Clash Between Fossil Pokémon

Roxanne's Lileep landed steadily on the battlefield, facing Tyrantrum. The unique forms of the two fossil Pokémon instantly drew the attention of everyone in the arena and the livestream.

Lileep resembled a strange mutated plant. Its body was light purple, and its base looked like Suction Cups, seemingly serving to stabilize its body.

Its most eye-catching feature was its top.

Seven or eight fleshy tentacles, pink and white in color, extended from its dark-purple calyx. Their tips were faintly pink as they softly spread outward, looking like bizarre petals at first glance.

At the center of those tentacles was a pitch-black circular core with two round yellow eyes. It had no mouth, making it look strange and somewhat frightening.

At that moment, Tyrantrum's basic information appeared in Lin Mo's eyes.

[Pokémon: Lileep]

[Type: Rock, Grass]

[Category: Sea Lily Pokémon]

[Ability: Suction Cups (Uses Suction Cups to firmly attach itself to the ground, rendering moves and items that force Pokémon to switch ineffective.)]

[Moves: Ingrain, Confuse Ray, Acid, Ancient Power, Mega Drain, Brine, Giga Drain, Mud Shot...]

Roxanne looked at her partner and gave the first command.

"Lileep, observe the situation first. Use Ingrain."

Lileep gently swayed its petals. Numerous tentacles extended from its base, and with a series of faint cracking sounds, they burrowed into the rocky battlefield.

The move Ingrain could absorb energy from the earth and slowly restore a Pokémon's stamina. Since Roxanne had yet to figure out Tyrantrum's true strength or understand its moveset—

She chose a steady, methodical strategy, relying on the move's sustained recovery to hold her ground and fully prepare for the battle ahead.

This kind of stable strategy would have been close to the optimal solution against an ordinary Trainer—

Using Ingrain's endurance advantage to drag out the battle, gradually seize the initiative, and maintain a high margin for error along with excellent practicality.

But her opponent was Lin Mo. Perhaps heaven truly favored him, because no one had expected Roxanne to change her usual Gym Pokémon and send out the Grass- and Rock-type Lileep.

The series of special training sessions Lin Mo had deliberately carried out with Tyrantrum in Petalburg Woods seemed almost premeditated, perfectly tailored to counter Lileep.

[Pokémon: Tyrantrum]

[Type: Rock, Dragon]

[Category: Young King Pokémon]

[Ability: Strong Jaw (Its powerful jaws increase the power of biting moves.)]

[Moves: ...Dragon Tail (Mastered), Stomp (Beginner), Dragon Dance (Proficient), Ice Fang (Proficient)]

Just as Lileep used Ingrain, Lin Mo immediately gave his command.

"Tyrantrum, use the move we trained in Petalburg Woods!"

Tyrantrum had long been ready to strike. Upon hearing Lin Mo's command, it immediately began stamping its limbs amid the rocks.

Its head swayed from side to side, its tail swung to a mysterious rhythm, and a faint reddish aura gradually gathered around its body.

One of the Dragon-type's finest support moves—Dragon Dance.

"Not good!" Roxanne's expression shifted slightly as she instantly saw through Lin Mo's intentions.

While Ingrain could provide continuous recovery, it also restricted Lileep's movement. If Tyrantrum completed Dragon Dance and enhanced its physical abilities, she would be put at a severe disadvantage.

"Lileep, use Ancient Power! Attack the whole area and interrupt its move!"

At Roxanne's command, Lileep's Ingrain quickly stopped spreading. The petals atop its head suddenly closed, and then countless rocks appeared around it, shooting at Tyrantrum at high speed.

Ancient Power might not have the highest power, but it covered a wide area and had a chance to raise all of the user's stats. Roxanne used it not only to interrupt Tyrantrum's Dragon Dance, but also to see whether she could trigger the move's effect.

"Keep moving! Don't stop!" Lin Mo's voice was calm and forceful.

Tyrantrum displayed astonishing results from its training—it weaved flexibly through the dense barrage of rocks, sometimes rolling sideways to evade and using the battlefield's stones to block the enemy's attacks. Throughout it all, the rhythm of Dragon Dance was never interrupted.

The pale red aura grew increasingly intense as its Attack and Speed steadily rose. Its figure flashed between the rocks across the battlefield.

Dragon Dance succeeded.

