Klein meticulously planned his battle strategy against Caitlin, continuously analyzing and refining his approach on his computer.
Caitlin was overwhelmingly powerful—a suffocating presence among the new generation of Elite Four.
She was the only one among them who had perfected a dual-core battle strategy, and at any moment, she was capable of evolving into a triple-core strategist.
But that didn't mean Klein would back down.
With ten days remaining before the Lily of the Valley Tournament, Klein isolated himself in Cinnabar Island's volcanic caves, tirelessly training with his Pokémon.
Within the blistering magma-filled environment, his team endured brutal conditions, engaging in intense sparring sessions.
The scorching heat and steam gradually increased the heat resistance of his Steel-types, refining their endurance.
During this period, Agatha, the Ghost-type Elite, visited Klein's training site.
She watched his grueling regimen with keen interest.
Klein's current strength had reached a critical threshold—basic training alone would no longer push him further.
What he truly needed was high-intensity, real combat experience.
"Have you ever heard of the Battle Frontier?"
Agatha's words made Klein pause.
"...The Battle Frontier?"
Within the Pokémon League, various departments operated under different branches of authority.
Some divisions directly answered to the Elite Four, while others fell under the jurisdiction of the League Council.
The Battle Frontier was one of the League's most prestigious challenges, reserved only for the most exceptional trainers.
Many skilled challengers had conquered the first nine facilities, only to fall at the final trial—against the Pyramid King, Brandon.
As a result, few in history had ever reached the true pinnacle of the Battle Frontier.
The Battle Frontier consisted of ten separate facilities, each guarded by an elite trainer handpicked by the League.
No substitutions were allowed—trainers had to complete the challenge with a fixed team of six Pokémon.
Beyond battling these trainers, challengers also had to survive the harsh wilderness and wild Pokémon encounters within Mount Silver.
These ten guardians were all renowned trainers in their own right.
Only Elite Four-level trainers could apply for entry into this elite competition.
The winner would be crowned with the League's exclusive "Champion's Crown," an artifact symbolizing supreme battle mastery.
Decades ago, ten of the world's greatest trainers had gathered at Mount Silver.
After days of relentless battles, only one remained victorious.
That individual went on to become a living legend.
From then on, he was known as the "Master of Pokémon."
To honor that legacy, the Pokémon League established the Battle Frontier Challenge.
"I was once one of the guardians of the Battle Frontier," Agatha said with a knowing smile.
"So, Klein… would you care for a battle?"
Klein's expression tensed.
"Agatha, are you sure...?"
Agatha's battle prowess was undeniable.
As a sparring partner, she would be an ideal opponent.
However, out of respect for her age, Klein had never considered challenging her outright.
Today, however, she was the one issuing the challenge.
"Even if this is just practice… I'll be using my strongest partner."
Despite being one of the oldest active Elites, Agatha remained as formidable as ever.
Many trainers had met their nightmares battling her legendary Gengar.
It was said that Gengar had mastered a hundred different combat styles, making Agatha one of the most versatile Ghost-type specialists in the world.
Her strongest Gengar was an undisputed ace, reserved only for life-or-death battles.
Klein took a deep breath.
"Alright."
"Then let's begin."
The moment Agatha spoke, Klein's entire surroundings distorted.
Before he knew it, he was no longer in Cinnabar Island's volcano—he had been transported elsewhere.
An Illusion?
Or... something else?
Klein instinctively reached for his Pokéballs, but—they were gone.
Even his Dream Simulation System had stopped responding.
"You fell under Gengar's Hypnosis the moment we locked eyes."
Agatha's voice echoed through the eerie void.
"My Gengar's sleep induction speed is unparalleled. At the Battle Frontier, hypnotic ambushes are fully permitted."
"...I see."
Klein closed his eyes for a brief moment.
Then—
"Tyranitar, Sandstorm!"
In an instant, a massive sandstorm erupted—shattering the illusion like fragments of broken glass.
The world around him collapsed back into reality.
Klein was once again standing before Agatha.
And beside him—Tyranitar had materialized.
Agatha chuckled.
"Not bad. Even under deep hypnosis, you managed to break free and summon your Pokémon."
At Elite Four level, true combat wasn't just about battling—it was about mental warfare.
Agatha's strategy was built for assassinations and psychological manipulation.
Most trainers would have already lost before even realizing they had been put to sleep.
Now, however, Klein was fully alert.
The battlefield was engulfed in a raging sandstorm, with Tyranitar at the center, conjuring a vortex of swirling dust and debris.
Klein's instincts sharpened.
Agatha's battle style reminded him of Phoebe, the Ghost-type Elite from Hoenn.
Phoebe was known as "The Phantom Executor", rumored to have perfect synergy with Ghost Pokémon.
Some even said she was the leader of the League's covert assassination corps.
Despite the sandstorm raging, there was no sign of Gengar.
Klein gave a quick command.
"Tyranitar—Expand the Sandstorm!"
As Tyranitar raised its arms, the sandstorm doubled in intensity.
Then—suddenly—
A distortion in space rippled right in front of Tyranitar.
Gengar's massive, grinning face emerged from the void.
Its sinister red eyes flared to life.
Hypnosis.
Before Tyranitar could react, its eyes glazed over.
"Sleep well," Agatha whispered.
Then—
Gengar reached into Tyranitar's dream—and tore a chunk of it away.
Dream Eater!
Gengar devoured the extracted dream energy.
But it wasn't finished.
A sickly purple mist infused the dream energy.
Then, with a snap of its fingers, Gengar forced the poisoned nightmare back into Tyranitar.
Klein's ace suddenly shuddered awake, but—
Its body had turned a deep shade of violet.
Badly Poisoned.
"Impossible…"
Klein clenched his fists.
Hypnosis → Dream Eater → Poison Injection.
This was beyond a simple sleep combo—it was a precise, lethal assassination technique.
Even the entire Ghost Legion of the Kamiyama Clan couldn't compare to Agatha's sheer control over one Gengar.
"Trainers at the Battle Frontier all possess unpredictable, unique battle styles," Agatha mused.
"If you remain limited to Kanto, you'll never see the wider world of Pokémon warfare."
As her words sank in, Klein's mind raced for a counterplay.
Then—he made his decision.
He would challenge the Battle Frontier.
Would he conquer it?
Would he claim the title of Champion's Crown?
And—
Would he stand victorious at the Lily of the Valley Tournament?
Only time would tell.