"Shaaa!"
Sandshrew also sensed the danger and, without hesitation, unleashed his Ground-type energy to the fullest.
In an instant, a sandstorm formed between the two Pokémon. As they kept spinning together, the sand began to cover their bodies, quickly transforming them into a giant sandball that shot straight toward the battlefield's protective wall.
BOOM!
An explosion shook the entire stadium. The sandball slammed violently against the wall, collapsing into a shower of dust and rocks. Both Pokémon were thrown by the impact, crashing heavily to the ground.
"What...?"
Seeing the two Pokémon collapsed, the audience erupted into cries of shock. Everyone stretched to see what had happened, eager to know who had won.
"Get up, Primeape!"
"You're an indomitable warrior! You can't fall from something like this!"
The ring leader, his face tense, shouted desperately, trying to get Primeape to stand.
On the other side, Ethan Black's expression was much calmer. Sandshrew had carried out his order perfectly and, still curled up in a ball, had cushioned the fall. Ethan Black was confident Sandshrew was fine.
In reality, his command had two purposes: first, to prevent Primeape from being able to throw him with Seismic Toss, and second, to use the sand as a cushion against the combined impact of Rollout and Seismic Toss, a force that could be extremely dangerous.
Just like in the anime, when Ash's Charizard used Seismic Toss from the skies, opponents often clung to him to avoid being hurled. Here, the key was to see who could withstand the final collision better.
Luckily, Primeape was knocked unconscious by the recoil impact, while Sandshrew, who had cushioned part of the blow and used Primeape as a "pillow," came out practically unscathed.
A perfect result.
Just as Ethan Black expected, after a few seconds, the sandball slowly opened and Sandshrew emerged, staggering. He shook his head, a little dizzy, but was clearly still able to fight.
"Ooooooh!"
"Sandshrew got up! That means we have a winner!"
"Thanks to a perfect mastery of Sand Attack, Sandshrew managed to defeat Primeape!"
The announcer declared excitedly as the referee officially announced that Primeape was unable to battle, and the stadium erupted into cheers.
"Who the hell is that guy? Having such a strong Sandshrew isn't something you see every day in Ironvale City..."
The other club leaders looked seriously at the battlefield. They already knew Sandshrew was a tough opponent, and now they were worried about the upcoming matches.
"Sandshrew...? Wait, I think I've seen him before. Yes! I've got a video! Look at this!"
Quickly, they crowded around one of their phones to watch the video. The more they watched, the more astonished they became—especially at the end, when Sandshrew defeated a Scyther by combining Rapid Spin with Sand Attack.
They had never seen moves used like that before.
The simultaneous control of two moves, the absolute mastery of Sand Attack, and the precise execution... these were things many Pokémon couldn't achieve even in a lifetime of training. That was what people called innate talent.
"A whole group of trainers unable to deal with... a Sandshrew?"
A cold voice was heard from the entrance. Everyone turned to see a green-haired boy walk in.
"Ryan Grant!"
Recognizing him, all the leaders were shocked. Then, smiles appeared on their faces.
"Leave the next match to me," Ryan Grant said with disdain as he stepped onto the stage.
"You're Ethan Black, right?"
"The same one who managed to clear the challenge at the Pokémon Nightstar Club?"
Ethan Black, who had been calmly waiting for the next opponent, looked up at the sound of that mocking voice and saw the green-haired boy.
"You're the next challenger?" Ethan Black asked, frowning.
"Challenger? No, I'm a club leader," Ryan Grant said arrogantly. "I'm your next opponent. If you can beat me, then it will be considered that you've conquered the club."
"Leader...?" Ethan Black repeated, somewhat annoyed. "Weren't there several challengers still in line? Why is the club leader stepping in directly?"
(End of chapter)