Chapter 126: A Currency Too Worthless to Buy Even Berries
Wyndon Stadium, the day of the finals.
"Ladies and gentlemen!"
The announcer stood at the center of the arena.
"After many rounds of fierce competition, we have finally reached the finals of this year’s Pokémon World Championships! Please welcome the Champion of Sinnoh—Tiana!"
Tiana emerged from the competitors’ tunnel, and deafening cheers erupted throughout the stands.
"And now!"
The announcer took a deep breath.
"Please welcome the other finalist in this year’s World Championships! His identity will finally be revealed right now!"
On the enormous screen suspended beneath the stadium roof, the golden question mark began to flicker.
Then it exploded apart.
"Ranked first in the world—Asher!"
A spotlight illuminated the entrance to the opposite competitors’ tunnel.
Asher stepped out from the shadows wearing a well-tailored dark-gray coat.
He walked to the center of the arena and stopped, facing Tiana from across the entire battlefield.
Tiana looked utterly helpless.
"Daddy."
Asher kept both hands in his pockets, his tone as lazy as ever.
"What? Are you surprised to see me?"
"Not really."
Tiana placed her hands on her hips.
"I already guessed it. I just didn’t expect you to actually show up."
"I didn’t have much choice."
Asher shrugged.
"Your mother said you’d become a little too full of yourself after becoming Champion, so she sent me here to bring you back down to earth."
[VIP Chat Group]
[Gary]: I already suspected it, but actually seeing it happen still feels ridiculous.
[Iris]: Aaaaaah! A battle between father and daughter! I’ve been waiting forever for this! I’ve wanted to see it ever since Raina’s episode!
[Mallow]: More importantly, Tiana looks so helpless! Hahaha! She definitely figured out long ago that the golden question mark was her father!
[Alder]: If I remember correctly, Tiana’s list of achievements included becoming World Champion. Doesn’t that mean she truly defeats Asher?
[Steven]: Just sit back and enjoy Brother Asher’s performance.
[Wallace]: Why are you saying it like that? Couldn’t Tiana simply defeat him fair and square?
[Steven]: Fair and square? Do you want to watch the twin dragons of time and space battle Arceus?
[Wallace]: ...On second thought, never mind.
The video continued playing.
The cheering throughout the stadium grew increasingly intense.
At the referee’s whistle, two Poké Balls were thrown onto the battlefield simultaneously.
Asher sent out Gardevoir.
Tiana sent out Togekiss.
"Togekiss, use Air Slash!"
Tiana raised one hand.
Togekiss beat its wings repeatedly, sending three blades of compressed air slicing toward Gardevoir.
Gardevoir used Teleport to evade them and appeared behind Togekiss.
Asher lazily issued his command.
"Gardevoir, Psychic."
Psychic struck Togekiss head-on.
Its body wavered, but it quickly regained its balance and resumed its precise evasive maneuvers and counterattacks.
Seeing this, Tiana recalled Togekiss and sent out Tyranitar.
After another series of direct clashes, Gardevoir was eventually unable to endure any longer and collapsed first.
The referee raised his flag.
"Gardevoir is unable to battle!"
Asher recalled Gardevoir before throwing his second Poké Ball.
Dragapult appeared in the center of the battlefield, its translucent tail emitting a faint blue glow.
"Dragapult, Dragon Tail!" Asher called.
Dragapult’s tail swept out violently.
The blow sent Tyranitar’s enormous body sliding half a meter sideways before it dissolved into red light and was forcibly returned to its Poké Ball.
The Pokémon brought out in its place was Tiana’s Garchomp.
"Garchomp, Dragon Claw!"
Tiana gave the first command.
Emerald-green light enveloped Garchomp’s right claw as its dark-blue afterimage flashed across the battlefield.
"Dragapult, Phantom Force."
Asher’s voice remained lazy.
Just before Dragon Claw could connect, Dragapult vanished into thin air.
Garchomp’s attack struck nothing.
The next instant, Dragapult burst from the shadow behind Garchomp, its entire body transforming into a dark arrow that slammed into Garchomp’s back.
"Behind you!" Tiana shouted.
Garchomp staggered forward two steps from the impact before shaking its head and regaining its footing.
"Dragon Dance!"
Tiana did not panic.
Garchomp began moving in a strange, ancient rhythm, its speed visibly increasing.
"Dragapult, Dragon Darts."
Asher lifted one hand.
Dragapult raised its head.
