At this moment, Milotic's substitute, like a nimble shadow, constantly darted and weaved in front of its true form. It deliberately blocked Blaziken's attack path, preventing him from easily getting close to the true form behind it. Blaziken had no choice but to defeat the substitute first.
Blaziken's fist struck the phantom heavily, and the decoy instantly turned into a white light and dissipated into the air! But just as Blaziken shattered the substitute, his form inevitably paused for a moment.
"Now! Icy Wind!" Lionel's command rang out like thunder.
A glint flashed in Milotic's eyes as it suddenly opened its mouth, unleashing a chilling blast of air. This icy wind was eerily black, clearly infused with the Haze move!
"Hacha!" Blaziken sensed something was wrong, but it was too late to completely dodge.
The black, icy wind instantly enveloped his body, the biting cold making his movements stiff.
The Haze within the wind completely erased the attack and speed boosts he had just gained through Swords Dance. Blaziken's condition weakened again, his speed and power drastically reduced.
"Strike while the iron is hot! Surf!" Lionel's command followed immediately.
Milotic flapped its tail repeatedly, unleashing wave after wave of massive water relentlessly surging towards Blaziken.
Deprived of his boosts and slowed by the freezing wind, Blaziken's movements became considerably sluggish. He could only retreat repeatedly, struggling to dodge; his previous agility was completely gone, making him appear extremely disheveled.
Just as Blaziken finally regained his footing at the edge of the arena, a white light flashed in front of Milotic again, and another Substitute appeared.
The real Milotic hovered behind it, its body shimmering with a crystalline green light as the pale blue glow of its Aqua Ring intertwined with the jade energy.
It was the Recover skill!
Milotic was using this opening to quickly restore its stamina.
The spectators on the sidelines were completely stunned, exclaiming in amazement. Their eyes were filled with envy as they looked at Milotic.
"Holy crap! Another recovery skill!"
"How can we fight this? It recovers after just one hit, can remove buffs, and uses substitutes to block damage. It leaves the opponent no chance!"
"No wonder they sent Milotic into the fray! This is an absolutely shameless tactic! Milotic is too strong!"
The live stream chat was flooded with comments:
[Milotic is too strong! Is this its true power after evolution? It's terrifying!]
[66666! This tactic is brilliant! So this is how you fight! I've learned something new!]
[This tactic is too unfair! Blaziken can't even get close to fight; how can it possibly win?]
["Is he just jealous? A winning tactic is a good tactic. The streamer's maneuver was amazing!"]
["Blaziken is having a tough time. It can't even get close, and its type is weak. Anyone would struggle against this!"]
Moore's brow furrowed into a deep frown. He understood Milotic's strategy perfectly: using Rain Dance to create a favorable environment, the Flame Orb to trigger Marvel Scale for boosted defense, and Haze to remove Blaziken's buffs.
Then, by using Substitute to create openings and continuously cycling Aqua Ring and Recover, it ensured total sustainability.
Moore understood the strategy, but understanding it didn't mean he could counter it.
Unless Blaziken's strength was overwhelming enough to severely damage Milotic with a single hit, or if he possessed Electric or Grass-type moves, he would only become increasingly passive in this cycle of cleared stats and high consumption.
At this moment, Blaziken was already experiencing slight chest heaving, his breathing becoming rapid.
The continuous operation of his Speed Boost ability already consumed stamina; with the stacking of Sunny Day and Swords Dance, his exhaustion was far beyond normal.
Furthermore, having those strengths repeatedly cleared while struggling to dodge Milotic's attacks made his stamina loss astonishing.
On the other hand, Milotic—nourished by the rain and recovering through the dual effects of Aqua Ring and Recover—remained full of energy.
Its posture was elegant and composed, as if the battle was merely a leisurely performance.
Moore watched the panting Blaziken and let out a deep sigh. He couldn't help but think how much better it would have been if his Ninetales or Typhlosion were on the field.
His Blaziken was specifically bred for close combat. Faced with a Water-type Milotic that possessed Marvel Scale, excelled in ranged attacks, and had numerous recovery moves, he was completely outmatched.
If it were his Ninetales or Typhlosion, they wouldn't be afraid of the mist; it would be incinerated by flames before it ever reached them.
They could then use Calm Mind and Substitute to engage Milotic in a ranged duel. The battle would definitely not be so passive.
Moore shook his head, dispelling these thoughts, and raised his hand to recall Blaziken.
"Fine, you win this match."
"Grandpa!" Flannery couldn't help but cry out, her voice filled with resentment.
As soon as Moore conceded defeat, the entire Lavaridge Gym erupted as if a stone had been thrown into a still pond. The spectators broke into a frenzy; cheers and gasps surged like a tidal wave, almost lifting the roof off the building.
"Awesome! Incredible! He actually beat the former Elite Four member, Moore!"
"If I remember correctly, Moore was one of the strongest in our Hoenn region! This is incredible!"
The spectators were flushed with excitement, many standing and waving their arms. They cheered for this exciting duel and its unexpected result. Meanwhile, the live stream chat was a waterfall of praise:
[Awesome! This is definitely the most exciting battle the streamer has ever had!]
[Following them all the way from Petalburg City, watching the streamer grow from a newbie to being able to beat a Master—it's so inspiring!]
[I used to think the streamer was cowardly for sending Milotic, but now I realize I was narrow-minded. This is true wisdom!]
[The streamer is about to take off! Beating a former member of the Elite Four! This is absolutely unique among rookie trainers, right?]
Moore gently stroked the Poké Ball in his hand, feeling the faint frustration emanating from the Blaziken inside. He whispered soothingly, "I'm sorry, Blaziken. It's really frustrating to run into such a stubborn, persistent opponent. Next time, I'll find you an opponent where you can have a good close-quarters battle, so you can really enjoy yourself."
Moore's face didn't show much disappointment at the loss. After all, he had seen what he needed to see.