Theo lowered his head and looked at Larvesta's puffed up, sulking expression, and a rather special idea suddenly emerged in his mind.
The way he looked at Larvesta immediately became a little subtle.
Larvesta felt uncomfortable under that gaze.
For some reason, it felt that this look was very similar to the one Theo had when he first captured it and made that one move bet, carrying a faint sense of bad intentions.
Instinctively, Larvesta shrank back and scooted behind Tyrantrum.
It only peeked out half of its small head, staring at Theo with a wary and vigilant expression.
Theo had already formed a new idea.
However, at this moment, he first exchanged a glance with Milotic, Tyrantrum, and Metang.
He signaled for them to take the livestream audience around the Lavaridge Gym for a proper tour.
The three Pokémon immediately understood. They brought Larvesta along and quickly adopted the posture of enthusiastic guides.
The camera angle also shifted, turning toward the interior of the gym, showcasing its fire themed decorations and various training facilities.
The chat instantly became lively again, with viewers discussing the layout and atmosphere of the gym.
After arranging the livestream matters, Theo reluctantly withdrew his gaze from Typhlosion and quickly walked toward Mr. Moore.
His tone was filled with sincerity and genuine admiration as he spoke,
"Elder Moore! There have always been rumors on the forums that back in the day, you were the undisputed strongest among Hoenn's Elite Four."
"At first, I thought those words might have been somewhat exaggerated, but after seeing your extraordinary Typhlosion with my own eyes today, the last bit of doubt in my heart has completely disappeared."
This straightforward praise hit right at Moore's heart.
His mood instantly improved, and a hearty smile appeared on his face. It was clear that he greatly appreciated such compliments.
Even his earlier feeling that Theo's hair color, which resembled Wallace's, was somewhat unpleasant had now faded considerably. He found Theo much more agreeable.
Beside him, Flannery unconsciously puffed out her chest with a proud and slightly tsundere expression, as if silently declaring,
"Of course, my grandpa's strength speaks for itself."
"Not bad, you have good judgment,"
Moore said with a rare hint of pride,
"How could other people's Typhlosion compare to mine?"
As his words fell, the flames behind Typhlosion's neck suddenly flared up fiercely.
The fire surged upward, clearly showing that it was also quite pleased with Theo's praise.
Seeing this, Theo gently shifted the topic. He raised his hand and pointed toward Larvesta, which was currently acting as a little tour guide.
With a sincere tone, he asked,
"Then, Elder Moore, what do you think of my Larvesta?"
"Professor Rowan has already revealed that once Larvesta evolves, it will transform into Volcarona, even earning the title of the 'Embodiment of the Sun.'
I feel that… it matches your Lavaridge Gym perfectly."
As soon as these words were spoken, both Mr. Moore and Flannery were momentarily stunned.
They both turned their gaze toward Theo, their eyes filled with confusion. Moore was the first to ask,
"What exactly are you trying to say?"
Theo smiled slightly and explained calmly,
"What I mean is, once my Larvesta evolves into Volcarona, If it produces offspring in the future, I would like to give one to you to raise, and also leave one for Sister Flannery."
"At that time, with the title 'Embodiment of the Sun,' Volcarona could become a symbol of the Lavaridge Gym in our Hoenn region. Do you not think that would be a wonderful thing?"
"You are… serious about this?"
A clear trace of surprise flashed in Moore's eyes. He had obviously not expected Theo to suddenly propose something like this and was momentarily caught off guard.
Flannery was also somewhat stunned.
She instinctively looked at her grandfather, then turned her gaze toward Larvesta. She opened her mouth, but for a moment, she did not know what to say.
"Of course I am serious. How could I joke about something like this?"
Theo's tone became even more sincere, filled with genuine intent.
"You are already willing to teach powerful moves like Blast Burn and Overheat to my Larvesta. How could I not understand the importance of repaying kindness?"
"And I also know that you have been searching for Larvesta in Mt. Chimney. The fact that I managed to find and capture one was simply due to luck. If there are no more Larvesta in Mt. Chimney, then would it not be a great pity if you could never find one?"
Theo paused briefly before continuing,
"Of course, there is another very important reason. I am truly curious about how you trained your Typhlosion. I feel that your Typhlosion is completely different from those of other trainers. The gap is simply enormous."
"Hahaha!"
Moore burst into hearty laughter at Theo's words, his voice full of delight.
He responded very straightforwardly,
"You really are something, kid. No wonder Steven has taken a liking to you. But your judgment is even sharper than his when it comes to finding stones. My Typhlosion is indeed different from others. This is the ultimate training secret of our Lavaridge Gym."
"Typhlosion has undergone a special baptism of flames within Mt. Chimney, and its potential has been developed to the extreme. Although it originally comes from the Johto region as a starter Pokémon, Even among trainers in Johto who specialize in Typhlosion, none can raise it to my level."
"So that is the case. No wonder it looks so extraordinary."
Theo put on an expression of sudden realization, his eyes filled with understanding.
Moore looked at Theo with a slightly playful gaze and directly exposed his intentions,
"You little rascal, do you think I cannot see what you are really planning?"
"You have your eyes on my method of training Typhlosion, do you not?"
"You are trying to get our gym's ultimate secret by going around in circles and flattering me.
But I have to admit, no wonder Steven values you so much. Your ability to observe Pokémon is truly sharp."
Since his thoughts had been exposed, Theo did not try to hide them. Instead, he chuckled and admitted openly,
"It has less to do with my own judgment, and more because your Typhlosion is clearly extraordinary at a glance. After all, you are Elite Four Moore, one of the strongest in Hoenn. How could I not be tempted by your method of training Typhlosion?"
"Of course, if the 'Embodiment of the Sun,' Volcarona, could one day become the signature of our Hoenn Lavaridge Gym, I would also feel extremely honored."
After hearing these words, the way Moore looked at Theo changed slightly.
This kid not only had strong tactics and sharp insight, but his mind was quick and flexible. His compliments came one after another, making it hard not to like him.
Although his hair color resembled Wallace's, his personality was completely different from that self obsessed fellow, which made him much more agreeable.
Moore looked at Theo, his tone becoming more serious as he said,
"Since you have put it this way, what else can I say?
It is just my experience in training Typhlosion and the ultimate secret of our gym.
I can teach all of it to you.
Is that satisfactory?"
(End of Chapter)