Bzzz—
The persistent, low-frequency hum of wings felt like a physical sonic wave, grating on the nerves.
Ninjask moved like a glitch in reality, flickering from one spot to another in an instant. It circled Aggron, hovering near but never daring to close the distance.
"Roar..."
The great beast exhaled a breath of white steam mixed with grit, his eyes never leaving his opponent.
Even though Aggron's power level far exceeded the bug's, Ninjask's Speed Boost ability was pushing its velocity higher and higher. Aggron had to rely entirely on his dynamic vision just to track the blurring silhouette.
However, he knew there was no point in chasing. That would be a waste of stamina.
This fellow would bring about its own destruction, Aggron thought.
Against a Pokémon like this, I only need one clean hit.
Aggron lowered his center of gravity, waiting for the exact moment Ninjask would dive in.
While he wasn't traditionally educated," Aggron had learned through Kashiwagi's influence and the heat of battle that faster isn't always better. The faster you go, the more energy it takes to stop.
And sometimes, even with all the strength in the world, momentum simply won't let you—
There!
A streak of dark brown light flashed in the corner of Aggron's eye, coming sharply from his diagonal rear.
But he didn't turn to attack blindly. He waited until he could practically feel the elemental energy gathering on Ninjask's claws. Then, he suddenly ducked and slammed his claws into the ground!
BOOM!
The sandy earth was torn asunder by glowing giant rocks. Ninjask's reddish-brown claws sliced through empty air where Aggron's head had been a second ago—only to find a massive pillar of stone rising directly in its path.
"Nin!"
Terrified, Ninjask tried to bank hard to change direction.
But it was too late. At that speed, even if it stopped flapping its wings—or reversed them—inertia was a cruel mistress.
SMACK!
With a dull thud, Ninjask slammed into the rock, its movements becoming wobbly and disoriented.
"Guroooon—!!"
Aggron seized the opening. Silver light gathered in his maw and erupted into a massive beam, blasting the dazed Ninjask at point-blank range!
Flash Cannon!
CRA-KOOM!
The rock shattered. Ninjask was sent flying by the explosion before falling limply to the ground, wings twitching feebly as its eyes turned into cartoonish swirls.
Two down! One to Go!
"ROAR!!"
Aggron let out a triumphant howl. He watched as a machine in the sky emitted a red beam to recall the Ninjask. He realized that in the absence of a trainer, this drone was the one handling the Poké Balls.
In that case, if I just keep an eye on the machine, I'll know exactly where the next one is landing, right?
Perfect.
Let me finish you off as quickly as possible.
Aggron shifted into a combat stance, glaring at the machine, ready to pounce on the next victim as soon as it hit the ground.
A moment later.
Pop!
A Poké Ball was shot from the machine, clicking open in mid-air.
"Hmph!"
Aggron immediately slammed his claws down, feeling the vibration as he poured Rock-type energy into the earth.
But then, he paused.
This... this feeling of excess?
Standard moves usually have a ceiling for energy output; you can hold back, but you can't easily push past the limit. Yet right now, he felt like he could funnel way more energy into the ground.
The reason for this feeling was unmistakable!
"GU-ROAR!"
Aggron bellowed. In front of him, countless massive, glowing blue stone pillars erupted from the sand. They raced forward in a jagged line, causing the ground to shake violently and sending dust clouds spiraling into the air.
Stone Edge!
The newly emerged Yanmega didn't even have time to see its opponent before a sharp, glowing blue pillar hammered into its abdomen!
CRASH!
The blue glowing rock exploded, sending countless shards raining down like shrapnel. The piercing pain didn't even give Yanmega a chance to cry out before it hit the dirt, red compound eyes showing two swirls.
Bug/Flying types are four times weak to Rock, and Yanmega's physical defense isn't exactly stellar. It would have been weirder if it had survived a direct hit from Stone Edge.
But more than the victory...
What made Aggron even happier was that he had successfully realized a new move on his own.
"ROAR!"
He barked at the machine behind him.
...
...
Inside the control room.
A massive grin spread across Kashiwagi's face. He clapped his hands lightly. "Learning Stone Edge on the fly? Impressive, impressive!"
