Silas released every member of his team; Monferno, Electabuzz, Frogadier, Teddiursa, Excadrill, and Tropius. The beach that had felt peaceful moments ago suddenly became a battlefield.
The couple's expressions changed immediately. They had expected a frightened trainer, a victim. Instead, they found themselves staring at a coordinated team of powerful pokemon.
Even so, they still held the numerical advantage. Krookodile stood at the front of their formation while Mightyena, Fearow, Primeape, Arbok, Beedrill, Venomoth, and Magmar spread out behind it.
Silas calmly assessed the battlefield. The enemy possessed numbers while he possessed quality.
Monferno and Electabuzz were already pseudo advanced class combatants. Teddiursa and Frogadier were approaching the peak of Intermediate Class, while Excadrill wasn't far behind either.
Most importantly, his pokemon trusted one another completely.
The criminals' pokemon might have decent levels, but they lacked coordination. Silas could already see it. Their formations were sloppy. Their positioning was poor. Their trainers relied entirely on intimidation and overwhelming weaker targets.
That approach wouldn't work today.
Using the psychic connection established through Electabuzz, Silas transmitted instructions directly into his team's minds. Monferno, Electabuzz, and Frogadier were to operate independently and inflict as much damage as possible.
The 3 pokemon acknowledged the order instantly.
The battle erupted.
Electabuzz moved first, erecting a brilliant Light Screen across the battlefield. At nearly the same moment, Monferno gathered Aura energy into its palms and launched a powerful Aura Sphere.
The blue projectile screamed across the beach. Its target wasn't Krookodile, it was Mightyena.
Unfortunately, Venomoth reacted quickly. The insect pokemon intercepted the attack before it could reach its destination. The Aura Sphere exploded almost due to the double resistance.
Then Venomoth began moving.
White light radiated from its body as it danced across the sand. Afterimages appeared everywhere. Its movements became increasingly elegant and increasingly dangerous.
Silas immediately recognized the move.
Quiver Dance, a powerful setup technique.
Venomoth intended to overwhelm them with boosted speed and special attacks.
Monferno had other ideas.
A harsh cry echoed across the battlefield as dark energy flew out of Monferno's eyes and merged into Venomoth instantly. This was Taunt.
The effect was immediate.
Venomoth froze. Its setup strategy had been completely shut down.
Silas smiled. The battle had barely begun and the enemy was already losing momentum.
"Tropius, Dragon Dance. Excadrill, Dig. Teddiursa, Swift."
The pokemon sprang into action. The couple surprisingly immediately responded.
"Arbok, use Sludge Bomb! Mightyena, use Dark Pulse!"
"Magmar, use Fire Punch! Beedrill, use Poison Jab!"
Tropius gracefully twisted through the air while Dragon Dance enhanced its physical abilities. Sludge Bomb and Dark Pulse flew harmlessly past it.
Meanwhile, Arbok and Mightyena continued firing ranged attacks toward Silas' team. The beach exploded with movement. Sand flew everywhere as pokemon dodged, counterattacked, and repositioned.
Then Silas gave a simple command.
"Excadrill. Do it."
The ground exploded.
Excadrill erupted directly beneath Magmar. The drill pokemon struck like a missile. Dig connected perfectly.
Magmar was launched into the air before crashing violently into the sand.
Before anyone could assist, Teddiursa completed its attack.
Dozens of glowing stars appeared around the battlefield.
Swift.
The stars shot forward like homing missiles. Every pokemon attempting to help Magmar suddenly found themselves under attack. Arbok, Mightyena, Fearow, Venomoth, and Beedrill were all forced to defend themselves.
The opening Silas wanted had arrived.
Excadrill capitalized immediately. Its claws glowed as it struck with Crush Claw.
The attack tore across Magmar's chest. Blood sprayed across the beach as Magmar screamed.
The wound was devastating. Even if the pokemon somehow survived the battle, immediate medical attention would be required. Silas doubted it would receive any.
The couple looked horrified.
Then Frogadier moved.
Combining Cut with Acrobatics, Frogadier became a black blur racing across the battlefield. The target was Beedrill.
The bug pokemon attempted to react but it was far too slow. A single slash crossed its body.
