"Is this... a rain team?"
Ethan's eyes narrowed slightly as his gaze landed on the opposing team's Ludicolo.
He remembered very clearly that this Ludicolo could use Rain Dance, and the other four Pokémon were also part of a typical rain-based lineup.
Ludicolo, with its Swift Swim ability and Rain Dance move, was without a doubt the core of the team.
Golduck and Poliwrath, if Ethan wasn't mistaken, probably also had the Swift Swim ability.
As for Magneton and Ampharos, their offensive strategy would likely revolve around the move Thunder, which—according to the games—becomes infallible during rainy weather.
And in reality, rainy weather could even condense thunderclouds, further amplifying the power of Electric-type moves.
"A rain team, huh?"
"I see... Looks like they prepared thoroughly to counter our sandstorm team."
Lucas Silver and the others immediately understood as well, and their eyes all turned toward the opposing Ludicolo.
"So how do we fight them?"
Marcus Foster looked at Ethan.
Ever since Ethan had defeated Lucas, he was now, in truth, the undisputed captain of the group.
"In a battle between weather-based teams, the first to clash are always the weather setters."
"If we manage to win that phase, everything becomes much easier. But if we lose, our Pokémon will be at a huge disadvantage under the rain."
"Also, it's very likely that Ludicolo, Golduck, and Poliwrath all have Swift Swim. Their strategy is probably to use the speed boost from the rain to take out one of our key Pokémon right at the start."
"And if I'm not mistaken, their first target will be Sandslash—since it's the core of our sandstorm strategy, and all three of them have a type advantage against it."
Ethan paused to think and explained his reasoning, leaving his teammates impressed by how precise his analysis was.
"What do we do then, Captain?"
Kyle Miller looked at him with a mix of respect and anticipation.
"If things are as I suspect, under the rain we won't have any advantage. Onix and Sandslash will be completely at a disadvantage."
"So... we'll have to sacrifice them."
Hearing that, the others nodded with serious expressions.
Meanwhile, the referee signaled the start of the battle.
"Sandslash, Sand Spin Whirl!"
"Ludicolo, Rain Dance!"
Both trainers gave their orders simultaneously—their key Pokémon activating their weather-based moves.
Neither team attacked yet; both trusted their weather starters completely and stood by their sides, preparing for the clash.
Whoooosh...
Immediately, two opposing forces began to form on the battlefield.
The wind howled as dust rose from the ground, forming a dense cloud of sand.
In the sky, dark clouds gathered, light faded, and the air grew heavy with moisture.
Two streams of energy collided violently, struggling to dominate the field and establish their respective weather conditions.
"Just as I thought... When two weather moves are used at the same time, this kind of clash happens."
Ethan watched the phenomenon carefully.
In the games, the weather of the second Pokémon to move would replace the first. But in reality, it all depended on the Pokémon's strength.
Like two attacks colliding, the stronger one would always prevail.
"I wonder if there's a way to make both weathers coexist."
"If it were possible to combine two types of weather—like a kind of fusion move..."
"Then a dual strategy of drought and sandstorm could reach an entirely new level of power."
Lost in thought, Ethan continued watching the clash unfold.
On the field, Sandslash was spinning at high speed, dragging the surrounding sand as it used its Sand Rush ability to the limit, mimicking the Sand Stream effect to reinforce the storm.
On the other side, Ludicolo danced joyfully, surrounded by misty vapor. With Rain Dance, it made the clouds condense more and more until the first drops began to fall.
"As expected, a fake weather move can't compete with a real one. And with Ludicolo's Swift Swim... the rain is overpowering the sandstorm."
Ethan frowned as he watched the sand begin to fade.
With the progress of weather-move research, more and more trainers had learned to master such abilities. It seemed he would need to capture a true weather summoner or train Sandslash to properly learn the Sandstorm move.
It was worth noting that Professor Harris had made great progress in his research on sand climates; it was only a matter of time before a stable training method was developed.
Splash... splash...
Finally, the rain won out. The sky darkened completely, and the falling drops intensified, washing away the sand. The wet dust settled, leaving puddles of mud all over the field.
"We did it! Let's go!"
Seeing the rain completely dominate the sandstorm, Derek Ashford and his teammates smiled confidently—victory seemed within reach.
Swish!
Then, almost without needing orders, Ludicolo, Golduck, and Poliwrath dashed forward. Their bodies blurred like shadows, moving at such blinding speed that everyone watching was stunned.
Indeed, all three possessed the Swift Swim ability; under the rain, their speed had doubled, allowing for a lightning-fast offensive.
"We've lost priority..."
Ethan and his team exchanged tense looks.
Even so, they reacted immediately. As the rain fully took hold, Metagross, Salamence, and Scizor launched simultaneous attacks, while Onix used Dig to take cover underground.
But the enemy's speed was overwhelming. The three Water-types easily evaded the preemptive strikes and appeared right in front of Sandslash.
At the same time, Magneton and Ampharos raised their arms to the sky, unleashing Thunder. In an instant, the clouds surged with energy, and five bolts of lightning crashed down from above—striking directly at Ethan's five Pokémon.
(End of Chapter)