"Level seventy-one… not bad at all," Gary said with a confident nod, clearly satisfied with Brandon's team levels.

The battlefield gleamed beneath the lights of the Battle Pyramid as Registeel, Brandon's next Legendary Pokémon, loomed over the field.

It was a humanoid steel titan — its spherical torso a polished metallic gray, carved with black stripes running down its flanks. Its face was marked with seven glowing red dots arranged in a hexagonal pattern. The Pokémon's long, cylindrical arms ended in three-pronged claws, and its legs planted into the ground with the sound of solid iron meeting stone.

Compared to Regirock and Regice, Registeel's defenses were more balanced rather than extreme.

Regice excelled in special defense, measuring a base of 200 points.

Regirock reigned in physical defense, equally powerful at 200.

But Registeel balanced both — wielding a double defense of 150 each, creating total resilience against almost any form of attack.

Its strength came not from impenetrable armor but from equilibrium — a defense system so even and layered that few could break through it swiftly. Yet because of its perfectly distributed defenses, its offensive pressure was weaker than the other two.

"This is why Ash managed to hold his ground against Registeel with his Torkoal," Brock commented thoughtfully in the spectator gallery. "Torkoal's constant Flamethrowers kept pressure on it, but Registeel's endurance was ridiculous — it tanked eight solid hits without faltering."

Professor Oak adjusted his glasses. "Indeed, Registeel's defensive capacity is on a different level. You don't overpower it. You wear it down."

"Tyranitar, use Earthquake!" Gary's voice broke through the observation, sharp and commanding.

"Raaaaargh!" Tyranitar stamped one colossal foot, the ground shaking like an erupting volcano.

Cracks spidered across the floor of the Battle Pyramid as the Earthquake tore through the arena, sending shards of stone flying.

Brandon was unimpressed. "Registeel, Iron Defense—then follow up with Heavy Slam!"

"Reg!"

Registeel's entire body shimmered with a coat of radiant silver. A resounding hum filled the air as it hardened further, boosting its armor to impossible density. The Earthquake struck, but Registeel absorbed the tremor with minimal damage.

Before the rumble could settle, Registeel's body glowed again — light refracting like liquid steel — and the Iron Pokémon launched itself into the air.

Tyranitar braced for impact. Gary's composure never wavered.

"Fight back—Dynamic Punch!"

Tyranitar's muscles bulged with power. His right arm shimmered with a white aura as he swung upward with thunderous force.

"RAAAAAR!"

The entire building shook as both titans met in mid-swing.

PAAH!!

The explosion of air from the punch echoed like a sonic boom.

Tyranitar's Dynamic Punch connected cleanly — the silver armor on Registeel's torso briefly cracked as the impact detonated across its body.

DANG!!

Registeel was blasted backward several meters, its heavy steps gouging trenches into the ground before it regained footing.

Max jumped to his feet. "Whoa! That actually knocked Registeel back!"

May nodded, stunned. "That's the same Registeel that even Torkoal couldn't budge. Tyranitar's insane!"

The effect, however, wasn't total. As Registeel backed away, its red eyes flickered but remained steady. The attack had connected—but not cleanly enough to disorient it.

"Fire Blast!" Gary commanded quickly.

Tyranitar's mouth flared open, his breath igniting into a blazing sphere.

"Raaaaaaaargh!!"

He released it point-blank — a massive, fiery kanji-shaped burst streaked across the battlefield and engulfed Registeel.

Brock's eyebrows rose. "So Tyranitar can use Fire-type techniques too… impressive versatility."

Brandon narrowed his eyes. Even he hadn't expected that. "A Fire Blast from a Rock and Dark-type… the sheer skill set is absurd."

Boom!!

The explosion roared, filling the stadium with waves of heat. But when the smoke cleared, Registeel was still standing, smoke trailing faintly from its frame.

Its armor glowed once more. "Flash Cannon!" Brandon countered.

"Reg!" Registeel's palms came together, condensing a brilliant beam of pure metal energy that launched forward like a silver spear.

"Dark Pulse!" Gary's voice cut sharply through the cloud.

