Pokemon: Sandstorm Elite

Within the sandstorm inferno, all signs of life were smothered. Even with Misty Terrain in place to prevent status conditions, the suffocating desert climate finally made the masked man's expression shift.

Fine grains of sand coated Klein's Pokémon, strengthening their special defenses. At the same time, the swirling sands allowed them to sense their opponents' next moves, granting vital moments for counterplay.

When Gardevoir stole Drapion's Battle Armor ability, the masked man finally grasped the full extent of Klein's terrifying tactics. He could no longer afford to hold back. The ring on his hand erupted with a sinister dark glow.

"Gardevoir, Mega Evolve!"

Under the shroud of darkness, the pale blue Gardevoir turned jet black, standing tall like the fabled Black Widow. It remained silent, but its psychic threads thickened, connecting to all of its allied Pokémon.

By copying Protean earlier and passing it on before Mega Evolution, it avoided the ability being overwritten.

Greninja struck first, unleashing a barrage of Water Shurikens. But before they could land, Mega Salamence's cold eyes flashed, and another deafening Boomburst tore through the air, carrying a whirlwind of sand straight toward Incineroar.

Mega Salamence's sheer destructive power made it the most dominant force on the battlefield. No matter how refined the enemy's tactics were, they would crumble before the overwhelming devastation of its soundwaves. If the masked man relied solely on Mega Gardevoir to counter it, he wouldn't last long.

Countless psychic threads shot out, attaching to Drapion. The pitch-black Mega Gardevoir clenched its fist, and under its masterful control, Drapion and Greninja swapped positions instantly.

BOOM!

The Boomburst struck.

Thanks to Protean, Drapion had already switched to a Rock/Steel-type by using Rock Tomb and Iron Tail earlier. Now, it positioned itself in front of Mega Gardevoir, using its quadruple resistance to endure the assault from Mega Salamence.

The powerful soundwave battered Drapion. Though it withstood the impact, pain flickered in its cold eyes as it glared at the brutal dragon in the sky.

The moment the attack subsided, Drapion roared, hurling a barrage of jagged rocks to limit Mega Salamence's mobility. But before they could connect, Scizor appeared in a flash, shattering them with Bullet Punch.

From above, a cascade of sand rained down, pelting Drapion just as Mega Gardevoir switched the battlefield again. Pangoro returned to the front lines, swiftly leaping forward with its Iron Fist-enhanced Fire Punch, aiming straight for Scizor.

But as Pangoro moved, it suddenly found its feet entangled—sand tendrils had wrapped around its legs. Tyranitar gave a forceful yank, pulling Pangoro off balance, leaving it vulnerable as Scizor's Bullet Punches rained down like a relentless storm.

Sensing the danger, Mega Gardevoir quickly activated Skill Swap. The Protean-enhanced Pangoro, which had just used Fire Punch, now transformed into a Fire-type.

A powerful gust surged forth as Mega Salamence flapped its wings, extinguishing the flames surrounding Pangoro. Before it could recover, yet another devastating Boomburst descended.

Mega Gardevoir reacted instantly, swapping the battlefield once more. Drapion crossed its arms, bracing itself as it endured another monstrous soundwave. This time, it retaliated, sending rocks flying toward Mega Salamence—several finally striking their mark.

The battle was chaotic yet meticulously controlled. Lucario, Scizor, and Mega Salamence spearheaded the offensive, clashing fiercely against Drapion, Pangoro, and Alolan Muk. Meanwhile, Greninja and Swampert stood still, locked in a tense standoff.

Having observed Swampert's composure and its astonishing Water Gun from earlier, Greninja became deeply intrigued. A fire ignited within it—it wanted to challenge Swampert one-on-one.

In a flash, Greninja lunged forward, its kick striking Swampert's body—only for Swampert to vanish into a puddle of ice-cold water.

Before Greninja could react, the water swirled into a vortex, ensnaring it.

From the very beginning, Swampert had set up a Substitute and baited Greninja with an Ice Punch feint. It had completely deceived its opponent.

Calm and calculating, the real Swampert lay hidden beneath the battlefield, glowing with energy as it activated Curse, steadily increasing its attack and defense while assessing the battlefield with piercing focus.

Rather than rushing into battle, Swampert chose patience. Protean was too unpredictable to counter directly—it needed the perfect moment for a decisive strike.

Greninja's eyes darted around, scanning for an opening. Suddenly, a surge of heat rushed toward it. It instinctively leapt back just as the ground exploded—Swampert burst from below, surrounded by roaring hot air currents.

Harnessing the power of its Curse boosts, Swampert radiated pure intensity. Beneath the cover of the sandstorm, it bided its time, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

Among Klein's six Pokémon, Swampert was the wisest. It played a crucial role in stabilizing the backline, working in tandem with Tyranitar to control the battlefield while seeking opportunities to break the enemy's formation.

Sensing its opponent's tactics, Greninja refused to let Swampert dictate the pace.

Water Shuriken shifted, elongating into a shimmering blade. Greninja gripped the water sword, executing a dazzling flurry of slashes.

One clean strike.

Swampert caught the blade barehanded. The moment it did, scalding water surged from its palm, releasing a thick white mist. Greninja recoiled, momentarily blinded by the burning vapor.

The two Elite-level trainers had been probing each other's strategies throughout the battle. Mega Salamence's opening Boomburst had disrupted the masked man's initial plans, forcing him onto the defensive.

Even so, as a veteran Elite, he managed to hold his ground in a five-on-six battle.

Meanwhile, the unusual phenomena on the Seafoam Islands hadn't gone unnoticed. Though the island's residents were trapped, the League's surveillance satellites had captured everything.

A massive screen at the League headquarters displayed the unfolding disaster over the Seafoam Islands. Several Elite Four members inhaled sharply.

"According to Dr. Fuji's research, the culprit is likely trying to open a gateway to the Distortion World."

Inside the command center, Agatha's expression was grave. "Even a small rift could unleash enough energy to completely consume the Seafoam Islands."

The Distortion World's energy had leaked once before—years ago in Hoenn. That incident had annihilated an entire city. According to records, two trainers had stopped its full-scale expansion just in time.

As Agatha pondered that past disaster, a technician's voice interrupted. "Madam Agatha, we have an update. The anomaly over the Seafoam Islands has disappeared—but the summit looks… strange."

The satellite images showed that the massive, chaotic black hole had vanished. In its place, the entire summit had transformed into a vast desert, a colossal sandstorm raging at its center.

Lorelei examined the images carefully. "This… is Klein's full-powered sandstorm strategy, isn't it?"

"For him to go all out like this… his opponent must be an Elite-level trainer."

After studying the image for a long moment, Lorelei exhaled, then turned toward Agatha. "What's the response from the High Council?"

A criminal of this caliber—one capable of fighting an Elite head-on—was likely another region's Elite Four member. His identity alone would send shockwaves through the League.

"No word yet," Agatha replied, her voice laced with irritation. "An Elite-level criminal… What a damn mess. Who the hell let this lunatic into Kanto?"

(End of Chapter)