"Crawdaunt, use Dark Pulse!"
Juan knew that water-type moves would be ineffective against Lapras with its Water Absorb ability, which could even restore Lapras's health. Thus, he opted for the dark-type move, Dark Pulse.
In response to Crawdaunt's attack, Rex commanded Lapras to use Ice Beam, not to attack Crawdaunt but to freeze the lake's surface. Given the small size of the water area, Lapras's ice beam had a good chance of accomplishing this.
After freezing the lake, Lapras was hit by Crawdaunt's Dark Pulse. Though the attack left Lapras in bad shape, it managed to hang on.
"Lapras, slide on the ice!"
Seeing that Crawdaunt was preparing to continue its assault, Rex quickly instructed Lapras to slide on the ice while simultaneously using Ice Beam to counter Crawdaunt.
In this chase, Lapras became the prey, and Crawdaunt, displaying its malevolent nature, pursued it slowly and methodically, occasionally launching Sludge Bombs at Lapras.
"Damn it, Lapras, you have to hang in there!"
Max watched anxiously as Lapras was chased around the battlefield, clenching his fists tightly.
"Relax, Max. We need to trust Rex and not get too tense," May reassured her excited brother.
"Return, Lapras!"
Even though Lapras was sliding quickly on the ice, its earlier injuries made it unlikely to evade Crawdaunt for long. So, Rex decided to recall Lapras. Looking at the ice-covered battlefield, he knew Lapras had completed its role.
"Come on out, Flaaffy!"
Rex's next Pokémon was a shiny Flaaffy. After rigorous training, its moves had gained considerable power. Now, it was time for Crawdaunt to experience a descent from heaven to hell.
Crawdaunt, seeing its new opponent, a slightly unusual-looking Flaaffy, didn't expect much trouble. It casually launched a Sludge Bomb at Flaaffy.
Flaaffy, without waiting for Rex's command, let loose an electric charge that precisely collided with the Sludge Bomb, resulting in an explosion that neutralized both attacks.
Although Flaaffy had only used a standard electric attack, its power was on par with Crawdaunt's Sludge Bomb.
Seeing this, Crawdaunt finally regarded Flaaffy seriously, no longer showing a nonchalant attitude, and fixed its fierce gaze on the shiny Flaaffy.
"Crawdaunt, use Bubble Beam!"
Juan, realizing long-range attacks were ineffective, ordered Crawdaunt to advance and engage in close combat, starting with Bubble Beam to harass Flaaffy.
As Crawdaunt moved forward while using Bubble Beam, Rex instructed Flaaffy to defend with electric attacks.
Crawdaunt, thinking it had an opportunity, showed a confident look and used Dark Pulse at high speed, aiming at Flaaffy.
But just as Crawdaunt's claw was about to strike Flaaffy, Flaaffy's fur suddenly puffed up, hiding its body within the fluffy coat.
Crawdaunt felt as if it had struck cotton, lacking the sensation of hitting a solid target. Realizing something was wrong, it instinctively tried to retract its claw, but its body was paralyzed and couldn't move.
Crawdaunt had been paralyzed by Flaaffy's static ability. While most Pokémon with static ability have a 30% chance to paralyze their attacker, Flaaffy's ability had been enhanced to an 80% chance due to Rex's training methods.
Rex had trained Flaaffy to store static electricity in its fur, even having it use Thunder Wave on itself. Flaaffy's rubbery skin didn't conduct electricity, so the static was stored in its fur.
"Flaaffy, use Thunder!"
A terrifying electric current surged from Flaaffy, conducted through Crawdaunt's claw, and enveloped it.
Crawdaunt's body turned golden from the electricity, making it appear radiant, but its agonized cries revealed its dire state.
After the electrical surge ceased, Crawdaunt collapsed, unable to move. Rex could even smell a faint scent of burnt flesh from Crawdaunt.
"Crawdaunt is unable to battle. Flaaffy wins!"
The referee declared after checking Crawdaunt's condition.
Rex wasn't surprised. If Crawdaunt could withstand such a close-range Thunder attack, Rex would think it deserved the title of "Charger."
"Impressive strategy, luring Crawdaunt into a trap step by step for a decisive blow. However, I'm not going to let you win that easily. Come out, Milotic!"
Juan praised Rex's tactics as he recalled Crawdaunt, but his competitive spirit was ignited.
Milotic's appearance drew everyone's attention. Its shimmering beauty on the ice captivated all, including Flaaffy.
Even Flaaffy, while admiring Milotic's beauty, wouldn't hold back in battle. For its trainer, it had to give its all.
From Milotic's battle with Pikachu the previous day, Rex knew Milotic could skillfully use Recover to heal itself. If they couldn't deliver a knockout blow like Pikachu, Milotic would inevitably wear them down.
Juan, likely recalling Milotic's defeat to Pikachu's powerful Thunder after being dragged into the water, chose to keep Milotic on the ice rather than breaking the ice.
