They had been silent for such a long time, and now they were charging in a massive, coordinated wave. This decisive action indicated that the object of their search was no longer within their usual, familiar operational zones. Their current aggressive, all-out stance strongly suggested that what they were desperately looking for was very likely located in a specific cave system behind this very tunnel. If they were to gain the upper hand here and successfully block the cave entrance, it would become nearly impossible for the League forces to break through their defensive line. Therefore, it was absolutely critical that they be stopped from charging through this point. The scope of this tunnel was fortunately limited; as long as the legendary Groudon and Kyogre were not personally leading the charge, the position could be held. Today, the victor would be decided right here on this battlefield. Aoki finished his assessment, his expression revealing a determined look that seemed to ask, "Who else but me could do this?"
He declared with fierce resolve, "Today, we will show them what it truly means for one man to hold the pass against ten thousand!"
Upon hearing Aoki's bold words, Steven was momentarily stunned, his mind racing through the tactical implications. Then he felt the undeniable ring of truth in the statement. Whatever Team Magma and Team Aqua were going to such extreme lengths to find simply could not be something simple or ordinary. Previously, if their target had been within their established activity ranges, the League would have been largely helpless; they were unfamiliar with that terrain, and rushing in blindly could easily lead to a devastating ambush. Furthermore, the enemy had previously blocked cave entrances, making any forced charge far too costly in terms of Pokemon and personnel! But in this current area, the League was extremely familiar with the terrain, and the enemy had not yet gained the tactical upper hand, making this a perfect opportunity to make a stand.
"Alright! Then I'll stay here with you!" Steven immediately made his decision, his voice firm. Although this was a tunnel, the number of enemies that could be encountered simultaneously wouldn't be enormous, but it was a sizable tunnel, and behind it opened into a spacious cave system. One person's strength would still be stretched dangerously thin. Two people fighting together would be significantly better, covering more angles and supporting each other's Pokemon.
Aoki didn't refuse the offer; the current Steven was gradually showing the confident demeanor of a future Champion. Slowking, utilizing its immense psychic power, led the large group of other Trainers and their Pokemon, teleporting them away from the spot to safety. At this critical moment, the vanguard of Team Magma and Team Aqua was already approaching, the sound of their footsteps and Pokemon cries echoing down the rocky passage.
"It's been a long time since we last fought side-by-side like this," Aoki said with a faint, reminiscent smile, then swiftly threw out a volley of Poké Balls. Tyranitar and Aggron materialized with deep roars, taking the lead positions with their immense bulk. Florges, Swampert, and Blaziken emerged next, standing in relatively rear positions to provide ranged and tactical support, while Gengar poked its head out mischievously from within Aoki's own shadow. If Aoki didn't formally summon it into the fray, its main task was still to ensure Aoki's personal safety from any unforeseen threats.
Steven also smiled, a spark of battle lust in his eyes, and threw out his own Poké Balls. His Shiny Metagross gleamed under the dim tunnel light! His own Aggron stood ready! Armaldo clicked its claws! Aerodactyl let out a piercing shriek! These were the four strongest Pokémon Steven currently had at his immediate disposal.
"In that case, Tyranitar! Let the sand fly!" Aoki shouted loudly, his voice commanding and clear.
"Tyr!"
Hearing the familiar command, Tyranitar roared with raw, untamed anger. Looking at the large enemy force charging from a distance, its eyes were filled with fierce excitement. Steven's Aggron seemed a bit small and less imposing when standing in front of Aoki's own, vastly experienced Aggron, but the two steel-type titans clearly remembered each other from past encounters and exchanged a simple, respectful greeting. Their metal fists collided in a brief, solid clang.
Sand began to pour from every corner of the tunnel, summoned by Tyranitar's power, and suddenly the visibility throughout the entire tunnel became extremely poor, a swirling, blinding maelstrom of dust and grit.
"It's Sandstorm Aoki!" a voice cried out from the enemy ranks.
"It's Aoki's Tyranitar!" shouted another.
"It's Tyranitar's Sandstorm! Fall back!"
Faint, panicked exclamations could be heard from the other side. Sandstorm Aoki was one of Aoki's most feared titles, precisely because his Tyranitar's Sandstorm was uniquely destructive in this kind of confined environment. Aoki's Tyranitar served as a brutal strength discriminator; only Pokemon that could endure the furious, grinding assault of Tyranitar's Sandstorm could truly be called powerful. Most Pokemon, once they entered the storm's radius, could only retreat in disarray, otherwise they risked being overwhelmed and never finding their way out. That was why their apprehension and fear towards Aoki was far greater than their fear of Steven or any other League Trainer. Based purely on the strength of the Pokémon the two of them had summoned, was Aoki necessarily stronger than Steven? Not necessarily. However, during this recent period of intense combat, Aggron, Blaziken, Swampert, and several other Pokémon had diligently applied what they learned in their rigorous training to actual combat, and through the sharpening experience of real battle, their levels had all increased by one. Tyranitar, having seen the most battles, showed the greatest improvement, rising two full levels to 67. However, it still hadn't broken through to the Senior Elite Four level, so the overall change in its raw strength wasn't particularly dramatic yet.