"It can maintain Dragon Dance's rhythm while moving..." Roxanne frowned slightly.

The livestream viewers and the crowd in the arena stands were fired up—

"Holy shit! That movement is insane! Dragon Dance can be used like that?"

"Dragon Dance is complete! Lileep is in danger!"

"Tyrantrum is way too awesome! I'm taking this moving Dragon Dance tactic!"

"Stop dreaming, dude. First, you need a Dragon-type Pokémon!"

"..."

In the end, Lileep's Ancient Power neither interrupted Tyrantrum's Dragon Dance nor triggered its additional effect.

After receiving Dragon Dance's boost, Tyrantrum's muscles became tighter, sharp light flashing in its amber eyes. It turned into a red bolt of lightning and charged at Lileep.

"Lileep, use Bullet Seed! Stop Tyrantrum!" Roxanne hurriedly ordered.

Lileep's funnel-shaped petals rapidly contracted before suddenly opening wide. Fine emerald-green points of light instantly lit up at the center of its stamen.

One after another, tiny green bullets whistled through the air in a fan-shaped barrage toward the charging Tyrantrum, so densely packed that they nearly sealed off every route forward as they attempted to stop its attack.

But Tyrantrum was simply too fast now. It sharply caught the firing rhythm of Lileep's Bullet Seed, twisted its body fiercely to the left, and nimbly threaded through the dense projectile barrage.

Then it slammed its hind legs against a protruding rock, shattering it on impact. Borrowing that recoil, it abruptly changed direction. Its massive body carved a clean arc through the air as it circled to Lileep's side, opened its fang-filled jaws, and launched an attack with a piercing roar.

"Now! Ice Fang!" Lin Mo's command was decisive.

Tyrantrum opened its mouth, its teeth coated in a visible layer of white frost. Ice-type energy flowed between its fangs, radiating biting cold.

Its ability, Strong Jaw, activated at that moment, greatly increasing the power of its biting moves. Ice Fang, already super effective against Grass types, tore into Lileep's body with enough force to rip apart anything in its path.

"Hiss—"

Lileep let out a sharp, trembling cry. The tentacles caught in Tyrantrum's bite instantly froze solid, and the cold spread through its body, making it tremble uncontrollably.

The Ice type's advantage over the Grass type was displayed to the fullest. Combined with Strong Jaw's boost, the damage from this strike far exceeded expectations.

The tentacles atop Lileep drooped, and the roots it had planted through its base began to twitch. It had clearly suffered a devastating blow.

"Such incredible power!" the referee could not help exclaiming.

The livestream chat completely erupted—

"One-shot-level damage! Ice Fang is god-tier!"

"Ice beats Grass! That type-advantage damage is impossible to withstand!"

"Awesome! Lileep got seriously injured in one hit! Tyrantrum is too strong!"

"..."

Roxanne looked at the swaying Lileep, her gaze complicated. "Lileep, use Giga Drain. One final gamble!"

With the last of its strength, Lileep shot several green energy threads from the tentacles atop its head. They wrapped around Tyrantrum's body and began draining its stamina.

Tyrantrum's body swayed, clearly affected, but it did not loosen its bite. Instead, it clamped down even harder.

"Tyrantrum, use Ice Fang again!"

Tyrantrum let out a clear "Awoo!" The chill around its teeth erupted once more, this time freezing through Lileep's petals and invading its core.

Lileep's energy threads snapped instantly. Its petals completely lost their luster and drooped limply, while the tentacles rooted in the battlefield withdrew as well. It had completely lost the ability to battle.

"Lileep is unable to battle!" The referee waved his flag and announced loudly.

After confirming its victory, Tyrantrum released its bite and shook its head. Though it had taken some damage from Lileep's Giga Drain, its gaze remained firm.

It wagged its tail at Lin Mo, as if reporting its victory.

Roxanne recalled Lileep and gently stroked the Poké Ball. The tension in her face gradually eased, revealing a smile of complete relief.

She raised her eyes to Lin Mo, her gaze filled with undisguised admiration and recognition.

"Your Tyrantrum has been raised exceptionally well. Integrating Dragon Dance into its evasive movements was truly astounding. I accept this loss wholeheartedly.

"Be careful from here on. I'll send out one of my second team's main Pokémon. No matter the result, you have already earned the qualification to receive the Stone Badge from me!"

"Geodude, come out! I'm counting on you!"