his hand at some point.
He opened it to find a drawing, at about the level of a kindergarten doodle.
On the left was a chubby Pokémon that vaguely resembled Gengar.
In the middle, a crooked "1" and "0" were drawn.
On the right was another Gengar.
The meaning was exactly as pictured.
Ash: "..."
---
(The third update will be out later.)
(end of chapter)
