Ash locked eyes with Giovanni, the tension thick enough to choke on. He gripped his next Poké Ball tightly—his knuckles white from the force of it.
"This one's for Gyarados," Ash muttered. "Let's turn the tide."
He threw the Poké Ball forward.
"Go, Annihilape!"
The black-and-white blur of fury erupted from the ball mid-air. With a guttural growl and eyes blazing like twin infernos, Annihilape landed in a crouch, fists clenched, ghostly energy pulsating off his fur like a living storm. The gym's air shifted, thick with raw emotion.
Giovanni gave the faintest smirk and released his next Pokémon.
"Persian."
A graceful feline leapt from the flash of light, landing silently, her cream-colored fur gleaming beneath the gym's spotlights. Her red gem sparkled like a warning light—deadly elegance wrapped in silk.
Ash narrowed his eyes. He remembered Persian from their first encounter. Calm. Deadly. Merciless.
"Don't underestimate her, Annihilape."
Giovanni spoke with smooth calm. "Let's remind him why she's my partner."
The Persian let out a low hiss, slinking forward with the grace of a dancer and the lethality of a blade.
Ash acted first.
"Bulk Up!"
Annihilape closed his eyes, fists trembling, muscles bulging with ghostly energy as a red-orange aura pulsed around him. His breathing slowed—but the rage in his aura only grew more focused.
"Now, Rage Fist!"
Annihilape charged forward like a thunderbolt, one arm glowing with spectral flames that flickered black and purple. He slammed his fist toward Persian with bone-shattering speed.
But Persian vanished.
"Agility. Then Power Gem," Giovanni said sharply.
In a blur, Persian skated across the floor with impossible speed. She flipped backward as a sparkling burst of energy formed between her whiskers—then fired a blinding ray of prismatic light.
"Counter it with Shadow Punch!"
The two attacks collided mid-air, exploding in a burst of shadow and rainbow sparks that showered across the field. Both Pokémon skidded back, landing on all fours.
Ash smirked. "Now use Screech!"
Annihilape let out a bone-chilling howl, sound waves warping the air as they crashed into Persian. She staggered, ears flattening, her movements slowed for just a moment.
"Now—Close Combat!"
Annihilape dashed forward in a flurry of movement—punches, elbows, knees, slams. Each hit landed with brutal force, rattling Persian backward as she cried out.
But Giovanni's eyes stayed cold.
"Use Pay Day—then Hypnosis."
Golden coins burst from Persian's gem, slamming into Annihilape's face with surprising force. The distraction gave her just enough time to leap upward, eyes glowing a pale, hypnotic blue.
"Close your eyes! Spin and use Rage Fist again!"
Annihilape instinctively shut his eyes, roaring as he turned mid-air and launched a devastating ghost-powered strike—right as Persian dropped in range.
BOOM.
The blow landed. A shockwave rippled through the floor. Persian yowled, tossed aside like a rag doll. She landed hard, scraping across the stone floor before catching herself shakily.
Ash clenched his fist. "Now—finish it with one more Rage Fist!"
But Giovanni simply said, "Feint Attack."
Persian shimmered into the shadows, disappearing from sight.
Ash's eyes widened. "Watch out—"
Too late.
Persian appeared right behind Annihilape, slashing with glowing claws. The strike hit clean—but instead of dropping, Annihilape's aura exploded outward like a detonation of rage and willpower. His body ignited with ghostly fire.
Ash grinned. "You've done it now."
"Rage Fist—MAX POWER!"
With a roar that echoed like a banshee's wail, Annihilape lunged. The glowing punch struck Persian with all the fury and spirit Annihilape had been building this entire fight—and beyond.
The gym shook.
Persian hit the ground—and didn't get up.
Silence.
Then the ref raised a hand.
"Persian is unable to battle! The round goes to Annihilape!"
Ash exhaled, heart pounding. Annihilape stood panting, muscles twitching, but victorious.
Giovanni stared at Persian for a long moment, then quietly returned her to her ball.
"You've pushed farther than most ever have, Ash Ketchum,You Earned the earth badge" Giovanni said.
Ash narrowed his eyes, fire burning in his chest. He had earned the Earth Badge after taking down three of Giovanni's Pokémon, but his heart told him the battle wasn't over. Not yet.
"I came here to win, not just a badge," Ash said. "I want to see all of your strength—and I want you to see mine."
Giovanni raised a brow, then smirked and gave a small nod. "Very well. You've earned the right."
He pulled his next Poké Ball from his belt.
"You've seen the storm. Now brace for the mountain."
With a flick of his wrist, Giovanni hurled the Poké Ball.
"Go—Rhyperior!"
A monstrous shape materialized in a flash of red light, slamming onto the battlefield like a boulder dropped from the heavens. The Level 65 Rhyperior roared, plates of stone armor gleaming with orange core lines pulsing beneath. Each step cracked the floor beneath its feet.
Ash didn't hesitate.
He pulled his own Poké Ball, heart pounding.
"If this is your wall—then let me show you my fire."
"Go—Charizard!!"
