Entirely pitch black.
The noble dragon head, fiery red eyes, muscular limbs, powerful and enormous wings, and a tail thicker than thighs.
At the end of the tail, a bluish-black flame burns silently.
This Pokémon is actually...
Charizard!
More accurately, a Shining Charizard!!
The flame it spews resembles the color of Super Charizard X's fires post-Mega Evolution, only more profound.
The temperature and destructive power of the flame are incredibly terrifying.
This Shining Charizard has absorbed so much Life Crystal infusion, making its strength already formidable.
Coupled with the "Blazing Energy Block" made from numerous Dragon Fire Fruits, its special attack and explosive power are exceedingly terrifying in a short period.
Agatha summoned the Ghost Legion to confront it.
Indeed, Tamechi managed to create an extraordinary Pokémon.
"Agatha, help me test its strength." Tamechi collected his crazed expression, bowed elegantly with his hand on his shoulder.
He pointed his finger ring harboring the black jewel, and the pitch-black Shining Charizard moved.
With two flaps of its wings, its body soared.
Its mouth clenched, streams of black flames leaked from the gaps between its teeth.
Jet Flame!
The scorching black flames spewed out ferociously, the rising hot air causing the rock layers above the cavern to slowly melt.
The glowing moss covering the cave instantly shriveled.
Agatha, with a stern look, threw three Pokeballs again, summoning Golbat, Weezing, and Muk to join the collision.
Facing the pressure from the Shining Charizard, Agatha had to get serious.
Weezing and Muk simultaneously tossed dark purple sludge, attempting to lower the Shining Charizard's threat with sludge attacks.
Gengar led the Ghost Legion encircling the Shining Charizard, densely surrounding it, while Golbat hovered high above, emitting ultra-high frequency sound waves continuously from its mouth.
On the other side.
Arbok crawled rapidly on the ground, its body twisting with mysterious snake patterns fluctuating, speed sometimes swift and sometimes slow, strength sometimes strong and sometimes weak, slithering and charging towards Tamechi perched on the platform.
Mismagius' eyes flashed, then disappeared into the shadows, executing Stealth Spirit Assault.
Natsuhiko squinted his eyes while hiding in the corner.
He and Agatha both realized that the one controlling the Shining Charizard was the black jewel on Tamechi's finger.
The Shining Charizard might not be solved quickly, but if Tamechi's control is neutralized first, it would be relatively straightforward.
Tamechi, aware of Agatha's intent, naturally wouldn't wait passively.
He tossed Pokeballs in succession.
Amid the red light, four more Pokémon appeared.
A Mightyena clad in black fur with a fierce demeanor.
A Camerupt spewing smoke from its back chimney, a Fire and Ground-type Pokémon.
A Seviper, its body dotted with yellow markings, a Poison-type Pokémon.
And a Swalot, its vacant expression releasing purple bubbles, a Poison-type Pokémon.
Alongside Chandelure and Dusclops that appeared earlier, Tamechi's six strongest Pokémon manifested.
Agatha operated on two fronts, commanding to restrain the Shining Charizard while striving to overcome Tamechi.
The battle ignited immediately.
"Arbok, Power Snake Pattern, Frozen Fang!"
Arbok launched the first attack, its abdomen's snake pattern writhing, power sharply increasing, bounding out like an arrow, targeting the leading Mightyena.
Natsuhiko's gaze followed Arbok's movement, seeing Arbok about to contact Mightyena, and in that instant Mightyena neither dodged nor evaded, raising its forelimb and stomped hard onto the ground, Heavy Step ensuing.
Simultaneously Dusclops and Chandelure locked onto Arbok, bits of bluish ghost fire following closely.
Facing a multitude, even if Arbok's power was mighty, it toughly endured revolving attacks.
Tamechi evidently set Mightyena as bait, attempting to trade one-for-one with Arbok.
But the next second.
Poof!
Mismagius' spectral figure flared up from Dusclops' shadow.
The colossal damage from Stealth Spirit Assault and the inherent advantage Ghost Types hold over Ghost Types made Dusclops' scarlet pupils extinguish instantly, falling incapacitated from battle.
Elsewhere, Arbok's rapid advancement on Mightyena abruptly halted.
Snake pattern shifted swiftly, accelerating while twisting serpentine to evade Mightyena's Heavy Step and Chandelure's Ghost Fire.
It slung towards the hovering Chandelure.
The teeth cloaked in chilling frost opened and closed.
Upon opening again, Shatter Technique charged completed.
Yet before Arbok could assault Chandelure, Camerupt moved forward, guarding Tamechi, stomping the ground, Power of Earth converged into a Long Spear, abruptly piercing before Chandelure.
Fortunately, Arbok's alertness ahead of time and speed allowed its scales to scrape against the spear as it emerged, fire sparks scattering, clinging atop the shaft.
A touch of encounter.
Despite Tamechi mending Arbok's momentum, Mismagius exploited an opportunity with Stealth Spirit Assault to vanquish Dusclops.
Two against six, Agatha held the advantage.
"This is the real Elite Four-level combat capability."
Tamechi's prowess was assuredly formidable.
Though visibly not as strong as Agatha, facing the former Reserve Elite Four, Tom Rokicki, candidly could restrain or counteract him.
At the very least, he belonged at the Elite Candidate Level, even Elite Trainer Level.
Yet Elite Trainer Level and Elite Four are two fundamental concepts.
The former denotes strength; the latter a designation of position.
The Elite Four are undoubtedly Elite Trainers or stronger, but not every Elite Trainer merits the Elite Four title.
Every Elite Trainer's Pokémon possesses undeniable strength, yet what truly stands out is how they dominate as the central component of their combat array.
Like how Gengar forms Agatha's, Piloswine for Uncle Liu, or even Tom Rokicki's Mr. Mime.
These Pokémon may be the outstanding in the team or not, but they remain the core during all-member battles.
Like Sandstorm Hands within the Sandstorm Team and Rainfall Hands in the Rain Team.
Elite Trainer initially needs to own one core Pokémon.
More potent trainers like Agatha have secondary cores, alongside Gengar aside Weezing, Uncle Liu alongside Delibird—such auxiliary cores.
Remaining teammates align around these cores for proper arrangement, serving divergent roles.
Arbok plays Agatha's heavy hitter; Mismagius acts stealth assassin and finisher; Golbat controls; Muk alongside Weezing in toxins, clean control.
A team's proper function aligns this way.
Like Tom Rokicki's Mr. Mime defines ensemble strength, augmenting and linking systematically throughout.
In contrast, Tamechi, with Pokémon prowess not lacking, nevertheless lacks an unmistakable core.
Leading to Agatha's two chosen Pokémon harrowingly pulping his team leveraging sheer strength.
Dusclops' swift defeat exemplifies best.
Tamechi evidently acknowledged this, leaving Camerupt for self-defense, dispatching Swalot for Agatha's two Pokémon engagements.
Pairwise combinations precariously sustain stalemate.
Dimly lit side included Shining Charizard with Agatha's four Pokémon checking it.
Indeed as Agatha dispatched foremost offensive Pokémon at Tamechi, enduring stalemate assured.
Agatha stayed calm, knowing Uncle Liu arriving soon; both Elite Four collaboratively tackling opposed would succeed unprovoked.
True highlight, unveiling Goldenrod City's most perilous hazard.
Now.
She confirmed certainty.
Yet, unbeknownst within clandestine shadow, amidst these furious matches, emerged a petite silhouette, curious and timid, discreetly emerging.