For a brief moment nothing happened and then Beedrill separated cleanly into two halves. Its split body fell into the sand.
Silas blinked.
Even he was surprised. That had been Frogadier's first kill but there wasn't time to think about it.
Magmar staggered backward, clutching its ruined chest. Blood poured continuously from the wound. Its fate was already decided.
The woman finally lost her composure.
"W-What is wrong with you people?!"
The sight of real death shattered whatever confidence she possessed. She enjoyed bullying weaker trainers. That much was obvious. Facing genuine danger was different.
Her pokemon sensed it too. Fear spread through their ranks like a poison.
The older man immediately shouted, "Pull yourself together! It's still 6 against 6!"
Technically he was right. Practically, the battle was already slipping away.
Silas' team moved like a machine.
Monferno tore through the battlefield using Acrobatics and Shadow Claw. Electabuzz supported everyone with Thunder Wave and Psychic. Frogadier struck from impossible angles. Tropius controlled the skies with Razor Leaf and Leaf Storm. Excadrill emerged and disappeared beneath the sand like a predator.
Then there was Teddiursa.
After using Belly Drum, the little bear became a monster. Every Fury Swipes struck with frightening force.
The couple tried to resist. They really did.
But without competent battlefield management, they couldn't keep up.
One by one they fell.
Fearow, Venomoth, Arbok, Mightyena, Magmar, and Beedrill were all eventually cut down. Only Krookodile and Primeape remained.
Primeape had already accumulated numerous injuries while Krookodile remained relatively healthy. More importantly, Teddiursa kept seeking it out again and again. Each clash became fiercer and each exchange lasted longer than the last.
Silas noticed his pokemon's peculiar state.
Teddiursa wasn't simply fighting. It was growing amidst the intense fighting.
The bear had entered a hyper-focused state. Its entire attention centered on defeating Krookodile.
Silas made a decision.
"Everyone except Teddiursa and Frogadier, step back."
The pokemon obeyed. They formed a loose circle around the remaining combatants.
The criminals looked confused and then hopeful.
Silas addressed them calmly.
"If you win this battle, I'll spare your lives."
The couple began to tremble. The man's earlier arrogance had completely disappeared. Now he understood. He nodded his head wildly.
He hadn't targeted simple prey. He had targeted the wrong person this time.
Silas ignored him.
His attention remained fixed on Teddiursa.
"Teddiursa, Slash. Frogadier, Acrobatics."
The attacks came immediately.
Krookodile reacted.
Sandstorm erupted across the beach. The terrain favored it perfectly. Sand filled the air and visibility dropped.
The attacks weakened.
Teddiursa roared in frustration then it did something dangerous. It used Belly Drum again without being ordered.
Silas' eyes widened.
The bear had already used the move earlier so its stamina was already heavily depleted.
Using it twice was reckless. Potentially suicidal but the boost was immense.
Energy exploded from Teddiursa's body. The bear's muscles visibly swelled. Its claws glowed.
Silas understood his Pokémon well.
Teddiursa wasn't planning to continue fighting. It was planning to end the battle with a final attack.
He combined Fury Swipes with Strength and Close Combat.
The strain alone would cripple most pokemon.
Teddiursa didn't care and he charged the crocodile pokemon. Krookodile attempted to use Sandstorm again.
The first Fury Swipe tore through it and the following attacks neutralized it. The storm parted.
For the first time, fear appeared on Krookodile's face.
The older man shouted desperately.
"Krookodile! Use Dragon Claw! Kill it!"
Dragon energy covered Krookodile's arms.
The two pokemon collided.
The sight was surreal.
Normally Teddiursa stood around 2 feet tall. Silas' Teddiursa had grown to nearly 3 feet. Even so, Krookodile towered over it at nearly 7 feet tall.
The size difference was absurd.
Yet Teddiursa didn't give an inch. Every strike pushed Krookodile backward. Teddiursa forced the larger pokemon to retreat.
The foolish couple watched in disbelief. Their strongest pokemon was losing and then the decisive moment arrived.
Krookodile raised both arms to use Night Slash. It was aiming for a finishing strike.
Teddiursa jumped causing the attack to miss.
