"Stand up! Stand up!"
The roars from the crowd were like a mountain tsunami, crashing through the stadium.
Nearly everyone was holding their breath, waiting for Lairon to rise—even the announcer in the broadcast booth was silently rooting for it. And when Lairon finally pushed itself up and that miraculous blue light of evolution ignited, every eye in the house widened in shock.
"It's evolving! At the very brink of defeat, Lairon is evolving! Ladies and gentlemen, we are privileged to witness a miracle in the making!"
The announcer could no longer contain his excitement, his voice reaching a hysterical pitch. At the same time, he didn't forget to glance over at Yamamino.
Claydol still seemed dazed, unable to fully grasp the situation, while Yamamino's face was a mask of complex emotions, his fists clenched tight as if lost in deep thought.
All eyes snapped back to the center of the field.
The crowd watched, breathless, as Lairon's form underwent a radical transformation. Its body rose from an all-fours stance to standing firmly on two legs. Its short, thick tail lengthened instantly, and two sharp, prominent horns sprouted from its head. The silver armor on its snout extended forward, while the plating on the back of its head layered over itself like a heavy, reinforced helmet covering its entire skull.
But the most striking change was its physique.
The already massive armor grew even thicker, its silhouette now resembling a heavy-duty tank. As the light of evolution receded, the towering and formidable figure of Aggron was revealed. Its silver armor glistened brilliantly under the sun, and its eyes flickered with a soul-piercing intensity. With every breath, puffs of white vapor escaped its iron jaws, and every slight movement exerted an immense, crushing pressure on the atmosphere.
"ROOAAARRRR—!!"
Aggron threw its head back and bellowed, the very air trembling with the force of its cry.
Then, it turned its head slightly to lock eyes with its Trainer. They exchanged a look of shared joy and unwavering conviction before Aggron charged straight at Claydol.
Each step of its heavy body caused the pockmarked ground to shudder violently, like a drumbeat echoing in the hearts of the spectators. By the third step, a brilliant white light began to shroud Aggron, starting from its horns and covering its entire frame. This energy surged, unnaturally boosting its speed until it resembled a high-speed white locomotive!
"Double-Edge! Aggron is using Double-Edge!"
The announcer screamed in a frenzy. "If this lands, the impact will be catastrophic! Can Claydol—having used Power Trick—survive this? Wait! Claydol is counterattacking! It's Earth Power!"
On the field, Claydol had finally snapped out of its daze. Seeing Aggron charging like a juggernaut, it followed its Trainer's command and unleashed Earth Power directly in front of itself.
BOOM—!!
Ground-type energy erupted like a volcanic vent, engulfing Aggron's body like a landmine. Yet, it failed to halt the momentum. Blurred by the white light of its move, Aggron slammed brutally into Claydol.
CRASH!
Under the sheer force of the impact, Claydol was sent flying backward. However, after completing the strike, Aggron also sank to one knee, propping up its heavy torso with one claw as it gasped for air.
The stamina and energy regained through evolution were limited, and more importantly, Aggron remained four times weak to Ground-type moves. No matter how many times it had "pushed through," such an explosive burst of energy inevitably led to a period of total exhaustion.
"Grr..."
Aggron tried to stand, but found its limbs completely unresponsive. A wave of paralysis washed over it, and every fiber of its being screamed with weakness.
"The opponent is out of strength! Give it the final blow! Earth Power!"
Yamamino wasn't about to let such a golden opportunity slip away, and Claydol certainly wouldn't allow itself to be defeated by Aggron. The frustration from Aggron's constant dodging had built up a massive amount of rage, and the humiliation of being stunned by Endeavor was a stain it had to wash away!
Vrrrrm—
Claydol gathered a massive amount of elemental energy, channeling it directly beneath Aggron to end the match with a single strike.
But in that exact moment, Aggron launched a counterattack of its own.
Opening its terrifying jaws—capable of crushing solid steel—a shimmering silver orb of energy grew rapidly. It culminated in a thick, brilliant silver beam that blasted toward Claydol!
Flash Cannon!
Focused entirely on its own attack, Claydol had no time to dodge. It and the immobile Aggron were swallowed by the resulting explosion simultaneously.
BOOM!
Thick dust and smoke covered both Pokémon, along with Yamamino's startled expression.
"Both sides were hit! What will the final result be? Let's find out!" The announcer's voice kept every spectator on the edge of their seat.
A moment later, the dust cleared.
Both Pokémon were lying on the ground, their status unclear. However, after a few tense seconds, Claydol tremulously floated back up. Though it looked like a flickering candle in the wind, ready to collapse at any moment, it remained upright compared to the completely unconscious Aggron.
Both Trainers wore expressions of resignation or complex reflection.
BEEP—
The alarm signaled the end of the match.
Kashiwagi stumbled slightly as he walked over to Aggron's side. He stroked its armored face and said softly, "You did wonderfully. You will always be my pride."
He gave Aggron a firm hug before returning it to its Poké Ball.
Honestly, for a split second when Aggron evolved, he truly thought he was going to win. But the gap in raw strength was still just a bit too wide, leaving Aggron slightly short of the mark. There was no helping it.
As a Trainer, he felt it was a mark of his own immaturity that he couldn't put Aggron and the others on an equal footing with their opponents, forcing them to go through such agonizing struggles to bridge the gap between weak and strong. One day, he vowed, he would break out of this cycle of always having to play the underdog.
The Pyrite Colosseum tournament journey ended here.
Kashiwagi brushed the dust off his clothes, but out of the corner of his eye, he saw Yamamino approaching him instead of leaving.
"You are very strong. In reality, I was the one who lost."
Before Kashiwagi could say a word, Yamamino spoke those startling words and extended his hand. Kashiwagi hesitated for a moment, then took the hand, letting Yamamino pull him up.
"I'm talking about your skill as a Trainer. Your tactical planning and your Pokémon's execution were breathtaking. You can't achieve those things without a deep bond. A Trainer like you would be considered exceptionally talented even outside of this place."
The man showered him with praise so earnestly that Kashiwagi felt quite embarrassed.
"...You're joking. Setting aside that Meowstic isn't even one of your main Pokémon, Aggron and I did lose that final clash. And even if we ignore that..." Kashiwagi spoke as politely as possible, knowing the man was an honored guest of the Town Mayor—someone he couldn't afford to offend. "...Your Claydol could have moved while Aggron was evolving, right? You deliberately gave us an opening. How can that be considered my victory?"
"Remaining silent while an opponent's Pokémon evolves is simply good manners," Yamamino said, looking at him deeply. "Just call me Yamamino. I'm not a fan of formal honorifics. In exchange, I'll call you by your name. What do you think?"
"...Sure."
Kashiwagi didn't quite understand why Yamamino was being so friendly. Did they know each other? He combed through his memories of life on Cyanide Street but couldn't find a single familiar face.
"Until we meet again," Yamamino said, taking his leave. "You and your Pokémon are only a bit of training away from true strength. You already have the more important things—willpower and bonds—in abundance. I'm sure I don't need to tell you this, but don't let this loss affect you. I look forward to our next battle."
"See you next time," Kashiwagi nodded in acknowledgment.