Substitute!
How was that possible? When had it happened?
Countless spectators, reporters, and online commentators could hardly believe their eyes.
Pokémon could not use moves whenever they pleased. An opponent's attack could interrupt them, and there was a gap between one move and the next.
Humans needed oxygen, but even breathing involved exhaling between breaths.
Porygon2 had pitted a Lock-On Thunderbolt against Archeops's Acrobatics. When had it found time to use Substitute and let the Substitute take Archeops's attack?
That made no sense!
Unless it had used Substitute even earlier. But when had it had the chance?
Confusion was written across many faces. The spectators who were only there for the spectacle cheered all the louder. They did not care about the details of the battle as long as what they saw was thrilling enough.
Dawn asked, "Could there be something special about Porygon2 because it's an artificial Pokémon?"
Brock thought for a long while, then shook his head. "Maybe. But as far as I know, Baimu is the only one who has a Pokémon like it right now. No one knows how many secrets it's still hiding."
Wally and Lisia made no comment.
On the field.
The wind and sand subsided.
Iris was not pleased.
Archeops was only her first Pokémon to become unable to battle, yet the pressure she felt was as heavy as if the match had already reached halftime.
Archeops had performed so well. Once the Flying Gem activated, its Acrobatics had been every bit as powerful as she had hoped.
And it still had not taken down Porygon2.
It was so frustrating!
But that was Porygon2's strength. The strength of a mysterious artificial Pokémon...
She took several deep breaths and forced her surging emotions to settle. Then she recalled Archeops into its ball and said