PS178

The Last Battle XII (Japanese: 最終決戦XII The Last Battle XII) is the 178th round of the Pokémon Adventures manga.

Plot
Having revealed Pryce as the Masked Man, demands Pryce to surrender by holding him at cue-point. However, Pryce spots Pika and Chuchu running by and captures them with his ice body, ordering Gold to fall back by holding the two hostage.

Back at the Indigo Plateau, the remaining Gym Leaders are shocked at the revelation of Pryce's villainy. Morty, picking up Pryce's abandoned staff, opens it up to reveal a high-tech device that comprises a transceiver and monitor which displays the Tin Tower. Morty realizes that when everyone witnessed the Masked Man earlier while all the Gym Leaders were present, it was actually a remote-controlled dummy manipulated by the staff which Pryce could also monitor through the staff's viewing screen. Whitney adds to the explanation by pointing out Pryce's habit of tapping his staff on the ground; the series of tapping was actually a code that transmitted vocal orders to the dummy, allowing Pryce to control his Pokémon from afar.

Gold is forced to drop his billiard cue due to Pryce's threat, allowing the latter to attack him while he completes the GS Ball. Gold is unable to fight back due to protecting Pika and Chuchu's, allowing Pryce to escape into time with the GS Ball. Shortly afterwards, Gold encounters Wilton and the Day-Care Couple, who have escaped from the s. Wilton and the Day-Care Couple hand Gold a letter from. Gold is disappointed to not find battle advice, but a letter introducing the other Pokédex holders and their own special skills:
 * , who possesses keen battle instinct, is known as the Fighter.
 * , who is skilled in training Pokémon to their best, is known as the Trainer.
 * , who holds in her the unique heritage of Viridian Forest and her keen connection with Pokémon, is known as the Healer.
 * , who had been trained in catching Pokémon since she was young, is known as the Catcher.
 * and, having been specially trained by Pryce, possess keen insight in triggering Pokémon evolution and trading: two effectively similar traits. They hold the titles of Evolver and Trader, respectively.

An increasingly frustrated Gold wonders if Professor Oak is asking him to fall back, on the basis that he himself has no particular strength that makes him worthy. However, the Egg in his hands begins to hatch, having been held by him for protection. Wilton realizes that Gold missed out on a final portion of Oak's message, which acknowledges the abilities of all the Trainers that were given a Pokédex, including Gold - known as the Hatcher. A hatches from the Egg and jumps onto Gold's head, and releases its electricity to propel itself and Gold into the time aurora Pryce left behind, allowing Gold to chase after Pryce into time.

At the Indigo Plateau, Eusine, Misty, Blaine, and Lt. Surge are left exhausted after the fight with the Masked Man. in particular is injured, but is determined to chase after Pryce. Misty declares herself unable to follow, much to Eusine's disappointment. Suicune chooses Crystal as its new partner, and reveals the earring it had picked up from Crystal in their first meeting. Misty, recalling the other Pokémon she had given to Red and Yellow, encourages Crystal to follow Suicune. Blaine and Lt. Surge likewise give and  to Crystal so they can all chase after Pryce.

Elsewhere in the stadium, the Johto Gym Leaders are taken by surprise as Pryce's ice torso begins to reform itself and attack, but before it can attack Whitney, DJ Mary's melts it with fire. Mary explains that Smeargle had used while watching Entei's attacks; Morty observes that Sketch not only copied the attack, but also Entei's unique characteristic of being able to melt Pryce's ice.

In the wreckage of the Pokémon League, Hirō finds and Daisy Oak lying on the ground unconscious. He manages to wake them up, but both are very injured. The undamaged fax machine spits out a worried message from someone who had heard the commotion over the Radio. More and more messages come out from worried people who ask if there is anything they can do to help, but note that the Transfer System is still down. Bill notes that although there is nothing wrong with the Transfer System, it refuses to work despite his best efforts to repair it.

Major events

 * The Johto Gym Leaders discover Pryce's plan.
 * Pika and Chuchu's hatches into a Pichu, which  takes.
 * Gold follows Pryce back in time.
 * Gold discovers his special ability as a.
 * goes on her own with the.

Humans

 * Misty
 * Lt. Surge
 * Blaine
 * Falkner
 * Bugsy
 * Whitney
 * Morty
 * Jasmine (flashback)
 * Chuck (flashback)
 * Pryce
 * Clair (flashback)
 * Eusine
 * Day-Care Couple
 * Wilton
 * Daisy Oak
 * Pokémon Association Chairman
 * DJ Mary
 * Hirō
 * Pryce
 * Clair (flashback)
 * Eusine
 * Day-Care Couple
 * Wilton
 * Daisy Oak
 * Pokémon Association Chairman
 * DJ Mary
 * Hirō

Pokémon

 * (Pika; 's)
 * (Gyara; 's; flashback)
 * (Omny; 's; flashback)
 * (Chuchu; 's)
 * (Aibo; 's)
 * (Exbo; 's)
 * (Sudobo; 's)
 * (newly hatched)
 * (Falkner's)
 * (Pryce's)
 * (Masked Man's; fantasy)
 * (Eusine's)
 * (Eusine's)
 * (Smea-Smea; DJ Mary's)
 * (Eusine's)
 * (Eusine's)
 * (Smea-Smea; DJ Mary's)

In other languages
Kapitel 178 (Pocket Monsters SPECIAL) PMS178 Chapitre 178 (Pocket Monsters Special) PS178