Chapter 668: The Crimson Witch
While the match hadn't been officially decided yet, Arthur had managed to force Gwyneth into using her first switch. In a high-stakes environment like the Champions Cup, that was already a significant tactical advantage.
As the tournament progressed into its final stages, the strength of the competitors became truly formidable. Expecting a clean sweep or an easy blowout in the penultimate round of the Losers' Bracket was simply unrealistic. At this stage, every Captain remaining on that stage was a titan of the current era.
Even if their Pokémon's raw combat experience occasionally trailed behind Arthur's, their sheer stats and specialized training were no weaker than the Elite Four members Arthur remembered from his past.
Gwyneth's Alakazam—locally known by her title, "The Mystic Enchantress"—was a force of nature. In terms of pure arena performance, she was arguably the strongest Psychic-type in the world. For Arthur to force such a trump card into an early retreat was enough to trigger a wave of cheers and gasps from the massive crowd.
After all, the general public still had no idea who "Specter" really was.
"My god! That Gengar actually managed to suppress the famous Enchantress?!"
The stands were buzzing with disbelief as they watched Gwyneth recall her Alakazam.
"I heard that Gengar was caught by that Kubfu Alliance kid in a nature reserve somewhere," one spectator whispered.
"Really? Man, do you have the coordinates for that reserve? You gotta hook me up!"
The conversation quickly spiraled into rumors. It was easy to foresee that once this year's Champions Cup ended, the peace and quiet of the Mt. Moon Nature Reserve would be thoroughly shattered. Who could blame them? On paper, Specter's official identity was still a wild Gengar hailing from the caves of Mt. Moon.
Meanwhile, tens of thousands of miles away, Suicune—currently lounging atop the snowy crags of Zenith Peak—suddenly let out a massive sneeze.
She looked around blankly, her majestic mane fluttering in the wind. Why do I have a sudden, nagging feeling that something bad is about to happen to my mountain? she wondered.
Back at the stadium, the battle showed no signs of slowing down.
After withdrawing Alakazam, Gwyneth immediately sent out her second ace: Delphox.
The final evolution of Fennekin, Delphox stood in a humanoid posture, looking very much like a mystical fox spirit clad in elegant red-and-white shrine maiden robes.
Delphox was a Fire/Psychic type.
Another Psychic type. Before Gwyneth had ascended to her current legendary status, she had gone through a period of specializing almost exclusively in Psychic Pokémon. Her expertise in the field was second to none, which was why her strongest veterans all shared that typing.
Though she had since diversified her roster to handle the chaotic variables of the professional circuit, her "Twin Pillars"—the Enchantress and the Witch—remained her most trusted partners.
Gwyneth's Delphox wasn't as world-renowned as her Alakazam, but any fan who had studied her career knew that the "Crimson Witch" was a terrifying opponent in her own right. Her Fire typing provided a much broader offensive coverage, making her the perfect tool for a shifting battlefield.
The referee signaled the continuation of the match.
"Specter, use Phantom Force!" Arthur commanded.
Arthur opened with his usual aggressive tempo. On one hand, he wanted to close the distance quickly; on the other, he was trying to dodge the Future Sight that Alakazam had "tucked away" in the timeline right before switching out.
Since there are no breaks mid-round, a Future Sight "timer" usually can't be set for too long. Arthur gambled that Gwyneth wouldn't dare hide the attack until the next game—there were too many variables. He bet it would trigger soon.
"Crimson Witch, use Psychic Terrain!" Gwyneth responded calmly.
Arthur's brow furrowed slightly at her composure.
Two seconds later, Specter tore through the void, his claws lunging toward Delphox. But even as Specter emerged from the dimensional rift, the Future Sight failed to trigger.
I misread the timing? Damn...
Arthur felt a flicker of regret. In a high-level duel, you couldn't expect every prediction to land perfectly. Gwyneth wasn't some rookie you could see through with a single glance; she was playing layers deep.
Specter's sneak attack landed, but Delphox took the hit with surprising grit. She didn't flinch. Instead, she spun the branch in her hand like a wizard brandishing a wand. She took two steps back, leveled the tip of the branch at Specter, and let out a sharp, melodic cry.
"A-va-da Ke-da-vra!"
Of course, that was just the phonetic translation of the Delphox's strange cry, but it fit the aesthetic perfectly.
Gwyneth's actual command followed: "Witch, use Psyshock!"
A high-pressure blast of psychic energy erupted from the tip of the wand. Unlike a standard mental blast, Psyshock manifested as a physical shockwave. The air itself seemed to shatter, leaving Specter's shadowy form riddled with jagged "cuts."
While Psyshock was technically a special move, the damage it dealt was calculated against physical defense. For a Gengar, whose physical durability was notoriously flimsy once solidified, the move was devastatingly effective.
The hit left Specter fuming.
He had already locked her in with Shadow Tag. How did this opponent have the nerve to trade blows instead of playing defensively? Was his damage output a joke to her?
Alakazam at least had Recover to fall back on—what did a Delphox have to act so smug about?
What truly ignited Specter's rage, however, was the expression on Delphox's face. As she brandished her wand, she gave him a look of pure, human-like disdain.
This little brat doesn't know who she's messing with!
Subconsciously, Specter raised his hands, the dark energy of a Shadow Ball swirling between his palms as he prepared to teach this "fox priestess" a lesson in manners.
But just as he was about to fire—Arthur's hand flashed. A red beam of light struck Specter, instantly recalling him into his Poké Ball.
Specter was livid, his consciousness thrashing inside the ball until Arthur's telepathic link reached him, calming his nerves.
"Easy, you idiot. She was baiting you."
The moment Specter vanished from the field, eerie, crimson ripples manifested in the empty space where he had just been standing.
The Future Sight from Alakazam had finally arrived.
As Arthur described the scene to the now-safe Specter, the ancient ghost felt a cold shiver run through his ectoplasm. If he had stayed to finish that Shadow Ball, he would have been a sitting duck for a dual-pronged attack.
The Delphox had intentionally provoked him, using her "arrogant" acting to lure him into an impulsive trade. In his heat, he would have completely forgotten about the psychic landmine Alakazam had buried in the timeline.
He was a ghost with centuries of combat experience, yet he had nearly been played like a fiddle by a "young" fox.
"Dammit! Is everyone who practices witchcraft that devious?" Specter grumbled through the mental link, his pride wounded.
Arthur didn't reply. He knew this was exactly how Gwyneth's Delphox operated.
She was a master of illusion, charm, and performance. Her vivid, lifelike expressions made it impossible to tell when she was genuinely reacting and when she was playing a part.
Unlike the Enchantress, who fought with the cold, stoic precision of a machine, the Witch was a professional liar.
And that was exactly what made her so dangerous.
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