In truth, excluding the time-consuming process of learning Dragon Rush, Aggron hadn't learned a new move naturally in a long time; he had been relying on rewards from the simulator.
Who would have thought he'd master a heavy-hitter like Stone Edge during a Battle Tent qualifier?
Outside of Head Smash, this was the strongest physical Rock-type move he could learn.
Plus, it was a non-contact move—perfect for avoiding nasty abilities.
The second round was over.
Kashiwagi recalled him, offering plenty of praise to the Poké Ball. If the room weren't so cramped, he'd have let the big guy out for a proper celebratory pat.
Aggron was currently in a bit of an awkward stage of growth.
First, he was "insufficient against those above." Though his level had reached 71, because the team's overall combat power wasn't fully rounded, it was difficult to beat top-tier Gym Leaders. Even if he could win a 1v1, winning a full team battle was unlikely.
Second, at this level, progress had slowed significantly. After half a month, he had only gained one level. It was bound to get harder, eventually hitting a ceiling in terms of raw energy level.
However, he was "more than enough for those below." He'd likely win any street battle, and he generally wouldn't lose a standard Gym match.
Ways had to be found to improve his strength through other avenues.
Like EVs, move mastery, versatility, and of course, Mega Evolution. Even if the level stopped rising, combat effectiveness could still go up.
Aggron has such a deep Special Attack move pool, Kashiwagi mused. It would be a waste not to develop it.
In this world, Pikachu can turn an Iron Tail into a Behemoth Blade—why can't my Aggron become a literal walking artillery battery with Special moves?
No problem at all.
A man must have dreams.
Kashiwagi looked at the bottom right corner of the screen. The interval was also half an hour.
"One more round. You guys can do it!" He shook the three Poké Balls.
The difficulty spiked with every round. He had gone from a "Baby Team" to a fully evolved "Bug Swarm." He wasn't sure what was next.
For the lead... let's go with the mobility of Mawile.
While waiting, he chatted with Lisia.
She was challenging the Lilycove City Contest today. Being back on stage after a long time made her incredibly excited, causing Kashiwagi's phone to vibrate non-stop.
Out of everyone he knew, she was definitely the most "online."
Others like Brock, Dawn, or even Courtney didn't text at all; they were the types who preferred real-life interaction.
...
...
Half an hour later,
Kashiwagi put his phone away and placed the three Poké Balls on the tray.
The battlefield on the screen changed once again.
The rocks and sand of the previous arena vanished, replaced by a large, rectangular deep-water pool. A few pathetic-looking plastic rafts floated on the surface, surrounded by steep rock walls.
"Whoa! A Water Arena!"
Kashiwagi was surprised. These were rare, usually reserved for Water-type Gyms. Rumor had it the Battle Tent terrain changed based on the participants' Pokémon.
Is the opponent a Water-type specialist?
As if on cue, the machine spat out a Poké Ball. A massive jellyfish with numerous black black tentacles, a hat-like head structure and red gems on its sides crashed into the water.
Splash!
The spray soaked the arena, and the resulting waves tossed the plastic rafts around. Mawile, standing on one of them, struggled to keep her footing.
"Maw-ile..."
Mawile frowned. Rather than dealing with the unstable raft, she simply activated Magnet Rise and hovered into the air.
These floating boards were impossible to stand on. If that strange fellow just wiggled around, she would be too busy trying to keep her balance to exert any force.
It seemed she would have to use the walls for leverage.
She looked down at the Tentacruel bobbing in the water, calculating, thinking about which move to use against this hidden foe.
In the water... likely a Water-type.
Should I have studied more? Now I have to guess their types mid-match.
Whatever, I'll just be direct like Aggron.
"Maw-wile!"
Mawile sighed, slightly raising her hand and tilting her head.
Whoosh!
Several black shadows pierced the air. They grazed past her sideburns and hands, missing by a hair's breadth.
The "ambushing" Tentacruel was stunned.
It could swear this weird floating little fairy hadn't noticed its movements at all.
But how did she dodge?
Luck?
You don't dodge that many tentacles by luck!