For a brief instant, the bear hung directly in front of Krookodile's face before attacking. All it took was a single slash.
Silence followed. Krookodile froze and its eyes widened.
A deep cut appeared across its throat causing blood to pour out as the pokemon stumbled backward before collapsing, dead.
Primeape let out a furious scream. Outrage consumed it completely. The monkey pokemon launched itself forward in a final desperate attack but it never reached its target.
Primeape was overwhelmed instantly and moments later, it too lay dead.
The battle was over and Teddiursa stood victorious.
The bear threw back its head and released a savage primal roar. The sound echoed across the empty beach as Silas smiled.Teddiursa had earned this victory.Then the familiar light appeared. Silas recognized the light of evolution.
Silas had anticipated this moment for a while now.
Immediately he retrieved the special pokeblocks he had prepared. The culmination of countless experiments; vitamin supplements, rare herbs, premium berries, Dragon Essence, and Phoenix River water all condensed into a single evolution formula.
"Teddiursa. Eat up this is all for you."
The bear obeyed instantly. He greedily scarfed down all the pokeblocks 1 by 1.
As the final pokeblock disappeared, the evolution light intensified dramatically. The criminals stared in horror.
Every pokemon they owned was dead and now the monster responsible was evolving. The couple looked utterly defeated. Silas showed no sympathy.
"Frogadier. Finish them."
Frogadier vanished.
A white streak flashed across the beach.
Then both people froze. Thin red lines appeared across their necks as their heads separated from their bodies.
Silas nodded appreciatively.
That had been clean. It was efficient, almost artistic even.
Frogadier truly embodied the spirit of a ninja. When it eventually evolved into Greninja, its unique coloration would make it even more impressive.
There wasn't time to admire the result.
Silas immediately got to work.
The area was secluded, but caution still mattered. The bodies were placed inside storage bags. The pokemon assisted in cleaning the battlefield. Bloody sand was mixed into the ocean. Waves erased footprints. Saltwater removed lingering scents.
By the time they finished, almost no evidence remained.
Anyone arriving later would see nothing unusual. The beach appeared perfectly normal. The evolution continued as hours passed.
The pokemon rotated guard duty while Silas rested periodically and monitored Teddiursa's condition.
16 hours later, just before sunrise, a powerful roar shattered the silence.
Silas opened his eyes.
The evolution was complete. He had seen Ursaring before. Many times actually.
This one was different. He was larger than most Ursaring and clearly a powerful combatant.
The bear stood nearly 7 feet tall. Its body was a wall of muscle covered in thick fur. When it rose onto its hind legs and roared, the sound rolled across the beach like thunder.
For a moment, Silas simply stared. This giant was once the small Teddiursa he carried around in his arms.
Ursaring looked down at Silas and he could see that the familiar loyalty remained. The same trust and bond, only the body had changed.
Silas smiled and scanned his evolved pokemon.
Ursaring (M) — Level 40
Ability: Guts
Potential: B
Moves: Rank B Slash, Rank B Fury Swipes, Rank B Close Combat, Rank B Belly Drum, Rank B Growl, Rank B Bite, Rank C Payback, Rank C Protect, Rank C Cut, Rank C Strength, Rank C Seed Bomb, Rank C Swift, Rank C Hyper Beam, Rank C Dragon Dance
Silas nearly laughed.
Everything worked had worked perfectly together; The Dragon Essence, evolution formula, Phoenix lake water.
All of it.
Ursaring's potential had increased by 2 minor grades. More importantly, it learned Dragon Dance.
The move solved the bear's greatest weakness.
Speed.
A Dragon Dancing Ursaring would be terrifying.
Silas now possessed 3 pseudo advanced tier pokemon; Monferno, Electabuzz, and Ursaring.
His team was becoming genuinely powerful and yet Silas refused to become complacent.
Power was addictive. Many trainers allowed success to blind them.
Silas wouldn't make that mistake. He was stronger than yesterday. Still not strong enough for his ultimate goals.
There were still Executives above him, Admins above them, people like Ariana above them, and beyond even those stood monsters like Lance and Giovanni.
The road ahead remained long.
Silas looked toward the rising sun, then toward Ursaring. A smile slowly formed on his face. His strength was growing.