Pokemon: The Gameboy Effect-Chapter 212: Tactical Crushing

BOOM!

The explosion rocked the entire Tower of Mastery, sending black smoke billowing across the battlefield.

Boom!

Another detonation followed. Korrina barely registered the flickering shadow before her eyes before Mega Lucario was sent hurtling into the wall behind her. The impact sent cracks spiderwebbing across the ancient stone, the force of the collision even dislodging a few loose bricks.

On the sidelines, Gurkinn raised an eyebrow, his expression unreadable. The Tower had stood for generations, but repairs weren't cheap. Maybe it was time to relocate these battles to a more suitable arena.

As Mega Lucario crumpled to the ground, the glow of its Mega Evolution dissipated. The once-proud fighter lay motionless—knocked out in an instant.

"What... what just happened?" Korrina stammered, her mind racing. She had commanded Mega Lucario to counter Fire Blast with Aura Sphere, expecting a clash, not an instant defeat. The battle had only just begun, yet her strongest Pokémon had already fallen.

Korrina had been bracing for a tough fight, but this... this was unreal.

"You let your guard down," Gurkinn said, his tone firm but patient. "Your opponent anticipated your move. They used the explosion's smoke as cover and launched a surprise attack while Mega Lucario was blinded. You had no defenses prepared."

His gaze shifted to John. "If I'm not mistaken, that final blow was High Horsepower, wasn't it?"

John nodded.

Mega Lucario was powerful—one of the best offensive Pokémon out there. After Mega Evolution, its physical and special attack stats skyrocketed, backed by an impressive speed of 112. A true powerhouse.

But with that overwhelming offense came a major drawback—frailty.

Mega Lucario's defenses barely improved after Mega Evolution. A mere ten-point increase in both stats did little to shore up its weak durability. And against a Ground-type move, especially one powered up by The Ord of Harvest, its fate was sealed.

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Lucario was naturally weak to Ground-type attacks. With High Horsepower doubling that weakness, the damage was quadrupled. Considering Garchomp's already monstrous attack power, the outcome had been inevitable.

John had foreseen everything.

Before the battle even started, he had mapped out the perfect strategy. The opening move? Earthquake. Mega Lucario couldn't withstand it, meaning it had to jump to evade. That forced it into the air, where it was vulnerable.

John knew Korrina would block Fire Blast with Aura Sphere—one of Lucario's signature moves. That collision would produce thick black smoke, obscuring Mega Lucario's vision just long enough for Garchomp to predict its landing and strike with High Horsepower.

Korrina had played right into his hands, following his script flawlessly.

Her face burned with frustration. "I... I never even had a chance."

She was still just a teenager, barely old enough to understand the full extent of battle tactics. How was she supposed to compete with someone like John, who strategized as if he had written the entire match himself?

But even she had to admit—John's Garchomp was terrifyingly strong.

That Earthquake alone had shaken the battlefield more violently than anything she had ever seen.

Gurkinn approached, his demeanor relaxed. "Well fought. You've passed the Refining Tower's test. As promised, here's your reward."

He handed John two ornate boxes and a scroll of handwritten notes.

John accepted them without hesitation.

Then, in a flash, he was back in his dorm room.

He looked at the Gameboy screen in front of him. His character stood at the entrance of the Refining Tower, a message appearing on-screen.

[Tower of Mastery dungeon complete.]

[Rewards obtained: Garchomp Mega Stone, Mega Key Stone, Gurkinn's Secret Notes.]

"Finally!" John grinned. "The Mega Ring is mine."

The journey to obtain it had been far smoother than he expected. Not only did he secure the Mega Ring, but he also got a Garchomp Mega Stone as a bonus. A major win.

Then, something clicked.

He finally understood why the dungeon restricted trainers to using just one Pokémon. The Mega Evolution Stone reward was based on the Pokemon they brought into battle. If he kept challenging the dungeon with different Pokemon, he could collect every available Mega Evolution stone in no time.

Aside from the Mega Key Stone and Evolution Stone, there was also the "Secret Notes."

John raised an eyebrow. "Gurkinn's notes? What is this?"

Since it was written by Gurkinn, it had to be something valuable—maybe a guide to mastering Mega Evolution. Excited, he opened the document.

But what he saw left him speechless.

The first point: Go to bed early and wake up early. The second point: No matter how good the food is, only eat until you're 80% full. The third point: Keep things organized; it makes tools easier to use. The fourth point: Always wash your hands and rinse your mouth after returning home.

John blinked.

"Are you kidding me?"

He stared at the text, baffled. This was supposed to be a legendary martial arts secret? He had seen this exact list somewhere before... in an anime, maybe?

Shaking his head, he pushed the notes aside and turned back to his Gameboy.

His character stood before the Tower of Mastery's entrance. If the tower was still there, that meant... could he challenge it again?

He had noticed the dungeon's interface never mentioned a restriction on repeat attempts.

Curious, he guided his character forward.

A prompt immediately appeared.

[Would you like to challenge the special dungeon: Tower of Mastery?]

[Recommended level: 80.]

[Special rules: Certain Pokemon are restricted. Only one Pokemon may be used. Choose carefully.]

John's eyes widened. "The difficulty jumped to level 80?"

That meant defeating it once had increased its level by ten. But if he could keep challenging it repeatedly...

A slow grin spread across his face.

If he could grind this dungeon over and over, he could farm every Mega Evolution stone in no time.