That day, Delibird brought Togepi to deliver food, and it was the first time Chris saw the little Pokémon, Togepi. He handed it a fruit, which it accepted cheerfully, though Chris couldn't resist giving it a playful pat.
Looking down, he suddenly bumped into a Shiny Ralts.
He had encountered Delibird and Togepi at the gate of Dragon University, decided to bring them home, and arranged a cozy room for them. Once again, Chris gave them a gentle pat, and right afterward, he encountered a Shiny Aron.
Usually, he wouldn't think much of meeting rare Pokémon. But after encountering multiple Shiny Pokémon in such a short time, Chris couldn't help but wonder, could Togepi truly be super lucky?
Togepi has long been a symbol of good fortune, whether in the Pokémon world of ancient tales or in the current day. There's even a saying: "Treat Togepi with kindness, and it will share its luck with you."
In particular, Togepi is known to have the Abilities "Serene Grace" and "Super Luck," which only adds credibility to this belief.
Of course, Serene Grace doesn't directly bring luck to people; rather, it increases the chances of moves causing secondary effects. Super Luck, on the other hand, boosts the likelihood of critical hits.
For a Pokémon like Togepi, who represents good fortune, having the Abilities Serene Grace and Super Luck seems fitting... it leads one to wonder about the grace of heaven and the fortune it bestows.
Chris hadn't yet caught Togepi, so he didn't know if it had either of those Abilities. But luck is a mysterious thing, and it's better to believe in it than to ignore it.
From now on, he resolved, if anything important came up, he'd definitely consider Togepi's presence.
But when he thought about it, he realized his encounters with Shiny Ralts and Shiny Aron could just be sheer luck. After all, the only Shiny he'd managed to find in the game before was a Makuhita…
Chris almost felt like "Unlucky" was written across his forehead.
At that moment, he wasn't sure if Togepi would bring him luck or misfortune.
Luck can be good—like those rare finds—but it can also be mischievous…
Before he reached the fourth floor of Mirage Tower, a prompt appeared in front of him:
[Yes/No to enter the dungeon "Ancient Mirage Tower"]
[Dungeon recommended entry level: 45]
With the title "Ancient" and a recommended level of 45, he figured the Pokémon inside would likely be around level 47 or 48.
Chris chose to enter.
The light and shadows shifted around him, and he found himself inside the Mirage Tower once again.
Unlike the two- and three-story Mirage Towers he'd visited before, the first floor of this four-story tower felt vast—almost as large as two or three basketball courts combined.
At the center of the hall stood an Aggron, holding its head high, waiting to challenge any intruder.
Chris noted its level displayed above it—LV47.
"An Aggron, huh…" he murmured, releasing a Poké Ball.
The Poké Ball opened mid-air, and a larger figure than Aggron emerged, landing with a solid thud.
"Boom!"
Steelix was here!
For a Steel and Rock-type Pokémon like Aggron with impressive defenses, Steelix, with its Ground typing and even sturdier defenses, was the perfect choice.
"Agggggrooon!!" Aggron bellowed, a faint glow gathering at the center of its silver-white helmet before condensing into a brilliant sphere of energy.
In the next instant, the light burst forward, shooting a silver beam straight at Steelix.
"Flash Cannon!"
"Steelix, use Earthquake!"
Steelix braced itself, barely flinching from Aggron's attack. Both Pokémon were known for their powerful defenses and slow speed, so dodging was pointless—this was a battle of endurance and strength!
Steelix raised its long, heavy tail high and brought it crashing down onto the ground.
"Boom!"
The entire Mirage Tower quaked from the impact.
Chris couldn't help but feel a pang of concern—could Steelix's Earthquake move actually bring down the Mirage Tower?
Meanwhile, Aggron's Flash Cannon struck Steelix squarely, causing it to sway slightly, but otherwise having no effect.
Steelix's Earthquake unleashed a violent shockwave from its tail, rippling across the ground in all directions, spreading cracks like a spiderweb. It was as if the ground itself was about to give way!
Aggron was like a small boat caught in a storm at sea, tossed by the powerful waves and on the verge of sinking.
When the tremors subsided and the ground stilled, Aggron lay defeated on the floor, fine cracks marring its dark armor. Its eyes swirled in a daze, and all traces of its earlier bravado were gone.
