Pokemon: Ace's Adventures!

As soon as the referee declared the match to begin, Ace's eyes sharpened with focus.

"Smeargle, use Odor Sleuth!" Ace commanded, his voice cutting through the tense air.

Smeargle's eyes glowed white as a soft, shimmering aura surrounded Gengar before fading.

Koga's eyes narrowed. 'He's making it so Gengar can be hit by normal and fighting-type moves… clever.'

"Gengar, use Smog!" Koga ordered, his voice calm and controlled.

Gengar's grin widened as a thick, poisonous fog billowed from its body, quickly covering the battlefield in a dark purple haze.

"Smeargle, get in the air!" Ace called out immediately.

Smeargle's tail glowed briefly as it used Fly, lifting off the ground and hovering above the poisonous mist.

Koga's lips curled into a knowing smile as he raised his hand and clicked his fingers.

Click!

Gengar vanished into the smoke.

Ace's eyes widened. "Watch out, Smeargle!"

Smeargle's eyes darted around, but before it could react, Gengar reappeared above it, a sinister glint in its red eyes as it hurled a dark purple sludge bomb straight toward Smeargle.

"Dodge!" Ace shouted.

Smeargle twisted mid-air, barely avoiding the sludge bomb as it exploded just behind it, spraying drops of venom into the air.

Gengar disappeared into the smoke once more.

Ace gritted his teeth. 'This smoke is giving Gengar the perfect cover to attack from any direction…'

Gary, watching intently from the stands, frowned. "Koga's using his finger clicks to signal Gengar when to attack. Ace can't see it because of the smoke, but we can from up here."

"Why not just clear the smog?" May asked.

Brock shook his head. "Gengar's keeping Smeargle busy, forcing it to stay on the defensive. If Smeargle slows down to clear the smoke, Koga can just order Gengar to use Smog again. Smeargle will have to attack and clear the smoke at the same time."

Smeargle flipped through the air as another dark purple beam of Venoshock streaked toward it. It barely dodged, but Gengar immediately vanished again, reappearing just as quickly to launch another Sludge Bomb.

Ash leaned forward, his fists clenched. "What would I have done if I was the one battling…?"

Ace's eyes narrowed as he studied the battlefield. He glanced at Smeargle, who was doging lightly in mid-air. 'If I can't see through the smoke… then I'll just blow it away alongside Gengar.'

"Smeargle!" Ace shouted. "Use Hurricane — and follow up with Flamethrower!"

Smeargle's eyes flashed as it spun rapidly in mid-air, whipping up a powerful windstorm. The swirling winds tore through the thick smog, clearing the battlefield and sending debris flying.

Without missing a beat, Smeargle inhaled deeply before launching a stream of blazing fire into the storm.

BOOM!

The explosion engulfed the field in searing flames and smoke. A wave of heat rolled over the spectators, making Serena and May shield their eyes.

As the smoke faded, Gengar stood on the scorched ground, completely unharmed. Its wide, jagged grin deepened as it raised two fingers and beckoned Smeargle forward in a taunting gesture.

Ace's gaze darkened. 'That didn't even scratch it…'

Smeargle floated down to the ground, landing lightly on its feet. Its tail swayed behind it as it crouched into a ready stance, eyes sharp.

Koga's smirk widened. He reached into his ninja uniform and pulled out a sleek, black kunai with a glowing keystone attached to its handle. He twirled it effortlessly between his fingers before holding it firmly in his right hand. His left hand formed a single ninja sign.

Serena's breath hitched. "Here it comes…"

Everyone in the stands leaned forward as Koga pressed the keystone on the kunai.

"Gengar," Koga said darkly, "show them our ninja way — Mega Evolve!"

A surge of yellow lightning shot from the keystone, meeting a responding bolt from the mega stone around Gengar's neck. The two energies fused into a blinding white light that surrounded Gengar.

Gengar's body shifted and twisted within the radiant cocoon. When the light faded, the temperature in the gym dropped noticeably. A low, chilling laugh echoed through the room as a purple, swirling portal appeared on the ground. From it, Mega Gengar emerged — larger, darker, and more menacing — its red eyes glowing with a dangerous light.

Ash and Gary tensed. May covered her mouth with her hands. Misty and Brock exchanged uneasy glances.

Jasmine shivered as she looked at Mega Gengar for the first time since Koga never used it infront of her. "That is my dad's.... second strongest Pokémon....."

Ace's smirk returned as he met Koga's steely gaze. "Alright… let's go all out too!"

Ace's blue eyes flickered with a faint rainbow hue as a soft glow surrounded Smeargle. Smeargle's eyes sharpened as a vibrant rainbow aura erupted around it.

"Overdrive Mode!" Ace shouted.

Koga's eyes narrowed slightly as the intensity of Smeargle's power rose. Janine's eyes widened as she studied the sudden spike in Smeargle's strength. While Ace's friends already knew that since overdrive mode was on, then this match will be even more explosive.

Koga's lips curled into a sharp smile. "Interesting…"

Smeargle and Mega Gengar locked eyes — the final showdown was about to begin.

Koga's eyes narrowed as he raised his hand. "Gengar, use Phantom Force into Dark Pulse!"

Mega Gengar's body flickered before vanishing into the shadows beneath the battlefield. Ace's eyes widened at the sudden disappearance, but his expression hardened. "Smeargle, use Stored Power as a shield!"

The rainbow aura surrounding Smeargle pulsed and quickly condensed into a circular barrier around its body. An instant later, Mega Gengar reappeared from the shadows right beside Smeargle, its grinning mouth opening wide as a swirling black and purple beam of Dark Pulse blasted toward Smeargle.

