Swampert's rest was brief. The moment it opened its eyes, it seemed as though its drained stamina and battle-worn injuries had completely healed. Its energy was fully restored, its body radiating strength and vigor.
Compared to conventional healing items, Rest was a superior method for full recovery. Though it required time, it could completely mend deeper wounds. For Swampert, which had endured six Curse boosts in its battle against Koga, Rest was the most efficient way to regain peak condition.
The fight against Koga had nearly cost Klein dearly. More importantly, it made him realize one fundamental truth—a trainer was always the weakest link in battle.
If Klein had psychic power comparable to Caitlin's, capable of ripping enemies apart with sheer will, Koga would have been obliterated the moment he attempted close combat.
Strengthening his own defenses was now a priority. Perhaps the Fighting-type Elite, Bruno, could offer valuable guidance. The close-combat defense manual Bruno had once casually handed him might hold deeper insights than Klein initially realized.
"Alright. Let's move forward."
Before leaving, Koga had left behind a scroll, containing detailed information about the upcoming fifth challenge area. Klein and Swampert made their way through the dark cavern, eventually reaching its final passage—a massive railway tunnel.
The tunnel was pitch black, silent as the void.
Then—
A single spark of light pierced the darkness.
Electricity crackled through the air, igniting countless oil lamps along the walls.
What had once been an abyss now gleamed with golden brilliance.
Despite the newfound light, Klein felt a crushing sense of pressure from the tunnel's far end.
The aura emanating from the next guardian was leagues beyond any of the previous four challengers.
Even compared to Koga, this presence was far more overwhelming.
A sleek, ornate carriage rolled onto the railway tracks ahead, coming to a gentle halt before Klein—as if waiting for him to step aboard.
An invitation. A declaration of battle.
Even without words, the sheer arrogance of the fifth guardian's actions was evident.
According to Battle Frontier regulations, the fifth round was a double battle—two Pokémon were to be used simultaneously.
Taking the surrounding metallic terrain into account, Klein released Delphox, pairing it with Swampert for the upcoming fight.
The carriage began to move.
Delphox levitated gracefully, using Psychic to guide the carriage forward. Swampert, on the other hand, utilized Ice Punch to freeze the railway, sliding effortlessly across the battlefield.
Fire and Ice.
Two elements blazing and gliding through the electrified tunnel, charging toward the opponent who awaited at the end.
There, at the tunnel's exit, a man draped in a white cloak and dressed in a blue uniform stood calmly.
Unlike Koga's sinister cunning, Miyamoto's laziness, Riley's deception, or Olympia's duplicity, this man exuded pure battle spirit.
There was no trickery in his aura. No deception.
Only raw, unfiltered fighting intent.
His golden gaze burned with anticipation.
Then—
A blazing bolt of golden lightning tore through the battlefield, launching the first attack.
"Raichu—stay sharp."
The man at the railway's end sat on an elevated platform, watching calmly. Beneath golden locks of hair, a gentle smile rested on his face.
Raichu—the evolved form of Pikachu—stood beside him.
A two-legged, rodent-like Pokémon, Raichu's dark orange fur gleamed under the golden electric currents flowing through the battlefield.
Unlike Pikachu, Raichu had a long black tail ending in a lightning bolt shape, which it used to discharge excess electricity into the ground—a necessary measure, as its power could set entire forests ablaze if left unchecked.
If a Raichu stored too much electricity, it would become irritable and aggressive—sometimes even attacking its own trainer.
However, it could also be timid, avoiding human contact entirely.
The man had originally declined the invitation to be a guardian for the fifth trial, but a personal request from an old friend led him here.
He had little interest in League matters. But the battle between Koga and Klein…
It had reignited something within him.
Now, as Klein stepped into his domain, the man's battle instincts awakened once more.
If not for his self-imposed exile, he would have been the Sinnoh region's next Elite Four member.
Instead, that honor had fallen to Flint.
A second bolt of electricity erupted through the battlefield, aimed directly at Klein.
A golden flash streaked across the railway, as Raichu's Thunderbolt shot forward like a meteor.
But—
BOOM!
Swampert's fist slammed into the frozen railway, shattering the ice beneath it. The fragments redirected the incoming lightning, twisting the electricity into a mirrored explosion of energy.
At the same time, Delphox flicked its wand, releasing a massive inferno that surged forward.
Fire. Ice. Electricity.
The three forces collided violently within the railway tunnel, igniting the battle before the two trainers had even formally exchanged words.
As the smoke cleared—
A towering golden figure emerged.
A massive fist swung forward.
BOOM!
Swampert met the blow head-on.
Fist collided with fist, muscle against muscle.
Klein finally saw his opponent's Pokémon.
Electivire.
Electivire—the apex evolution of Elekid and Electabuzz.
When excited, it would pound its chest, sending sparks of electricity crackling through the battlefield.
Its punches carried enough voltage to power an entire city for a year.
The League had designated Electivire as one of the most valuable Electric-types for mass breeding programs.
And Sinnoh had the highest population of wild Electivire.
Now, one of the strongest among them stood before Klein.
Lightning crackled.
The battlefield shifted.
A silent pulse of energy spread through the air—Electric Terrain had been activated.
Raichu's body flickered—its speed doubled.
Electivire's movements became sharper, more fluid.
The golden-haired trainer finally spoke.
"Swampert and Delphox… good synergy."
"But don't think you can break my electromagnetic battlefield."
The battlefield was no longer just a railway.
It was a storm of lightning and raw power.
Electric currents surged and looped, creating a continuous feedback cycle between Raichu and Electivire.
Raichu's Lightning Rod absorbed all incoming electric attacks, boosting its Special Attack.
Electivire's Motor Drive converted electricity into speed, allowing it to move at impossible velocities.
With Electric Terrain enhancing both abilities, the two Pokémon were continuously charging each other up.
And yet—
Klein simply smiled.
He had already found the flaw.
Delphox's eyes glowed.
Its ability—Imposter.
In an instant, Delphox copied Raichu's Lightning Rod.
The electromagnetic feedback loop was shattered.
And Klein's Swampert—immune to electricity—prepared to end the battle.
---
As the fifth battle raged on, in the depths of Mt. Silver, five figures gathered.
The final five guardians of the Battle Frontier's last stages had arrived.
The tournament's deadliest phase was about to begin.
And Klein had no intention of stopping.
(End of Chapter)