*[Defeated Aggron LV47, gained 3334 experience points.]*
"Wild Pokémon don't give much experience," Chris muttered. A level 47 Aggron defeated in the wild barely provided more experience than Asha's level 42 Arcanine.
He tossed a Poké Ball to capture Aggron.
Although he already had a Shiny Lairon, if this level 47 Aggron had good stats, he could eventually open a breeding center to raise and sell trained Pokémon.
Besides, with so many Aron in Professor Birch's ranch, having an older Aggron around would be helpful.
This could also help Professor Birch manage his growing collection of Aron.
Chris picked up the Poké Ball and checked Aggron's stats.
*[Aggron (Steel/Rock)]*
*[Level: 47]*
*[Ability: Rock Head (prevents recoil damage from its own moves)]*
*[Individual Values: HP (31), Attack (31), Special Attack (23), Defense (31), Special Defense (24), Speed (21)]*
*[Moves: Metal Sound, Harden, Metal Claw, Rock Tomb, Roar, Headbutt, Protect, Rock Slide, Iron Head, Take Down, Flash Cannon]*
*[Held Item: Metal Coat]*
"Wow, impressive stats!" Chris noted. Aggron's HP, Attack, and Defense were all maxed out at 31, with its other stats scoring above 20.
If he didn't already have a Shiny Lairon, he'd consider using this level 47 Aggron right away.
Chris removed Aggron's Metal Coat and discovered it was a high-quality treasure-grade item, boosting Steel-type moves by 25%.
With two Steel-types on his team, this treasure-grade Metal Coat was going to come in handy!
The Poké Ball was automatically sent to his PC.
With that, Chris proceeded to the second floor.
On the second floor of the Mirage Tower, Chris encountered a Level 50 Golem.
Chris had a fondness for battling with Pokémon that had high levels but obvious weaknesses, and this Rock-Ground type Golem fit the bill. Golem managed to execute two moves against Greninja, but after one Water Shuriken, it was severely injured. It was tough enough to withstand the attack without getting knocked out instantly, but Greninja finished it off with a Water Pulse.
Impressed by Greninja's performance, Chris thought he could level it up a bit more to prepare for the Flame Plan dungeon, where Maxie's main threat would be his Camerupt. Camerupt's weakness to Rock and Water meant Chris planned to use his Steelix, confident it would handle the Level 50 Camerupt without much trouble.
Chris captured the Golem and checked its stats, noting it had 2V in attack and defense—decent enough for his team. He suspected that the individual values of the Pokémon found on Mirage Tower's upper floors were generally strong. Level 50 Pokémon with double V stats could certainly bolster his lineup, similar to the Diamond Onix he'd caught earlier, though without the help of a sturdy Golem, capturing Onix would've taken more setup.
Chris moved up to the third floor.
A gust of wind whipped up a storm of sand, forcing Chris to shield his face. The sand on this floor was intense, seemingly blown in from the desert outside, but when he focused on the silhouette in the center of the floor, everything made sense.
Standing in the middle of the floor was the "Sandstorm Emperor" himself: Tyranitar, also known as Bangira.
But something was off.
"Why is this Tyranitar so big?" Chris wondered in shock.
Typically, Tyranitar stood around three meters tall, but this one was at least five meters! Its sheer size resembled a small mountain, like a mini Godzilla. The dark green armor on its hideous form seemed cloaked in swirling sand, almost like it was wearing a suit of Sandstorm armor.
"Could this be a Totem Tyranitar?" Chris speculated, noticing the aura of sand around it. Pokémon with extraordinary size were often Totem Pokémon or Gigantamaxed. Since this Tyranitar didn't fit the Gigantamax form, he figured it must be a Totem Pokémon. But Totem Pokémon usually came from Alola—what was one doing here?
Shaking off his curiosity, Chris focused. This unexpected find was good news for his Sandstorm team.
A Totem Tyranitar would be an incredible asset, perhaps even more valuable than a Shiny Tyranitar. Shiny Pokémon weren't necessarily stronger, but a Totem Tyranitar's enhanced abilities would make it a formidable core of any Sandstorm team.
However, there was a significant hurdle. To capture Totem Tyranitar, Chris would have to defeat it first.