With a mighty roar, Ash's Level 67 Charizard burst from the Poké Ball in a cyclone of flame. His wings unfurled wide, tail blazing like a torch in the storm, eyes locked onto Rhyperior with raw fury. The sandstorm summoned by Tyranitar still raged, but Charizard flared his wings and scattered it with a powerful gust.
Even Giovanni's eyes narrowed slightly at the sight of the towering dragon.
Round Five: Begin.
"Stone Edge!" Giovanni barked.
From the ground beneath Rhyperior, jagged spires of stone erupted, firing like missiles toward Charizard mid-air.
"Counter with Flamethrower—melt them down!"
Charizard unleashed a torrent of searing fire. The flames incinerated several of the stones mid-flight, but a few still crashed through, slamming into his chest and wing. Charizard grunted, wings stalling for a moment—but he corrected, hovering defiantly.
"Fly—circle and dive!"
Charizard soared upward, wings slicing through the dust-laden air. He climbed high above the battlefield, then twisted mid-air and went into a spiraling nosedive, cloaked in flames.
Giovanni's voice was steady. "Rock Wrecker."
Rhyperior braced, gathering boulders between his hands until they fused into a massive spinning projectile. He roared and hurled it skyward just as Charizard dove.
The Rock Wrecker struck.
BOOM.
The explosion was thunderous. Smoke and dust filled the sky.
Ash's heart skipped.
But from the haze, Charizard burst forth—wings tattered, but still airborne.
"Flare Blitz! NOW!!"
Wreathed in fire, Charizard shot toward the ground like a comet. He slammed into Rhyperior with meteoric force, fire exploding in every direction.
The floor cracked. A crater formed beneath Rhyperior's feet. The armored behemoth roared in pain, flames licking across its body—but it held firm, barely kneeling.
Charizard crashed beside him, breathing heavily. The recoil of Flare Blitz burned his skin, but his eyes still blazed with willpower.
Giovanni narrowed his eyes. "Megahorn."
Rhyperior's horn began glowing emerald green. With a guttural roar, it charged forward, horn spinning with bug-type energy.
Ash clenched his fist. "Steel Wing—deflect it!"
Charizard's wings gleamed with silver light. He brought them up just as Rhyperior struck. The impact was massive—Charizard was knocked back, skidding across the ground. He roared in pain but got back to his feet, tail flame still burning.
The two powerhouses glared at each other—both scorched, bruised, exhausted—but neither backing down.
Ash took a breath. "Time to finish it. Blast Burn!"
Charizard's mouth opened, fire pooling from deep within his chest, wings spread wide as the air around him warped from the heat.
"Do it, now!"
Charizard unleashed a massive vortex of fire, flames the color of molten sun crashing forward like an inferno tidal wave.
Giovanni's face hardened. "Rock Wrecker—again!"
Rhyperior summoned another boulder—but too late.
The Blast Burn swallowed the field.
Firestorm. Shockwave. Silence.
When the dust finally cleared…
Rhyperior lay unconscious, smoke rising from his armor.
"Rhyperior is unable to battle!" the referee shouted. "The fifth round goes to Ash Ketchum!"
Ash dropped to one knee, arms around Charizard's neck. "You did it… that was incredible."
Charizard huffed proudly, though his knees wobbled. Ash returned him with a whisper. "Rest now, partner."
Across the field, Giovanni returned Rhyperior, his expression unreadable—until he gave a small, almost impressed nod.
"You've come far, Ash Ketchum. You've evolved not just your team… but yourself."
He reached for his final Poké Ball.
"One last test. No mercy."
The battlefield was silent. The air, tense. The lights dimmed, then focused on the final Poké Balls in each Trainer's hand.
Giovanni stood like a monolith, unmoved by the fierce battle that had just passed. But his next words broke the silence with absolute authority.
"You've impressed me, Ash Ketchum. But this last Pokémon… isn't just a battler. It's a symbol of my control. My power."
He held up a Poké Ball marked with a black and green insignia.
"Let me show you what fear truly is."
He tossed it.
From the blinding flash burst an overwhelming aura—a blur of wings, poison, and fury. A monstrous Level 90 Beedrill hovered above the cracked earth, its drills buzzing with lethal speed. Its wings gave off a high-pitched screech, and its red eyes locked onto Ash with murderous intent. This was no ordinary Beedrill—this was apex. Perfected. Merciless.
Ash clenched his fists. "I'm not backing down now."
Just then ash got a sudden quest message via his system.
[Ding, Trigger the system mission 'Victory Beyond Limits.'
Objective: Defeat Giovanni's Beedrill in open battle.
Task completion Reward: Dragonite-exclusive Mega Stone (prototype class: Dragonitite-Y) , Location of Draco plate.
]
[Warning: One-time opportunity. Do not fail."]
Ash stared at the screen, then looked at his last Poké Ball.
"Dragonite… this is your destiny go girl show who you really are!!!"
He flung it skyward.
BOOM.
A swirling gale erupted as Ash's Level 91 Female Dragonite burst into the air—light glinting off her golden scales, eyes glowing with unmatched focus. The battlefield shook beneath her wingbeats.
She smiled.
FINAL BATTLE — BEGIN.
Giovanni went cold and fast. "Toxic Spikes—now."
