"Everyone, sorry for the wait. The strongest Pokémon Trainer is about to appear!" Nurse Joy gazed calmly at the five of them as they watched the pillar of light. Their Pokémon had already sensed a powerful threat approaching, and most had taken defensive stances, while Togepi and Pikachu scrambled onto Misty and Ash. Soon, a tall Pokémon with eyes shining a brilliant blue descended swiftly through the pillar.
"That's right. This is both the strongest Pokémon Trainer and the strongest Pokémon, Lord Mewtwo!" Nurse Joy announced solemnly. At that moment, Mewtwo temporarily released its psychic power, and light returned to the hall.
"A Pokémon acting as a Pokémon Trainer? How is that possible?" The stout man in light blue clothes was clearly impulsive. While the others cautiously tried to make sense of the situation, he shouted in protest.
"Why not? I decide my own rules!" Mewtwo answered telepathically while making Nurse Joy speak the same words. Then it pointed at the man. Blue light flared as its psychic power lifted him high into the air before hurling him into the fountain pool where his Pokémon waited.
The display clearly intimidated everyone present, but the man refused to accept it—or perhaps he felt humiliated. He immediately retaliated, ordering Gyarados to use Hyper Beam, only for Mewtwo to block it effortlessly and reflect it back.
"So easy..." Mewtwo remarked flatly, looking at the defeated Gyarados. Its eyes then glowed blue as it turned to Nurse Joy and waved a hand. "I have no further use for you!" It released her from its control. Having just regained consciousness, Nurse Joy staggered, unable to adjust, and nearly fell. Brock hurried forward and caught her. Her hat slipped off, revealing her distinctive hair.
"Where am I? Why am I here?" Responding to Brock's calls, Nurse Joy struggled to open her eyes and looked around in confusion.
"I brought you out of the Pokémon Center to look after me. Having a doctor familiar with Pokémon physiology was convenient. You helped me a great deal, though you probably remember none of it!" Mewtwo answered her questions, but Brock, who had taken it upon himself to protect her, found this outrageous and voiced his displeasure. Mewtwo paid him no heed and continued, "With power like mine, mere humans can be controlled at will!" Those words plainly disgusted every human present.
"I once considered living alongside humans, but they disappointed me. Humans are inferior to Pokémon. If creatures as weak and unreasonable as humans are allowed to rule, this planet will be doomed!"
"So you're saying a... Pokémon like you should rule this planet?" Brock challenged.
"Pokémon won't do either. Why? Because this planet has always been ruled by humans. Pokémon that live for humans are unfit for the task!" Mewtwo explained. As soon as it finished, however, Ash's Pikachu jumped forward and cried out at it.
"What? You aren't simply obeying human orders? You stay with that Trainer because you like him?" Mewtwo asked. Yet when Pikachu confirmed this, it rejected the answer. "Being with him is itself a mistake!" It seized Pikachu with psychic power and hurled the Pokémon away. Ash lunged after Pikachu and caught the Pokémon, using his own body to absorb the force. Mewtwo remained unmoved by the sight. "Only weak Pokémon rely on humans!"
"No matter what kind of Pokémon you are, as long as you're a Pokémon, I can subdue you! Go, my Rhyhorn!" Mewtwo's actions had angered every living creature present, and the man in red issued his command. Yet Rhyhorn's strength posed no trouble for Mewtwo either. Its psychic power caught Rhyhorn and sent the Pokémon flying backward.
"It's useless. From the moment I was born, I was stronger than any Pokémon on this planet!" Mewtwo declared.
"How would you know without trying?!" Hot-blooded and impulsive, Ash could no longer hold back his challenge.
Mewtwo had evidently realized that none of those present could match its strength. This time, rather than acting personally, it made its eyes glow blue. Three openings soon appeared in the floor, and a Blastoise, a Venusaur, and a Charizard bearing strange markings rose from them. Mewtwo spoke slowly. "Those who aspire to become Trainers receive starter Pokémon: Charmander, Squirtle, and Bulbasaur. These are copies I created of their evolved forms!" As it finished speaking, strange sounds echoed through the hall. The entire wall behind Mewtwo vanished, revealing an even larger space beyond. Four spotlights switched on, illuminating a vast battle arena as brightly as daylight.
"I have Venusaur, Bana!" "I have Blastoise, Scus!" "I have Charizard!" the man in red, the woman wearing Poké Ball accessories, and Ash declared in turn. But the moment Ash released Charizard, the Pokémon launched a surprise Flamethrower at Mewtwo. Such power meant nothing to Mewtwo, however. It casually manipulated a stream of water to extinguish the flames, remarked flatly that Charizard had no manners, and led everyone to the battlefield.
They were clearly about to pit the three Pokémon against copies of their own kind. First came the battle between the Venusaur. Facing Razor Leaf, Mewtwo's copy used Vine Whip to smash the leaves apart, then seized Bana and hurled the Pokémon away. Next came the Blastoise battle. Scus used Hydro Pump, but the copy charged straight through it with Rapid Spin and struck Scus, sending the Pokémon flying backward. Finally, Mewtwo's Charizard defeated Ash's Charizard with Seismic Toss.
