"SHHAA!"
Sensing that Ethan's Sandslash's strength even surpassed his own, the Totem Sandslash let out a low roar, releasing his overwhelming leader's aura in full.
"Sha!"
"Sha!"
"Sha!"
Under that pressure, the Sandshrew around them began to growl one after another, quickly gathering beside the Totem Sandslash.
"So this is the special ability of Totem Pokémon? The power to summon their allies during battle?" murmured Ethan, frowning slightly as he watched the Sandshrew approach trembling, unable to resist their leader's command despite their fear.
Ethan's Sandslash, realizing that its opponent couldn't match him yet was still calling for reinforcements, showed an angry expression and returned to his trainer.
"Sandslash, they have their allies, but you have yours too. Looks like it's time for a team battle. Leave it to me," Ethan said with a light smile, tossing his Poké Balls.
Immediately, besides Sandslash, Cacturne, Slowking, Meltan, and Absol, Trapinch, Shuckle, Charmander, and Kingdra appeared as well.
The nine Pokémon quickly gathered around him. Shellder used Barrier, forming a protective wall around Ethan to ensure his safety.
"Cac!" cried Cacturne as he used Rototiller, softening the soil beneath his feet.
"Shuck!" replied Shuckle, using Acupressure and Helping Hand to boost each of his teammates one by one.
Thanks to his recent physical training, Shuckle's endurance had improved greatly; he could now grant buffs to several allies at once. However, as Pokémon like Sandslash, Cacturne, and Slowking grew stronger, Shuckle's support was starting to feel less effective.
Ethan realized he would soon need to focus on strengthening him, or his small companion wouldn't be able to keep up with the team's pace.
Moreover, when Shuckle tried to power up the "big brother" Sandslash, the latter refused. Clearly, he still wanted to face the Totem Sandslash with his own strength.
"Good work, Shuckle," Ethan said with a smile as the little one, exhausted after supporting everyone, collapsed and withdrew into his shell to rest. Then Ethan took out a few Berries he had grown at his secret base and offered them to help him recover energy.
"All right, now the real battle begins." His gaze turned to the army of Sandshrew before them.
"SHAA!"
At the Totem Sandslash's command, all the Sandshrew charged at once, raising a thick cloud of sand and dust like a stampede.
"Root Field!" ordered Ethan.
Cacturne was the first to act: thick roots spread from the ground, forming a field that covered much of the terrain.
Although these ordinary roots no longer affected Advanced-level Pokémon —and could even become easy targets due to their lack of mobility— against regular Sandshrew, they were devastating.
The roots intertwined across the field, trapping enemies and draining their life force. The more that fell, the larger the roots grew, until they filled nearly the entire area.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
At the same time, the newly evolved Kingdra displayed an impressive performance. His nearly two-meter-long body stood firm like a spear, launching powerful jets of compressed water that shot through the air like sniper bullets, striking down the Sandshrew escaping from the roots.
That was precisely the strategy Ethan had designed for Kingdra: to use his unique body structure to compress water and increase the speed and power of his shots, turning him into a fearsome long-range sniper.
With Cacturne and Kingdra working together, the army of Sandshrew was crushed within minutes, displaying terrifying teamwork.
"Chaarrr!" Charmander also joined in actively, hurling fireballs at the trapped Sandshrew, though his power was still weak. Instead of defeating them, he ended up freeing several.
Meltan quickly intervened, firing Flash Cannon shots that knocked down the escaping enemies, while Charmander, embarrassed, stuck out his tongue.
Ethan couldn't help but smile as he picked him up in his arms. Though the little one was mischievous, he filled the team with energy and joy; everyone saw him as the youngest brother of the group.
With Slowking's addition, the battle became completely one-sided. Soon, the ground was covered with defeated Sandshrew lying everywhere.
"Looks like they were just ordinary Sandshrew, with no battle experience," Ethan sighed. Aside from the Totem Sandslash, there wasn't another among them, proving they were like greenhouse flowers.
"Battling is the best way for a Pokémon to grow. Without fighting, they'll never become strong," Ethan said firmly.
Finally, after the combined attacks of Cacturne, Kingdra, and Slowking, all the Sandshrew fell, leaving only the Totem Sandslash standing.
"SHHAAAA!"
Seeing all his subordinates defeated, the leader roared in fury and, with a swift motion, plunged his claws into the earth —Dig! He tried to flee underground.
But Ethan's Sandslash wasn't about to let him escape. He also used Dig and dove after him.
Boom, boom, boom!
A fierce underground battle erupted. Finally, both figures burst out of the ground almost simultaneously. Judging by their wounds, Ethan's Sandslash had the upper hand.
"SSHHHAAA!"
Enraged and cornered, the Totem Sandslash let out a savage roar and rolled his body into a massive ball, charging at his rival with terrifying force.
Ethan's Sandslash didn't back down; he used the combo move Spin Drive, pushing his power to the limit, and launched himself straight into a head-on collision.
(End of Chapter)