This Tyranitar was Level 52, while Chris's highest-leveled Pokémon was a Level 42 Gabite.
An uphill battle awaited him.
"Let's do this, Blaziken!" Chris called, releasing his Pokémon.
In the distance, Tyranitar looked at Blaziken with cold, dismissive eyes. As a powerful Pokémon, it had no interest in battling a weaker opponent.
"Blaziken, use Growl!" Chris commanded, knowing that even though Blaziken's Fighting-type moves were quadruple-effective against Tyranitar, his Level 36 Blaziken wasn't a match for this towering opponent.
But with a full team at his disposal, Chris planned to use every advantage his six Pokémon could offer.
Wheel battle!
"Cha~~~" Blaziken let out a deep roar. Since its evolution, Blaziken's voice had become much more powerful, losing its previous youthful tone.
Hearing the defiant cry, Tyranitar's icy eyes flared with anger. It might have no interest in picking on weaker opponents, but it would not tolerate a weaker Pokémon taunting it!
With a slight opening of its mouth, a blinding white light shot forth.
It was Hyper Beam!
"Boom!" The powerful beam instantly blasted through the wall of the Mirage Tower, leaving a massive hole, and Blaziken was gone.
Seeing this, Chris broke into a cold sweat.
As expected of a Totem Tyranitar! Unlike in games where Pokémon need time to charge up before using Hyper Beam, this Tyranitar unleashed the move without any delay! It seemed that Tyranitar had become so accustomed to using Hyper Beam that it no longer needed to prepare before firing.
Before Chris could react, Blaziken was already out of the fight.
Luckily, in this world, fainted Pokémon automatically return to their Poké Balls, so Chris didn't have to worry about Blaziken's safety.
Although Blaziken had been defeated in one hit, it had still managed to fulfill its tactical role.
Growl: Lowers the target's Attack by one stage.
Chris wasn't sure how much impact Blaziken's Growl would have on a Pokémon as powerful as Tyranitar. After all, this wasn't just a game—the effects of moves could vary depending on the Pokémon's strength.
Chris quickly grabbed his second Poké Ball and threw it.
The next Pokémon to face Tyranitar was Lairon!
"Lairon, use Metal Sound!"
"Lair!!" Lairon roared softly, then emitted a grating, metallic screech that filled the air with an unpleasant noise.
Chris felt goosebumps at the sound.
Tyranitar grew even more irritable! It retaliated with another Hyper Beam, opening its mouth to unleash another blinding blast.
Chris's eyes widened in shock. "Wait, isn't it supposed to be immobile for a while after using Hyper Beam? How is it able to fire them back-to-back?!"
Tyranitar, as if sensing his disbelief, seemed to say, "I am standing still."
Once again, the blinding light of Hyper Beam filled Chris and Lairon's vision.
With no time to give orders, Chris knew it was futile—Lairon was too slow to evade the attack, and its defenses couldn't withstand the power of Tyranitar's strikes.
The level difference between them was nearly 20 levels!
Yet, despite being knocked out, Lairon's mission was accomplished.
Metal Sound: Lowers the target's Special Defense by two stages.
With these debuffs, Chris had laid the groundwork for the battle ahead, even if it had been at a heavy cost. The preliminary weakening phase was done, although Blaziken's sacrifice for just one Growl was a bit regrettable.
Now, the next four Pokémon in Chris's lineup would be the ones to turn the tide.
"Steelix, use Earthquake!" Chris raised his hand, sending out two Poké Balls.
Steelix appeared with an imposing presence, its massive body immediately locking eyes with the towering Totem Tyranitar as it landed.
Finally, a worthy rival!
Alongside Steelix, Gardevoir materialized. Without hesitation, she used Confusion to lift Chris into the air, keeping him out of harm's way.
The seemingly vast arena suddenly felt cramped with Steelix and Totem Tyranitar, both colossal presences filling the space. The sheer force of their moves could easily endanger Chris, the unarmed Trainer.
Steelix raised its tail high, slamming it into the ground.
The floor of the third level shook violently as cracks spider-webbed outward, splitting the ground with intense tremors that surged across the entire floor.
For a moment, it felt like the Mirage Tower was about to collapse.
Yet, the Mirage Tower remained resilient, as strong as ever.
