Chapter 544: Apotheosis Power-Up Punch

The students from Imperial Elite Pokémon University stared at Gage's Mutated Grapploct with undisguised envy and resentment.

Why him?

How had some nobody from the mountains gotten his hands on something that rare?

To them, a treasure like that had somehow fallen into the hands of someone they considered beneath them—and they hated it.

...

"Would you look at that!"

"A Grapploct with ten tentacles!"

"Contestant Gage's final Pokémon is an exceptionally rare Mutated Pokémon! What a surprise!"

Kenny's excited voice boomed across the arena.

"And with both Trainers down to their last Pokémon, this match just got even more interesting! Let's see who takes it!"

The crowd answered with another wave of cheers.

On the battlefield, Mason studied the strange Grapploct with a grim expression. Whatever kind of mutation it possessed, one thing was obvious.

That Pokémon was anything but ordinary.

Still, this was the final exchange of the match.

He had no intention of backing down now.

"Arcanine, Howl!"

"AWOOOOOO!"

Hisuian Arcanine raised its head and unleashed a long, powerful howl. A faint red aura spread across its massive body as its Attack rose by one stage.

Gage immediately responded.

"Grapploct, Bulk Up!"

"Grap!"

Grapploct lowered its stance and flexed its body. Crimson energy flared around it as its muscles tightened, increasing both its Attack and Defense by one stage.

Both Pokémon had strengthened themselves, but Grapploct had gotten slightly more out of the exchange.

Mason moved first.

"Arcanine—Extreme Speed!"

"ARF!"

White light flashed across Arcanine's body.

Then it disappeared.

With Extreme Speed's +2 priority, the massive canine crossed the battlefield in an instant and slammed shoulder-first into Grapploct before it could properly react.

THUD!

"Grap—!"

Grapploct was knocked backward, but its body did not simply tumble out of control. It twisted with the impact, using the momentum rather than fighting against it, then flipped once through the air and landed firmly on its feet.

Its ten tentacles spread around its body as it settled into a martial stance reminiscent of Wing Chun.

"Grap."

Despite taking Extreme Speed head-on, it looked remarkably composed.

Mason gave it no chance to counterattack.

"Arcanine, Flamethrower!"

"RRF!"

Arcanine planted its paws, opened its jaws, and unleashed a roaring torrent of fire.

"Grapploct, Octazooka!"

Gage's tone remained completely calm.

"Grap!"

Grapploct fired a dense blast of deep-blue liquid straight into the incoming flames.

BOOM!

The two attacks collided halfway across the field.

HSSSSSSSS!

Fire and liquid erupted into a huge cloud of scalding steam, swallowing a large section of the battlefield and obscuring both Pokémon from view.

Mason changed tactics immediately.

"Arcanine, Agility—then Flame Wheel!"

A purple glow flickered through the steam as Arcanine accelerated sharply. Flames quickly wrapped around its entire body, turning the huge canine into a blazing wheel before it tore through the white cloud toward Grapploct.

"GRRRAUF!"

The growling bark came from inside the flames as Arcanine closed the distance at terrifying speed.

Gage's expression finally changed.

Not from worry.

He was simply done testing the waters.

"Grapploct—Power-Up Punch."

This was its Apotheosis-level move.

[Move Name: Power-Up Punch]

[Type: Fighting]

[Power: 80]

[Originally 40 power. Reaching Apotheosis doubles its power.]

[Priority: +1]

[Special Effect: The moment the move is activated, Attack immediately rises by 3 stages, up to a maximum of 6 stages.]

[Description: Power-Up Punch perfected beyond its normal limits and elevated to an entirely new level.]

...

The terrifying part was not simply that Power-Up Punch could raise Grapploct's Attack by three stages at once.

Normally, Power-Up Punch increased Attack only after landing.

This version was different.

The boost took effect the instant the move was activated.

That distinction changed everything.

Grapploct had already gained one Attack stage from Bulk Up.

Now—

three more.

"GRAP!"

A violent surge of Fighting-type energy exploded from its body.

Brilliant crimson light gathered around one of its fists as Grapploct planted itself firmly in Arcanine's path. Its muscles tightened, and the sheer force radiating from the punch made the air around its arm tremble.

The blazing Arcanine crashed toward it.

Grapploct punched.

KRAKOOOM!

The collision shook the entire battlefield.

For a split second, the flaming wheel and crimson fist seemed locked together.

Then—

"ARROOOF!"

Arcanine let out a sharp yelp of pain.

The flames around its body burst apart as the enormous canine was blasted backward by a single punch.

It flew through the air before crashing into the battlefield and tearing a long groove through the ground.

For one stunned second, the entire arena fell silent.

Then spectators shot to their feet.

"What the hell?!"

"Was that seriously Power-Up Punch?!"

"Power-Up Punch only has 40 base power!"

"How the hell did it hit Arcanine that hard?!"

Confusion spread through the stands almost instantly.

As far as they knew, Power-Up Punch was a relatively weak Fighting-type move whose real value came from gradually increasing the user's Attack.

What they had just witnessed looked nothing like that.

And the same question was now running through almost everyone's mind.

Just what the hell was wrong with that Grapploct?