Jim's body tensed as he watched the materialized swords swirl around Lucario. He had been preparing for a sword-based attack, expecting to dodge or counter it. But then The swords vanished into thin air. Gone, as if they had never existed. And yet—Lucario's aura surged.
Jim's pupils shrank. "It wasn't an attack… it was a power-up!"
Larry smirked from the sidelines. Lucario had just used Sword Dance. Unlike most Lucario who preferred ranged battles, Larry wanted this Lucario to fight head-on. He could have boosted special attacks with Nasty Plot, relying on long-range moves like Aura Sphere and Vacuum Wave. But that wasn't the fight he wanted today. This time Lucario would battle up close. Like a true martial artist. Sword Dance activated. Lucario's attack power skyrocketed.
Jim felt the pressure shift immediately. His instincts screamed— "If I don't move now, I'll lose all momentum!"
With a deep breath, he pushed forward. Jim's fists flashed black, as if dipped in liquid metal. A heartbeat later He vanished. A split-second burst of explosive footwork sent him blasting forward, his iron-coated fists flying straight toward Lucario.
Bang!
A thunderous impact rang out. Jim's iron-clad knuckles slammed into Lucario's palms. For a moment, the ring trembled under the sheer force of their collision. The crowd barely had time to process what had happened before the fighters separated again. Jim's rough face twisted in disbelief. Even though he had enhanced his strength with aura, Lucario was still matching him blow for blow.
No— It was even stronger.
Larry noticed the subtle flicker in Jim's eyes and chuckled. "Yeah, this is gonna be fun."
Lucario suddenly shifted his weight, catching Jim off guard. Before Jim could react, a sharp elbow smashed into his lower abdomen. The impact sent Jim stumbling backward, his breath momentarily knocked from his lungs. He barely regained his footing in time to see, A large tear in his shirt, exposing the black steel-like skin beneath.
Jim had activated Iron Body in time, preventing real damage. But his expression turned grim. "If I hadn't hardened my defense just now…" The realization sent a chill through him.
Lucario's attacks—after Sword Dance—were monstrous. One clean hit could spell defeat. Jim gritted his teeth. "No hesitation!" With a sharp breath, he launched forward again.
Jim's iron-coated fist blurred toward Lucario's chest. But this time Lucario met it head-on. aura converged on Lucario's fist And then, a flash of silver light. Bullet Punch!
Bang! Bang! Bang!
A rapid exchange of blows erupted. Fists collided at lightning speed, sending shockwaves through the arena. To the ordinary audience, the two fighters became blurs of motion, barely visible through the haze of dust and energy.
Each movement left deep indentations in the stone floor, scattering debris with every step. The crowd, however, was loving every second of it.
Unlike the confusing abilities of previous matches This was pure, raw combat. Fists meeting fists. Strength against strength. It was exactly what the crowd had been waiting for.
When Nen battles involved stealthy abilities like Emission or Manipulation, regular people couldn't follow what was happening. But this? This was a battle anyone could understand. No tricks. No illusions. Just a fight. Even if they didn't know how Lucario was summoned, they didn't care. To them, it was simple.
"Magic? Sure."
"Larry's a magician? Fine."
"Who cares? This fight is awesome!"
The audience exploded in cheers, their excitement reaching its peak.
Meanwhile, Jim was growing increasingly alarmed. He had assumed this was an even fight. But deep inside, he knew the truth. Lucario wasn't just reacting to his attacks—it was predicting them. Every time Jim attacked, Lucario had already adjusted its defense. Every time Jim moved, Lucario was one step ahead.
Why?
Then, Jim noticed it. Above Lucario's head, those four floating appendages glowed with a faint blue light. For a moment, he mistook them for braided hair. But then it hit him.
"Those are… sensors?"
His breath caught. Lucario's Wave Sense was active. It wasn't just fighting him normally—it was reading his Aura. Lucario could see his movements before he even made them.
Jim's heart sank. He was already doomed.
Larry saw the moment Jim realized the truth, and he grinned. Lucario's Wave Sense—the ultimate prediction tool in close combat. Jim had pushed himself to the limit, trying to outmatch Lucario with brute strength. But he was fighting something beyond human. A creature that could read the flow of battle in real time.
Jim's instincts screamed at him, but he refused to listen. He had already noticed the subtle movement of the four appendages atop Lucario's head. They weren't just for show.
Every time Lucario sensed or manipulated the wave aura, those appendages would float up and tremble slightly. This was why Lucario was called the Wave Hero.
In the Pokémon world, few humans could naturally wield the Wave Aura. It was a rare ability, akin to psychic power or nature-based aura.
Psychic Power allowed humans like Sabrina to manipulate objects, control minds, or even transform people into dolls. Evergreen Power forged a connection with nature, enabling users to heal Pokémon and enhance their potential. But Wave Power was a rarity among rarities, possessed only by a select few—including Lucario and certain humans.
Wave Power was special. It wasn't just about sensing aura. It was an advanced form of combat intuition, allowing its user to detect objects and opponents without sight, anticipate attacks before they happened, move objects and resist outside forces, and read the flow of battle with unparalleled clarity.
At this moment, Jim's thoughts, his fears, his desperation—Lucario saw it all. It was as if Jim's inner turmoil was being laid bare before the Pokémon. Jim had spent years honing his Iron Body, building up his strength through discipline and hardship. And yet, Lucario, with its Wave Sense, had already seen through everything. Every move Jim made was predicted before he even acted.
Despite everything, Jim refused to surrender. His breathing grew heavy, his muscles tensed, and he clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles cracked. If strength alone wasn't enough… Then he would risk everything on one final attack.
Jim gathered every ounce of Aura he had left, concentrating it into his fists. At that moment, his defense weakened. All his aura, which was normally spread across his entire body, was now concentrated in his hands.
Biscuit immediately noticed. "He's sacrificing defense for one all-out strike." She watched as aura violently swirled around Jim's fists, his Iron Body reinforcing them into near-unbreakable weapons.
This was Jim's final stand. His all-or-nothing move. A desperate gamble to break through Lucario's defense and turn the tide of battle. But then—Jim stopped in his tracks. His heart sank. His eyes widened in horror. Because before him, more translucent swords appeared. Another Swords Dance.
Lucario's power surged again. Jim could feel it. The difference was now insurmountable.
Lucario's eyes locked onto Jim, unwavering and determined. At that moment, Jim understood. Lucario wasn't just powerful. It was unstoppable. Yet, he refused to back down. Even if the gap was enormous, even if victory was impossible—a true martial artist never quits.
With a deep breath, Jim let out a powerful roar. And then, he charged. Full speed. Full power. Everything on the line.