The damage from Tyranitar's previous Hyper Beam had already been repaired, suggesting that this structure was no ordinary rock tower. True to its name, the Mirage Tower seemed to be a phantom, a spectral structure that could instantly restore itself.
This meant they could truly let loose in battle!
In the face of Earthquake, Tyranitar reacted quickly. The five-meter-tall behemoth bent low, then unleashed a powerful punch into the ground.
"Boom!"
With a heavy thud, the raw power flowed from Tyranitar's fist into the ground, spreading outward to meet the Earthquake's shockwave. The two forces clashed mid-air with a crackling explosion, effectively neutralizing each other.
Chris stared, astonished.
Tyranitar hadn't used Earthquake; it had countered with the Fighting-type move, Superpower.
The flashing red and blue aura around Tyranitar confirmed it—Superpower, with its 120 base power, lowering the user's Attack and Defense by one level afterward.
But what amazed Chris was how Tyranitar had countered Earthquake's shockwave by striking the ground with Superpower.
Could a wild Pokémon really come up with such a strategy?
Chris was now certain—this Totem Tyranitar had exceptional battle instincts!
"I want it even more now." Chris's eyes gleamed. Only a Pokémon like this could be the heart of his Sandstorm team.
"Water Shuriken!"
"Dragon Claw!"
"Moonblast!"
Chris didn't hesitate, throwing two more Poké Balls as Tyranitar braced itself with Superpower.
Gabite and Greninja appeared at once.
One positioned on the left and the other on the right, Gabite's arm glowed with the dark green energy of Dragon Claw as it charged forward like a tank.
Greninja, moving swiftly, coordinated with Gabite, launching Water Shuriken while he prepared to strike with Cut.
Meanwhile, still levitating Chris, Gardevoir launched a powerful Moonblast straight at Tyranitar.
Tyranitar: Didn't you say you wanted to battle one-on-one?
Chris: Who said anything about one-on-one? My team has four wheels—so what's wrong with four Pokémon battling you at once?
Tyranitar: What in the—this isn't fair!
Feeling the attacks coming from the left, right, and above, Tyranitar's eyes, which had been burning with anger, widened further. Now, excitement overtook the fury, and a primal, savage aura radiated from it. Bending its body, Tyranitar suddenly straightened and spread its arms wide, as if embracing the heavens. Then, it threw its head back and let out a deafening roar.
"Tyran!!!"
The roar unleashed a powerful sonic wave from Tyranitar's core, a stormy shockwave that expanded outward like a hurricane, pushing everything nearby away in a chaotic frenzy.
Gabite, who had lunged in for a Body Press, was blown back, Greninja's Water Shuriken disintegrated into mere droplets, and Gardevoir's Moonblast shattered and dissolved like scattered dust.
Chris was bewildered. He didn't recognize this move from any Dark-type ability he knew, especially not one this powerful. In the games, Dark-type moves capped at a power of 100 at most. But based on the form and aftereffect, Chris guessed it might be Snarl.
Even so, Tyranitar had used a mere Snarl with a power of only 55 to repel the combined attacks of Gabite, Greninja, and Gardevoir, even injuring Gabite in the process.
"This Tyranitar is ridiculous," Chris muttered, frustrated. "What's Mirage Tower trying to do, throwing a Totem-level Tyranitar against a team of level 45 Pokémon?"
With a fierce grin, Tyranitar gave a wide, wild smile, revealing sharp fangs.
Then it followed up with Swords Dance.
A surging red aura engulfed its body, drastically boosting its attack power!
If Blaziken's Growl could reduce its Attack by one level, then Swords Dance had more than made up for it, raising Tyranitar's attack to terrifying new levels.
Tyranitar leaned forward, bracing itself as though a building were collapsing in its path.
Here comes the tank!
"Steelix, use Iron Tail!" Chris commanded.
Steelix twisted, whipping its tail like a blade, its tip coated in a layer of silver-white energy as it swung directly at Tyranitar.
The other three Pokémon launched their attacks in unison.
Gardevoir raised her hand, summoning another Moonblast. Since it was nighttime, the power of Moonblast was amplified, making the attack stronger.
Gabite held its distance, choosing to launch a Dragon Breath from the side instead of charging in.
