The ice moon loomed overhead, casting a chilling aura across the battlefield. Alolan Ninetales stood its ground, its presence radiating dominance, while Garchomp, having endured a grueling battle against Tyranitar, was beginning to show signs of fatigue.
"Blizzard!"
Wasting no time, Alolan Ninetales' eyes flashed with a piercing cold light as a violent snowstorm surged forward.
Cynthia remained composed in the face of the attack.
"Use the terrain to shield yourself!"
In an instant, the lingering sand from the previous battle erupted around Garchomp, forming a desert-like terrain that clashed with the icy snowfall.
Utilizing the residual energy of the sandstorm left behind by Tyranitar, Garchomp forcefully created a small desert-like zone—not as an attack, but as a way to disrupt Blizzard's accuracy.
Klein observed the battlefield with unwavering focus.
"Ninetales, use Moonblast!"
Without hesitation, Ninetales let out a clear cry. The radiant light of the ice moon above condensed into a powerful beam, crashing down upon Garchomp with overwhelming force.
The successive strikes from Blizzard and Moonblast quickly dispersed the remnants of the sandstorm, restoring the battlefield to an icy tundra. However, Garchomp had already vanished.
"It's on the right!"
At Klein's sharp command, Garchomp suddenly reappeared, executing a rapid dive attack toward Alolan Ninetales.
Unlike the brute strength of Tyranitar, Alolan Ninetales specialized in strategic, long-range battles. Recognizing the incoming threat, it swiftly conjured a protective shield of ice and vanished into the cover of its Aurora Veil.
But just as Garchomp descended, the air around it ignited. Flames erupted, engulfing the icy battlefield in a fiery explosion.
"Moonblast!"
The sudden combustion shattered the frosty landscape, and Garchomp tore through the remnants with blazing claws. However, before it could strike, another Moonblast rained down from the sky, engulfing Garchomp in a dazzling explosion.
Despite taking the hit, Garchomp refused to falter. Instead, it intensified the flames around its claws, slashing through the air in a fiery arc.
The massive ice moon overhead—once a source of power for Ninetales—was now an easy target.
With a deafening explosion, the ice moon shattered, sending a cascade of icy fragments raining down. The sudden burst of warmth and steam reinvigorated Garchomp, making its movements even sharper.
Alolan Ninetales reacted instantly, releasing another chilling breath to freeze the descending droplets, but Garchomp was already on the move.
Its razor-sharp claws sliced through the air, and the resulting impact sent embers flying. The mere force of its attacks produced waves of heat and destruction.
Ninetales, having endured multiple direct hits, was beginning to waver.
Fire and ice clashed, creating a spectacle of swirling elements. Amidst the chaos, Garchomp executed an unpredictable gliding maneuver, appearing right in front of Ninetales in the blink of an eye.
"Garchomp, use Stone Edge!"
"Blizzard—aim at the ground!"
Jagged rocks burst forth from the battlefield, piercing through Ninetales. At the same time, Ninetales unleashed a concentrated Blizzard downward, sending a powerful shockwave of frost that erupted into an icy explosion, encasing Garchomp in thick layers of ice.
It was frozen!
For a brief moment, the battlefield fell silent.
But then—a deafening roar shattered the ice.
With an explosive surge of energy, Garchomp broke free from its frozen prison, its claws driving deep into Ninetales.
The impact sent Ninetales tumbling to the ground, unable to continue the fight.
A flawless performance—Cynthia's Garchomp had once again proven its unrivaled strength.
As Alolan Ninetales was recalled, the icy battlefield slowly melted away.
Klein stood in silence for a moment before releasing his next Pokémon.
A surge of anticipation rippled through the crowd.
"It's Swampert!"
"Wait… not Salamence?"
In the spectator stands, many trainers exchanged surprised glances.
However, on the VIP platform, Steven Stone nodded approvingly.
"Rather than Salamence, Klein places greater trust in his Swampert."
Klein and Swampert locked eyes. With just a glance, their battle synchronization was clear.
A powerful current swirled around Swampert as it faced Garchomp, its body surrounded by a vortex of surging water.
Aqua Ring!
Unlike typical Water-type moves, Aqua Ring required precise control. The instant it was activated, swirling torrents covered the battlefield, transforming it into a chaotic whirlpool of mud and water.
Dozens of spiraling torrents surged forward, each carrying immense pressure. Swampert remained motionless in the eye of the storm, its gaze locked onto Garchomp.
"Swampert, use Ice Punch!"
At Klein's command, Swampert let out a deep growl. The whirlpools intensified, sending powerful shockwaves across the battlefield.
For the first time in this battle, Garchomp felt surrounded—like it was caught in an inescapable ambush. The tension in the air was suffocating, and a chilling aura seeped into the battlefield.
Just as Garchomp prepared to counterattack, the water exploded—Swampert surged forward with a powerful Waterfall!
"Wait… wasn't it supposed to be Ice Punch?!"
"Is Swampert ignoring orders?"
"No, that's just Klein and Swampert's battle style. They deliberately create feints to mislead opponents."
Garchomp, anticipating an Ice-type move, had braced for defense. But against the sudden Waterfall charge, it was caught off guard.
Swampert closed the gap in an instant. With a swift motion, it raised its arm, preparing to strike—
Waterfall froze mid-motion.
The powerful torrent solidified into a frozen cascade, trapping both the flow of water and the momentum within.
Ice Punch!
Garchomp instinctively raised its claws to block.
But just as it managed to deflect the first strike, Swampert's second arm came crashing down.
A direct hit.
Garchomp staggered, its body momentarily frozen by the powerful impact.
The audience erupted in shock.
For the first time, Cynthia's Garchomp had taken significant damage.
Klein had done what many trainers before him had failed to accomplish.
Cynthia's eyes gleamed with battle excitement.
"Klein… among all the trainers I've faced—including Elite Four members and even Champions—you are one of the most remarkable.
"Especially with your ability to command three vastly different Pokémon with such mastery."
Her fighting spirit ignited.
As Garchomp steadied itself, Cynthia slowly raised her hand, revealing a Keystone ring.
"As a sign of respect, I'll show you the full power of my Garchomp."
As the strongest trainer in Sinnoh, Cynthia had no shortage of experience with Mega Evolution. Normally, her standard Garchomp was more than enough to handle any challenge.
But this time—she would go all out.
Mega Garchomp, one of the most devastating forces in team battles, had arrived.
With its Sand Force ability, Mega Garchomp became the ultimate destroyer.
And today, Klein would face its full power.
"Swampert, are you ready?"
Swampert responded with a fierce roar, summoning a massive surge of water. Its Torrent ability activated, fueling its strength to the maximum.
The final clash was about to begin.
In the stunned silence of the audience, a single thought echoed:
"This… is the first time we've seen Cynthia's Garchomp Mega Evolve in an official battle."
"And Klein… actually forced Cynthia to bring out its full power."
The battlefield was set.
The ultimate showdown was about to begin!