Fine, I'll just bind her!
Tentacruel lashed out again, trying to wrap its limbs around the hovering Mawile.
But instead of dodging, Mawile reached out and grabbed the tentacles. Using the magnetic repulsion under her feet as an anchor, she twisted her torso and yanked the massive jellyfish clean out of the water!
So small, yet so much strength?!
Tentacruel watched in horror as it was hauled into the air. Seeing Mawile's massive horn-jaw snapping toward it, it made a desperate choice: Self-amputation!
It quickly vibrated its pincer-like organs, cutting off all extended tentacles. A look of pain crossed its face.
Fortunately, as long as they weren't pulled out by the roots, these tentacles would grow back.
Plop!
It fell back into the water, breathing a sigh of relief.
As long as I have the water, I have the advantage! Tentacruel thought, breathing a sigh of relief. Eeven if the opponent was strong, it still had a chance to win.
Up in the air, Mawile stared at the twitching, severed tentacles in her hand before tossing them away with a look of pure disgust.
Ugh, gross!
The "young lady" never expected that in a common match, the opponent would make such a "big" sacrifice. Even if you have many hands, you shouldn't waste them like that, right? And why could they stretch so far when they looked so short?
"Maw-ile..."
Getting dragged into the water would be bad. This guy is the type I can't handle well.
Mawile made a quick decision. She began a graceful, sharp dance in mid-air. Her aura flared—Swords Dance!
The Tentacruel saw its opening.
Great chance!
It breached the surface, its body coated in a thick, purple sludge which it launched like a living wave.
Sludge Wave! Get poisoned, you little brat!
Tentacruel waved its remaining tentacles gleefully. It was already planning the follow-up: Hex.
On a poisoned target, that would likely be a one-hit KO!
It would be over soon! hehe!
Tentacruel watched smugly as the Sludge Wave hit Mawile head-on, but its expression quickly froze.
W-Why does it seem like it had no effect at all?
Mawile wasn't poisoned. She wasn't even hurt. She was just hovering there, using one hand to frantically wipe the gunk off her dress while held the other high, looking at Tentacruel with utter loathing and disgust. It couldn't understand what was happening.
Of course.
It also didn't know how many times its Trainer was currently slamming the table in the room, or how loudly Kashiwagi was howling with laughter.
Tentacruel didn't know Mawile was a Steel-type—completely immune to Poison.
"MAW-ile!" (CRUSH THIS DISGUSTING THING INTO DUST, AGGRON!)
Mawile let out a cry that was almost a screech. It was no wonder she was so angry; anyone would be upset being covered in smelly, fishy sludge, let alone a Pokémon as conscious of her image as she was.
However, she remained rational, knowing she couldn't deal with a persistent opponent like Tentacruel—getting dragged into the water would be a nightmare.
Leaving it to Aggron, who could swim and had massive weight, was the best choice.
She used Baton Pass.
Mawile turned into white light and entered the machine, which quickly spat out the second Poké Ball.
Pop!
The Poké Ball opened in the air, flashing white.
KA-BOOM!
The massive iron beast slammed into the pool. The splash was so violent the plastic rafts were blown clear to the edges of the arena.
"ROAR!!"
Aggron surfaced, glaring at Tentacruel with a terrifying, low growl.
Seeing this literal mountain of steel, Tentacruel finally put two and two together. The little one was a Steel-type too?!
Can't you look more like a Steel-type, like this big guy?
You looked so soft and had so much fur—how were you a Steel-type!
Tentacruel was filled with grief and indignation, realizing it had made a "noob mistake". It was definitely going to get scolded when it got back.
No.
I have to take this guy down!
It propelled its body upward and slammed back down, sending a glowing blue surge forward. It transformed into a terrifying giant wave, crashing toward Aggron!
To its surprise, Aggron didn't retreat. Instead, he charged heavily against the water!
"Roar!"
Boom!
A glowing blue wave rolled up from Aggron's side, clashing with Tentacruel's tide. Despite being the second wave to form, it showed no weakness!
Even though the first wave eventually pushed through, its remaining power wasn't enough to harm the resurfacing Aggron.
