Pokémon: Above the Top

"Krookodile has lost the ability to battle. Steelix is victorious. Leader Sato, please send out your next Pokémon!"

The referee waited for the applause to settle before slowly announcing the result, even though Sato had already returned Krookodile to its Poké Ball.

"…I was hoping you'd complete your evolution in this match. Seems like it won't happen after all. Don't worry, it won't be long…"

Sato spoke softly to Pupitar's Poké Ball. The Poké Ball gave two small shakes in response, and Sato took out another one.

"A High Ace Steelix, huh? Maybe this is the right opponent for your breakthrough, Sharpedo."

A flash of red light, and a Sharpedo -much larger than normal- appeared on the battlefield. Though a marine Pokémon, it floated effortlessly in mid-air.

Sharpedo's appearance also drew cheers from the crowd. Compared to the relatively unknown Krookodile, Sharpedo was already widely recognized.

More importantly, Sharpedo could also Mega Evolve!

Seeing Sato send out Sharpedo, the referee gave a light nod to both Trainers before declaring, "The battle continues!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, Byron didn't make any moves. He naturally assumed Sato would initiate Mega Evolution first.

…But then his expression tightened.

"Sharpedo, Hydro Pump."

Sato issued the command immediately!

Caught off guard, Steelix was hit dead-on by Hydro Pump. Even with its boosted defense from Mega Evolution, the impact left it badly hurt.

"Leader Sato, what is the meaning of this?" Byron asked with a frown, his voice tense.

Steelix had already Mega Evolved, yet Sato's Sharpedo launched straight into the fight. Did this mean…

"Sharpedo is close to a breakthrough. Steelix is a worthy opponent. Again, Hydro Pump."

Sato's voice wasn't loud, but with the help of the PA system, it spread across the arena with ease.

It was clear… Sato intended to use this battle, and a Sinnoh Gym Leader no less, as the stepping stone for his Pokémon's advancement.

Just like the news reports had said; brazen… or rather, monstrous!

Byron gave Sato a cold look. Though clearly angry, he also grew increasingly cautious.

After all, this wasn't the first time his opponent had done something like this. To be honest… Byron had already prepared himself for it.

"Steelix, Iron Tail, defend!"

"Steeel!"

Mega Steelix, now much more agile, twisted its body and whipped its tail forward, smacking away the Hydro Pump with force.

But Sato had never planned on taking Steelix down from the start. Once Sharpedo's Speed Boost ability fully kicked in, that would be the real turning point.

For now, he just needed to buy time.

"Steelix, Gyro Ball!"

"Sharpedo, dodge it."

The greater the speed difference, the more powerful Gyro Ball became. Making it perfect for slow Pokémon like Steelix.

Still, no matter how strong the move, it had to hit first.

Steelix spun into a massive Gyro Ball, flying through the air in dizzying arcs. The spectators watched nervously, afraid it might accidentally fall and crash into the crowd.

But Sharpedo, always ahead of the spinning Steelix, easily evaded each attack with mid-air maneuvers that outshone even most bird Pokémon.

"Steelix, Screech and Gyro Ball!"

Byron clearly knew this wasn't going to work for long. He wasn't a fan of aggressive tactics, but he had no choice, he had to pin down Sharpedo. Otherwise, the longer the battle dragged on, the slimmer his chances would become.

A harsh Screech erupted from within the spinning Gyro Ball; combining two moves clearly indicated specialized training.

The sound blanketed the entire arena once more, even sharper and more grating than before.

Sharpedo's movements faltered slightly. Even the small whirlpool beneath it nearly scattered from the shock.

This was the gap between High Ace and Peak elite. Even if Sharpedo could battle across level, it was never going to be easy.

"Sharpedo, Double Team!"

Sato's voice cut through the noise and echoed directly within Sharpedo's mind. Without hesitation, it began to generate multiple clones.

The next instant, the massive spinning Steelix crashed through where Sharpedo had just been, shattering over a dozen clones in its path.

But Sharpedo itself wasn't among them!

"Substitute, then Double Team."

Sato issued another command, and instantly, the sky was filled with dozens of new clones.

Sharpedo's real body hid behind a Substitute, which in turn was concealed among the clones.

Looking up at the swarm of Sharpedo illusions, Byron's expression darkened. It was obvious that Sato was intentionally dragging things out to give Sharpedo more time to accelerate.

"Steelix, cancel Gyro Ball, use Rock Slide with everything you've got!"

"STEEEEL!"

Steelix let out a deafening roar. In the next moment, a storm of massive boulders appeared overhead, raining down toward the multitude of Sharpedo clones.

"Sharpedo, hold nothing back, Surf, one after another." A faint smile curled on Sato's lips. Sharpedo had fully taken control of the battle. Even against a High Ace Steelix, it no longer felt threatened.

Still, after multiple rounds of Screech, Sharpedo had grown fragile, which was why Sato had used a Substitute.

…Just in case.

With plenty of moisture in the beach sand, Sharpedo easily summoned massive waves, launching them at Steelix without hesitation!

"Steelix, Protect!"

"Let's see how many times you can block. Sharpedo, keep using Surf."

Their commands came one after another. As the second wave surged forth again, Byron could no longer even see Sharpedo's moving shadow.

"Steelix, Gyro Ball into the air!"

"Sharpedo, dodge and follow with Hydro Pump."

Steelix spun into the sky once more. The speed gap had widened again, making Gyro Ball terrifyingly powerful.

But no matter how powerful, it was still slow. To Sharpedo, it posed no real threat.

Hydro Pump screamed through the air, striking its target effortlessly and dealing heavy damage.

Steelix, under the pressure of the Hydro Pump, charged toward Sharpedo. But at the last second, Sharpedo dodged again.

It was Peak Elite Sharpedo against High Ace Steelix, yet from the battlefield, it looked more like Steelix was being toyed with.

Even with the level suppression, under repeated Surf and Hydro Pump attacks, no matter how monstrous its defense or stamina. How much longer could Steelix hold out?

BOOOOOM!

At last, with a thunderous crash, the several hundred-kilogram Steelix slammed into the ground, eyes swirling. Its Mega Evolution faded on its own.

----

"…And with that final match, I declare the winner of this exhibition match is Leader Sato of the Shadownight Gym from the Johto Region!"

As the match came to a close, though many were reluctant to accept it, the reality was clear: Byron could no longer turn the tide.

At the very least, this time, whether it was the referee, the spectators, or even Byron… they all seemed able to accept the result a bit more quickly.

And the aura surrounding Sharpedo…

Began to surge violently just as expected.