Chapter 89: Tag Battle

The two consecutive losses in the Kanto region had left the entire Sinnoh delegation humiliated. Though it was just an exchange match, it still carried implications for the external image of both regions.

"This is troublesome… two straight losses."

"Reggie, don't let your guard down. The two trainers on the other side aren't ordinary opponents."

On the battlefield, Reggie and his partner Moba stepped forward. Compared to the two young trainers who had lost earlier, Reggie and Moba were older and more composed. Opposite them, Brooke and Elite were already prepared for battle.

That Reggie… isn't he Paul's older brother?

Klein vaguely remembered him. If he recalled correctly, this guy's younger brother would later become Ash's biggest rival in the Sinnoh arc. This upcoming tag battle was bound to be exciting.

Four Poké Balls flashed simultaneously. Reggie sent out his Electivire, while Moba chose Torterra. On the other side, Brooke called upon his Arcanine, and Elite sent out Nidoking. The battlefield was now a tense four-way standoff.

As the battle commenced, Elite was the first to give a command.

"Nidoking, Toxic Spikes!"

In an instant, Nidoking spewed a torrent of venomous liquid into the air. The ominous purple toxins spread across the battlefield, releasing a pungent, suffocating odor.

As the poison churned across the ground, Arcanine leaped high into the air, flames surging around its body. It swiftly swept up the venom into swirling fire vortexes, sending them hurtling towards Electivire and Torterra from multiple angles.

Clearly, Brooke and Elite had launched an aggressive opening attack. The combination of Toxic Spikes and Fire Spin created a unique assault of fire and poison, directly targeting Reggie and Moba's Pokémon.

Reggie swiftly made a decision.

"Electivire, use Meditate!"

Reggie chose to power up, leaving Moba to handle the toxic threat. Without hesitation, Moba gave his command.

"Torterra, use Sand Tomb!"

Both Reggie and Moba were seasoned trainers. Adopting a reactive approach, Torterra whipped up a fierce sand vortex, neutralizing the fire whirlpools. Meanwhile, Electivire took advantage of the moment to enhance its power.

Crossing its arms, Electivire concentrated its energy at a single point before rapidly spreading it throughout its body, increasing its attack power!

But just then, Arcanine suddenly appeared at Electivire's side, having used Extreme Speed to reposition itself. At the same time, Nidoking fired a barrage of Poison Sting.

Moba acted quickly.

"Torterra, use Frenzy Plant!"

In an instant, countless massive vines erupted from the ground, intercepting the incoming Poison Sting.

Electivire turned to strike Arcanine, only to find that the nimble canine had already shifted positions again, reappearing beside Torterra.

Brooke wasn't targeting Electivire at all—he had been waiting for Torterra to be locked in its Frenzy Plant recovery phase! Arcanine seized the moment, unleashing a devastating Fire Blast directly at Torterra.

"Protect!"

Electivire dashed in, forming a shimmering protective barrier to block the Fire Blast. However, Nidoking had already spewed another round of Toxic Spikes, which began to corrode the rapidly sprouting Frenzy Plant vines.

"Fire Spin!"

As the poisoned plants withered away, Torterra suffered a backlash. At that moment, Arcanine ignited another blazing Fire Spin, further restricting Torterra's mobility.

The intense heat overwhelmed Torterra, forcing it into agony!

Moments later, the flames finally dissipated, but the damage had already been done. Torterra succumbed to the relentless fire assault and collapsed, unable to battle.

The audience erupted with cheers at the exhilarating fight. However, just as Arcanine let its guard down for a moment, Electivire struck—an immense surge of electricity enveloped Arcanine's body!

With a powerful Thunder Punch, Electivire sent Arcanine flying across the battlefield.

Just then, a massive explosion erupted as the toxic sludge beneath the battlefield was disturbed. Nidoking, its eyes burning with fury, stomped hard on the ground—Earthquake!

The entire battlefield trembled as the ground was swallowed by a sea of purple poison.

Caught off guard, Electivire was struck by the Earthquake, momentarily dazed. The poison seeped into its body as Elite seized the opportunity.

"Nidoking, use Earthquake again!"

The battle had escalated to an intense climax. Reggie finally got serious.

"Electivire, activate Motor Drive!"

Just as Nidoking prepared to stomp down again, Electivire swiftly generated an electrical current, absorbing it into its body to trigger its Motor Drive ability.

With a dazzling flash of electricity, Electivire surged forward at an astonishing speed, closing the gap between itself and Nidoking in an instant.

It was about to counterattack—

But suddenly, a swirling fire vortex erupted from the shattered ground, ensnaring Electivire!

Reggie barely had time to react before realizing the trap—

"You set this up beforehand?"

Brooke smirked.

"When Arcanine went down, it left behind a hidden Fire Spin at Nidoking's feet. The moment Electivire got close, it walked right into our trap."

The searing flames blazed brighter. Nidoking seized Electivire, and with one final, devastating Earthquake—

The battlefield quaked violently. The super-effective hit left Electivire unconscious.

A brief silence followed.

Then the crowd exploded into cheers.

Brooke and Elite exchanged glances, their faces lighting up with exhilaration as they high-fived.

"Yes! We did it!"

In the spectator stands, several trainers from Sinnoh were in disbelief.

"Unbelievable… those Kanto trainers are only around ten years old, right?"

"Reggie and Moba are top-tier trainers in Sinnoh, and they still lost. Kanto's trainers are really strong this time."

On the main stage, Cynthia clapped her hands again.

"A brilliant tag battle. Arcanine and Nidoking showcased impeccable teamwork and tactical coordination."

"Lady Cynthia, shall we?"

Klein slowly rose, his gaze fixed on the electrified atmosphere of the battlefield. Finally, he formally issued his challenge to Cynthia.

Sensing Klein's fiery determination, Cynthia nodded in acknowledgment.

"You and I are the same—we both simply love Pokémon. Let's give it our all and battle without regrets."

Under the dazzling stage lights, Cynthia and Klein stepped forward, signaling that the exchange tournament had reached its climactic moment.

Cynthia—the undefeated Sinnoh Champion. A battle-hardened warrior, hailed as one of the world's strongest trainers.

Klein—the Sandstorm King of Kanto. A trainer known for his aggressive, head-on combat style, bearing a striking resemblance to Cynthia in battle philosophy.

Two Poké Balls glowed brightly before revealing their champions—Cynthia's fearsome Garchomp and Klein's mighty Tyranitar.

Both trainers had sent out their ace Pokémon right from the start.

It was clear—this battle would be an all-out clash.

Steven Stone's expression grew serious as he observed the battlefield.

"Didn't expect Cynthia to send out her trump card from the get-go."

Unlike an average Garchomp, Cynthia's Garchomp possessed terrifying battle prowess. Even its simplest attacks were as lethal as finishing moves, and its defensive capabilities were equally formidable. It also boasted a unique drifting movement technique.

Though Cynthia wasn't a Contest Coordinator, she had mastered the ability to integrate such skills into Garchomp's battle strategies.

Klein's Tyranitar, however, was just as formidable. While often playing a central role in battles due to its Sandstorm ability, it rarely fought at full strength. But now, facing Cynthia's Garchomp, both powerhouse Pokémon locked eyes, their ferocious auras clashing.

With a thunderous roar, the battle began!