Pokémon: When the World Changed Chapter 19 - 18: Sand Wave

"Break through the fire!"

"Not so easy, increase the power!"

Both gave orders at the sa ti. Just as Sandshrew sped up to try to break through the Flathrower, Charleon suddenly intensified the flas, and what was once a single stream of fire turned into a massive blast that completely engulfed Sandshrew.

"Sandshrew has no resistance to fire! Charleon, burn it until it falls!" shouted the boy, confident in victory. Even though Sandshrew kept spinning with Rollout, the fire-type move was still dealing damage, and sooner or later it wouldn't hold out.

"Damn it, what a powerful move!" Ethan Black looked worried.

Now that Sandshrew could no longer roll forward through the flas, it had also lost the chance to retreat. Ethan Black could only have it maintain the spinning motion to reduce the damage as much as possible. If it stopped, it would be consud by the fire in an instant.

"How do you put out a fire like this...?"

"Wait, put out...!"

"That's it! Sandshrew, keep rolling and use Sand Attack!"

Ethan Black gritted his teeth. He had no choice but to gamble. If Sandshrew couldn't fuse those two moves, then it would lose.

"Sha!"

Sandshrew growled in response. Rembering the Sand Attack it had learned that very day, it began to channel its Ground-type energy to the maximum.

And in the next instant...

Sandshrew's body began to release sand in all directions, and with the force of the spinning Rollout, the sand transford into a raging sand wave that surged forward furiously.

"Shhhhhh!"

The sand roared, and when it t the fire, crackling and hissing sounds rang out, like steam and abrasion.

But sand cannot burn, and little by little, the fire began to be smothered by the sand wave. Charleon's Flathrower was completely contained, and its figure was buried under the sandy storm.

"What the hell was that?! What kind of move is that?!"

"Looked like Sand Attack, the trainer did shout that move..."

"Are you kidding !? How could such a simple move like Sand Attack put out a full Flathrower and bury Charleon?!"

Watching Sandshrew create a massive sand wave that put out Flathrower and buried its opponent, the whole audience erupted in a sea of exclamations, disbelief on their faces.

"Did you see that, Tyrant?" On the stairs leading to the second floor of the club, the Electric-type trainer nicknad Electric Beast looked at the Ground-type trainer called Tyrant, with a grave expression.

"Yes... it's still Sand Attack, but enhanced with the Sand Kick technique. Only in this case, instead of using its hind legs, it used the centrifugal force from Rollout. The result is much more powerful!"

"If you want an analogy... imagine a tire stuck in the mud that starts spinning at maximum speed..."

Tyrant thought for a mont, his eyes shining with admiration.

Although it looked simple, as a Ground-type trainer, he knew just how difficult it was to pull sothing like that off.

First, Sandshrew had to master both moves, then combine them using multitasking, and finally, during the spin of Rollout, adjust the direction of the sand attack. An extrely difficult combo!

In fact, not even Ethan Black himself expected Sandshrew to pull it off. Though he had once ntioned that Red's Sandshrew had buried a Magmar using Sand Attack, he never thought his own Sandshrew would do the sa—and in an even more impressive way!

BOOM!

Just as everyone was still in shock, another explosion resounded across the field.

With the flas gone, Rollout regained its full power. Sandshrew shot straight at the buried Charleon, slamming into it hard and sending it flying into the wall, from where it fell slowly to the ground.

"Charleon is unable to battle! Sandshrew wins!" shouted the referee after silently counting a few seconds and seeing Charleon fail to get up. He waved his flag without hesitation.

"No way, it really won!"

"What an incredible coback! That Sandshrew defeated a Charleon with just two moves!"

"Looks like Sandshrew isn't that bad... and it's cheap, maybe I'll get one."

"Bah, that's only because the trainer is good. If you used one, your trainer career would end right there."

The audience erupted once more in heated discussions. No one expected a re Sandshrew to defeat a Charleon.

"I can't believe I lost... to a Sandshrew!"

The boy, stunned, recalled his Charleon, his eyes fixed on the small green Pokémon.

"There are no weak Pokémon, only weak trainers..."

Suddenly, he rembered his uncle's words. He looked at Ethan Black with newfound respect.

A Sandshrew was not a powerful Pokémon, which only showed how skilled the trainer had to be to raise it like this.

"I lost. Here, 1000 Pokédollars," said the boy, taking a deep breath as he pocketed the Poké Ball and pulled ten large bills from his wallet.

"Wasn't it only 500 Pokédollars?" Ethan Black frowned, confused.

"Yes, I know. The other 500 Pokédollars are an advance," the boy replied with a determined look.

"Advance...?"

"Exactly. Until I manage to defeat you, I want to battle you once every day. What do you say?"

The boy pulled out the Poké Ball again, as if he wanted another battle right then and there.

"You want to be your sparring partner?" Ethan Black finally understood.

"Yes, basically that. And every ti I lose, I'll pay you 500 Pokédollars. Until I finally defeat you!" he declared without hesitation, eyes burning with determination.

Ethan Black couldn't help but laugh. This rich kid was really competitive. He wouldn't give up until he won?

Well, if he got 500 Pokédollars every ti, Ethan Black thought it wasn't too bad.

One willing to fight, another willing to charge...

If he could win every day, that was 500 Pokédollars daily, more than 10,000 Pokédollars a month!

Just thinking about it already excited him a little...

(End of Chapter)