"Their battles have all been decided. Only you remain. You were the first to arrive—do you lack the courage to challenge me?" Mewtwo finally turned its attention to Liu Qing, who had remained silent throughout. It glanced at the three defeated Pokémon before looking at him.
"I don't have any of those three Pokémon!" Now that Mewtwo had noticed him, Liu Qing walked past Ash and the others to take his place on the battlefield. "But since you call yourself both the strongest Pokémon Trainer and the strongest Pokémon, I'd like to battle you after defeating those three!"
"Arrogant!" Mewtwo remarked. Still, it offered no objection and gestured for Venusaur to enter the battlefield.
"Venusaur first, then! Haunter, you're up! Shadow Ball!" As Liu Qing spoke, Haunter floated into the air above the battlefield. Bringing both hands together, Haunter quickly formed a Shadow Ball and fired it at Venusaur.
"Razor Leaf!" Mewtwo commanded swiftly. The leaves on Venusaur's back fluttered rapidly, launching a barrage of sharp leaves. They collided with the Shadow Ball and blew it apart with a boom, while the remaining leaves continued toward Haunter.
As expected of a copy enhanced by Mewtwo. That move really packs a punch! Liu Qing thought, though he was not worried. As he watched Haunter display superb evasive skill in the air, he noticed that both hands had vanished. A gleam flashed through his eyes. "Haunter, Hypnosis!"
At Liu Qing's command, a pair of black claws suddenly appeared before Venusaur's eyes. Red light burst forth, and Venusaur's gaze went blank. Its body swayed as it began to fall asleep.
"Dream Eater!" Liu Qing pressed his advantage. A black silhouette flew out of Haunter and instantly passed through Venusaur's body. The swaying Venusaur collapsed to the ground.
"What an amazing Haunter!" Ash and the others looked stunned as they watched Venusaur fall.
"Looks like I won the first round!" Liu Qing smiled faintly at Mewtwo across the battlefield. Mewtwo said nothing and merely gestured for Blastoise to step forward.
"You're a Water-type too. Gyarados, I'm counting on you!" Liu Qing threw Gyarados's Poké Ball. With a tremendous roar, Gyarados appeared on the field in a burst of golden light. Liu Qing immediately commanded, "Aqua Tail!"
"Roar!" Gyarados bellowed. Water wrapped around the Pokémon's enormous tail as it slammed down toward Blastoise.
"Hydro Pump!" After losing the first battle, Mewtwo no longer underestimated Liu Qing quite as much. Still, it showed no great caution, merely taking things a little more seriously.
At Mewtwo's command, the cannons on Blastoise's back aimed at Gyarados's descending Aqua Tail and fired two powerful jets of water. They struck the tail, sending spray everywhere, but neither move could overpower the other.
"Rapid Spin!" The instant Hydro Pump stopped, Blastoise withdrew completely into its shell and spun rapidly toward Gyarados's head.
"So fast!" Surprised but composed, Liu Qing immediately countered. "Gyarados, Giga Impact!"
"S-so powerful!" the onlookers exclaimed in shock.
"Roar!" Gyarados bellowed as a spiraling, pale purple aura gradually enveloped the Pokémon's body. Gyarados charged straight into Rapid Spin with a muffled thud. Rings of energy rippled outward from the collision, but in the blink of an eye, Blastoise cried out in pain. Gyarados's Giga Impact sent the entire Pokémon hurtling backward and smashed it into the ground with a boom. Victorious, Gyarados raised its head and roared in triumph.
"Now for the final round. Salamence, I'm counting on you!" Liu Qing wasted no words. After having Gyarados withdraw, he threw his last Poké Ball. With a resonant draconic cry, Salamence appeared in midair, beating crimson wings.
"Not bad. Your strength does indeed surpass that of the other Trainers. If you defeat Charizard next, I can grant you the right to challenge me!" After two consecutive losses, even Mewtwo's gaze wavered slightly. After all, these three Pokémon were copies it had painstakingly raised. It had never imagined a day when they would be defeated in battle. Yet despite its apparent brutality, Mewtwo kept its word. It sent out the final Charizard, which flew into the air to face Salamence from a distance.
"This round is mine!" Brimming with confidence, Liu Qing swiftly commanded, "Salamence, Dragon Claw!"
The moment Liu Qing gave the order, Salamence became a streak of blue light rushing straight toward Charizard, the right claw gradually shining a brilliant white. But Charizard was no weakling either. A quick shift of the body evaded Dragon Claw, and Charizard turned to fire a Flamethrower. Salamence cleaved the flames apart with Dragon Claw, then landed a Hydro Pump squarely on Charizard before the Pokémon could dodge. Closing in swiftly, Salamence struck Charizard down to the ground with Dragon Claw and claimed victory.
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