Beedrill zipped across the field, scattering glowing violet needles across the terrain. An ambush laid for any other Pokémon—but it wouldn't matter.
Ash pointed. "Hurricane! Blow him out of the sky!"
Dragonite surged upward, wings glowing white, summoning a spiraling vortex of wind and chaos. She launched it straight at Beedrill, who barely dodged, spinning like a bullet.
The winds struck the earth and exploded, launching rock and flame sky-high.
Giovanni grinned. "Fell Stinger."
Beedrill vanished—blurring across the field, striking Dragonite from behind with its venomous lance. A direct hit to the wing joint—Dragonite screamed but held her air.
Mean while misty and sabrina was watching ash with pride and some concern who doesn't know about the infamous beedrill of Giovanni no one ever able to scratch this beast the league even put restrictions on Giovanni by saying only use beedrill if the trainer was skilled enough to battle him.
Ash's mind raced. "You okay?!"
Dragonite nodded, blood dripping from her side—but her fire burned brighter.
The battlefield trembled with the weight of legends.
Ash's heart pounded, synced with the rhythm of Dragonite's labored breaths. The wind howled between them, carrying the scent of scorched dust and venom. Above it all, Beedrill hovered—silent, coiled, dangerous.
Giovanni raised a single finger. "X-Scissor."
In a blink, Beedrill vanished—again. It reappeared mid-air in front of Dragonite, its dual stingers gleaming like sharpened obsidian, slashing in a cross pattern. Dragonite barely managed to block with her forearms, sliding back through the air with a grunt.
Ash's voice cut through the din. "Twister—tight radius! Trap him!"
Dragonite's tail spun. Wind whipped around her in a violent spiral, trapping Beedrill in a cyclone of cutting gales. Beedrill shrieked, momentarily caught in the storm. Ash seized the opening.
"Now—Thunder Punch!"
Dragonite roared and burst through her own Twister, her fist charged with lightning. She slammed it into Beedrill's torso, sparks exploding on contact. The impact sent Beedrill hurtling backward, crashing into the rocks with a savage crunch.
Dust filled the air.
Misty gasped. Sabrina's eyes narrowed. "He actually landed a hit…"
Ash clenched his fists. "Stay sharp, Dragonite! He's not out!"
And he wasn't.
The dust didn't settle. It twisted.
From the center of the rubble, a glowing purple haze began to pulse.
Giovanni's voice, calm and thunderous, echoed across the arena.
"Adaptation protocol: Overdrive Mode."
The black-and-green insignia on Beedrill's carapace flared with unnatural energy. Its wounds sealed. Its wings beat faster—too fast. The entire battlefield dimmed as Beedrill entered a new state, surrounded by a toxic aura.
Ash's breath hitched. "That's not normal…"
Sabrina muttered, "It's not even natural."
Beedrill didn't wait.
It exploded forward, faster than before—more sound than motion.
"Dragonite—Iron Tail!"
She spun and raised her tail in time to intercept—but the blow hit like a meteor. Beedrill's Poison Jab crashed into her chest, sending her spiraling downwards into the battlefield with a thunderous impact. The ground split beneath her, a crater blooming from her landing.
"Dragonite!!" Ash shouted, stumbling forward—but his partner was already rising.
Bloodied, limping, but grinning.
Her eyes glowed—primal, unrelenting.
Ash stared in awe. "You're still with me…"
She nodded, raised her wings—and roared.
Ash's eyes hardened.
"No holding back. Draco Meteor."
The sky cracked open.
Golden spheres of burning starlight gathered above Dragonite, swirling into formation like the wrath of the cosmos itself. With a mighty cry, she hurled the meteors downward.
Giovanni didn't flinch.
"Beedrill—Threadbreak."
A move Ash had never heard.
Beedrill rocketed upward, weaving between meteors with impossible precision. Its wings slashed through reality itself—ripping gaps in the air as it zigzagged toward Dragonite.
Ash yelled, "Intercept! Use Outrage!"
Dragonite's body flared with scarlet flame. She launched herself into the air, colliding with Beedrill mid-flight. The two clashed like gods, their blows sending shockwaves that shattered boulders and warped the very terrain.
One punch—blocked.
A sting—dodged.
Tail strike—landed.
Stinger slash—deflected.
Both Pokémon crashed into the earth in a swirling storm of fury, dust, and raw energy.
Silence.
Only the wind moved.
Then—Dragonite stood.
Beedrill was down.
Struggling.
Shaking.
And finally… still.
Giovanni stared long and hard, then slowly returned his Beedrill.
Ash dropped to one knee, gasping for breath. Dragonite limped to his side, her breathing heavy, but her expression proud.
Giovanni walked forward until he stood face to face with Ash. He extended a hand—not of defeat, but of rare respect.
"You've done the impossible. You tamed the storm."
Ash stood, looked him in the eye, and shook it.
"I didn't tame anything. She just chose to fight beside me."
Giovanni gave the faintest of smiles.
"Well then, Champion… your destiny is only beginning care to join for a meeting alone."
And with that, he turned and walked away—his shadow long behind him, but the storm he'd conjured forever etched into the battlefield.
To be continued....