As Grandma Vicky spoke, she reached to her waist and retrieved a Poké Ball. With a gentle flick of her wrist, she tossed it forward. A flash of red light burst outward, and a massive Pokémon landed heavily in the center of the field.
Its appearance resembled that of a camel, with two large "humps" on its back—humps covered in a layer of hardened black shell that rose and fell with each slow breath it took.
Its thick, sturdy legs stomped against the ground one step at a time, each impact producing a deep, muffled thud, as though announcing the entrance of a heavyweight champion.
The moment it appeared, a scorching wave of heat burst outward from its body.
Even the air around it seemed to warp from the intense temperature. Two white jets of hot vapor puffed from its nostrils, carrying faint sparks. When they hit the sand, they left two shallow, charred marks.
It was none other than the Fire and Ground dual-type Pokémon, Camerupt!
Camerupt lowered its head, staring down at the Tyrunt in the arena. Its amber-colored eyes were calm, indifferent—utterly unmoved. From its nostrils, two more streams of blistering white heat surged out, and an overwhelming sense of pressure filled the air.
Theo's gaze locked onto the massive Camerupt, and in that instant, its details flashed clearly through his mind:
[Pokémon: Camerupt]
Type: Fire/Ground
Category: Eruption Pokémon
Ability: Magma Armor (Its body is covered in scorching magma; it cannot be frozen)
Moves: Rock Slide, Flamethrower, Heavy Slam, Incinerate, Earth Power, Amnesia, Smokescreen…
"Fire and Ground…"
Theo muttered to himself, his expression growing more solemn.
Tyrunt was a Rock/Dragon type. Rock-type Pokémon were at a disadvantage against Ground-type attacks. In other words, Camerupt held a natural advantage.
"Grandma Vicky's Camerupt has lived with us near the desert's edge for ten whole years," Vivi said from under the shade of the awning, her voice tinged with pride. "It's the strongest Pokémon in our entire family."
Grandma Vicky didn't waste any unnecessary words. She simply lifted her palm fan and said:
"Theo, be careful. Camerupt, use Stomp."
"Mooo—!"
Camerupt let out a low, resonant bellow. Its right hind leg suddenly lifted high—its hoof as large as a washbasin—and with the force of a falling hammer, it slammed it into the ground!
BOOM!
A deafening blast erupted from beneath the earth itself. From Camerupt's position, a visible ring-shaped shockwave rippled outward violently.
Wherever it passed, the sand trembled like disturbed water ripples, and even the chairs at the edge of the arena rattled and jumped from the impact.
Stomp was not only incredibly powerful, but its shockwave came with a slowing effect. Anyone caught by it would have their movements instantly hindered.
"Tyrunt, jump!"
Theo quickly gave the order.
Having been boosted twice by Dragon Dance, Tyrunt's reaction speed was lightning-fast. Its hind legs pushed off the ground with explosive force, and its massive body managed to leap a full meter into the air—barely escaping the shockwave's strongest center.
Even so, debris blasted upward like bullets. Several fragments scraped across Tyrunt's side, leaving white marks on its abdomen.
"What fast reflexes!"
Victoria couldn't help praising it.
Grandma Vicky's calm expression did not change as she issued another command:
"Earth Power."
Camerupt suddenly braced itself, its four legs digging deep into the sand as though merging with the ground.
In an instant, the earth beneath Tyrunt convulsed violently.
Chunks of earth and stone shot upward like a volcanic eruption, each fragment tearing through the air with a sharp whistle as they surged directly toward Tyrunt!
This Earth Power was frighteningly precise. It sealed off nearly every possible escape route.
Fortunately, the speed boost from the double Dragon Dance showed its worth at this moment. Tyrunt's hind legs snapped against the ground, propelling its heavy form diagonally like a blazing red meteor streaking through the air.
Shhhhhh—!
Even so, a stray wave of energy grazed its abdomen, sending a sharp jolt of pain through its body.
As expected of a veteran Pokémon, Grandma Vicky's Camerupt was deliberately targeting Tyrunt's weakly defended abdomen.
Tyrunt let out a painful grunt as it landed, stumbling two steps before stabilizing itself. It stared directly at Camerupt, issuing a low, threatening growl from deep in its throat.
"Grandma's Earth Power can precisely control the attack's range."
Vivi explained, pride evident in her tone.
"There used to be a trainer whose Onix fainted from that move alone."
Theo ignored the voices outside the field. His mind was racing at full speed.
He needed to get close.
Camerupt was continuously using long-range moves, preventing Tyrunt from closing the distance. If he kept dodging like this, the stamina consumed by the double Dragon Dance would drain Tyrunt's strength quickly, leaving it helpless.
But once Tyrunt got into close combat, with its boosted attack power—
There was still a real chance of winning.
Unfortunately, back in Petalburg Woods, he focused on training Ice Fang, Dragon Dance, and Dragon Tail. He had no time to teach Tyrunt any solid Rock-type offensive moves.
Right now, Tyrunt only knew two Rock-type skills:
Yesterday's newly acquired Stealth Rock, which was useless in a direct fight—
And Ancient Power, which was a special move, not suitable for Tyrunt's physical attacking style.
The whole point of coming to the desert was to train Rock-type moves using the Hard Stone gift from Gym Leader Roxanne.
'If this battle had taken place after the desert training was complete, he wouldn't have struggled this much.'
He couldn't keep dodging passively.
He needed to take the initiative.
Utilize the speed and attack boosts from the two Dragon Dances—
Close in, and fight at close range.
Theo's eyes sharpened, and he gave a deep, decisive command:
"Tyrunt, use Sandstorm as cover, then charge in and hit it with Dragon Tail!"
"TYRRRR—!!"
Tyrunt threw its head back and roared. A familiar rocky energy swelled around its body. Though its internal energy was low and the Sandstorm it summoned was only half the size of the previous one, the swirling sand was enough to obscure the field.
More importantly, Tyrunt could feel through the sand—
Using the movement of particles like a built-in radar, sensing the opponent's position.
The moment the sand began to swirl, Tyrunt shot forward like a released arrow.
Its red body wove through the sandstorm, moving so fast it left only an afterimage. The sand kicked up by its claws dragged behind it in a long tail-like streak.
"So, it's going for close combat after all?"
Grandma Vicky's lips curled slightly, her expression knowing. She pointed her fan toward the field.
"Camerupt, Smog."
Camerupt cried out, stomping both front legs heavily.
From the volcanic humps on its back, a torrent of dense black smoke exploded outward, instantly merging with the swirling sand.
The scorching heat mixed with sand formed a thick, greyish-brown fog that blanketed the battlefield. Not only did it obscure vision, but it carried a sharp, sulfurous stench that burned the throat if inhaled.
The combined smoke and sandstorm engulfed the entire arena. From outside, visibility dropped to zero—no one could see what was happening inside.
"Now!"
Grandma Vicky seized the moment, her voice rising sharply:
"Earth Power, strike the entire field!"
Camerupt released a thunderous bellow. Its four legs drove deep into the ground, channeling massive power downward.
In the next heartbeat—
The entire battlefield erupted into violent upheaval.
The ground bulged and cracked in countless places. Earthen mounds surged upward like spikes, bursting forth in an uncontrolled wave that spread across the entire area.
There was no specific target—
It was a full-field assault, a lattice of destruction spanning the entire arena.
(End of Chapter)