At that moment, Krookodile and Steelix were engaged in an intense battle on stage.
In terms of size, Krookodile was like a child next to Steelix. But the higher a Pokémon's level, the less its power was tied to its physical size.
What's more, Steelix specialized in defense, not offense.
So even as the whistling Iron Tail came crashing down, Krookodile showed not a trace of fear.
It bent its knees slightly, tail touching the ground, and its seemingly slender arms met the Iron Tail head-on.
Catching a blade bare-handed!
BOOOM!
A violent burst of air exploded from the point where Krookodile clashed with Iron Tail, Steelix's attack was clearly no joke either.
Krookodile was forced back over two meters but ultimately held its ground and blocked the strike completely.
Then, without needing any command from Sato, Krookodile let out a roar, spun its body, and grabbed Steelix's tail, swinging it fiercely.
Realizing its tail had been caught, Steelix instinctively tried to pull it back… only to find itself being dragged along, powerless to resist.
Looking down, it saw that the ground around it had already become Sand Tomb. The swirling sand easily dispersed its strength.
Low Kick!
Against a heavyweight like Steelix, Low Kick's impact was comparable to a Hyper Beam level finisher.
And as a Fighting-type move, it was doubly effective: no matter how incredible Steelix's defense was, it would still take serious damage.
However, Byron wasn't about to sit idly by and let Steelix be heavily wounded.
"Steelix, use Mud Sport!"
"Steeeel!"
Just as Steelix was about to be slammed into the ground by Krookodile, its eyes glowed red. The instant it made contact with the terrain, the ground softened, absorbing at least half the impact.
Sato blinked and couldn't help but admire Byron and Steelix's adaptability. Truly, their reputation wasn't undeserved.
Even though the damage from Low Kick had been halved, Steelix was still far from unscathed.
Strike while the iron is hot!
Sato wasn't going to give Steelix time to recover. His next command was already on its way.
"Krookodile, Bulldoze."
"KROOOOKO!"
Krookodile shouted, then stomped forward with its right foot. A wave of brown energy tore through the ground, zigzagging toward the still-prone Steelix.
Krookodile's assault was relentless, and Steelix's massive body only made it easier to hit. Bulldoze landed cleanly once again.
After a tremor, Steelix was knocked back to the ground. Already slow to begin with, it became even slower now.
Byron's face stayed calm, but inside, he was already growing anxious. Krookodile's relentless offense clearly targeted Steelix's sluggish mobility.
In truth, Krookodile wasn't all that fast either; but compared to Steelix, it still had the edge.
"Steelix, use Screech like this!" Byron finally countered, changing tactics with a harsh Screech that filled the arena.
The piercing sound spread out across the battlefield. Both the audience and Krookodile were affected, unable to concentrate for a moment.
Taking the chance, Steelix managed to get back on its feet(?), panting heavily as it locked eyes on Krookodile.
"I should thank you, Leader Sato… for allowing my Steelix to master a new power!" Byron's voice suddenly echoed across the entire venue.
Just as everyone was wondering what he meant, they saw Byron pull out a small iron shovel. Embedded in the center of the shovel was a dazzling multicolored gem.
"STEEEEEEEELIX…! MEGA EVOOOOOLVE!"
Sato stared in a daze as both Byron and Steelix were enveloped in radiant multicolored light. As the energy surged, Steelix's form transformed completely.
Its body grew significantly larger, and around it circled layers of steel-type crystals that looked like diamonds.
At a glance, its appearance jumped up several levels in sheer visual appeal.
But more importantly, Steelix, who had previously been at Peak Elite just like Krookodile, had now broken through to High Ace level… a terrifying leap in strength.
Sato gave a bitter smile. This time, he had underestimated his opponent. Even knowing Byron would come fully prepared, he had still chosen to send out Krookodile.
It had already been three or four years since Sato first uncovered the secret of Mega Evolution. Since then, many Trainers had gradually obtained their own suitable Mega Stones and Key Stones.
Sato had always sensed that, one day, his opponents would use Mega Evolution against him. But he hadn't expected it to happen this soon… or so suddenly.
Unfortunately, Krookodile had yet to discover its Mega Evolution. And perhaps… it never would.
"Leader Sato, your Krookodile is no match for my Mega Steelix. You'd better switch in someone stronger," Byron said calmly and confidently, prompting Sato to furrow his brow.
"Krookodile."
"Krook!"
Faced with the now-transformed Steelix, Krookodile showed no sign of fear. Sato grinned and continued, "Use Earthquake!"
"Bold move. Steelix, Double-Edge!" Byron folded his arms and gave the command without hesitation.
Steelix, whose speed had once been no match for Krookodile, now moved with surprising agility. Half its massive body seemed to float in mid-air.
Sato knew full well what this meant. Mega Steelix was now harnessing its magnetic power more effectively, giving it enhanced maneuverability after Mega Evolution.
Krookodile lowered its stance, slapping its powerful tail against the ground repeatedly. A surge of Ground-type energy erupted, and the entire battlefield began to tremble violently.
…But before Earthquake could reach full strength, Steelix glided across the air as if swimming, appearing in front of Krookodile in the blink of an eye.
Double-Edge landed cleanly!
"KR-KROOOKO~"
A cry of pain rang out as Krookodile was sent flying without surprise, soaring out of the battle zone and landing straight onto the beach.
After a brief moment of silence, the audience erupted into thunderous cheers.
Joseph, seated in the front row of the stands, listened to the tide of applause behind him, his expression unreadable.
"My, my… I didn't expect Mega Evolution to be this powerful," Nurse Joy said in surprise, covering her mouth with one hand.
Joseph didn't respond. He only watched as Sato stepped onto the beach one step at a time. After confirming that Krookodile had merely fainted and wasn't seriously injured, he recalled it.
"Nurse Joy, do you think Byron has a second Pokémon capable of Mega Evolution?"
"A second one? I don't think so. Among the Steel-type Pokémon most often used at Canalave Gym, only Steelix has been found to Mega Evolve."
Nurse Joy didn't quite understand why Joseph asked, but she answered honestly nonetheless.
"I see… then that's unfortunate," Joseph said with a smile.
…Nurse Joy felt a chill rise deep inside.
The sea breeze… felt a little too strong now.