Greninja created a Substitute, forming a double that mimicked its movements as both launched Water Pulse attacks simultaneously.
Despite the coordinated assault, Tyranitar's momentum was unstoppable. Instead of slowing, it charged forward even faster.
Water Pulse? Tyranitar shattered both pulses with a single swipe.
Dragon Breath? It ignored the heat, as if the temperature wasn't even worth noticing.
Moonblast? Though it struck from above, Tyranitar gritted its teeth and endured, brushing off the pain.
Various energies burst against Tyranitar's hide, but the Sandstorm armor coating its body and the Totem aura unique to Totem Pokémon nullified them all.
Finally, Steelix's Iron Tail clashed with Tyranitar's charging form in a thunderous collision!
In an instant, the difference in strength became clear.
Tyranitar forced Steelix's Iron Tail and head back, slamming Steelix against the wall of Mirage Tower.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Tyranitar grabbed Steelix, slammed it against the wall, and pinned it down forcefully.
Another Fighting-type move—Dynamic Punch—flashed across the battlefield.
Chris couldn't help but marvel. How could a Dark-type Pokémon like Tyranitar know so many Fighting-type moves? Maybe Tyranitar had been on the receiving end of these moves enough times to "learn from the barbarians," using their own techniques against them.
Fighting-type moves deal double damage to Steelix, amplifying Tyranitar's already terrifying attack power.
Chris initially thought that once Onix evolved into Steelix, its Sturdy Ability combined with its sheer defense would make it unbreakable. But Tyranitar was teaching him a hard lesson.
With one punch, Tyranitar cracked Steelix's diamond-hard defenses.
"Iron Defense!" Chris commanded urgently.
Greninja, Gabite, and Gardevoir launched their attacks again!
No matter how strong Steelix's Totem aura was, it could still be broken. And to harm Tyranitar, breaking its Totem aura was essential!
Steelix, already weary and battered, activated Iron Defense, flashing a silver-white light that wildly boosted its defense.
Greninja, with its Substitute, sped up, darting in for a close-range attack, one on each side. Gabite provided cover with Dragon Breath.
Meanwhile, Gardevoir, brimming with energy, floated in the air, unleashing Confusion and bombarding Tyranitar with a relentless barrage of Moonblasts, like a bomber with infinite ammunition.
Despite enduring Tyranitar's fierce punches, Steelix somehow kept fighting. But Tyranitar quickly grabbed Steelix's head and swung it like a massive shield to deflect Gabite's attacks, then used it to knock Greninja away.
With a fierce glow in its eyes, Tyranitar opened its mouth, unleashing a devastating Hyper Beam that swept toward Gardevoir in mid-air.
"Teleport!" Chris shouted.
Gardevoir teleported out of range, taking Chris with it.
The Greninja that Tyranitar had knocked back was just a Substitute. The real Greninja crouched low and swiftly advanced, hand crackling with dark energy.
Realizing the danger, Tyranitar lifted its right foot, preparing to use Bulldoze to drive Greninja away. But Greninja leaped just in time, holding something extra—a black, diamond-shaped crystal.
A Dark-type Z-Crystal.
It's useless without a Z-Ring, Chris thought. But it proves Tyranitar might really hail from Alola.
The Totem Pokémon of Alola were tasked by the Guardian Deities to test island challengers. Defeating them earned you a Z-Crystal.
"It's a pity," Chris sighed, hoping he could weaken Tyranitar by stealing its held item.
Suddenly, a sharp cracking sound echoed, like shattering glass.
The Sandstorm armor surrounding Tyranitar crumbled. The combined efforts of Chris's three Pokémon had finally broken Tyranitar's Totem aura! This was the signal—the time for a counterattack!
However, Gabite had fainted, worn out from Steelix's crushing weight, which was as devastating as a Giga Impact.
But it was worth it. Now, with Tyranitar's Totem aura gone, Greninja's Water moves and Gardevoir's Moonblast could deal real damage!
"Tyranitar!!" With a roar, dark sound waves burst forth, shattering all incoming attacks.
Another Snarl echoed across the battlefield.
Tyranitar's eyes flashed as it swept its gaze over the disrupted attacks, launching into another Swords Dance, sharply boosting its attack power yet again.
