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Ariel held his breath, his gaze shifting between the two pokémon.
Aggron, renowned for its top-tier defense and attack power, can learn many powerful physical moves and is a quintessential power-type pokémon.
Milotic, on the other hand, is known for its amazing Special Defense, Special Attack, and recovery capabilities, while also possessing decent Speed.
This duel was no longer a simple contest of speed and skill, but a deep collision of power versus resilience, and physical versus special attacks.
He quickly calculated the advantages and disadvantages of both sides in his mind:
Aggron fears Fighting and Ground-types, while Milotic is a pure Water-type, meaning it doesn't suffer against Rock and Steel-types. However, Aggron's attack power, enough to tear through steel, remains a massive threat to Milotic.
This was a tough battle with no room for luck.
"Aggron, Iron Head!"
Steven struck first, his command brief and powerful, without a hint of hesitation.
Aggron let out a low growl, its massive body sprinting at a speed inconsistent with its appearance. Its head took on a cold metallic luster as it aimed straight for Milotic. The air emitted a faint hiss due to its high-speed movement.
"Milotic, Surf!"
Cynthia's voice was neither rushed nor slow, but carried a convincing composure; every word precisely conveyed her intent.
In the center of the battlefield, a stream of water rose out of thin air, rapidly expanding and transforming into a giant wave several meters high in the blink of an eye.
Using the crest of the wave, Milotic soared gracefully into the air, skillfully avoiding Aggron's collision.
The giant wave swept Aggron away, pushing it toward the edge of the field.
Aggron struggled in the water; the heavy iron armor it wore had now become a massive burden to its movement.
Ariel's eyes lit up. Cynthia hadn't chosen a head-on confrontation, which was consistent with her strategy when fighting Togekiss earlier.
Surf wasn't just an attack; it was a subtle form of field control.
Utilizing Milotic's affinity for water, she instantly changed the battle environment and restricted Aggron's movements.
Aggron's boastful movement speed would be greatly affected in deep water.
This opening move directly dragged the opponent into Milotic's home turf, seizing the initiative.
"Aggron, Rock Tomb, cut off the water source!"
Steven's reaction was equally swift; he saw through Cynthia's intention.
Aggron broke free from the water, rock energy surging around its body as several giant boulders were generated out of thin air.
They weren't thrown directly at Milotic, but instead landed precisely in the center of the battlefield, forming a semi-circular barrier. They attempted to trap the water created by Surf and sever Milotic's connection to the current.
Steven's strategy was simple: since the opponent used water, he would isolate the water.
"Milotic, Dragon Pulse!"
Cynthia didn't give Aggron the chance to fully set up its formation; her command was issued almost simultaneously.
Milotic quickly condensed a multi-colored light in its mouth, and a powerful energy wave shot out instantly, aimed directly at the weak point of the Rock Tomb.
Dragon Pulse, with its immense power, slammed directly into the not-yet-fully-formed rock barrier.
The rocks shattered under the impact, turning into fragments that splashed out like fireworks.
The water spread out once again, and Aggron's movements were restricted once more.
Steven's eyes deepened, carrying a trace of hard-to-detect admiration.
Cynthia's direction always managed to break his rhythm at critical moments, never giving Aggron the chance to utilize its greatest advantages.
Every seemingly passive defense contained the seeds of a counterattack.
"Aggron, Earthquake!"
Steven's voice carried decisiveness; he chose to break the stalemate with a head-on clash.
Aggron stomped the ground violently, and a powerful shockwave spread out with it as the center.
The ground shook violently, and cracks spread rapidly like a spiderweb.
This was a wide-range Ground-type attack. Although its power would be somewhat weakened in the water, it was still a threat that Milotic couldn't completely evade. The tremors even made the ground beneath Ariel's feet vibrate slightly.
"Milotic, dive into the water, then use Twister!"
Cynthia's command followed immediately, her gaze locked onto Aggron as if she could see through its next move.
Milotic's form sank as it quickly submerged underwater, the water neutralizing most of the Earthquake's impact.
The water's surface churned violently, and then a massive column of water shot up from beneath, forming a spiraling Twister.
The Twister swept Aggron into it. The powerful centrifugal force made it impossible for it to stabilize itself, leaving it spinning helplessly in the air.
Aggron's roar was swallowed by the sound of the wind, making it seem exceptionally small.
At the edge of the field, Ariel's heart was racing.
Cynthia's tactics were perfectly linked, pushing Milotic's characteristics to the extreme.
Water control, area attacks, and damage evasion—every step was calculated exquisitely.
Aggron's proud heavy armor had instead become a burden in the Twister, causing it to be swept higher and making it harder to escape. This was a ultimate manifestation of using softness to overcome hardness.
"Aggron, use Metal Claw to tear through the Twister!"
Steven's command sounded a bit risky, but he had no choice.
Aggron struggled to steady itself within the Twister, its claws emitting a cold light as it tried to tear open the watery shackles.
The Metal Claw was incredibly sharp, carving white streaks through the water. However, the rotational force of the Twister was too strong; Aggron's movements appeared sluggish and strained, each swing feeling as if it were stuck in a quagmire.
"Milotic, Ice Beam!"
Cynthia seized the opportunity, her voice clear and bright.
Milotic poked its head out from the center of the Twister and fired a cold Ice Beam from its mouth.
The beam accurately hit the Aggron trapped in the Twister. The Ice Beam didn't just cause damage; more importantly, it began to freeze the water on Aggron's body, making its movements even more difficult.
Under the impact of the Ice Beam, ice crystals also began to appear in the Twister, the water vapor condensing in an instant.
Aggron let out a roar of pain.
After being hit by the Ice Beam, its speed dropped further, parts of its armor began to freeze, and its movements became stiff.
Its breathing became heavy, clearly having sustained significant damage.
"Aggron, burn your bridges! Use Double-Edge!"
A look of desperate determination appeared in Steven's eyes. He knew he had to risk everything now.
Aggron forcibly broke free from the Twister's constraints, the ice on its body shattering. Carrying an aura of finality, it condensed powerful energy throughout its body and charged recklessly toward Milotic.
Double-Edge is immensely powerful, but it inflicts massive recoil damage on the user.
Steven was gambling—gambling that this one strike could directly crush Milotic, leaving the opponent no chance.
"Milotic, Protect!"
Cynthia's voice remained calm, as if she had long anticipated Aggron's frantic counterattack.
A transparent barrier unfolded in front of Milotic, and the charging Aggron slammed hard into it.
The massive impact caused ripples to spread across the barrier like waves on water, but in the end, it held firm against the strike.