"I'll show you what real strength is!"
Reggie's voice rang across the arena, arrogant and loud.
"SKREEH!"
Staraptor cried beside him, its tone sharp but there was an almost awkward edge to it, as if even the bird felt secondhand embarrassment from its trainer's overconfidence.
Silas said nothing. He simply studied Staraptor with a breeder's eye.
Its plumage gleamed with polish and care.
Its body was sleek, muscular - clearly well-fed and trained.
But what caught Silas's attention most were those talons: honed like blades, their grip strong enough to crush stone.
'Those claws have seen conditioning,' he thought. 'Weighted drills, resistance training… whoever raised it knew what they were doing.'
A faint flicker of respect and caution passed through him.
Staraptor wasn't just some bird with power. It was a predator fine-tuned for aerial dominance.
Then his Crawdaunt let out a low, guttural growl.
"Crawdaaaaunt…"
Silas smirked faintly. "Yeah, you're right. With you here… what's there to worry about?"
He extended his hand forward. "Go, my ace!"
The Water/Dark-type stomped onto the field, its armored shell glinting under the arena lights.
The crowd erupted in cheers as the two Pokémon locked eyes -predator versus predator.
Tension crackled in the air.
The referee raised his flag.
"Battle… begin!"
"STAREEEEHH!"
Staraptor unleashed a piercing cry, feathers bristling as an invisible pressure rolled across the field.
Silas's eyes narrowed. 'Intimidate, huh?'
"Stay steady, Crawdaunt! Use Scald!"
"Crawdaunt!"
Hot steam burst from its claws as boiling water surged upward in a roaring jet, cutting through the air toward the swooping bird.
"Quick Attack -dodge it!" Reggie barked.
Staraptor's body flashed white , a streak of motion blurred across the sky, narrowly avoiding the scalding blast. The heat shimmered beneath it, leaving trails of steam.
'Fast… faster than I expected,' Silas thought.
'Probably enhanced with reaction serums — nerve stimulants, maybe.'
"Staraptor, Air Slash!"
"SKREEEH!"
The bird beat its wings with force, launching twin blades of compressed air toward Crawdaunt.
"Brick Break - shatter them!" Silas commanded instantly.
Crawdaunt raised its claws and crack! - split both blades apart with sheer force, water droplets scattering like sparks.
Silas's expression didn't waver. He knew Staraptor's kind - high offense, limited range. It relied on melee combat and aerial pressure, not sustained ranged attacks.
That was his opening.
"Keep baiting it closer," Silas murmured. "Let it come down to us."
Reggie frowned from across the stage.
"Air Slash again!"
Once more, twin air blades tore downward and once more, Crawdaunt broke them effortlessly, this time letting out a mocking snort.
"Crawdaaaunt!"
The crowd gasped and Reggie's jaw tightened.
"Provoking me, huh?"
Silas smiled faintly. "Hook, line, and sinker."
Reggie's mind raced. His long-range strategy was crumbling.
Staraptor's repertoire of ranged moves was limited, and with Taunt locking it down, support options were sealed too.
He clenched his fist.
"Tch… fine. You want melee? You got it! Staraptor, Aerial Ace!"
But before the bird could strike
Crawdaunt's form began to glow.
Its muscles tensed, the air trembling with energy as it broke into a rapid, swirling rhythm.
"Crawdaaaaunt!!"
Reggie's eyes widened. "That's-Dragon Dance!?"
Silas's voice was calm, almost amused.
"Too slow."
Crawdaunt's power surged,speed and strength doubling in an instant.
Staraptor dove with glowing wings, but Crawdaunt met it head-on, claws blazing with white-blue light.
"Razor shell -now!"
Steel met water in a thunderous CLANG. Sparks flew as the two collided midair -a perfect clash of force and will.
Reggie gritted his teeth.
"Close Combat, now!"
Staraptor twisted in midair, wings and claws striking in a blinding rhythm - a flurry of graceful, practiced motions.
But Crawdaunt refused to give ground.
Each strike it met with raw power -less refined, but brutally efficient.
"Crawdaaaaunt!!"
The arena floor cracked beneath them.
'As expected,' Silas thought, eyes narrowing.
'That Staraptor's fighting style… it's been customized - rhythm-based, self-developed. Impressive. But…'
He clenched his fist.
'Let's see you block this twice.'
"Crawdaunt – right claw, Shell Blade!"
The crustacean's pincer gleamed with a rushing stream of energy, and it slammed downward in an arc of blue light.
Staraptor parried once but then faltered as a follow-up blow came from the opposite claw.
"SKREEEEHHH!!"
The bird screeched in pain, forced back by the sheer power of the strike.
Reggie's expression twisted.
He had underestimated it , the intensity, the speed, the strength.
"Close Combat again!" he shouted desperately.
The two Pokémon clashed again, raw muscle against precision technique. The impact was so violent that the ground itself seemed to rumble.
"Crawdaunt-Water Jet!" Silas's voice cut through the chaos like a blade.
Crawdaunt's body flared with a rush of water energy.
"Crawdaaaaunt!"
It launched upward like a missile, striking Staraptor squarely in the chest.
The bird screamed as the impact sent it crashing into the protective barrier overhead.
BOOOOOM!
Dust and feathers scattered as the crowd collectively gasped and craned their necks upward.
The referee's whistle echoed faintly beneath the roar of the audience.
Silas stood still, his expression calm - eyes fixed on the rising smoke.
'Let's see if that's enough to ground you, Thunder God.'
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(End of chapter)