It was a warning to Chris: Even without my Totem aura, I'm not easy to handle.
According to game calculations, Tyranitar's attack level had now risen by three stages—meaning it was at 2.5 times its original power. Tyranitar was even more dangerous than at the start!
But Chris was ready. Did you think I was just a spectator here? I already have the winning strategy to take you down.
"Greninja, Water Shuriken!"
Greninja immediately unleashed a flurry of spinning water darts.
Tyranitar, ready with Dragon Claw, swatted each Water Shuriken away with ease.
...And just behind those water darts, a small, floating Dawn Ball approached slowly.
It looked harmless, with no ominous energy radiating from it, so Tyranitar smacked it aside without hesitation.
"Close your eyes!" Chris shouted suddenly.
Trusting their Trainer, Greninja and Steelix quickly shut their eyes, while Chris and Gardevoir had already equipped sunglasses in preparation.
The instant the Dawn Ball burst, a blinding light blanketed the battlefield.
That's right—the ball of light was actually a "Flash" attack from Gardevoir, cleverly disguised as an innocuous sphere.
Using Flash as a blinding flash bomb was a strategy Chris had planned well in advance.
"Tyranitar!!! (Hey! That's not fair play!)"
Caught completely off-guard, Tyranitar staggered, disoriented by the intense light and pain flooding its vision.
Blindly trying to fend off attacks coming from all sides, Tyranitar waved its claws erratically, but the fierce light had robbed it of its sight, leaving it exposed.
"Greninja, Substitute, Water Shuriken!"
"Steelix, Iron Tail!"
"Gardevoir, keep up the Moonblasts!" Chris commanded without missing a beat.
Intense light can temporarily blind any opponent, but for the mighty Tyranitar—the Desert Tyrant and a pseudo-legendary Pokémon—its recovery was bound to be swift. Chris knew he had to capitalize on this chance and defeat it before it regained its footing.
Greninja created a Substitute, dashing in two directions, tossing Water Shurikens from each side as it circled Tyranitar.
Gardevoir, hands raised, unleashed an unrelenting stream of Moonblasts, raining down with all its might.
Steelix, lying on the ground from earlier hits, summoned its strength, lifting its tail for a powerful Iron Tail strike. Tyranitar's relentless blows had taken their toll, but now it was finally Steelix's turn to strike back!
Flailing blindly, Tyranitar tried to defend itself but became an open target. Iron Tail, Water Shuriken, and Moonblast—each one hit hard and exploited Tyranitar's vulnerabilities.
Finally, without the protection of its Totem aura, Tyranitar couldn't hold out any longer. With one last roar, it collapsed in front of Chris, defeated.
"Finally done." Chris let out a long breath, taking a Heavy Ball from his bag and throwing it.
A regular Poké Ball might have trouble containing such a massive Pokémon.
The weakened Tyranitar was unable to resist, even as a Totem Pokémon, and was swiftly captured by Chris.
He opened its status panel to examine the details.
*[Tyranitar (Rock, Dark) (Totem)]*
- *Level*: 52
- *Ability*: Sand Stream (Summons a sandstorm that lasts for 5 turns upon entering battle)
- *Individual Values*: HP (31), Attack (31), Special Attack (31), Defense (31), Special Defense (31), Speed (25)
- *Moves*: Rock Throw, Tackle, Scary Face, Rock Slide, Iron Defense, Superpower, Swords Dance, Dragon Dance, Dragon Claw, Dynamic Punch, Snarl, Bulldoze, Dark Pulse, Hyper Beam, Bite, Thrash, Crunch, Sandstorm, Payback
- *Held Item*: None
A 5V Tyranitar with only Speed lacking a max value—yet still at 25. It's no wonder this Tyranitar is a Totem. Strong and intimidating! The moves it knows are impressive—Superpower, Dynamic Punch, Swords Dance, Dragon Claw, and Dragon Dance. These aren't moves it would typically learn, but somehow, it does!
For Chris, this was crucial, as Tyranitar is also a Rock-type Pokémon! As a pseudo-legendary, its base stat total in the games is a mighty 600, and with the boost from its Totem status, it feels like it has an effective total of 750.
Compared to in-game base stats:
Arceus? A big brother!
Rayquaza? Before Mega Evolution, it's just a little brother!
