Appearing before Cain was a group of Vigoroth accompanied by a group of Slaking.
Leading them at the front was that Vigoroth.
Even at a glance, it was clear that his physical condition was outstanding.
Perhaps it was due to his nearly infinite energy, combined with a clear purpose in how he channeled it, that had allowed him to train his body to an incredible degree.
Beneath the white fur covering him, it was impossible to hide his well-defined and toned muscles.
That Vigoroth was incredibly strong!
The moment Tyranitar and the others saw him, their demeanor changed: they looked excited, as if they recognized a worthy opponent.
Pokémon: Vigoroth (Blue)
Gender: Male
Level: 61
Type: Normal
Ability: Vital Spirit
Held Item: None
Egg Moves: Crush Claw, Hammer Arm, Night Slash, Tickle
Basic Moves: Reversal, Scratch, Focus Energy, Encore, Uproar, Fury Swipes, Endure, Slash, Chip Away, Counter, Focus Punch
Learned Moves: Low Kick, After You, Thunder Punch, Gunk Shot, Ice Punch, Water Pulse, Icy Wind, Fire Punch, Shock Wave, Snore
TM Moves: None
This Vigoroth had intentionally suppressed its evolution and had reached level 61.
That level of self-control and perseverance was, according to Cain, the most extreme he had ever seen in a Pokémon.
It's worth noting that this Vigoroth wasn't carrying an Everstone.
That meant that every time he leveled up, he had to consciously and consistently fight the evolutionary impulse.
Not all Pokémon could do something like that.
Rejecting evolution was like forcibly holding back a climax: an intense need that had to be brutally restrained.
Once or twice, it might be doable—like Ash's Bulbasaur once did.
But this Vigoroth was at level 61, which meant he had suppressed that impulse dozens of times.
That required monumental willpower!
Training his body while restraining evolution, this Pokémon was an absolute rarity among the wild.
It was no wonder he had become the leader of the Slakoth group.
So much training and repression had molded his body to the point of looking even more robust than the Slaking surrounding him.
With the Vital Spirit ability and his constitution, he was practically a perpetual-motion machine.
Cain had considered raising a Slakoth before, since its final evolution, Slaking, had a base stat total of 670.
To put that in context: Tyranitar, considered a pseudo-legendary, has 600 base stats. All pseudo-legendaries cap there.
But Slaking even surpassed that, with 70 more points, matching—or even exceeding—some legendaries in that regard.
Of course, legendaries aren't judged by stats alone, but this showed just how special Slaking was.
The problem was its ability, Truant, which prevents it from attacking continuously, forcing it to rest after every move, as if it were on "paid leave."
If that ability could be neutralized, Slaking would be even more fearsome than a pseudo-legendary.
Maybe that's why this Vigoroth had chosen not to evolve.
He preferred to remain in his current form, with all his combat potential available, to protect his pack at all times.
Thanks to that, the Slakoth could live in peace in that forest.
Cain looked at the serious-faced Vigoroth and felt a deep interest.
"Tyranitar, do you want to face him?" he asked with a smile.
Although he couldn't do much more than speak, Cain could still give battle orders.
Of course, this Vigoroth was level 61, an Elite level, while Tyranitar was level 58. Only a three-level difference, but it represented a huge threshold.
Even so, Tyranitar didn't show a trace of fear.
Upon hearing his name, he stepped forward.
"Tyran!" he roared with determination at the Vigoroth.
Aggron, seeing this, felt disappointed.
Such a strong rival... he wanted to fight too!
Cain, noticing his expression, smiled.
And it wasn't just Aggron—Blaziken and Swampert also looked restless.
"Don't worry," he told them. "We'll be here for a while. Everyone will get their turn. But don't chicken out when the time comes, okay?"
The three Pokémon immediately perked up.
If there was a battle, there was no fear. Never!
Tyranitar's roar was clearly a provocation to Vigoroth.
A Slaking wanted to intervene and step forward, but Vigoroth stopped him with one hand.
His years of experience told him that the "big guy" in front of them was dangerous.
The rest of the group was strong too.
For a Vigoroth to stop a Slaking was extremely rare, but that was his authority.
That Slaking, level 59, was at the peak of the Quasi-Elite level, but even so, obeyed without complaint.
Cain's interest deepened.
This group was fascinating.
"In that case, Tyranitar, let's strike first," Cain ordered.
"Tyran!" his partner nodded.
"Rock Polish!"
Upon receiving the command, Tyranitar seemed to shine; his green armor emitted a faint glow, as if it had sharpened and hardened even more.
The move Rock Polish increased speed.
"Now show him your power... Stone Edge!"
With preparations complete, the battle had begun!
(End of Chapter)