Although Theo himself was just an ordinary trainer without any special supernatural abilities, his livestream system was something that surpassed those powers when it came to training Pokémon.
Energy orbs could rapidly increase the internal energy strength of his Pokémon, while Technical Machines allowed them to catch up on years of move training that other trainers had accumulated.
On top of that, there were unique vitamins that further strengthened their abilities. All of this combined was what made Theo's Pokémon so powerful.
The only drawback was time.
Even though energy orbs functioned similarly to experience items from his previous world, they were not like rare candies that instantly raised a level with a single use. They still required time to be absorbed.
Zweilous was already quite strong, but Theo had not trained it for long enough. If its strength were translated into levels, it would only be just above fifty.
It had also not yet reached its final evolution.
Moreover, in terms of move proficiency, it was not yet comparable to Metagross, Milotic, Volcarona, or Tyrantrum, whose moves were already honed to near perfection.
Theo could not guarantee that Zweilous would be able to fully defeat Winona's shiny Swellow.
This was the final badge required for the Ever Grande Conference. Theo had to ensure absolute certainty.
He chose to send out his main powerhouse.
"Tyrantrum, I choose you!"
He stepped forward and declared firmly.
"Let Gym Leader Winona know that on this land, victory and defeat are decided by us!"
Some of Theo's fans in the audience immediately became fired up upon hearing this.
They raised their hands and shouted enthusiastically.
"Go Tyrantrum!"
"Defeat that shiny Swellow, charge!"
However, many local spectators were supporters of Winona, and they were not about to back down.
"Gym Leader Winona, go!"
"Go Winona! Go Swellow!"
The livestream chat was instantly flooded with messages.
"This is so hype! I wish I had gone to watch in person."
"This is making my blood boil with excitement!"
As soon as Tyrantrum entered the battlefield, it threw its head back and roared. The thunderous dragon cry carried overwhelming momentum as it snarled fiercely at the shiny Swellow in the sky, its amber eyes blazing with battle intent.
The shiny Swellow responded with a sharp screech, its dark green wings beating under the sunlight, the rushing airflow acting like an invisible declaration of war.
"Swellow, start with Tailwind!"
Winona took the initiative, her command crisp and decisive.
The shiny Swellow lightly flapped its wings, and it seemed as though a flowing current of wind surrounded its feathers. Its body instantly became lighter.
It spread its wings and accelerated, its speed increasing rapidly until it became nothing more than a blurred green afterimage in the sky, so fast that its trajectory was nearly impossible to track.
Watching the vague green blur overhead, Theo spoke in a low voice.
"It is a Flying type that specializes in speed. You already know how to deal with that, right?"
Tyrantrum gave a heavy nod, then let out a resounding roar.
In an instant, a violent sandstorm erupted around it. Sand and dust surged like a living force, sweeping across the battlefield and covering both sky and ground, drastically reducing visibility.
"Trying to use Sandstorm to conceal yourself and set up Dragon Dance?"
Winona saw through Theo's intentions at a glance.
"Unfortunately, that will not work on my Swellow. Swellow, charge in and interrupt it!"
From high in the air, the shiny Swellow locked onto Tyrantrum's position within the sandstorm and dove down like a streak of green lightning, aiming to disrupt its setup.
At the very moment Swellow pierced into the sandstorm, Tyrantrum, which had been gathering power for Dragon Dance, suddenly stopped and closed its eyes.
A sharp, pained cry rang out from within the storm.
In the next instant, the shiny Swellow was sent flying backward, tumbling out of the sandstorm in a disheveled state.
Only then did everyone see clearly that its wings were covered with several fine cuts, small beads of blood seeping out.
"Stealth Rock," Winona murmured softly as she looked at the injuries.
At the moment Tyrantrum had unleashed the sandstorm, it had secretly set up a Stealth Rock trap, waiting for Swellow to charge in.
The audience erupted in an uproar.
"What a sneaky trap! Hiding Stealth Rock inside the sandstorm!"
"Gym Leader Winona got careless!"
"That was so underhanded. Tyrantrum is secretly devious!"
Looking at her injured Swellow, Winona took a deep breath and calmed her agitation.
"Sorry, Swellow. I acted too hastily. Recover first with Roost, then use Rain Dance to suppress the sandstorm!"
Countless phantom feathers appeared around the shiny Swellow, gently brushing over its wounds. The blood on its wings visibly faded, and its breathing gradually steadied.
At the same time, a light drizzle began to fall from the sky. Fine raindrops pierced through the sandstorm and splashed onto the ground.
Although the Rain Dance was far weaker than the torrential downpour that Milotic could summon, the steady rainfall significantly weakened the sandstorm. The swirling sand began to settle.
More importantly, as the rain fell, certain areas revealed something unusual. Some raindrops were deflected midair as if striking invisible objects.
These were the Stealth Rock traps laid by Tyrantrum.
With the help of the rain, the shiny Swellow finally saw the transparent floating stones suspended in the air, and a hint of caution flashed in its eyes.
During the time Swellow used Roost to recover and Rain Dance to suppress the sandstorm, Tyrantrum had already completed its Dragon Dance.
A faint red aura surrounded its body, and its presence had grown far stronger than before.
"Tyrant!"
Tyrantrum bellowed again and slammed its tail against the ground.
The sand, now dampened by rain, instantly clumped together into dozens of fist sized stones. Under Tyrantrum's control, they shot into the sky like cannonballs, aimed directly at the shiny Swellow.
"Swellow, show them our high speed assault!"
Winona issued a new command.
The shiny Swellow's body flickered as it traced strange arcs through the air, weaving like a butterfly among flowers as it effortlessly dodged every incoming stone. Its speed did not diminish in the slightest as it charged straight toward Tyrantrum.
It had already mapped out the positions of the Stealth Rock, using the falling rain as a guide to skillfully avoid them, closing the distance with Tyrantrum.
Now that the Stealth Rock had been exposed, Tyrantrum simply abandoned controlling them. It lowered its stance and stood firm, preparing for a defensive counterattack.
Against an opponent with overwhelming speed, attacking recklessly would only play into their rhythm. It was better to remain calm and wait for the moment of impact to strike back.
This was the combat wisdom Tyrantrum had learned while battling countless Dragon type Pokémon in the Dragon's Den.
With Tailwind boosting it, the already swift shiny Swellow became a streak of dark green lightning, circling rapidly through the sky.
A cold, silver white sheen gradually coated its wings.
It was Steel Wing, a move that had an excellent type advantage against the Rock type Tyrantrum.
(End of Chapter)