After resting for quite a while, the breathing of Tyrunt and Beldum gradually stabilized.
The sand clinging to their scales and metal casing was carefully brushed off by Theo, restoring their natural shine.
"Next is move training."
Theo reached into his backpack and took out a palm-sized stone—the Hard Stone that Gym Leader Roxanne had given him as a parting gift.
The stone was deep gray, its surface covered in countless natural, intricate patterns; even holding it in one's hand, one could faintly feel the subtle energy pulsing within.
Beyond boosting the power of Rock-type moves, its more important function was helping Pokémon sense Rock-type energy more sharply, allowing them to grasp and familiarize themselves with Rock-type techniques much faster during training.
Once Theo fastened the Hard Stone to Tyrunt for it to carry, the moment the cool stone touched its scales, Tyrunt tilted its head back and let out a loud, excited cry.
Its eyes gleamed with unconcealed joy.
At this moment, the rock energy hidden within the dunes and canyon walls felt as if it had transformed into countless specks of faint, earthy-yellow light.
Following some invisible pull, they slowly gathered toward Tyrunt—like streams converging into a river.
"Can you feel it?"
Theo crouched down, meeting Tyrunt at eye level.
"Try using Sandstorm now. See if it feels any easier."
Tyrunt nodded vigorously, a low rumbling sound coming from its throat.
This time, it barely had to exert itself at all. The sand and dust around it responded almost instantly, far smoother and quicker than before.
"Next, you'll be training together with Feebas."
Theo turned toward the little Feebas nearby.
The little one had long finished watching the Milotic performance video on his phone, and was presently practicing delicate control of Aqua Ring as its tail fin swirling currents into layered, translucent ribbons around its body, sparkling under the sun.
Occasionally, it even mixed in bits of Rain Dance practice, forming a faint layer of mist around its scales.
Upon receiving the command, Feebas happily spat a small bubble and rode a stream of water to Tyrunt's side.
Its tail flicked lightly, a concentrated water-blue aura shimmering around it, ready to activate at any moment.
"Feebas, use Rain Dance. Tyrunt, use Sandstorm. Start by releasing the lowest possible energy. The key is getting used to the rhythm of the moves."
Tyrunt took a deep breath, then suddenly raised its head and let out a sharp roar. Sandstorm activated instantly.
A violent gust of wind surged upward from the ground, whipping countless grains of sand into a spinning pillar.
Within the yellow swirl of sand, traces of Rock-type energy guided by the Hard Stone crackled through it, making this Sandstorm far fiercer than usual.
The massive sand pillar roared as it swept toward Feebas, spraying sand in every direction and filling the air with swirling grit.
At the same time, Feebas gathered all the moisture it could muster.
Its tail fin swept sharply, and a brilliant blue aura pulsed outward. A patch of dark cloud quickly formed above its head.
But the raindrops that fell were no longer mere thin drizzle—they condensed into a thick, solid wall of water, like a transparent shield that firmly blocked the approaching sand pillar.
In a normal environment, with Feebas's refined mastery of Water-type moves, Tyrunt's Sandstorm would be suppressed within moments.
But here, deep in the desert, the air was saturated with endless sand that continuously replenished Tyrunt's Sandstorm… while Feebas could draw on only a very limited supply of water vapor.
Even giving its full effort, it could barely maintain the form of the water barrier.
Boom!
The sand pillar slammed against the water curtain, releasing a deep, muffled impact.
Yellow sand and falling water collided, merging into muddy droplets that splattered down and formed a thin layer of wet earth on the ground.
The sandstorm struggled to punch through; the water curtain stubbornly resisted, both sides eroding each other in a deadlock neither could overpower.
"Very good!"
Theo's eyes lit up in satisfaction—this was exactly what he wanted.
In this special environment, Tyrunt could rapidly learn to guide Rock-type energy through the Hard Stone, improving its control over Sandstorm.
Meanwhile, Feebas had to calculate every drop of water with precision in this arid desert, pushing its Water-type mastery to new levels.
"Now increase your output gradually. Keep the moves stable."
Theo directed calmly.
Tyrunt received the order, the Hard Stone around its neck flashing intensely.
It fixed its gaze on Feebas, growling in concentration.
The sand pillar spun faster, the outer layers flinging sand wider as its core grew more condensed—like a massive yellow drill boring into the water curtain.
Feebas immediately adjusted its output.
The rain curtain tilted, and instead of falling straight down, the rain transformed into sharp, angled water arrows aimed directly at the spinning sand.
The water arrows slipped into the sandstorm's rotational path, constantly disrupting its rhythm.
Each collision produced bursts of mist that drifted into the air.
The two Pokémon clashed intensely, neither yielding.
Tyrunt's Sandstorm grew wilder, flinging sand like needles that clattered sharply against the canyon walls.
Feebas's rain curtain grew denser and tougher, each raindrop splashing into the sand with weight.
Sunlight refracted between the sand and water, forming strange streaks of color between the sandstorm and the rain curtain—a fierce yet strangely beautiful scene.
Floating beside Theo, Beldum stared unblinkingly at the combatants.
Using its psychic power, it shaped an invisible protective barrier around Theo.
Every flying sand grain and stray water droplet bounced harmlessly away the moment they approached.
With spare energy, it even gathered stray water and sand together, forming tiny miniature sand pillars and water screens that collided and dissolved in midair—like a small, focused training game of its own.
The intense duel lasted a full half hour.
Eventually, Tyrunt's breathing grew heavy, and the rotation of the sand pillar noticeably weakened.
Feebas's blue aura dimmed, its rain curtain thinning until it could no longer maintain its angle.
Both Pokémon finally stopped almost simultaneously.
The sand pillar collapsed, drifting away into loose particles.
The small rain cloud overhead dissipated as well, its final raindrops quickly absorbed by the thirsty desert.
Tyrunt collapsed onto the sand with a loud thud, panting heavily, though its eyes sparkled with excitement.
During that fight, it had clearly felt its control over Sandstorm becoming smoother and more precise.
Feebas fell back into its inflatable water tank.
Its purple body trembled slightly, exhaustion clearly setting in from performing Water-type moves in the dry desert—yet it still flicked its tail stubbornly, splashing faint droplets of water.
(End of Chapter)