The two Dreepy nestled within the hornlike structures atop its head shot forward, transforming into arrows wreathed in purple flames as they flew toward Garchomp.
"Knock both of them away with Dragon Claw!"
Garchomp swung both claws in opposite directions, batting aside the two Dreepy.
It then followed with another slash that struck Dragapult directly in the chest.
Dragapult was sent flying backward.
By the time it struck the ground, its eyes had turned into spirals.
The referee raised his flag.
"Dragapult is unable to battle!"
Asher recalled Dragapult, the corner of his mouth curving upward slightly.
[VIP Chat Group]
[Steven]: Look at Brother Asher’s expression! Hahahaha!
[Wallace]: Even he can’t keep a straight face anymore.
[Alder]: Had I not known this was the Pokémon World Championships, I would have assumed this father and daughter were having a practice match.
[Raihan]: To summarize: Asher is holding back, but he’s doing it with remarkable skill.
The video continued playing.
Both sides constantly switched their Pokémon in and out, trading victories as the air filled with the tension and intensity of battle.
Before long, only one final matchup remained.
Garchomp versus Dragonite.
Tiana placed one hand against her hair clip.
"Garchomp, Mega Evolve!"
The Key Stone and Mega Stone erupted with light simultaneously, countless multicolored beams connecting in midair.
Garchomp’s body changed rapidly within the radiance.
The blades upon its arms grew longer and wider, while an immensely deep and prolonged draconic roar emerged from its throat.
"Roooaar—!!!"
Asher watched Mega Garchomp land, the corner of his mouth rising almost imperceptibly.
"Dragonite."
Without looking back, Dragonite flicked its tail to show that it understood.
"Garchomp, Dragon Rush!"
Tiana raised one hand.
Mega Garchomp’s entire body became enveloped in deep-blue draconic energy, transforming into a meteor as it hurtled toward Dragonite.
"Protect."
A pale-green barrier appeared before Dragonite and blocked Mega Garchomp’s Dragon Rush.
"Now! Dragon Claw!"
Tiana immediately pressed the attack.
Emerald-green light gathered around Mega Garchomp’s right claw.
It slashed Dragonite across the shoulder.
Dragonite released a low roar.
Its body swayed once before collapsing to the ground.
The referee froze for a moment before raising his flag.
"Dragonite is unable to battle! Garchomp wins! The Champion of this year’s Pokémon World Championships is—Tiana!"
A tidal wave of cheers erupted throughout the stadium.
Ribbons and glitter drifted down from the roof, while golden and purple lights transformed the entire arena into a dreamlike scene.
Tiana recalled Garchomp and remained where she stood, breathing heavily.
Asher recalled Dragonite, placed both hands in his pockets, and slowly walked toward her.
Tiana looked down at her hands, her fingers gradually curling into fists.
"Daddy, I won."
"Mm."
Asher nodded.
"You’ve already surpassed both me and your mother."
He paused before placing one hand on Tiana’s shoulder.
His golden eyes met his daughter’s mismatched gaze.
"That means it’s time for you to shoulder the League’s burdens from now on."
Tiana froze for a second.
Then her entire body went rigid.
"So those documents..."
"There will only be more of them."
Asher patted her shoulder.
"Good luck. Daddy believes in you."
[Regular-Seat Chat Group]
"Hahahahahahahaha!"
"Tiana: I won! Asher: That’s right. All the work is yours now."
"Asher: Didn’t you want to surpass me? The price of surpassing me is attending all my meetings in my place."
[VIP Chat Group]
[Steven]: Hahahahahaha! After playing dead, Brother Asher has gained another signature technique—passing the responsibility to someone else!
[Leon]: What Tiana surpassed wasn’t his strength. It was his workload.
[Wallace]: So the fastest way to surpass your parents is to inherit all their work.
[Steven]: Why is Tiana so skilled at causing trouble for her father? Because Brother Asher is equally skilled at causing trouble for his daughter.
[Diantha]: Steven is right. Asher shows absolutely no mercy when making trouble for his daughter. @Asher, shouldn’t you reflect on your behavior?
[Asher]: What is there for me to reflect on? That was the parallel-world version of me. It has nothing to do with me.
[Lily]: There it is! Asher’s signature technique—passing the blame!
[Daisy]: That sentence has depreciated so badly that it couldn’t even buy a single Berry.
[Violet]: A currency too worthless to buy even Berries—otherwise known as Asher Coins.