Kanto Region – Battle Pyramid
As both Brandon and Paul stood ready, the referee announced:
"This is a Pioneer Match, where Challenger Paul faces off against Pyramid King Brandon. Each trainer will use three Pokémon. Swapping at any time is permitted. When all three of one side faint, the other wins."
"Please release your first Pokémon."
Paul and Brandon locked eyes and launched their Poké Balls simultaneously.
"Hisuian Samurott, ready for battle!"
"Go, Regirock!"
"Rock!"
"Chaah!"
A brilliant flash revealed Regirock, standing as immovable as a mountain, and Samurott, the cold‑bladed swordsman wielding dual blades, facing each other.
"Of course, he leads with Regirock." Paul murmured, nodding.
Whether in the anime world or the main timeline, facing Brandon doesn't always require all three Regi pillars, but Regirock, the Rock Regi, is always the vanguard.
Facing a legendary giant like a Regi can make ordinary trainers and their Pokémon nervous, dampening their performance. Multiple defeats shatter confidence, and many never gather the courage to challenge Brandon again.
That's why Brandon doesn't display symbols of tactic or luck, but the plainest of virtues: courage.
"Is that the legendary Samurott? Let me see just how strong it become. Attack me, youngster!"
Before the battle started, Brandon exchanged a few words with Paul: Paul had many powerful Pokémon, but Brandon was most intrigued by Hisuian Samurott and Ursaluna, unique to ancient Sinnoh legend.
"Samurott, dual‑blade style."
Without hesitation, Paul signaled his opening move.
A faint cha sound as Samurott drew its blades. In a blink, it transformed into a blue flash and appeared beside Regirock, slashing Aqua Cutter directly at its vital point.
Dual Blades · Aqua Cutter!
"Iron Defense!"
Brandon's command came slightly late, but Regirock had already braced itself. Before the strike landed, its metallic body gleamed—raising its Defense sharply.
BANG!
Aqua Cutter struck like rushing rapids crashing on a rock, a resounding explosion filled the arena.
Effect: Excellent!
Hit: Critical!
Even with Iron Defense, Regirock staggered several steps from the force of the attack.
But the assault wasn't over yet. Regirock hadn't even regained its footing when a shadowy blade appeared in the darkness, its tip flickering ominously.
SLASH!
In a flash, the blade stabbed again at the same point wounded by Aqua Cutter.
"Rock!" Regirock let out a cry. Two consecutive critical hits inflicted gruesome damage, even a legendary Pokémon couldn't help but cry out.
"Secret Edge—Thousand Fold Waves!"
Samurott, undeterred by not one‑hitting, unleashed furious slashes with both Shell Blades, aiming to dismantle Regirock's rhythm and overwhelm it.
Had this connected cleanly, Regirock's battle tempo would have collapsed—defeat certain.
Brandon's voice suddenly boomed over the roar.
"Superpower!"
From seeming instability, Regirock erupted with sudden might. One Shell Blade was blocked, but then Regirock swung its massive arm in a thunderous punch at Samurott.
The blow shattered the onslaught before it even took full form.
With no better option, Samurott crossed its blades before it to parry.
BANG!
The strike sent Samurott flying dozens of meters back. Both Shell Blades shattered, shards scattered across the battlefield.
"Spikes deployed +1!"
"Lock‑on!"
Brandon tracked Paul's and Samurott's intent immediately.
"Regiro…ck~"
A targeting reticle appeared over Samurott's form, its next attack was locked. As long as it stayed on the field, it could not avoid the hit.
"Sacred Sword!"
At the same instant it was locked, Samurott melded both Shell Blades together, riding a surge of water into a single Sacred Sword and slashing directly at Regirock.
"Zap Cannon!"
Simultaneously, Regirock raised both arms—roaring currents condensed into a cannon of electricity, launching straight at Samurott.
With a guaranteed hit from Lock‑on and a follow‑up command strike, even Brandon doubted Samurott could survive both.
But then Brandon's expression shifted to horror.
The Sacred Sword didn't dodge the Zap Cannon, they collided. Yet the cannon fizzled as if deflated. The explosion's shockwave didn't block the sword, nor harmed the water‑borne Samurott at all.
Insight Mode: See Through!
Samurott shattered the cannon mid‑air, then sank the Sacred Sword into Regirock just as Regirock lunged forward. The clash detonated in a massive explosion. White water mist filled the arena, it dispersed under Samurott's overwhelming presence.
When vision cleared, both Pokémon had fallen. Regirock bore a visible scar across its stone form; Samurott's whiskered face and mane were ruffled, its trembling blades showing fatigue.
Neither had come out clearly ahead, but then—
Regirock let out a mournful "Rock~" and collapsed heavily to the ground.
Samurott's dual‑blade technique could one‑shot any similarly fragile opponent. Although Regirock was a legendary Pokémon with thick endurance and used Iron Defense, type disadvantage evened the playing field. Combined with the raw damage and the finishing Sacred Sword, Regirock couldn't withstand it.
"Regirock is unable to battle. Samurott wins!"
The referee's voice cut through Samurott's silent gaze, which remained fixed on the fallen Regirock.
"Come back, Regirock."
"Cha?... Cha‑ha!"
Only after Brandon recalled Regirock did Samurott seemingly awaken. Its eyes blazed with newfound sharpness. Its aura surged—a blade cutting through all barriers, piercing sky and earth alike. At that moment, its momentum peaked.
Breakthrough Achieved—Champion Spirit!
