Stone Edge!
Tyranitar's tail instinctively lashed against the ground.
Fist-sized rock fragments burst out in all directions, floating in the air. Under the control of rock-type energy, these stones immediately became razor-sharp.
Each rock followed a distinct trajectory and curvature, shooting at full speed toward Vigoroth.
"Yaaak!" Vigoroth roared.
The members of his species around him took a few steps back.
His muscles, already overly developed, swelled even more.
With an explosive push from his legs, he didn't stand still to defend against the attack—instead, he launched himself straight into the oncoming stones.
With clenched fists, two flares ignited over his knuckles, and without hesitation, he punched the rocks.
Boom!
His fist struck one of the stones, instantly pulverizing it.
But the move Stone Edge doesn't consist of just one stone.
By leaping into the air, Vigoroth lost any support for movement: he became an easy target.
However, he gave Tyranitar a lesson in what technique means in battle.
Certainly, he couldn't dodge in midair—but he didn't need to.
Every joint and part of his body became both weapon and shield.
Fists, feet, knees, elbows...
Every part was used. The stones from Stone Edge struck those points—or rather, Vigoroth made sure they clashed exactly there.
Boom!
Boom!
Blow after blow landed.
But not a single rock managed to hit his body directly.
Blaziken, watching Vigoroth's movements, let an unexplainable spark flash in his eyes.
Yes!
This is the combat style he longed for!
Training every part of the body as a weapon. The best defense is offense.
Seeing those movements, Cain couldn't help but show an expression of awe. Once again, Vigoroth amazed him.
"Tyranitar, keep going!" Cain shouted.
Cain wanted to see how far Vigoroth could go.
Even if Cain hadn't said anything, Tyranitar already had the same idea. Cain's order simply resonated with what he already wanted to do.
That's what's called the bond between trainer and Pokémon.
Both could predict the other's next move.
Bang!
Tyranitar stomped hard on the ground, causing more rock fragments to appear around him.
The number of stones increased drastically, shooting non-stop toward Vigoroth, who was still in the air.
Vigoroth had been in the air so long not because he had great floating ability, but because Tyranitar's attacks gave him no chance to land.
Otherwise, the unpredictable angles of the Stone Edge move would have hit him.
But Vigoroth had his own method. Using the moving rocks, he propelled himself from one to another, staying in the air without losing balance.
Each rock traced a different arc in the air, all controlled by Tyranitar.
From the outside, it looked like there was an invisible enemy in the sky, and Tyranitar's stones were like surface-to-air missiles launched in fury.
But they failed to break his defense.
Vigoroth looked like he was dancing. As Tyranitar added more stones, he moved faster.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
Boom...!
The strikes didn't stop.
This Vigoroth didn't just have a powerful body—he knew every part of himself to perfection. He used every last muscle in combat.
Cain watched, silently deep in thought.
Blaziken, standing behind Cain, had his eyes locked on Vigoroth. His body began moving on its own.
He was imitating some of Vigoroth's moves and techniques.
But Vigoroth couldn't stay on the defensive forever.
After adapting to Tyranitar's attack rhythm, he seized a small opening. His body twisted into an incredibly strange posture and shot through several rocks, heading straight for Tyranitar.
His arm coiled. Despite the prolonged Stone Edge bombardment, his fist only showed a bit of torn skin.
That was an Iron Fist!
His arm and fist began to be enveloped in energy.
With the strength gained from momentum, he hurled it without hesitation toward Tyranitar.
Hammer Arm!
Vigoroth had figured out Tyranitar's type after enduring so many attacks.
A flash gleamed in Cain's eyes.
This Vigoroth... was too clever.
"Tyranitar, use Brick Break!" Cain ordered.
Tyranitar looked at the oncoming Vigoroth without the slightest hint of fear.
He raised his arm, enveloped in the same energy as his opponent's.
Boom!
Crack, crack, crack!
It was a direct clash of fist against fist!
With no barriers in between.
Tyranitar withstood Vigoroth's Hammer Arm.
But the ground beneath his feet collapsed completely.
The downward force of Vigoroth's strike was so strong it shattered the terrain around Tyranitar.
However, after the clash with Brick Break, Vigoroth was sent flying.
He retreated faster than he had advanced.
His balance remained excellent.
He flipped in the air before landing.
Though he couldn't stabilize completely.
He staggered back several more steps before finally standing firm.
His face showed deep astonishment.
It was the first time he encountered a Pokémon that completely surpassed him in strength. Even though the big guy in front of him already looked strong, this was too much.
And to think he had trained his strength so hard...
Among his entire tribe, not even the fully evolved Slaking were stronger than him.
And yet, in that direct clash with Tyranitar, he realized his strength wasn't enough.
Although the Hammer Arm had struck and even shattered the ground, the clash was more about raw power than damage—and Tyranitar didn't suffer much.
Instead, after taking that attack, Tyranitar used Brick Break to counter and launch him into the air.
He was thrown a great distance.
And upon landing, he couldn't even stand firm.
After this fight, Vigoroth realized: although Tyranitar was extremely powerful, his level clearly hadn't yet reached the same as his. That was what surprised him the most.
Of course, he wasn't the only one surprised. Tyranitar too.
Tyranitar, still standing in the crater, furrowed his brow and kept shaking his right hand.
It had gone numb.
"He had more strength than Blaziken," Tyranitar thought.
Vigoroth's arm also trembled slightly.
Both Pokémon had overwhelming strength.
This first clash... ended in a draw.
(End of chapter)