"Arcanine, use Play Rough!"
Spenser had no intention of recalling his Pokémon. He wanted Arcanine to test Tyranitar's raw power head-on.
"Arrrroo!" Arcanine barked, then charged forward at full speed.
The closer he got to Tyranitar, however, the stronger the wind resistance became. The Sandstorm whipped against his fur like a wall of grit and pressure—but Arcanine was no ordinary Pokémon.
He was the Legendary Pokémon of legend, and no mere Sandstorm would slow him down.
Flames erupted around his body, bursting outward as he tore through the swirling sand and lunged straight toward Tyranitar.
"Dynamic Punch!" Gary commanded sharply.
Tyranitar watched Arcanine's advance with cold, glowing eyes. His arm gleamed with pink fighting energy, muscles flexing as power surged through him.
"Baaaanrrgh!!"
Bang!
The air cracked like thunder as Tyranitar's fist collided squarely with Arcanine's skull.
The blow sent Arcanine flying backward several meters, skidding across the sand and leaving four deep furrows behind him.
"Champion-level power…!" Scott muttered in disbelief from the sidelines. "That Tyranitar—its strength is on par with a Champion's ace Pokémon!"
It was clear now—Gary hadn't been exaggerating when he first mentioned Tyranitar's strength. This beast stood on the same tier as Gary's Blastoise.
[Blastoise: (￣︿￣) Hmph. 'Same tier'? You mean my catch. I helped Gary find that Tyranitar!]
"Grrrrooo!"
Arcanine growled fiercely as he pushed himself back to his feet. Though he tried to look defiant, there was a flicker of hesitation in his eyes. Even he could feel the overwhelming pressure of Tyranitar's sheer power.
"Arcanine, return. Take a rest." Spenser raised his Poké Ball and recalled his partner before the situation worsened.
Gary frowned slightly, unimpressed.
You're withdrawing already? he thought. Even if you sent out your next Pokémon, none of them can stand up to Tyranitar. You might as well finish this quickly so I can go home, shower, and sleep.
"Gary," Spenser said, smiling faintly. "You're truly an unexpected challenger. Your Tyranitar is incredible."
Gary nodded confidently. "Yeah. Tyranitar's one of my strongest partners."
"Baaaan!" Tyranitar roared proudly, crossing his arms with arrogant confidence. He was one of Gary's strongest Pokémon—but if he could beat Blastoise, he'd definitely call himself the strongest.
Spenser chuckled, clearly entertained by Gary's confidence. "Then I'll have to get serious as well. My third Pokémon… come forth!"
He threw a Poké Ball high into the ocean. It burst open with a flash of light—
Splash!!
A sleek, blue shape emerged from the waves, letting out a melodic cry as it surfaced.
"Laaa~pras!"
[Lv. 66 Lapras ♂ / Champion Potential]
Spenser's third Pokémon was Lapras—and judging from its aura, this one was no ordinary specimen.
Gary's eyes narrowed. "So that's why you chose a beach arena…"
The realization clicked instantly. The coastal battlefield gave Lapras a massive advantage—it could dive, attack, and defend seamlessly from the water.
Gary's current lineup had no Electric-types, and while he did have a Grass-type on his team, this battlefield made it nearly useless.
"Lapras, use Hydro Pump!" Spenser called, his tone sharp and commanding.
"Lapraaaas!!"
Lapras reared back and unleashed a massive column of high-pressure water from its mouth, aimed directly at Tyranitar.
"Counter it—Dark Pulse!" Gary ordered.
"Tyraaa!!"
Tyranitar opened his jaws wide, releasing a beam of swirling black energy. The two attacks collided midair with a tremendous shockwave, light and water bursting violently as they fought for dominance.
For a moment, it was an even match. Then—Dark Pulse began pushing Hydro Pump back, forcing the torrent to split apart in a spray of mist.
Though Tyranitar specialized in physical power, his special attack wasn't weak. With a Special Attack stat of 95, he outclassed Lapras in raw offensive capability.
Lapras's greatest strength lay in its endurance and stamina—not in its speed or power.
"Booooom!!"
The two attacks exploded together, sending a plume of vapor and seawater into the air.
Even though Dark Pulse suppressed Hydro Pump, it couldn't fully overcome it, and the resulting blast created a smoky haze over the water.
Lapras, however, remained mostly unharmed—its aquatic environment softened the impact entirely.
"Lapras, use Sheer Cold!" Spenser barked suddenly.
Lapras raised its head and let out a haunting cry before firing a beam of freezing air straight toward Tyranitar.
Before Gary could even speak, Tyranitar slammed his fists together and manipulated the swirling sand into a dense wall before him.
The freezing breath struck the barrier—and instantly turned the sand into a solid block of glittering ice.
Sheer Cold was a terrifying move: not the instant one-hit KO of the games, but still capable of inflicting immense real damage. Only Pokémon with exceptional durability could withstand it unharmed—and Tyranitar was one of them.
Scott's jaw dropped. "Using Sandstorm defensively… that's genius! I never imagined it could be applied that way!"
Gary smirked. "Now—Tyranitar, use Stone Edge!"
"Tyraaa!!!"
Razor-sharp rock blades materialized around Tyranitar and shot forward like missiles, slicing through the salty air toward Lapras.
"Lapras, dive!" Spenser ordered quickly.
"Laaap!"
Lapras slipped beneath the waves just in time, the Stone Edge projectiles striking the water and erupting into plumes of spray. Even if they had connected, Lapras's thick shell would've absorbed most of the damage.
Gary frowned. Tyranitar could shape the land—but not the sea. And Spenser clearly knew that. He was exploiting the environment to keep Tyranitar at bay.
"End the Sandstorm," Gary commanded suddenly.
Spenser blinked in surprise. "What?"
He was baffled. The Sandstorm boosted Tyranitar's Special Defense—why would Gary willingly cancel it?
"Tyraaa!"
Tyranitar raised one arm, and the storm began to fade. The howling winds softened, the air cleared, and sunlight returned to the arena.
Then Gary raised Tyranitar's Poké Ball. "Return!"
A flash of red light pulled the massive Pokémon back inside.
Spenser's expression grew wary.
If Gary was recalling Tyranitar now, it could only mean one thing—his next Pokémon would be just as terrifying. Definitely not Scizor again… so it had to be the third member of his lineup.
Who could it be? Spenser wondered nervously.
Gary took a slow breath and smiled faintly. "Old buddy, I didn't want to bother you today… but it looks like I don't have a choice. I'm counting on you!"
He hurled the Poké Ball forward.
Splash!
A massive shell rose from the surf, gleaming in the sun as the water dripped from its cannons.
"Blaaastoise!!!"