Chapter 180: Fuchsia Gym, vs. the Great General!!
2024-05-15 Author: Samsung Charmander (Author Name)
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"Come out, my Ace!"
Koga threw his third Shuriken Poké Ball. A red light flashed, and a large purple serpent appeared on the Battle Arena.
Its coiled body rose up, its neck flaring wide, emblazoned with the pattern of a colorful, smiling face. It flicked its forked tongue, its eyes deep and sinister, standing nearly as tall as a human.
In an instant, the Aura of a Powerhouse rushed forth, blanketing the entire arena. It forced even the currently rampaging Charmeleon to retreat again and again, its own Momentum completely suppressed.
"Roooar…"
Staring at the large, colorful face-like pattern on the serpent's neck, it was as if a grim, spectral face had detached itself and was flying right at it. A sense of fear rose in Charmeleon's heart. Before the battle had even begun, both its Speed and Power were inexplicably cut down.
This was precisely Koga's signature technique: Intimidate Plus.
"So strong..."
Just as Brother Red had said, even a hothead like Ash couldn't help but feel a shiver of fear. This purple serpent was definitely the most powerful enemy he had ever encountered.
*Pokedex Beep.* "Arbok, the Evolved Form of Ekans. It excels at using the pattern on its skin to intimidate opponents. Its flexible body possesses immense power, capable of constricting enemies and even crushing their bones, before biting down hard with its poisonous fangs."
The Pokedex, contrary to its usual self, became serious in the face of such a powerful enemy, not daring to spout any nonsense.
"Ah, this..."
The Ninja Girl, Janine, stared at the purple serpent in disbelief, then gazed at Koga's emotionless face. She had always thought the previous Ariados represented her father's full strength, but with this Arbok's appearance, everything before it seemed like child's play.
"Why would Father hide this kind of strength...?"
Janine began to quietly wrestle with this question.
Seeing this, Koga just gave a cold smile. That's right, this Arbok was one of his top three Aces.
In his previous battle with the Spiky-Haired Youth, Koga hadn't sent out his strongest Pokémon. In the third round, he had merely dispatched a Pokémon of Jonin-level strength, only to be pinned to the ground and mercilessly pummeled.
But this time, although the Cap-wearing Youth before him was normally a notch below that Spiky-Haired Youth, his Charmeleon's Burst Power was a notch higher.
So this time, Koga would use his true Strength for a battle with no regrets.
He had assessed this Arbok's Strength as far surpassing the Jonin level!
It was the strongest rank among Ninja.
A Great General!!
"Hehehe... I'll soon find out if all Trainers from Pallet Town have the ability to Transform..."
Koga stared coldly at Ash. Arbok, too, was coldly sizing up the Charmeleon before it, swishing its purple tail. The gap between them was like that of a top predator and a weakling, which left Arbok feeling rather unenthusiastic.
"Roooar…"
Although it made no move, Charmeleon and Ash were both on high alert. Generally, a Pokémon that had reached the Elite Four level would have a restrained Aura, as composed as a Master martial artist.
But the Arbok before them released its brutal Aura without any reservation. The Air was thick with a dangerous presence; just facing it was enough to make one tremble. It was utterly terrifying!
"Charmeleon, can you still handle it?"
"Rooaaargh!!"
Charmeleon shot a pillar of Flame into the sky, bolstering its own courage.
The Battle began.
Ash swiped his thumb forward, launching the first Attack. "Charmeleon, strike first! Use Flamethrower!!"
"Rooaaargh!!"
Charmeleon didn't hold back, opening its mouth to unleash a thick torrent of Flame that swept straight forward.
*Smack!*
Arbok's coiled body remained motionless. As the flames approached, its purple tail lashed out like Lightning, effortlessly shattering the raging blaze. Not a single trace of the attack was left on its tail.
"Hsss..."
The serpent's eyes narrowed, a seemingly human-like, mocking smile on its face as it waited for Charmeleon's next move.
It wasn't just feline Pokémon that had a natural instinct to play with their prey; serpents did as well.
Ash could only change his strategy, shouting:
"In that case, use your specialty, Throat Chop!!"