Tyranitar spun his arm forward, unleashing a surge of swirling black energy.

The two beams collided mid-air.

WHAAAAM!!

Silver and black energies clashed violently, sparking arcs of light. For long seconds, the two opposing forces pushed against each other, neither gaining ground. The entire hall buzzed with the sound of vibrating energy.

Then, finally, Dark Pulse began forcing its way through. The metallic light of Flash Cannon flickered unevenly before detonating.

BOOM!!

A massive plume of dark smoke rolled across the stadium.

When the smoke dissipated, both Pokémon still stood — battered but unbroken. Registeel's armor glowed faintly again in self-regulation, while Tyranitar snarled through dust and heat.

Brandon raised a hand. "Lock On, then Zap Cannon!"

"Reg!!"

Registeel's eyes flashed in sequence, locking its target. A glowing red mark appeared dead center on Tyranitar's chest. Instantly, energy began to gather into an electrified sphere in Registeel's palms.

But Gary seized the opening.

"Don't give it time! Fire Blast, again!"

Tyranitar bellowed, mouth blazing, and launched another kanji-shaped inferno.

"Reg!" Registeel tanked the flames as best it could, its silver body beginning to glow hot, but it didn't stop charging the attack.

"Now!" Brandon yelled. "Zap Cannon!"

The massive electric sphere burst forth like a condensed sun, splitting through the fiery waves.

"Protect!" Gary snapped.

A translucent green barrier surrounded Tyranitar just as the Zap Cannon struck, exploding into a burst of searing light. Smoke erupted, filling the field again.

Brandon squinted through the haze. "Now, Registeel—Heavy Slam!"

"Reg!"

Through the smoke, Registeel charged, its armor turning to molten silver. It brought its entire weight down onto where Tyranitar stood—

—but in the exact same moment, Gary countered, calm and cold.

"Giga Impact! Go!"

"RAAAAAARGH!!"

Tyranitar erupted through the haze, his whole body enveloped in bright energy streams spiraling around him. Both titans collided.

Dang!!

The impact was monstrous—an explosion of force so immense that even the reinforced barrier walls of the Battle Pyramid groaned under the shockwave.

A fierce gale tore across the audience; Ash, May, and the others shielded their faces as their hair whipped wildly.

When the dust cleared, the scene was surreal. Tyranitar stood near Brandon's side of the field, panting, while Registeel teetered close to Gary's side—their positions swapped by the violent recoil.

"HI…!" Tyranitar gritted his teeth, eyes flashing red. Registeel shivered, its movements faltering. Sparks crackled over its metallic frame. It was paralyzed, unable to respond.

"Registeel, use Zap Cannon again!" Brandon called.

But Registeel froze, static coursing through its limbs—it couldn't move.

Gary seized the lead. "Sand Shield!"

Instantly, a fierce wind kicked up around Tyranitar. The swirling storm of sand wrapped around him like armor.

"Zap Cannon, go!" Brandon shouted desperately.

Registeel's attack finally launched, the yellow orb tearing across the field—

BOOM!!

—but it smashed into the sand vortex instead, detonating harmlessly. The Sandstorm's spinning barrier absorbed the bulk, deflecting the explosion's energy outward.

Tyranitar stood inside the storm, tall and unyielding. Through flashes of lightning and dust, his silhouette loomed like an unstoppable juggernaut.

Gary thrust his arm forward. "Fire Blast Tackle!"

"RAAAAAARGH!!"

Tyranitar inhaled deeply, gathering molten heat in his chest before letting out a massive Fire Blast—but instead of launching it forward, he charged straight into it! The flames swirled around his body, wrapping him in blazing red-orange fire.

"What?!" Brandon exclaimed.

"He's merging Fire Blast into a physical move?!"

Professor Oak smiled in disbelief. "Ah… that's highly advanced technique fusion. He's syncing special and physical energy types simultaneously!"

"Exactly," Brock said, stunned. "That's two attacks integrated at once—essentially, Fire Blast plus Tackle. He's weaponized a special move for melee range. Unreal."