"Your reputation is truly great, Aoki. In the future, when I encounter enemies, maybe I should just shout to them that I'm Aokii's friend; perhaps they'll be scared away without a fight," Steven said to Aoki with a wry smile, having heard the nervous exclamations from the other side. He genuinely admired Aoki. This decision to hold the pass by themselves still made him feel a bit nervous, but Aoki's face maintained that faint, unshakable smile. He didn't know that Aoki also secretly admired Steven's courage and resolve. Aoki knew his own situation well; he had absolute confidence in his ability to save himself if things went south. Even if he couldn't hold on, escaping would definitely not be a problem. But Steven? He was a true warrior, standing his ground out of pure conviction!
"Don't make excuses for being nervous now," Aoki retorted with a mocking tone, though a hint of camaraderie was in his eyes. "Hahaha! The battle—has begun!"
Steven felt a bit embarrassed, but he found that he really wasn't nervous anymore. The time for nerves was over. Because the battle had truly begun!
Tyranitar, Aggron, and Swampert stepped forward confidently into the raging Sandstorm, completely unaffected. Steven's Pokémon, also immune or resilient to the storm's effects, strode in alongside them. Aoki used his telepathic connection to communicate seamlessly with Steven and all of their Pokémon, allowing him to maintain a perfect mental map of where each ally was located, what specific enemies they faced, and to issue instantaneous, coordinated commands.
Bang— Bang—
The range of the Sandstorm grew wider and wider under Tyranitar's masterful control, and one by one, the enemy Pokémon enveloped within it were brutally blasted out, sent flying through the air. They fell hard to the ground outside the storm's edge, completely battered and having lost their ability to fight. Indeed, this was a tunnel, and not many enemies could attack simultaneously, which was the key tactical advantage for Aoki and Steven.
"Tyranitar, Aggron, Stone Edge!" Aoki commanded mentally.
"Swampert, Earth Ice Hammer!" he continued, combining Earth Power with Ice Punch into a single, devastating attack.
"Florges, Grass-type! Grassy Terrain! Grass Knot! Pay attention to helping Tyranitar and the others with control and binding!" he instructed the elegant Pokemon.
"Blaziken, Swords Dance! Agility!" he finished, preparing his fiery fighter for a powerful assault.
Steven also commanded his Pokémon through his own focused will. "Aggron, Aerodactyl, we'll join in, Stone Edge!"
"Metagross, Meteor Mash!" he ordered the psychic-steel beast.
"Armaldo, X-Scissor!" he directed the ancient bug-type.
Aoki and Steven's Pokémon stood in a formidable, unbreakable line, powerfully blocking the path of all incoming Trainers and Pokémon. Countless shards of Stone Edge mixed invisibly within the Sandstorm, making them even harder to spot and dodge. The entire Sandstorm was transformed into a deadly rock storm, with sharp stones and stinging sand mixed together in a violent whirlwind! Large numbers of enemy Pokémon were struck and sent flying helplessly out of the Sandstorm's destructive embrace.
"Retreat!! Quick, retreat!! The Sandstorm is advancing!!" a Magma Grunt screamed.
"Quick, retreat!! Damn it! Those behind, retreat quickly!! Don't push forward!" an Aqua Grunt yelled.
The first group of people who had charged forward were caught completely off guard by the ferocity of Aoki and Steven's defense, suffering heavy losses. When it was the second group's turn, their expressions changed to sheer horror, and they repeatedly shouted to retreat. But with everyone jammed tightly together in the confined space, it wasn't a simple matter of wanting to retreat and being able to. Forcing a panicked retreat now would definitely lead to a disastrous stampede, and then it would be Team Magma and Team Aqua who would be utterly humiliated. Fortunately, Maxie and Archie had considered this possibility from the beginning, and had dispatched cadres with enough prestige and authority to manage the vanguard and prevent such a rout.
"Retreat? What retreat?!" a seemingly gruff and angry voice rang out over the chaos. "If anyone else retreats, I'll have them killed on the spot!" It was Team Magma Executive, Tabitha!
"Team Aqua! No retreating! Hold your positions!" a woman's sharp voice commanded with equal force. It was Team Aqua Executive, Shelly!
Aoki heard their familiar voices clearly, and a slight, knowing smile appeared on his lips. Old acquaintances, long time no see… He remembered their past encounters well.
Tabitha and Shelly summoned their own powerful Pokémon and pushed their way to the very front of their respective lines, rallying their grunts. For a moment, the forward advance of Tyranitar's Sandstorm was halted, its progress checked by the concentrated force and will of the enemy executives. The battle's momentum shifted subtly, the outcome still hanging in the balance.