Charmeleon roared again. Its two claws came together to form a spike, its expression sinister. Its arms were instantly cloaked in a dense, dark light as it kicked off the Ground with its powerful hind legs and charged.
"Roar!!"
The Throat Chop aimed straight for Arbok's chest!
"Hsss..."
Arbok remained unfazed. Its purple tail struck again, blocking the ferocious Throat Chop head-on. Then, with a slight exertion of force, it sent Charmeleon flying.
It wasn't even a Move, just pure Physical Strength, and it had easily broken the Throat Chop.
With both its ranged and close-quarters attacks so easily thwarted, beads of sweat dripped from Ash's forehead. He knew there was a gap between him and a Top-Level Expert, but he never imagined it would be this vast.
"If that's the case, Charmeleon, use Inferno!!"
Ash decided to abandon all other plans and chose this powerful Fire Type Move he had just learned!
"Roar!!"
Charmeleon roared where it stood. The skin on its body began to darken, glowing a deep red. Between its teeth and across its skin, a high-temperature steam began to rise as Energy steadily gathered.
It wasn't proficient with this Move yet, and the charging time was long, but Arbok showed no intention of stopping it, giving it an opportunity.
"Roooaaargh!!"
Charmeleon let out a draconic roar, and violent Flame Energy erupted from its skin, instantly filling the entire hall with the flames of Inferno, completely enveloping Arbok.
*BOOM BOOM!!*
The flames converged and detonated on Arbok's body. The Inferno blazed!!
"Haha, you dared to look down on us!"
Ash was overjoyed at the sight, thinking to himself that he might actually clear this with two lives to spare. Brother Red could just sit back and watch him show off his Skill!
Soon, the Smoke and Dust cleared, and the raging flames of the Inferno vanished. However, Arbok's body still stood there.
To say it took no Damage would be an exaggeration; it had sustained some minor, heavy injuries.
Seeing it act as if nothing had happened, Ash was startled, but his face quickly twisted into a defiant expression.
"Hmph, my Inferno has more to it than that!"
The next second, a burst of fire erupted on Arbok's body. It had clearly entered a Burn Status.
Inferno had a 100% chance of inflicting a Burn on the enemy!
A Burn Status meant continuous health loss, and most critically, a significant drop in attack power. With proper battling, no matter how large the gap, there was still a chance for a comeback!
"Hissss..."
However, Arbok just flicked its forked tongue. Its body moved forward half a meter, and then its coiled form seemed to shed a thin, shimmering membrane that still carried a few wisps of flame.
*Pokedex Beep.* "Arbok's Ability, Shed Skin. It removes its own Status Conditions by shedding its skin."
The Pokedex provided a timely explanation.
Arbok coiled itself up again, its skin gleaming like a work of art.
Ash blurted out, "Wait, isn't your Arbok's Ability Intimidate? How can it have a second Ability!?"
"Heh heh, that Intimidate was just artificially created by combining Arbok's pattern and its aura. It's not its real Ability..." Koga explained slowly.
"Are you done playing? Then it's my turn. Arbok!"
The gap was so large it was starting to bore him. Right now, he only craved a battle with a true Powerhouse!
Arbok lowered its head, and its body shot out like Lightning, closing in on Charmeleon in less than two breaths.
Charmeleon subconsciously thrust forward with a Throat Chop, but Arbok easily dodged it. Its body coiled up along Charmeleon's arm, and in the blink of an eye, it had the latter completely ensnared.
*Crack!*
Arbok's flexible body tensed slightly, and a sickening sound of shattering bone echoed out. Charmeleon's body visibly distorted.
"Chaaahiss!"
Arbok opened its gaping maw and sank its fangs, dripping with Poison, into Charmeleon's neck, instantly inflicting a Poisoned Status on it.
This was an old, venomous snake, the kind of premium quality that would require at least a century of aging if used to make medicinal wine.
Under the double assault, Charmeleon's Willpower began to fade, its Stamina rapidly draining. It seemed as though it would faint at any second.
"ROAR! ROAR! ROAR!!!"
In its hazy consciousness, a scene suddenly surfaced in its mind.