All those days and nights of training and accumulation poured forth. Samurott felt a deeper harmony among its blade techniques, fresh ideas and insight emerged. With this clarity, its dual‑blade style reached mastery.
If it faced Regirock again now, it would be capable of a one‑hit knockout.
"Impressive performance." Paul nodded calmly.
Formidable strength can be risky, Paul's gambit had been to provoke Samurott into surpassing its limits. And clearly, Samurott didn't disappoint.
A victorious start, unstoppable!
Samurott puffed out its chest proudly, letting out a commanding "Cha‑ha~!" Its aura roared outward, stirring winds and tremors across the battlefield—announcing its dominance.
"Such mighty aura—exceeded expectations. Now for this one…"
As Brandon praised, he tossed his next Poké Ball.
"Registeel, ready to battle!"
Brandon's choice was simple: against Samurott's dual‑blade barrage, Regice might be too slow, but Registeel offered greater safety.
"Re‑gis‑steel~"
The flawless alloy Registeel touched the ground, but immediately took damage from Spikes leftover on the field—it was injured outright.
In that instant, Samurott vanished again. Glistening blue and black blades traced arcs through the air toward Registeel.
"Iron Head!"
Brandon's veteran intuition told him to act. Registeel charged forward across the explosion unaffected, glowing white as Iron Defense activated.
BOOM!
The collision sounded like thunder. Samurott's eyes flashed blue—"Insight!"—it read Registeel's movements and twisted away from the Iron Head. At the same time, its two blades struck in tandem: one landed clean; the other was blocked by Registeel's fist charge.
Critically, Aqua Cutter didn't strike a weak point this time.
It didn't cause the devastating damage Samurott needed. It couldn't secure the instant victory. Samurott was about to chain more strikes—but then:
"Sandstorm!" Brandon commanded.
A ferocious sandstorm swirled around Registeel. The gale pushed Samurott back. Core lights blinked across Registeel's body. Hands lifted—electricity converged. Lock-On activated.
Zap Cannon!
The commands flowed seamlessly. Even battle-hardened Samurott couldn't react.
But Samurott was brave. It activated Insight again, and darted its blade precisely into the cannon's weak point.
Puff~
A strange burst sounded; the cannon collapsed just as before.
Yet when Samurott broke through, Registeel vanished—engulfed in wind and sand, impossible to track.
"60° Above—Sacred Sword!"
Samurott sensed danger, but didn't hesitate. Water swirled tightly, blades merged. An aquatic Sacred Sword surged skyward.
BOOM!
A violent explosion within the sandstorm. A mushroom-shaped cloud formed; the shockwave dissipated the sand instantly.
Both Pokémon fell from the sky, limp like rag dolls.
Once bounced across the ground, Samurott steadied itself with one rear-hand support, gasping. Its gaze sharpened at Registeel, who lay injured.
Registeel inhaled deeply and straightened itself.
Paul's cold voice cut through Samurott's mind: "Focus. Be serious. Show your true strength!"
Samurott solemnly nodded. Moments ago it'd lost focus, almost lost. Now, it inhaled deeply and gathered for the Insight mode it hadn't truly used since mastering Weak-Point Sight. Its eyes glowed pale blue.
"Insight Mode, activated!"
The battlefield slowed. Registeel, seemingly still, was alive with dozens of weak points—flashing bright red across its form.
When Registeel first entered, Samurott had only seen one or two spots—couldn't even see a vital point. Now it saw ten times more, and the precise strike zones appeared clearly.
In one glance Samurott saw through Registeel's façade, it was bluffing calm.
Most trainers would waver seeing a Legendary Titan unyielding, but not now. Registeel was naked before it—all vulnerabilities exposed.
"Go—Sacred Sword!"
Samurott threw both blades outward. Water erupted beneath, figure like a phantom charging at Registeel.
Samurott adjusted constantly, responding to Registeel's slightest movement mid-rush.
Brandon unleashed three commands in one breath: Iron Defense, Lock-On, Zap Cannon!
Registeel executed flawlessly—its body glowed, core lights blinked frantically, electricity compressed into a cannon aimed at Samurott less than ten meters away.
Samurott remained unruffled. One Sacred Sword deflected the cannon. The other slashed at Registeel charging in.
Zap Cannon was the distraction. The tackle was the real killer.
Which was stronger—the Sacred Sword ignoring boosts, or the Power-Up-enhanced tackle?
Neither!
Just before collision, water pressure under Samurott flared—its trajectory changed, vaulting over Registeel's head. It avoided the tackle.
Then in midair, Samurott reversed elegantly and sent both Sacred Swords toward Registeel.
BOOM!
The unexpected turn stunned Registeel. It could only halt and return a charged Thunder Punch.
CRASH!
ZING!
The punch blocked one blade but the other pierced Registeel's body.
"Cha‑ha~"
For the first time in battle Samurott lost both shell‑blades, but its resolve remained iron. Though it's known for blade use, it also has claws—sharp and lethal.
It crossed both arms forward in a final claw strike. Two combined gust‑blade energies, water and wind—shot forth and struck Registeel clean.
Then Samurott bowed its head slightly. Its arched horns glowed green. A Megahorn supercharged point shot straight into Registeel.
The flash was instant.
"Chaaah!"
With that strike completed, Samurott withdrew its claws and returned to the other shell‑blade as though nothing happened.
BOOM!
The next moment, Registeel exploded.
(End of Chapter)
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