The flames at Blaziken's wrists suddenly surged upward by half a foot, the crimson fire flickering violently as if fueled by an unseen force.
Immediately afterward, Blaziken let out a sharp and piercing cry toward Tyrantrum. The battle intent contained within that cry was so intense that it almost seemed tangible, as though it were directly declaring:
"Come fight!"
Seeing this scene, the corners of Moore's lips curved into a playful smile.
"It seems my Blaziken wants to spar with your Tyrantrum."
He deliberately emphasized the word "spar," his tone carrying a subtle hint of guidance, almost as if he were steering Theo toward a particular decision.
"My Blaziken excels at close combat. I have seen your battle videos before, and your Dragon type Pokémon is also quite formidable in melee combat."
He paused slightly, then continued in a persuasive tone.
"How about letting them fight it out?"
"Let's see whether your Dragon type Pokémon is stronger, or if my Blaziken is the more powerful one."
At this point, Moore deliberately slowed his speech and stressed the fairness of the matchup, as if highlighting how balanced it supposedly was.
"As it happens, your Tyrantrum's Rock type moves counter my Blaziken, and my Blaziken's Fighting type moves counter your Tyrantrum."
"From an type standpoint, they restrain each other. Quite an interesting coincidence, wouldn't you say?"
The crowd at the sidelines was instantly ignited. Cheers erupted like a roaring tidal wave, sweeping across the entire arena.
"Send Tyrantrum out! Send Tyrantrum out!"
"Head on clash! Head on clash! We want to see a direct confrontation!"
"Let's see whose close combat ability is stronger!"
Theo narrowed his eyes slightly.
His gaze rested on Mr. Moore's seemingly open and straightforward smile, then shifted toward Blaziken's move set. A faint chill rose in his heart.
So he wanted him to send out Tyrantrum?
I see now.
No wonder Mr. Moore had offered such an attractive wager. This was where the trap had been waiting all along.
At first, Theo had thought that Mr. Moore admired him and simply wanted to give Larvesta a chance to learn powerful moves through this match.
Now it was clear.
Offering tempting rewards like Blast Burn and Overheat had never been the real point.
This former Elite Four member had been planning all along to use this opportunity to help Flannery recover the face she had lost in her earlier defeat.
No wonder the wager had been so enticing.
This old fox spoke of fairness on the surface, yet every calculation had already been carefully laid out beneath.
Theo's eyes swept over Blaziken's move panel once more.
If he sent Tyrantrum into battle, he truly did not have much confidence in its chances of victory.
Blaziken's Speed Boost ability was a passive enhancement, consuming far less stamina than Tyrantrum's need to actively use Dragon Dance to increase its speed.
That alone created a significant difference in endurance.
On top of that, Blaziken also knew Swords Dance, which could greatly boost its physical attack, meaning it would not fall behind Tyrantrum's Dragon Dance enhancements in the slightest.
Even more troublesome was its access to Will O Wisp.
If used at a distance, Tyrantrum could still attempt to dodge in advance.
But once the battle entered close quarters, Blaziken could simply coat itself in Will O Wisp's flames. The moment physical contact occurred, Tyrantrum would almost certainly be burned.
And once burned, not only would Tyrantrum's attack power be drastically reduced, but its stamina would also drain far more quickly.
If Tyrantrum instead chose to avoid direct confrontation and stall for time, using its most familiar tactic by creating a sandstorm to obscure its presence and enter a battle of attrition while waiting for a decisive opportunity, Blaziken's moves Endure and Reversal were perfectly suited to counter that strategy.
The former allowed it to survive a fatal blow with a sliver of health, while the latter unleashed devastating power when its health was critically low.
Theo even suspected that Mr. Moore had already studied his battle videos in detail and understood Tyrantrum's tactics almost completely.
If he really sent Tyrantrum out, there was a very real chance it would suffer a one sided defeat.
This was not a simple sparring match.
It was clearly a calculated move under the guise of a wager, designed to reclaim the dignity Flannery had lost earlier.
Just as Theo was deep in thought, Tyrantrum suddenly let out a low growl beside him. The sound was filled with excitement and urgency.
It lowered its massive head slightly and gently nudged Theo's arm with its snout.
Those amber eyes were filled with a clear and unmistakable desire.
Let me fight.
It could clearly sense Blaziken's provocation.
That pressure, belonging to a powerful opponent, did not make it retreat in the slightest. Instead, it ignited the pride of a Dragon type Pokémon, causing the ferocity and fighting spirit deep within its bones to burn even more fiercely.
"Have you decided who to send out, Theo?"
Mr. Moore's voice rang out again, carrying a faint trace of impatience, as if he were already certain that Theo would choose Tyrantrum.
Theo took a deep breath, suppressing the ripples in his heart.
Then, suddenly, he smiled.
That smile stood out clearly amidst the noisy arena, carrying an inexplicable sense of calm confidence.
He slowly raised his hand.
Instead of pointing toward the eager Tyrantrum, he moved past it and pointed at the elegant figure gliding through the air, manipulating streams of water vapor.
"The one I will send out is Milotic."
The moment those words were spoken, the live stream chat exploded once again.
"Huh? Why Milotic? I wanted to see Tyrantrum's close combat!"
"Looks like the streamer is taking this match seriously and doesn't want to lose, so he chose a Water type to counter Blaziken… honestly, it's the safest choice!"
"It's a safe pick, but it feels like it lacks a bit of excitement…"
"Oh?"
A clear trace of surprise flashed through Moore's eyes.
It was obvious that he had not expected Theo to make this choice.
He raised an eyebrow slightly, and his tone carried a hint of teasing.
"So you're worried your Tyrantrum can't beat my Blaziken in close combat, and that's why you chose Milotic for the type advantage?"
"Tyrant!"
The moment Mr. Moore finished speaking, Tyrantrum immediately protested with a dissatisfied growl.
Its massive body lowered slightly as it leaned forward, rubbing its large head against Theo with a wronged expression.
Its wide open eyes were filled with stubbornness and dissatisfaction, clearly saying that it could do it.
"Easy."
Theo turned around and gently patted Tyrantrum's head, his voice soft as he comforted it.
"I know you're strong, and I know you want to fight Blaziken."
"But the outcome of this battle determines whether Larvesta can learn new moves. We have to make sure there are no risks at all, alright?"
Tyrantrum's growl gradually softened.
There was still a trace of regret and grievance in its amber eyes at being unable to fight.
But in the end, it obediently nudged Theo's palm, expressing its acceptance.
At that moment, Larvesta suddenly raised the antennae around its head, flames flickering to life.
It let out a few determined cries toward Theo, lifting its small head high as it pointed toward Blaziken on the battlefield.
Its posture clearly conveyed its intent.
It wanted to fight.
It wanted to win the chance to learn those moves by itself.
Theo crouched down, meeting Larvesta at eye level, his gaze filled with reassurance.
"I know you're strong too."
"But you haven't evolved yet, and Blaziken is already in its final form. Facing it directly would be too dangerous for you."
"And besides, you're not fighting alone anymore."
He gently pointed toward Milotic, Tyrantrum, and Metang beside them.
"Leave it to your partners, alright?"
"Trust them. They will definitely win this battle for you."
(End of Chapter)