Back when it was still a Charmander, in that misty, dark sea, a colossal, ancient Lighthouse beast had slowly approached the Cliff shore, letting out a draconic cry to the heavens.
Then, a peerless Fire Dragon with outstretched wings had appeared to do battle with it. Their Dragon's Might was immense, and every clash between the two Giant Dragons could stir the very sea.
From that moment on, Charmeleon had secretly set a goal for itself: one day, it would reach the heights of that Charizard.
And then it would challenge it!
"ROAR! ROAR! ROAR!!"
The eyes of the fading Charmeleon suddenly blazed, its spirit restored. It let out a dragon's roar filled with ferocious Dragon's Might, causing a deafening boom in the ears of everyone present and making them all flinch.
Even Arbok was momentarily stunned.
Prey like this, without exception, had always been rendered Unable to Battle immediately. Why was today an exception?
"Hooo... hooo... hooo..."
High-temperature steam once again rose from Charmeleon's body. Its skin was now as fiery red as Magma, looking as if it might explode at any moment.
Even Arbok was forced to release its hold and keep its distance.
Charmeleon landed back on the Ground, a red glow flaring up from its skin, pulsing with every breath.
"Is it evolving?" Ash's gaze froze for a moment.
His Charmeleon had just evolved not long ago. Was it going to evolve again?
He remembered Brother Red saying not to rush Evolution.
Acting too hastily would lead to an unstable foundation, making it easy to crack one's Golden Core and suffer Qi Deviation.
"No, this is Charmeleon's Ability, Blaze..."
Red spoke up, explaining.
To be honest, even he hadn't expected this Charmeleon's Battle Intent to be so strong.
With its extremely high Potential and powerful Willpower, he could no longer dare to imagine the heights such a Pokémon could reach in the future.
*Pokedex Beep.* "The Ability Blaze. When a Pokémon's stamina is critically low, the power of its Fire Type moves will increase. The degree of increase depends on the individual."
The Pokedex also provided a timely explanation.
"The power of its Fire Type moves, huh..."
Although Ash had seen his own Wartortle use the similar Torrent Ability, he was still taken aback by the sheer spectacle before him.
A surge of hot blood rushed to his head, and Ash's eyes filled with Battle Intent.
No matter how big the gap, today we're going to peel off a layer of your snakeskin!
At this moment, man and Dragon were connected by their Bond, as if they could feel the fiery Battle Intent in each other's hearts!
"Ash, make it quick! Charmeleon is still Poisoned!" Brock reminded him urgently from the rear.
Blaze meant its Stamina was at its Limit; it couldn't withstand the drain from the Poisoned Status.
"I know."
Ash scanned his surroundings, a plan already forming in his mind. Without hesitation, he commanded:
"Charmeleon, use Flamethrower!!"
The two of them seemed to have entered a mystical state. Charmeleon instantly understood the thought in Ash's mind, baring its fangs and spewing a torrent of Flame.
This time, the Flamethrower's Power was on a whole new level. The flames burned to their Ultimate State, turning into a brilliant golden Energy, as scorching as the sun itself.
A jet of golden flame!!
*Smack!*
Arbok swept its tail, and a searing High Temperature immediately shot through it, making it frown. It could only retreat half a meter to dodge the golden flame, not daring to meet it head-on.
"Rooar..."
The Poisoned Status took its toll on Charmeleon. It fought to stay focused, glaring furiously as it spat out another jet of golden flame.
"Chaaahiss..."
This time, Arbok weaved with serpentine grace, constantly shifting its massive, yet surprisingly nimble, body through the golden flames, never letting a single spark touch it.
Although the Power of the flames was starting to feel threatening, its accuracy was far too poor. The current Charmeleon was simply unable to control this rampaging Strength.
Koga was curious, but not surprised.
"Roar..."
After a continuous stream of flames, Charmeleon overexerted itself and suddenly stumbled, falling to one knee. The Poisoned Status afflicted it again, and it could only gasp for breath, its vision blurring.
The surrounding Arena was now filled with a wave of gunpowder-scented smoke.
"Heh, I bet it can't even tell where its enemy is now. The next dose of Poison will end it. In the end, you still haven't dealt any real damage to my Arbok. This is fate."
