The spectators instinctively covered their ears.
Although Screech primarily targeted Pokémon, the piercing cry still affected humans to some extent.
As expected, the harsh sound disrupted Glaceon's rhythm, forcing its continuous Ice Shard assault to stop momentarily.
Silas immediately seized the opportunity.
"Umbreon, Quick Attack. Close the distance, then use Feint Attack."
A direct offensive exchange against Glaceon was dangerous. After all, Glaceon's base Special Attack stat reached an astonishing 130.
If Cynthia were allowed to fully control the pace of the battle, even Umbreon,his team's defensive powerhouse would eventually be overwhelmed.
He had to shift from defense to offense. He had to steal back momentum.
A dark blur flashed across the battlefield.
"Umbreooon!"
Umbreon dashed forward at incredible speed, leaving streaking afterimages behind.
"Glaceon, Barrier."
Cynthia's calm voice rang out. A translucent square-shaped psychic barrier formed around Glaceon before slowly merging into its body.
Its Defense sharply increased.
Just as expected When Umbreon closed in and struck with its tail, the damage was far lower than normal.
"Ice Fang."
"We'll use Bite too."
Neither side backed down.
Close-range combat happened to be Umbreon's specialty.
The two elegant Eeveelutions lunged at one another, sharp fangs bared.
Crunch!
Crack!
Low snarls echoed across the arena.
The contrast between their graceful appearances and savage close-quarters fighting fascinated the audience.
This battle between Eeveelutions had completely ignited the atmosphere.
At first glance, Umbreon seemed to hold a slight advantage in melee combat. Yet Cynthia remained perfectly calm. Without hesitation, she changed tactics.
"Glaceon, Double Team."
Dozens of Glaceon clones instantly spread across the field.
"Umbreon, Double Team."
Silas responded immediately.
More afterimages appeared.
In moments, the battlefield became filled with over twenty different silhouettes of Umbreon and Glaceon.
The spectators could barely keep track anymore.
"Glaceon, use Hail."
Cynthia intended to reclaim battlefield control through weather. At the same time, Hail would strengthen Glaceon's abilities.
Whether it possessed:
• Snow Cloak or
• Ice Body
both abilities benefitted greatly from hailstorms.
Snow Cloak increased evasion.
Ice Body gradually restored stamina.
A faint smile appeared on Silas's face. Umbreon's Synchronize ability wasn't only useful for status effects.
Through its mysterious sensory perception, Umbreon could distinguish the real body among the clones.
"Umbreon. The one in the corner. Dark Pulse."
A dark destructive wave instantly blasted toward an inconspicuous Glaceon hidden near the edge of the field.
Cynthia's expression finally shifted slightly. She hadn't believed Silas could identify the real one so accurately.
The next moment ,The falling hail abruptly stopped. At the same time, all the clones vanished.
Clearly The real Glaceon had been hit, interrupting its control over the illusions.
"...How?"
A trace of confusion flickered through Cynthia's golden eyes But she reacted immediately.
"Glaceon, Icy Wind."
A freezing gust erupted outward.
Combined with the already lowered temperature from the partial hailstorm, the attack became even more dangerous.
The cold swept across Umbreon. Frost quickly spread across its body, slightly slowing its movements.
"Ice Beam."
Because of the freezing environment, Glaceon condensed Ice-type energy at astonishing speed.
A brilliant icy-blue beam shot forward.
Silas originally intended for Umbreon to dodge But the frost coating its body noticeably reduced its speed.
There wasn't enough time.
In that case Meet it head-on.
"Umbreon, Dark Pulse."
Dark energy surged forward. The black-purple wave collided directly against the icy beam.
BOOOOM!!
A deafening explosion erupted across the arena. Cracks spread through the battlefield as smoke and dust filled the air.
Within the smoke, only blurred shadows could be seen crossing repeatedly.
"Umbreon, Bite."
"Glaceon, Ice Shard."
Even within the smoke, both Pokémon accurately tracked one another. Umbreon relied on its mysterious Synchronize senses.
As for Glaceon Silas had already guessed Cynthia's method.
Most likely temperature detection.
Glaceon was probably locating targets through body heat differences. Of course, that remained only a theory.
Inside the smoke-filled battlefield, the two Pokémon continued their brutal close-range clash.
At this point, Trainers could provide very little help.
Everything depended on:
• battle instincts
• combat awareness
• fighting experience
And Silas trusted Umbreon completely.
This Umbreon had long since stopped being the mischievous, crying Eevee from the past.
After countless battles in the gray world,After bloodshed and survival It had transformed into something entirely different.
An elegant predator of the night.
A proud queen beneath the moonlight.
As the smoke slowly dispersed, both Pokémon finally became visible again. Each carried visible injuries But Umbreon's wounds were clearly lighter.
Cynthia noticed immediately.
"Glaceon, Substitute."
A translucent doll-like substitute formed around Glaceon's body. Even so, Silas calmly observed the subtle differences.
He instantly recognized it for what it was. A Substitute capable of taking damage in Glaceon's place.
"Umbreon, Moonlight. Restore your stamina."
Golden rings across Umbreon's body began glowing softly.
"Umbreeeon..."
Gentle moonlight gathered around it. Green particles slowly repaired its injuries while restoring stamina.
Seeing this, Cynthia immediately shifted tactics again.
"Glaceon, Hail."
This time, she used Substitute to safely secure the weather setup. Even though Silas ordered Umbreon to interrupt ,The Substitute absorbed the attack perfectly.
The real Glaceon remained unharmed. Tiny hailstones began falling from the sky once more.
Within the snowstorm, Glaceon's figure became blurry and indistinct. Its body seemed to flicker in and out of sight.
This Glaceon's ability was Snow Cloak. And Cynthia immediately pressed the advantage.
"Glaceon, Wish."
A soft golden glow slowly rose around Glaceon's body as it began recovering its stamina as well.
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(End of chapter)