Of course, reality differs from the games; its power isn't quite at the level of Legendary Pokémon. But among pseudo-legendaries of the same level, it's unmatched.
In Chris's team, Tyranitar is now the undisputed trump card!
"I need to head to Mt. Chimney and stop their volcanic plans immediately!" he resolved.
Camerupt would be weak against Rock-type moves, and Tyranitar could handle it for sure! Chris felt exhilarated at the thought.
He placed Tyranitar's Poké Ball into his bag and returned Lairon to the PC.
Lairon: "Don't worry about me! I'll just be here collecting scraps. You take care of yourself!"
With Tyranitar safely stowed, Chris moved up to the fourth floor.
There, he found a stone platform with only one item resting on it: a colossal fossil. At first glance, it resembled a mural or stone carving of a massive head.
This time, Chris didn't need to guess what Pokémon it would become after resurrection. The fossil unmistakably resembled the head of a Tyrannosaurus.
No doubt, resurrecting this fossil would yield the prehistoric Pokémon Tyrunt—soon to become the Tyrantrum of his dreams!
He picked up the fossil.
Suddenly, Chris found himself back in his room.
Text appeared on his handheld screen:
The moment you picked up the ancient Tyrannosaurus fossil, the Mirage Tower collapses.
"So, if a fossil is of higher quality, it gets an 'Ancient' prefix?" Chris thought as he guided his character out of the desert. He was heading to Rustboro City to resurrect Tyrunt.
Two incredible catches in a single day! A cause for celebration!
On his way, Chris passed by another Mirage Tower, this one two stories high.
But he had no interest in venturing inside again. For now, he was focused on gathering fossils to create a powerful Tyrantrum and, incidentally, training pseudo-legendaries like Tyranitar and Metagross.
With Tyranitar now on his team, along with the promise of a future Tyrantrum, Chris felt unstoppable.
While training solo might be sufficient for Pokémon like Metagross, Chris couldn't resist checking in at the Mirage Tower every three hours—just in case a higher floor showed up and brought a surprise with it.
On his way to Rustboro City, Chris made a quick stop in Mauville City to heal his team, then swung by Mauville Gym and passed through Rusturf Tunnel. Just at the tunnel's entrance, he put Tyranitar at the top of his team, eager to test out its power!
Chris was practically giddy, like a kid with a new toy.
But the first battle left him in an awkward spot.
It wasn't his opponent's fault, though—it was his own.
*Chris:* "Tyranitar, use Hyper Beam!"
*Geodude:* ???
Hint: Tyranitar doesn't want to respond and just huffs at you.
*Geodude:* !!!
Tyranitar wasn't following his orders…
Suddenly, Chris remembered that he'd only just beaten the Lavaridge Gym, his fourth Badge.
If he opened his Trainer panel in the game, he would see:
You can only command Pokémon below level 50 to battle.
In-game, the level of Pokémon you can control depends on the number of Badges. This is meant to stop players from simply trading for max-level Pokémon and breezing through the game.
For Chris, this meant Tyranitar was currently unusable. And he dared not send it out in real life either; if it refused to obey, a Level 52 Totem Tyranitar could devastate Dragon University in under an hour!
To command Tyranitar, he would have to earn his fifth Badge from Petalburg Gym. Only then would the level cap increase to 60, allowing Tyranitar to obey his commands.
"I need to challenge the Petalburg Gym—right now!" Chris thought, frustrated that he couldn't yet unleash his powerful new partner.
But Petalburg Gym wasn't too far off in terms of goals. He resolved to focus on leveling up his Blaziken to make sure it was ready for the upcoming battles.
"Time to take Tyranitar up Mt. Chimney!"
While Chris plotted his next move, he directed his in-game character to Devon Corp. in Rustboro City.
He was just about to ask a researcher there to help revive Tyrunt when he paused, glancing at his resting Togepi, who was nestled comfortably against him.
"It's getting late. Delibird should be back soon, and if Togepi's still here, it won't worry about finding me gone," he murmured as he gently picked up the sleeping Togepi and placed it back in his room.
It's definitely not for good luck or anything, he told himself.
After settling Togepi back, Chris returned to the researcher and asked for assistance in reviving his new fossil—ready to bring Tyrunt to life.