Koga made a hand sign and spoke faintly.
Ninja believe in fate, that everything is predestined. They obey the will of heaven.
He admitted this Charmeleon's Potential was extraordinary, but right now, it was just a Reckless Fighter. No matter how powerful a Move is, it's meaningless if it can't hit its target.
"Is that so."
A fierce glint flashed in Ash's eyes, his face twisting into a savage expression that made both Brock and Misty feel as if they were looking at a stranger.
Trainers who reveled in battle all carried an ineradicable wildness within them, a desire to utterly devour their opponents!
"Charmeleon, use your final Flamethrower!!"
Ash roared, his voice growing hoarse.
"ROAR!!"
Forcibly mustering the last shred of its mental energy, since its vision was already a blur, Charmeleon simply closed its eyes. The flame within its body swelled to its absolute Extreme State. It opened its jaws and unleashed its final golden Flame straight ahead!!
"Oh no, this is bad!!"
"You haven't lifted your head!"
Brock and Misty shouted anxiously from the sidelines, wishing they could run up there and straighten Charmeleon's head themselves.
It was currently bowing its head, shooting flames at the Ground!!
"A futile struggle?"
Koga turned his head away, no longer watching the battlefield, assuming defeat was certain—
*BOOM BOOM!!*
A pillar of fire suddenly appeared in Koga's pupils.
The jet of golden flame that was originally aimed at the Ground had bizarrely reappeared directly behind Arbok. Hearing the commotion behind it, it quickly turned its head, only to see the immensely powerful golden flame expanding infinitely before its eyes.
*BOOM! RUMBLE!!*
There was no escape!
The scorching golden Flame slammed into Arbok's back without obstruction. A pillar of fire shot into the sky, setting off a terrifying fiery Explosion! A violent, high-temperature Energy Wave surged wildly throughout the hall!!
The Explosion from the intense Fierce Flames directly slammed Arbok into the Ground, pinning it down!!
"What?!"
Amidst the storm of sand and gravel, Koga's eyes remained wide, fixed on the Explosion, unable to comprehend what had just happened.
Was it a Psychic Type move?!
Impossible!
*BOOM BOOM BOOM!!*
The Sonic Boom of the fiery Energy was still raging, and the expressions on the onlookers' faces shifted from shock to stunned silence...
"Huu..."
After a long moment, the smoke and residual energy dissipated.
*Thud.*
It was a figure outside the Smoke and Dust that collapsed first.
Having used the last of its strength, Charmeleon had completely lost its Combat Capability and fell limply to the ground.
At this moment, both its mental energy and its Stamina had suffered an unprecedented level of Damage.
"Chaaarbok!!"
Then, a cold, furious roar came from within the smoke. A large purple serpent burst through the dissipating cloud, revealing its form.
Its appearance, however, was tragic. Its back was charred black, a clear sign of a very heavy blow—Damage that couldn't be healed no matter how many layers of skin it shed.
Its expression had become more savage and cruel than ever before!
Serpents enjoy toying with their prey, but unlike felines, if they are toyed with in return, they will instantly snap, reverting to their original, violent and ferocious nature!
"Chaaahiss!!"
Even though Charmeleon had clearly lost all ability to battle, the enraged Arbok ignored its master's Command and lunged toward its target. Its cavernous mouth gaped open, fangs dripping with deadly Poison!!
It was unstoppable!!
"Pika?"
At this moment of crisis, a cute little voice sounded out.
The next second, a flash of yellow light instantly appeared in front of Charmeleon. It blinked its large eyes, curiously observing the lunging purple serpent.
Its Speed was like a phantom!!
Then, the corners of its mouth turned up in a sly smile. It executed a sweeping motion, its tiered tail now covered in a cold, metallic sheen.
*CLANG!!*
With a deafening metallic crash, the once-unstoppable Arbok was sent flying several meters away by a single Iron Tail, dragging a long black scar across the ground.
"The second Battle is over. This is now the third Battle."
A faint voice came from the front.
Koga looked up and saw that Ash seemed to have become a different person. His face was devoid of expression, his eyes filled with an icy coldness, as if he paid no mind to anything around him.
"Now, it's my turn."
(end of chapter)