The Stored Power barrier exploded outward as the attacks collided, releasing a shockwave that swept across the battlefield, kicking up dust and debris.

"Disable!" Koga's voice cut through the noise.

Smeargle's barrier shattered, and the rainbow aura faded from its body.

Ace's teeth clenched. 'Damn it!'

In the stands, Serena's hands were clasped tightly in front of her chest. "Stored Power is Smeargle's go-to move!" she said, her voice strained.

Dawn frowned. "Without it, this just got a whole lot harder."

"Clear Smog!" Koga commanded.

Ace's eyes widened in alarm. "No—!" He knew exactly what was about to happen. If Clear Smog hit, it would erase all of Smeargle's boosted stats and neutralize its Overdrive mode.

"Fly into the air, then use Flamethrower and Conversion!" Ace shouted desperately.

Smeargle's body glowed as it soared into the air, a trail of light left in its wake. From its mouth erupted a stream of blazing fire aimed directly at Mega Gengar.

At the same time, Smeargle's body flashed, and its aura shifted into a fiery red hue. Its type had changed to Fire, boosting the strength of Flamethrower to STAB levels. The flames smashed into Clear Smog, scattering the noxious gas harmlessly into the air.

Gary shot to his feet in shock. "Smeargle can do this?!"

Brock, equally stunned, leaned forward. "Because it changed its type with Conversion, Flamethrower became a STAB move which deals more damage. If Stored Power was used, tripling its boost, alongside taking into the fact it has technician as an ability, then—"

"That's insane!" Ash exclaimed, cutting off Brock as everyone understood how broken this strategy is.

Koga's eyes narrowed with interest. "A clever strategy. Conversion with your unique Smeargle... Could it have also copied Conversion 2?"

Ace smiled faintly. "Why don't you find out?" he said, even as he thought, 'Smeargle's new moveset strategy I came up with is like a knockoff version of Arceus's type-shifting powers. Although it's not the same, it is still a deadly strategy.'

Flamethrower blasted Mega Gengar backward. It slid across the field before floating upright once more, barely fazed.

"Psych Up!" Koga's voice was sharp.

Mega Gengar cackled as a dark aura erupted around its body, mirroring Smeargle's boosted stats.

Ace's breath hitched. 'This is bad…!'

"Conversion into Draco Meteor!" Ace shouted.

Smeargle howled, its body shimmering as it shifted to Dragon type. A bright sphere formed above it, splitting into several massive meteors that rained down toward the battlefield.

"Shadow Claw!" Koga countered.

Mega Gengar's shadow twisted beneath it, and jagged claws burst from the ground, tearing through the falling meteors. The battlefield was bathed in dragonic and ghostly energy as explosions erupted from the clashes.

Ace's eyes sharpened. The rainbow aura around Smeargle surged back to life. "Stored Power is back!"

"Disable!" Koga ordered.

"Smeargle, now!" Ace barked.

Both Pokémon released Disable at the same time—canceling each other out.

Ace's eyes glinted. "Use Conversion into Stored Power-enhanced Dark Pulse!"

Smeargle's type changed to Dark as it opened its mouth, a beam of dark, crackling energy blasting toward Mega Gengar.

"Protect!" Koga shouted.

A translucent green barrier formed around Mega Gengar, holding off the Dark Pulse—but cracks quickly spiderwebbed across it.

Ace's voice cut through the chaos. "Conversion! Stored Power! Psychic!"

Koga's eyes widened in shock.

Smeargle's aura shifted to Psychic type, and pink and rainbow energy exploded outward. The combined Psychic and Stored Power energy blasted into Mega Gengar, shaking the battlefield violently.

"Phantom Force!" Koga yelled.

Mega Gengar disappeared into the ground, barely escaping the devastating blow while being injured.

"Conversion into Stored Power-enhanced Rage Fist!" Ace commanded.

Mega Gengar reappeared—and was immediately struck by a massive, purple-glowing fist radiating rainbow light. Mega Gengar screamed in pain, its form distorting from the impact.

"Pain Split!" Koga's desperate command followed.

Smeargle's health dropped slightly as Gengar's restored itself—but Smeargle's Leftovers item pulsed, healing a bit of the damage.

Ace's eyes narrowed. "This ends now!"

"Shadow Ball!" Koga shouted.

"Double Team!" Ace ordered.

Smeargle split into several identical copies, and Mega Gengar's Shadow Balls struck harmlessly through the fakes.

"Conversion! Laser Focus! Lock-On! Guillotine!" Ace roared.

Smeargle's body shimmered as its type shifted back to its original. It's attack rose and became a guaranteed critical hit. A glowing crosshair appeared on Mega Gengar's body, signaling that the next hit was guaranteed to land.

Koga's eyes widened. "Destiny Bond!"

Smeargle howled—and Disable struck first, stopping Destiny Bond in its tracks.

A white glow enveloped Smeargle's paw. Its aura sharpened as it launched toward Mega Gengar, the critical-hit-guaranteed, one-hit KO move Guillotine prepared to strike.

Mega Gengar screamed as the attack connected, shaking the entire battlefield with a deafening impact.

When the dust settled, Mega Gengar lay sprawled on the ground, unconscious. Its body flickered as it reverted to its original form.

Smeargle kneeled, panting heavily as its Overdrive mode faded.

The referee raised his hand. "The challenger has defeated all of Gym Leader Koga's Pokémon! The challenger wins!"