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"Cradily, Rock Tomb!"
The petals on top of Cradily's head lit up again. This time, instead of gathering an Energy Ball, it channeled energy into the ground beneath its feet.
The ground bulged, and several sharp rocks erupted from the soil, followed by a whistling wind as they flew toward Togekiss in the air.
Rock Tomb not only causes damage, but more importantly, it can lower the opponent's speed.
Cynthia quickly grasped Steven's intent. She gave a soft command:
"Togekiss, Agility!"
Togekiss's figure left an afterimage in the air, weaving between the rocks at an astonishing speed.
It nimbly dodged most of the rocks, but one or two still grazed its wings, scattering a few white feathers.
However, Togekiss's speed was not significantly affected; on the contrary, it became even swifter due to Agility.
"Now, Cradily, Energy Ball!"
Steven's voice rose sharply; he had seized the moment of Togekiss's brief balance adjustment after its Agility.
Cradily was already prepared, and the emerald-green Energy Ball condensed once more. This time, it wasn't aiming at Togekiss's current position, but at its predicted landing spot!
Togekiss had just finished an Agility and was preparing to adjust its posture.
However, the Energy Ball had already blocked its retreat path.
A ripple flashed in Cynthia's eyes; she knew that Steven's predictive ability was truly extraordinary.
"Togekiss, Air Slash, upwards!"
Togekiss forcibly twisted its body, flapping its wings vigorously as two blades of air cut upwards.
The Energy Ball collided with the Air Slash in mid-air once again, but this time, the Energy Ball's trajectory was forcibly altered by the Air Slash. It grazed the edge of Togekiss and shot higher, eventually exploding in the air.
Ariel's heart also leaped; this lightning-fast exchange of offense and defense was even more spectacular than in the anime.
He looked at Steven's calm profile, then at Cynthia's composed expression, and felt immense admiration.
These two truly treated battles as an art form.
At this moment, Cradily's Ingrain effect was still ongoing, and it was slowly recovering its stamina.
While Togekiss was agile, several uses of Agility and forced maneuvers had also consumed a significant amount of its stamina.
The battle once again fell into a delicate balance.
Steven's brow furrowed imperceptibly.
But he quickly returned to calm, his eyes flashing with determination.
"Cradily, Rock Slide!"
The petals on Cradily's head contracted violently, and a brilliant blue gem rapidly condensed in the center of its flower stamen.
This gem radiated a dazzling light, containing pure Rock-type energy.
Immediately after, stones flew toward Togekiss in the air.
It was extremely fast, shooting straight toward Togekiss in the air.
Rock Slide was one of Cradily's signature moves, fast and powerful.
Cynthia realized the threat of this attack and decisively ordered:
"Togekiss, Protect!"
A transparent barrier unfolded in front of Togekiss once again, blocking the Rock Slide.
The Rock Slide struck the barrier with a crisp sound before shattering into countless points of light and dissipating.
However, this time, Steven did not give Cynthia a chance to catch her breath.
"Now, Cradily, Stone Edge!"
Steven's voice was firm, his tone carrying unquestionable confidence.
He had been waiting for this moment; Togekiss had just used Protect, so its success rate had been greatly reduced.
Cradily's vines whipped violently, and a powerful surge of Rock-type energy erupted from within its body.
The petals on its head rapidly condensed three massive, angular, sharp rocks.
These rocks traced a perfect arc in the air, striking like thunder, and lunged straight at Togekiss.
Stone Edge is one of the most explosive moves for Rock-type pokémon; while there is a risk to its accuracy, its power is astonishing.
Cynthia's expression changed slightly, and she quickly understood Steven's intention.
Togekiss's Protect could no longer withstand it again.
She tried to have Togekiss evade, but the speed and range of Stone Edge were beyond imagination.
More importantly, Steven's command was so decisive and precise that it left Togekiss no room to react.
Three sharp rocks blocked Togekiss's retreat from different angles.
Togekiss let out a cry of unwillingness; it tried its best to dodge, but ultimately failed to fully escape the attack range.
One of the massive sharp rocks, with immense impact, slammed hard into Togekiss's flank!
A violent crashing sound echoed, and Togekiss let out a painful cry as its elegant form lost balance in the air, falling helplessly toward the ground.
Dust filled the air, and when everything returned to calm, Togekiss was already lying on the ground, its eyes swirling like mosquito coils, having lost the ability to battle.
The battle field fell into a brief silence.
Ariel sighed inwardly; this was a true battle. No flashy words, only the tacit understanding and coordination between pokémon and Trainer, and precise control over the battle situation.
Steven, this boy who loved stones, truly had the potential to become a Champion.
And Cynthia, too, had demonstrated the powerful strength and demeanor of a future Sinnoh Champion.
Steven recalled his pokémon, flipped his palm, and tossed a heavy Poké Ball.
The metallic shell traced an arc in the air, and when it hit the ground, accompanied by a heavy thud, light bloomed immediately.
A behemoth appeared, clad in dark gray metal armor, with visible rivets at the joints, a broad head, and eyes revealing an unyielding majesty.
Aggron, the combination of Steel and Rock, brought a heavy sense of oppression with every step, as if it were a moving mountain, causing the entire battlefield to sink, with a faint scent of rust and power permeating the air.
Cynthia also recalled Togekiss, the Poké Ball spinning nimbly between her fingertips, and then, a soft yet majestic light surged from the ball.
As the light dissipated, a slender body slithered out, its scales shimmering with brilliant colors, its tail fin broad and spread out like silk drifting in the wind.
Milotic, the embodiment of water's elegance, its posture formed a sharp contrast with Aggron's heaviness.
One side was an unbreakable bulwark, the other was flexible and unyielding flowing water.
The two stood facing each other, and the atmosphere on the field instantly became tense.