They had seen many brute-force battles...
But one this direct and overwhelming—it was a first.
This...
This was a one-sided massacre.
From the moment Gordon summoned his four Pokémon, the crowd already sensed something was wrong.
And when they saw Cain's cold expression and Tyranitar's ferocious fighting style, those who had previously envied Gordon now looked at him with pity.
Gordon was pale.
He had never seen a Tyranitar like this.
Was this really a Tyranitar?
Surely many were thinking the same thing as Gordon: "This isn't a Pokémon, it's a monster!"
Hey, isn't this the Pokémon world? What's a kaiju doing here!? Is there an Ultraman nearby? We need reinforcements!
Despite the shock, Gordon still had his wits.
He had sacrificed three Pokémon, but finally, one of them managed to bypass Tyranitar.
Manectric broke through the defense and charged directly at Cain.
If he could capture him, it would all be worth it.
Who knows! He might even seize that beastly Tyranitar!
Just the thought made Gordon's heart burn with ambition.
But Cain's smile only widened. Gordon underestimated Tyranitar. Gordon still didn't understand what kind of monster he was dealing with.
Did he forget its nickname?
The Beast of the Sandstorm!
Although to Cain, that name was already outdated.
To him, Tyranitar was the Tyrant of the Sandstorm.
A being beyond a monster. A presence that controlled energy with perfection.
Did Gordon really think Manectric had broken through his defense?
Just as Manectric circled Tyranitar and lunged at Cain...
The sand surrounding Tyranitar from the beginning shot out like lightning bolts toward Manectric.
Tyranitar turned. From beneath him, the sand launched like a rope, catching one of Manectric's legs.
Mid-charge, Manectric tripped. Looking down, he saw it was a sand rope.
And where was it connected to?
To Tyranitar!
The sand began to constrict. No matter how much he shook, Manectric couldn't break free.
Little by little, the sand crept up his body, wrapping him entirely.
As if it was going to devour him completely.
Manectric struggled desperately.
But the more he fought...
The more excited Tyranitar became!
Under his control, the sand moved at brutal speed, completely engulfing Manectric.
Until there was no room left to resist.
When he was completely bound, he was dragged before Tyranitar.
Without a second of hesitation, without a hint of mercy, he raised one leg...
And crushed him without remorse!
...
The people around finally realized this wasn't a normal battle.
They knew Cain wasn't the type to bully the weak, and that he never attacked defeated opponents with such brutality.
But this time, all of Gordon's Pokémon, without exception, were violently crushed by Tyranitar.
And their condition...
Was devastating.
Tyranitar hadn't held back even once.
The spectators stared wide-eyed.
Some even murmured, "Could that Tyranitar be Elite-level?"
But the strongest among them—like Drake and the head of the Jenny family—knew the truth: that Tyranitar still wasn't Elite-level.
And that made it even more terrifying.
Do you know what it means to be invincible within your own level?
It means that unless there's a rank gap, no Pokémon can stand against him.
Of course, saying "invincible" might sound exaggerated.
But this Tyranitar could truly dominate any Pokémon within its rank.
"TYRANTTT!"
After defeating five Pokémon, Tyranitar finally released his pent-up battle urge.
He opened his arms and roared toward the sky.
The sand on the ground, under his unconscious control, exploded and floated into the air.
In an instant, a sandstorm covered the entire area.
Everything and everyone was engulfed by it.
Though it caused no harm, the message was clear.
When the roar ended, Tyranitar stopped controlling the sand, which slowly settled back to the ground.
In just seconds, the small island that previously had little sand had turned into a complete desert.
Although the island wasn't large, Tyranitar had altered its geography.
Even Cain's Elite-level Weavile had that capability, but not with such ease or over such a large area.
Tyranitar's first real appearance in front of everyone was absolutely overwhelming.
Not far away, Steven was watching with great interest.
Tyranitar was also a Rock-type, and Steven, an expert in both Steel and Rock-types, thought that this Pokémon might also suit him.
But what intrigued him most was...
"What would happen if this Tyranitar reached the same level as my Metagross?"
On this journey through the Steel-type Space, Metagross had gained new power by activating its Shiny trait for the first time.
And that had made it even stronger.
...
When Tyranitar was done venting, Cain approached with a smile.
He gave him a pat on the arm, a gesture of approval.
At 3.2 meters tall, even if he jumped, Cain couldn't reach his shoulder.
But upon feeling that pat, Tyranitar smiled broadly. His aura of confidence grew even stronger.
This had been his first battle after evolving. And only now he realized: "Am I really this strong?!"
And if I Mega Evolve...?
Just the thought made Tyranitar's heart burn with excitement.
Cain slowly approached Gordon.
His smile gradually faded.
"I gave you a chance. I only used Tyranitar, but it seems you didn't take advantage of it," Cain said quietly.
Gordon was pale as a sheet, his lips colorless.
His eyes were vacant.
Upon hearing Cain, he didn't even know how to respond.
"Guards!" Cain ordered firmly.
Two people dressed in mid-level League Researcher uniforms emerged from the crowd and bowed to him.
They had witnessed the entire battle from the start.
"Arrest him," Cain said, pointing at Gordon.
The two mid-level Researchers were stunned...
But as professionals, they obeyed the order.
They arrested Gordon without hesitation.
Drake and the head of the Jenny family approached Cain.
(End of chapter)