"Thank you very much, Professor Harris," Ethan said sincerely.
Having his Sandslash fully master the move Sandstorm was something he wanted more than anything. Sandslash himself was eager, itching to begin the training immediately.
"Alright, let's first take a look at how the move is executed," Professor Harris said with a smile as he patted the enthusiastic Sandslash on the head.
Then he walked toward Tyranitar and began communicating with him. After receiving the professor's instructions, Tyranitar nodded and stepped toward the center of the field, where several scientific instruments were set up.
"Tyyrraaann!"
With a deep roar, a massive Rock-type energy began gathering around him.
Boom!
Raising his hand, a powerful sandstorm erupted, engulfing the entire testing field.
Fuuuh—
The Sandstorm created by Tyranitar was completely different: the clouds of dust covered the surroundings so thoroughly that the area became unrecognizable, so dense it was nearly impossible to see.
"What an incredible force... No wonder they call it the tyrant of the desert," Ethan murmured, fascinated. "Aside from the move itself, he must be powering it up with his ability Sand Stream—there's no way it could be this devastating otherwise."
Watching Tyranitar's imposing figure amidst the raging winds, Ethan felt a burning desire to reach that level.
Shhh...
Following the professor's orders, Sandslash entered the storm to feel the energy of the sand firsthand.
Over the next several days, Professor Harris explained in detail the theory behind the phenomenon: controlling Rock-type energy and the resonance between it and the so-called Sandstorm Energy.
...
Ten days later.
Professor Harris and Ethan left the Secret Kingdom of the Sky. This time, their goal was for Sandslash to fully master the move, and their destination was the vast Tarkaan Desert, which Ethan already knew from before.
Facing the immensity of the desert, the young man looked toward the horizon covered in golden dust. Even though it wasn't his first time, he was still struck by the sheer magnitude of the landscape.
To study sand-based climates, Professor Harris had been here many times. In fact, the Pokémon Researchers' Guild had established a sandstorm research laboratory near the edge of the desert to assist him.
"Cac!" Cacturne cried happily, radiant at returning to its homeland.
Seeing its excitement, Ethan, after speaking with the professor, decided to accompany it to visit its old home.
"Sandslash, make good use of your time and focus on mastering the move," he said with a smile.
Receiving a firm nod in return, Ethan headed toward the desert.
"Alright, everyone come out."
With a smile, he threw six Poké Balls.
In flashes of white light appeared Cacturne, Slowking, Shuckle, Absol, Vibrava, and Charmander.
"Cacturne, ready?" Ethan asked.
After looking once more at the desert, it nodded seriously.
"Then let's go—let's visit your home."
Ethan lifted Charmander and Shuckle into his arms, allowed Vibrava to float above his head, mounted Absol, and ventured into the golden sands.
Tap tap tap.
At first, Absol seemed uncomfortable running on the sand, but soon adapted, moving more steadily with each step. Ethan, meanwhile, remained composed with the Pokémon in his arms.
Beside him, Cacturne ran lightly, perfectly familiar with the terrain, guiding him toward an area where a natural sandstorm howled.
Slowking floated calmly at his side, using its psychic power to stay suspended and alert. Shellder's shell emitted mental waves, attentive to any threat.
After all, they were still in the wild: even a small misstep could be fatal.
The desert housed a huge number of wild Pokémon. The abundant Rock- and Ground-type energy attracted many such species, so even Pokémon hunters entered this place with extreme caution.
The closer one got to the center of the desert, the stronger the Pokémon became. Fortunately, Ethan stayed only around the perimeter, where the danger was much lower.
Moreover, Slowking's great strength and its ability to use Teleport gave him enough confidence to venture in.
He also wanted to use this opportunity to test his survival skills—a crucial part of the exam to become an advanced-level trainer. And he was very close to reaching that level.
If Sandslash managed to master Sandstorm, he could attempt the exam.
After all, his main team—Sandslash, Cacturne, Slowking, and Meltan—had already reached that rank. And his other Pokémon—Vibrava, Absol, and Kingdra—were also strong enough to battle on their own.
With the added boost from the sandstorm climate, even a team of four would be as strong as the six-Pokémon team of an average advanced-level trainer.
And with Shuckle's support and its juice production, Ethan was confident he could pass the test with ease.
Shhh—
Suddenly, as Absol ran, the ground shook. A large rock serpent emerged from the sand with a roar.
"An Onix, huh?" Ethan grinned. "Shuckle, this battle is yours."
"Shuck!" the little Pokémon responded enthusiastically, moving forward.
"Alright, use Hidden Power."
Upon hearing the command, Plant-type energy gathered through its body, then condensed into a glowing sphere shot straight at Onix.
Boom!
The explosion echoed. The attack struck directly, and Onix fell defeated instantly.
"Wow... Looks like without realizing it, Shuckle has gotten quite strong," Ethan laughed, patting its head.
Shuckle lifted its small yellow shell proudly at its trainer's praise.
(End of chapter)