"Tenta-lu-lu..."
Tentacruel bubbled in disbelief.
It had lost count of how many times it had been shocked. Was this guy a Water-type too? Otherwise, how could his wave be so powerful that it could resist its own?
Steel-type immunity to poison, Water-type-like power... Tentacruel was losing its mind. Then, it saw yellow sparks dancing between Aggron's horns.
Electric-type moves!
Panicking, Tentacruel tried to dive to the bottom.
But Aggron followed it down. He unleashed a series of pulsing electrical rings in the water—Shock Wave!
Bzzz—Bzzz—
The entire bottom of the pool lit up like a neon sign. The powerful current made Tentacruel's body twitch.
Fortunately, its Special Defense was decent, and Shock Wave wasn't incredibly powerful, so it luckily survived the hit.
But that moment of paralysis allowed Aggron to close the distance rapidly.
Aggron twisted his body and tail violently to increase his momentum. With a murderous gaze that made the paralyzed Tentacruel shiver, a glowing blue light erupted between his horns, wrapping around his entire body!
A snarling, clawing energy dragon formed instantly!
Underwater Dragon Rush!
"Tenta..-cru--"
Panicked, Tentacruel flailed its tentacles, trying to create a shield, but it had underestimated an Aggron buffed by Mawile's Swords Dance, and it had underestimated the sheer momentum of Dragon Rush!
From the surface, it looked like an underwater mine had gone off. A pillar of water erupted toward the ceiling.
BOOM!!
Tentacruel was blasted out of the water along with the spray, crashing back down hard on the surface.
When the waves calmed and Aggron poked his head out, the Tentacruel floating on the surface already had swirls in its eyes.
The first one down.
In such a complex environment, it was finally down!
Aggron and Kashiwagi in the room both breathed a sigh of relief. Aggron had never fought an underwater battle before, but he was starting to find his rhythm.
Luckily, the opponent didn't seem very bright, allowing him to find an opening.
He had also successfully discovered a routine for dealing with these underwater enemies.
The strategy was simple:
- Electrocute the fish!
- Finish it off!
...
Aggron watched the machine. As it fired the next ball far away, he used his magnetic power to zip through the water like a jet.
He found that using Electromagnetic Levitation to move in the water was quite fast.
Lightning flickered between his horns. The moment the opponent appeared, countless rings of lightning spread out!
The entering Goldeen was just like the Yanmega; it didn't even see its opponent before being dazed by the spreading electrical rings.
"Roar!"
Aggron followed the script. His body was shrouded in a white aura, and he turned into a morning star, slamming into the Goldeen!
Take Down!
Splat!
The nearly unconscious Goldeen spat out a cloud of bubbles. Seeing Aggron charging at it, it was scared out of its wits, its tail fin flapping desperately to dodge.
Aggron gave it no chance. He tucked his head and pulled in his claws to swim even faster, cutting through the waves like a swordfish and striking Goldeen with maximum force!
Thud!
Goldeen was sent flying backward, slamming heavily into the rock wall. The powerful Take Down was impossible to withstand, like a black eight-ball struck by a cue ball on a billiards table.
And without a doubt, this attack successfully defeated it.
"Roar~"
The combo is so smooth.
Zap to pin them down, then Take Down or Dragon Rush to finish it.
If there were a Trainer, the opponent wouldn't be this defenseless. A pity, a pity.
This is actually pretty fun, Aggron thought, paddling around. Next!
Aggron swam around happily. For the first time, he felt that swimming while batteling was actually pretty fun. Next!~
The machine frantically pivoted, trying to find a spot far away from the iron monster, but there was nowhere to hide.
The final opponent: Mantine.
A 4x weakness to Electric moves meant the poor thing almost fainted just from the smell of Aggron's Shock Wave. Aggron didn't even bother closing in; he just fired a second burst of electricity, and the Mantine went belly-up.
The Mantine very honestly fainted on the spot.
"ROAR—!!"
Aggron floated on his back, splashing his tail and howling at the ceiling.
Victory!
In the Trainer's room.
Kashiwagi clapped for him. "Smart! So smart! As expected of my Pokémon!"