Milotic's serpentine body slid gracefully on the icy surface, its speed matching Lapras's. But despite its agility, Milotic couldn't evade Flaaffy's Thunderbolt.
"Milotic, use Aqua Ring!"
As Juan commanded, a layer of water formed around Milotic, continuously moisturizing its body and gradually healing its injuries over time.
Rex was seeing the Aqua Ring move for the first time, but he could sense the abundant life energy within the circulating water. This life energy was what allowed the water to heal Milotic's wounds.
Rex thought that this move would also be very useful for Lapras. He considered asking Juan for permission to have Lapras learn this technique from Milotic after the gym challenge.
"Flaaffy, use Charge!"
While Milotic was strengthening itself, Rex instructed his shiny Flaaffy to start powering up as well.
A large amount of electricity gathered in Flaaffy's fur, making its already dazzling golden fleece even more eye-catching. With this added charge, Flaaffy's next attack would undoubtedly be incredibly powerful.
"Flaaffy, use Thunder!"
Once both Pokémon had finished their preparations, Rex had Flaaffy launch an attack on Milotic. A massive bolt of electricity surged toward Milotic.
"Milotic, use Light Screen!"
Facing such a fearsome attack, Juan didn't dare let Milotic take it head-on.
Milotic narrowed its eyes and formed a Light Screen in front of it. The electric dragon struck the Light Screen but shattered it within seconds before hitting Milotic directly.
Although the Light Screen had absorbed some of the attack's power, the remaining electricity still caused Milotic to show signs of pain. Nevertheless, it managed to endure the hit and quickly used Recover to restore its condition.
Rex now had a clearer understanding of how difficult it would be to deal with Milotic. A quick victory seemed impossible; he would have to wear Milotic down gradually.
He didn't believe Milotic could use Recover indefinitely; there had to be a limit, even if it would take a while to reach.
Ultimately, Flaaffy couldn't outlast Milotic. After expending much of its stored electricity, Milotic seized an opportunity to strike with Ice Beam, leaving Flaaffy unable to continue.
Milotic wasn't unscathed either; multiple uses of Recover had drained much of its energy, evident from its slightly weary expression.
Recalling Flaaffy, Rex sent out Swellow to conclude the gym challenge.
Knowing Swellow could use Tailwind, Juan immediately commanded Milotic to use Ice Beam to attack Swellow in the air.
Since the battlefield was indoors, Swellow's maneuvering space was limited. If Milotic could land a hit, the battle could turn in Juan's favor.
Unfortunately, Juan underestimated Swellow. Swellow deftly dodged the Ice Beam attacks, even as Milotic froze the entire ceiling. Swellow continued to evade until Milotic, exhausted from the prolonged effort, began to pant heavily.
"Swellow, use Hyper Beam continuously!"
Seeing Milotic stop its assault, Rex instructed Swellow to counterattack. Energy gathered in Swellow's beak and was shot towards Milotic.
The speed of Hyper Beam was too fast for Milotic to dodge. It could only retaliate with Hydro Pump, but as it struggled against the first Hyper Beam, Swellow had already launched another.
Milotic had no time to defend against the second Hyper Beam, which struck its body directly.
The powerful impact of the downward Hyper Beam shattered the ice and sent Milotic crashing into the water below.
Underwater, Milotic didn't rush to resurface. Instead, it used Recover to heal itself, then launched a Whirlpool attack from below, sending a water vortex towards Swellow.
"Swellow, use Brave Bird and dive straight down!"
Seeing the water vortex, Rex decided not to have Swellow evade it. He intended to end the battle.
Swellow understood its trainer's intent. It enveloped itself in flying energy, retracted its wings, and dove into the vortex like a spinning top.
Swellow collided heavily with Milotic, causing Milotic to cry out in pain before losing its ability to battle.
"Milotic is unable to battle. With all five of the Gym Leader's Pokémon unable to continue, the challenger wins."
The referee declared after checking Milotic's condition.
"Rex, battling with you has been a pleasure. Here's the Rain Badge. Please accept it!"
Juan handed the Rain Badge to Rex with a smile after recalling Milotic.
"Thank you, I'll cherish it!"
Rex accepted the badge gratefully.
"Rex, I knew you could do it! Now it's time for the Ever Grande Conference in three months. Won't you train with us?"
Ash invited Rex excitedly.
"Yeah, training together is much more fun!" Max added.
"Alright, don't pressure Rex," May intervened, seeing Rex's hesitant expression.
"Life is like that; everyone has their own journey to follow. All we can do is look forward to our next meeting," Brock said philosophically.
After confirming Rex's intentions, Ash and his friends reluctantly bid him farewell and headed to the harbor to catch a boat to the next island.
Their next destination was Pacifidlog Town, where a Contest would be held soon. If May won, she would have the five ribbons needed to enter the Grand Festival in Slateport City in a month and a half.
Meanwhile, Rex had obtained Juan's permission for Lapras to learn some water-type moves from Milotic, so he would stay in Sootopolis City for a few more days before taking a ship to Slateport City.
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Thank you to the reader for the support!