The rest of the battle turned into garbage time. Sally's remaining two Pokémon couldn't even break through Tyranitar after two Dragon Dances. The moment they entered the battlefield, they were immediately injured by the sandstorm caused by Dragon Dance. As a result, the last two rounds ended in less than thirty seconds.
The outcome of this match was shocking. The Sandstorm Elite, Klein, had effortlessly crushed a Hoenn region Contest Master with a clean 6-0 victory, making many Kanto trainers recognize the overwhelming strength of this new Elite Four member.
In particular, his Dragon Dance Tyranitar left people feeling utterly helpless against it. As a result, Klein's fanbase on online forums began to grow rapidly. Currently, the number of young female fans admiring him had already reached the hundreds.
However, Klein's core fanbase still consisted of those who appreciated intense, hard-hitting battles. Though Klein appeared quiet and refined, his battle style was unexpectedly direct, decisive, and ferocious.
On the other hand, online scandals about Sally began to surface. Information regarding her family background and the breeding farms under her name—one of which included a Sweet Bamboo Berry Juice plantation—was exposed.
Public opinion shifted rapidly. Sally's image plummeted overnight, transforming from a kind and gentle Contest Master into a ruthless queen who would stop at nothing to climb the ranks. Her previously graceful persona was deemed entirely fake, and soon, discussions about her filled online forums.
These moves were orchestrated by Lorelei. Since Sally had failed to defeat Klein, she would have to face the consequences of her past actions.
Klein, however, was unaware of these behind-the-scenes maneuvers. After the exhibition match ended, he returned alone to the accommodations arranged by the League. He opened his laptop and meticulously recorded key battle details.
Once he finished logging his notes, he moved on to his daily special training.
A specially developed VR system connected to the Pokémon stored in Klein's PC. Instantly, countless streams of data merged together, synchronizing with his mind as he entered the VR simulation world.
This VR system, also known as the Dream Realm, was a creation Klein had developed using concepts from Sword Art Online and Accel World. Utilizing existing technological advancements, he had brought this vision to life.
During his travels across different regions, Klein had lived frugally, setting aside funds to study VR game development.
The high-tech advancements in the Pokémon world were astonishing. The Poké Ball itself was a marvel of data-based technology, seamlessly switching between virtual and real states. Integrating this into the Dream Realm VR training system was not technically difficult—what had been lacking was a creative vision.
In Kanto, VR games were primarily used for map development and research. Players could explore scenic locations from the comfort of their homes.
By leveraging his technical knowledge, Klein had hacked and modified existing VR games, integrating them with his Pokédex's data-reading capabilities. After extensive refinement, he had finally completed the Dream Realm system.
Simply put, Klein had transformed a single-player game ROM into a localized multiplayer game. The participants weren't just himself but also the Pokémon stored in his Poké Balls.
This was Klein's original version. After years of development, he had expanded the game to include various features, such as virtual battles and real-parameter settings.
As streams of data flashed by, Klein slowly opened his eyes. He now stood in a vast grassland, clad in combat gear. Behind him, all his Pokémon had gathered together.
Traditional training methods often made it difficult for trainers to focus on all aspects at once, especially since real-world environments rarely provided sufficient space. This was particularly true for Sandstorm-based Pokémon like Klein's, which were often massive in size.
VR training, as part of his routine, mainly aimed to enhance battle coordination between him and his Pokémon.
For instance, today, Tyranitar was undergoing virtual battles against various legendary Pokémon. Although it lost more than it won, each fight helped refine its real-world combat experience. Of course, these legendary Pokémon were merely simulated based on available data.
This VR training environment was built to mimic reality. Every attack, environmental destruction, and elemental move functioned with 100% accuracy. By relying on this training system, Klein had rapidly developed into an Elite Four member over the years.
Among his virtual opponents, he had even programmed an AI simulation of Sally. Based on the computer's calculations, if Sally's team had been optimized by discarding flashy but impractical moves, she could have managed a score of 2-6 or even 3-6.
If he wanted to further enhance the AI's intelligence, it would require a more professional team. However, Klein had no intention of revealing his training secrets just yet. Thus, he only adjusted the AI opponents' strength based on his own understanding.
Tyranitar's Dragon Dance technique still had room for improvement. Against a clueless trainer like Sally, it wasn't an issue, but against a true expert, there would be no time to stack buffs.
With this in mind, Klein activated the projection of the strongest trainer he had ever faced and began his final training session of the day. Getting relentlessly crushed by such a powerful opponent had become part of his daily routine—his only hope was that today, he could at least force out their last Pokémon.
---
Mt. Moon was one of Kanto's most renowned mountain regions, home to a vast and complex wild ecosystem.
Aside from the paths that Ash and his friends traveled in the anime, Mt. Moon had dozens of intersecting routes leading to various parts of the mountain range. The most prominent feature was its towering main peak, where an enormous Clefairy population resided, along with the region's famous Moon Stones.
This mountain range was also a frequent activity site for Team Rocket, with numerous hidden bases scattered throughout. In the past, due to intelligence and strategic considerations, the Pokémon League had been unable to take action against them. However, in recent times, Team Rocket's expanding influence had grown too large to ignore. The League had finally decided to strike.
At its core, Team Rocket had originally been established as an underground force to facilitate secret dealings for the Silph Corporation. Beyond Pokémon trafficking, they also handled many other illicit operations on Silph's behalf.
Silph Corporation was the most powerful manufacturing conglomerate in the Kanto region, with industries spanning Hoenn, Sinnoh, and beyond. As one of the world's largest multinational suppliers, it was an entity even Lorelei had to be cautious of.
However, Team Rocket's leader, Giovanni, was not content with merely being Silph's attack dog. Over the years, Silph had realized that their leash on Team Rocket was slipping. Recognizing the growing threat, they had secretly allied with the League's higher-ups to orchestrate a series of operations to dismantle Team Rocket.
Thus, a large-scale crackdown was set into motion—Mt. Moon's mission was just one phase of this overarching plan against Team Rocket.
---
Bruno had arrived at the command center a few hours before Klein. However, he didn't seem particularly enthusiastic.
To him, these base layouts were nothing new. The League had known about them for years. The members stationed inside weren't particularly strong either—clearing them out was just a routine task.
"I'll leave these guys to you, Klein. I'm gonna take a nap," Bruno said, before promptly dozing off, ignoring Klein, who was carefully analyzing the mission details.
With a new Sandstorm Elite in the League, it was clear that veterans like him could afford to slack off a little.
There were thirteen Team Rocket bases hidden within Mt. Moon. According to intelligence reports, they were supposedly easy to deal with—practically a walk in the park for the League.
Yet, Klein's instincts told him otherwise.
Over the years, his honed intuition had never failed him. This mission was anything but simple.
(End of Chapter)