Pokemon: Sandstorm Elite

Dragonair's defeat had thrown Sally into a dire situation. Across the battlefield, Klein stood with his usual cold, unreadable expression. For the first time, a hint of unease crept into Sally's heart.

The exhibition match followed a 6v6 format. For Klein, who was more accustomed to 3v3, this dragged-out battle was nothing short of tedious.

"Go, Ninetales! Use Flamethrower!"

Sally's third Pokémon, a Fire-type Ninetales, appeared with its usual dazzling flair. The flames it conjured were brilliant, sparkling like fireworks—a spectacle meant more for show than function.

With Sunny Day still active, Ninetales' Flamethrower burned brightly, roaring toward Rhyperior. But Klein's Pokémon reacted instantly. Its massive feet slammed into the ground, sending seismic ripples outward—Earthquake.

The battlefield trembled violently. While Rhyperior endured the Flamethrower, Ninetales had no way to escape the devastating Earthquake.

A single attack sent it crashing into the ground, its delicate frame struggling against the violent tremors.

Despite taking damage, Rhyperior marched forward, step by heavy step, closing in on its weakened opponent.

"D-Don't let that monster get near Ninetales!"

Sally's voice carried a trace of desperation. Ninetales, panting heavily on the battlefield, looked fragile and pitiful. Some spectators, moved by the sight, began cheering for it, their emotions stirred by the image of a Pokémon struggling against overwhelming odds.

Sally played into this perfectly, adopting a defiant, never-give-up attitude, portraying herself as the valiant underdog.

Klein frowned slightly. "Ninetales is clearly outmatched. If I use another Earthquake, it could get seriously injured. Are you sure you don't want to switch Pokémon?"

"In my dictionary, there's no such thing as retreat."

Sally's response was noble, grand, and entirely for show. She knew she couldn't defeat Klein, so she changed tactics. If she couldn't win the battle, she would win public opinion—playing the role of the determined, never-surrendering trainer.

The match wasn't even halfway through, and she still had three Pokémon that could counter Rhyperior. But instead of switching, she kept her weakened Ninetales in the fight for dramatic effect.

Many casual fans cheered, but experienced trainers shook their heads.

This wasn't strategy.

This was performative nonsense.

Klein's gaze sharpened. Rhyperior lunged forward, grabbing the barely-conscious Ninetales.

With a violent stomp, it crushed the Fire-type beneath its foot, drawing a pained cry from the helpless Pokémon.

The crowd gasped in horror and excitement.

Desperate, Ninetales spat out a final burst of fire, but Rhyperior yanked it by its tails, swinging it through the air before slamming it onto the ground like a ragdoll.

The battlefield went silent.

"Ninetales is unable to battle! Rhyperior wins!"

With half the match over, Sally's situation grew even worse. But rather than acknowledging her disadvantage, she maintained her confident demeanor—as if she were the true winner.

Throwing out her next Poké Ball, she sent forth Venusaur.

Klein recalled Rhyperior.

"It seems like your Rhyperior was pushed to its limit," Sally remarked.

The sunlight still lingered, giving Venusaur an advantage. But Klein could tell—the correct move would have been switching Venusaur in earlier to counter Rhyperior. The fact that she waited until Ninetales was beaten down proved she was more concerned with her image than actual strategy.

The more serious trainers in the audience noticed it, too.

Still, Sally's devoted fans cheered as Venusaur made a floral, glittering entrance.

"I was simply considering the entertainment value of the match," Klein replied indifferently.

Sally's eye twitched.

"This is a serious 6v6 battle! Prioritizing entertainment over strategy is disrespectful to the competition and the audience!" she scolded.

Klein's voice turned cold.

"If you want me to take this match seriously… then I will."

His hand moved to his belt, gripping a deep crimson Poké Ball.

The air grew heavy.

"Let the sandstorm begin… Tyranitar!"

The moment the Poké Ball opened, a howling sandstorm erupted, blotting out the sky. Sunny Day was instantly erased.

Within the swirling sands, a monstrous figure emerged.

Its eyes glowed with predatory menace, its armored body exuding an aura of sheer domination.

Klein's Tyranitar.

Bloodlust. Savagery. Death. Terror.

The air became oppressive, the battlefield transformed into a hellscape of swirling dust and cutting winds.

Even the audience felt a chill.

Tyranitar, one of the most infamously destructive Pokémon, had entered the fight.

Despite the raging sandstorm obscuring visibility, Venusaur sensed its opponent's presence and instinctively stepped back. Its Grass-typing made it highly sensitive to nature's energy—and it could feel the pure malice radiating from Tyranitar.

"Dragon Dance."

"Stop it, Venusaur—use Solar Beam!"

Sally panicked, realizing that if Tyranitar was allowed to set up, she wouldn't stand a chance.

Venusaur began gathering solar energy. But—

It was already too late.

The sandstorm twisted and exploded outward, encircling Venusaur in a vortex of cutting sand.

As Tyranitar performed Dragon Dance, the surrounding sand took on a cutting, slicing force, shredding Venusaur's skin and leaving visible wounds.

"A buff move shouldn't be able to do damage! How?!"

Some trainers in the audience were confused.

Others weren't.

"Even though Dragon Dance is a stat-boosting move, it generates high-speed winds. By combining that with Tyranitar's Sand Stream ability, the swirling sand becomes a weapon," one seasoned trainer muttered in awe.

This wasn't just Dragon Dance.

It was a weaponized storm.

Venusaur forced itself through the storm, releasing Solar Beam—

But it missed.

Through the shifting sands, Tyranitar had disappeared.

"Dragon Dance again. Prepare to end this."

A second Dragon Dance.

Venusaur, weakened and bleeding, struggled to hold its ground.

The sandstorm intensified, obscuring its vision completely.

It never saw the final attack coming.

Tyranitar ripped through the storm like a demon, its claws glowing with energy—

A single, devastating strike.

Venusaur's flower was shattered.

Blood spattered against the battlefield as the massive Grass-type collapsed in agony.

Sally stood frozen in horror.

The audience was silent.

One of the Elite Four had just demonstrated what true terror looked like.

"A single move—Dragon Dance—was enough to dismantle its opponent?"

Lorelei, watching from the stands, wasn't surprised by Tyranitar's raw power. But what really caught her attention was how Klein used a setup move both offensively and defensively—a true battlefield monster.

And this was just a single Pokémon in his arsenal.

Her lips curled slightly.

"I hope Team Rocket is ready. Because this… is the monster they'll be facing at Mt. Moon."

(End of Chapter)