Lionel looked down at Larvesta's puffed-up face.
A peculiar thought surfaced in his mind, and his gaze towards the Pokémon suddenly became somewhat subtle.
Larvesta felt uneasy under Lionel's gaze. It felt that this look was somewhat similar to the look he gave it when he first captured it—a gaze carrying a hint of "malicious intent."
Larvesta subconsciously shrank back, shuffling its body behind Tyrantrum. Only half its small head was visible, staring at Lionel with wary eyes.
Lionel had a new idea.
However, at this moment, he first gave Milotic, Tyrantrum, and Metang a wink, indicating that they should take the viewers in the live stream to see the Lavaridge Gym.
The three Pokémon understood immediately and, along with Larvesta, assumed the role of "guides."
The camera panned to the interior of the gym, showcasing its Fire-type decorations and training facilities. The live stream chat erupted with discussion about the layout and atmosphere.
After arranging the stream, Lionel withdrew his lingering gaze from the Typhlosion and strode towards Moore.
His voice was full of sincerity as he spoke: "Elite Four member Moore! There have always been rumors on the forums that you were undoubtedly the strongest among the Hoenn Elite Four. I previously thought this might be an exaggeration, but seeing your extraordinary Typhlosion today has dispelled any remaining doubts."
This straightforward praise struck a chord with Moore.
His mood instantly improved, a hearty smile spreading across his face.
Even the initial irritation at Lionel's hair color had faded considerably. Flannery, standing beside him, subconsciously puffed out her chest with a touch of arrogance, as if to say, "Of course, my grandfather's strength is beyond question."
"You have good taste," Moore said with a rare hint of pride.
"How can other people's Typhlosion compare to mine?"
As Moore finished speaking, the flames on the back of the Typhlosion's neck erupted violently.
The creature flared up, clearly satisfied with Lionel's assessment. Seeing this, Lionel subtly changed the subject, pointing to the Larvesta currently acting as a tour guide.
He asked earnestly, "Then, Elite Four member Moore, what do you think of my Larvesta? Professor Rowan has already revealed that Larvesta, after evolving, will transform into Volcarona and even carry the beautiful name 'the embodiment of the sun.' I always feel that it and your Flame Gym are a perfect match."
Upon hearing this, both Moore and Flannery were taken aback. They turned their gazes to Lionel, their eyes filled with doubt.
Moore spoke first, asking, "What do you mean by that?"
Lionel smiled slightly and calmly explained, "I meant that after my Larvesta evolves into Volcarona, if it breeds offspring in the future, I would like to give one to you to raise, and also keep one for Flannery. At that time, Volcarona, the 'Incarnation of the Sun,' will become the symbol of the Lavaridge Gym in our Hoenn region. Don't you think that's a wonderful thing?"
"Are you... Serious?" A clear look of surprise flashed in Moore's eyes.
He hadn't expected Lionel to suddenly make such a suggestion. He was momentarily stunned, and Flannery was equally confused.
She glanced at her grandfather first, then at the Larvesta, but didn't know what to say.
"Of course I'm serious! How could I joke about something like this?" Lionel's tone became increasingly sincere.
"You were willing to teach my Larvesta powerful skills like Blast Burn and Overheat; how could I not understand the principle of gratitude? Besides, I know you've been searching for Larvesta on Mt. Chimney. My finding and taming it was just good luck. If there are no other Larvesta on the mountain, wouldn't that be a pity?"
Lionel paused, then added, "Of course, there's another very important reason: I'm really curious about how you trained your Typhlosion. I feel that your Typhlosion, compared to those of other trainers, is simply a completely different kind of Pokémon; the difference is just too great."
"Hahaha!" Moore was amused by Lionel's words and burst into laughter.
He readily agreed, saying, "You kid, no wonder Steven chose you. But your eye for talent is far superior to Steven's eye for finding ore. My Typhlosion is indeed different from others. This is the ultimate training technique of our Lavaridge Gym. It underwent a special baptism of fire at Mt. Chimney, and its potential has been developed to its limit. Even the most skilled Typhlosion trainers in the Johto region haven't been able to train one to my level."
"I see, no wonder it looks so..." Lionel feigned sudden realization.
Moore looked at Lionel with a hint of amusement in his eyes and directly pointed out, "You little brat, do you think I can't see through you? Are you after my method of raising Typhlosion? You want the ultimate secret of our Flame Gym, so you're praising me in such a roundabout way? But speaking of which, your eye for Pokémon is truly sharp."
Lionel, his thoughts exposed, didn't hide anything. Instead, he chuckled and said frankly, "It has little to do with my eye; it's mainly because your Typhlosion is clearly extraordinary. After all, you are Elite Four member Moore, one of the strongest in Hoenn. How could I not be tempted by your methods? Of course, if Volcarona could become the signature Pokémon of our Hoenn Flame Gym, I would feel extremely honored."
Hearing Lionel's words, Moore's gaze towards him changed.
This kid was not only tactically brilliant but also had a sharp eye and a quick mind.
His personality was completely different from Wallace's, which made him quite agreeable.
"Well?" Moore looked at Lionel, his tone becoming more serious.
"Since you've put it that way, what can I say? It's just my experience in raising Typhlosion and the ultimate secrets of our Gym, right? I can teach you all of that. Is that enough?"