Roxanne's Lileep landed steadily on the battlefield, facing Tyrantrum. The unique forms of the two fossil Pokémon instantly drew the attention of everyone present and the viewers in the livestream.
Lileep resembled a strange mutated plant. Its body was pale purple, and its base looked like a suction cup, seemingly used to stabilize itself.
The most eye-catching part was its top.
Seven or eight fleshy tentacles, striped pink and white, extended from its dark purple calyx. Their tips were faintly pink as they stretched softly outward, looking at first glance like bizarre petals.
At the center of the tentacles was a pitch-black circular core with two round yellow eyes. It had no mouth, giving it an eerie and unsettling appearance.
At that moment, Lin Mo's eyes revealed Lileep's basic information.
[Pokémon: Lileep] [Type: Rock, Grass] [Classification: Sea Lily Pokémon] [Ability: Suction Cups (Firmly attaches to the ground with suction cups, rendering moves and items that switch Pokémon 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, and numerous tentacles extended from its base. Amid a series of faint clicking 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 grasp Tyrantrum's true strength or understand its move patterns,
she chose a steady, methodical strategy, using the move's endurance advantage to hold her ground and prepare thoroughly for what came next.
This stable and cautious battle strategy was practically the optimal choice against ordinary Trainers—
using Ingrain's sustained recovery to drag out the battle, gradually seize the initiative, and maintain a highly forgiving yet practical approach.
But her opponent was Lin Mo. Perhaps heaven truly favored him, because no one had expected Roxanne to change the Pokémon she normally used in Gym battles and send out the Grass- and Rock-type Lileep.
The series of special training Lin Mo had deliberately put Tyrantrum through in Petalburg Woods now seemed almost premeditated, perfectly tailored to counter Lileep.
[Pokémon: Tyrantrum] [Type: Rock, Dragon] [Classification: Royal Heir Pokémon] [Ability: Strong Jaw (Biting moves become more powerful due to its powerful jaws)] [Moves: ...Dragon Tail (Mastered), Stomp (Beginner), Dragon Dance (Proficient), Ice Fang (Proficient)]
As Lileep used Ingrain, Lin Mo immediately issued his command.
"Tyrantrum, use the move we trained in Petalburg Woods!"
Tyrantrum had already been poised to act. Upon hearing Lin Mo's order, it immediately stomped its limbs amid the rocks.
Its head swayed from side to side, its tail moved to a mysterious rhythm, and a faint red 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 immediately saw through Lin Mo's intentions.
Although Ingrain could provide sustained recovery, it also limited Lileep's mobility. If Tyrantrum completed Dragon Dance and enhanced its physical abilities, she would be at a severe disadvantage.
"Lileep, use Ancient Power! A wide-range attack—interrupt its move!"
At Roxanne's command, Lileep's Ingrain rapidly stopped spreading. The petals atop its head suddenly closed, then countless rocks appeared around it and shot at Tyrantrum at high speed.
Although Ancient Power was not especially powerful, it covered an extremely 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 its additional effect.
"Keep moving, don't stop!" Lin Mo's voice was steady and forceful.
Tyrantrum displayed astonishing results from its training—it nimbly weaved through the dense barrage of rocks, sometimes rolling sideways to evade them and using the battlefield's stones to block the opponent's attacks. Throughout it all, Dragon Dance's rhythm was never interrupted.
The faint red aura grew increasingly vibrant, its boosts to Attack and Speed steadily rose, and its figure flashed among 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 Gym's spectator seats were fired up—
"Holy crap! That movement is insane! Dragon Dance can be used like that?"
"Dragon Dance is complete! Lileep is in danger!"
"Tyrantrum is way too badass! I'm taking notes on 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.
Now strengthened by Dragon Dance, Tyrantrum's muscles became more defined, sharp light flashing in its amber eyes. It transformed into a red bolt of lightning and charged toward Lileep.
"Lileep, use Bullet Seed! Stop Tyrantrum!" Roxanne urgently ordered.
Lileep's funnel-shaped petals rapidly closed, then abruptly opened. Fine emerald-green points of light instantly lit up around the stamen at their center.
Tiny green pellets poured toward the charging Tyrantrum in a fan-shaped barrage with swishing sounds that tore through the air. They were so dense that they nearly sealed off every path forward, trying to halt Tyrantrum's assault.
But Tyrantrum was simply too fast now. It keenly caught the firing rhythm of Lileep's Bullet Seed, violently twisted its body to the left, and nimbly threaded through the dense pellet barrage.
Then it fiercely kicked off a protruding rock with its hind legs. The rock shattered on impact, and using the recoil, Tyrantrum 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 its attack with a piercing roar.
"Now! Ice Fang!" Lin Mo's command was decisive.
Tyrantrum opened its jaws, its teeth coated in a visible layer of white frost. Ice-type energy flowed between its fangs, radiating bone-piercing cold.
Its Strong Jaw ability activated at that moment, greatly increasing the power of biting moves. Ice Fang, already super effective against Grass types, tore into Lileep's body with unstoppable force.
"Shriek—"
Lileep let out a sharp, trembling cry. The tentacles caught in Tyrantrum's bite instantly froze solid, and cold spread through its body, making it shudder uncontrollably.
The effect of Ice type moves being super effective against Grass types was displayed to the fullest. Combined with Strong Jaw's boost, the damage from this strike far exceeded expectations.
The tentacles atop Lileep's head wilted, and the roots it had embedded through Ingrain began to twitch. It had clearly suffered severe damage.
"What incredible power!" the referee could not help exclaiming.
The livestream chat completely erupted—
"One-shot level damage! Ice Fang is the GOAT!"
"Ice type counters Grass type—this type advantage is impossible to endure!"
"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!"
Lileep mustered its last bit of strength. The petal-like tentacles atop its head shot out several green energy threads that wrapped around Tyrantrum's body and began draining its stamina.
Tyrantrum's body swayed, clearly affected as well, but it did not loosen its bite. Instead, it clamped down even harder.
"Tyrantrum, use Ice Fang once more!"
Tyrantrum let out a clear howl, and the cold around its teeth erupted again. This time, it froze straight through Lileep's petals and invaded its core.
Lileep's energy threads instantly snapped. Its petals completely lost their luster and drooped limply, while the tentacles it had rooted into the field retracted. It had completely lost its ability to battle.
"Lileep is unable to battle!" The referee waved the 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 eyes remained resolute.
It flicked its tail at Lin Mo, as though reporting the victory.
Roxanne recalled Lileep and gently stroked the Poké Ball. The tension in her face gradually eased, replaced by a smile of complete relief.
She raised her eyes to Lin Mo, her gaze filled with undisguised admiration and recognition.
"Your Tyrantrum has been trained exceptionally well. Integrating Dragon Dance into its evasive movements was truly stunning. I accept this loss wholeheartedly.
"But be careful from here on out. I'll be sending out one of the main Pokémon from my second tier. Regardless of the outcome, you have already earned the right to receive the Stone Badge from me!"
"Geodude, come out! I'm counting on you!"
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