The moment those words were spoken, Moltres spread its wings in the rain and launched into action.
As it swooped toward Golduck, the Legendary Bird beat its wings, sending out sharp blades of whirling wind that slashed rapidly in Golduck's direction.
The Air Slashes tore through the downpour, shrieking as they cut the air.
Unlike Hurricane, which had a wide attack radius and was nearly impossible to dodge, Air Slash focused its power into a single point, granting it far greater killing force against one target.
In short, Hurricane was a wide-range move with high accuracy—perfect for crowd control. Air Slash, however, traded range for power, striking a single opponent with lethal precision.
And while its area of effect was small, the move's sheer speed gave it a surprisingly high hit rate… unless, of course, the opponent was even faster.
And Golduck in the rain… was exactly that kind of opponent!
"Shhhk—!" Three Air Slashes tore across the battlefield in succession. But in that very instant, Golduck's feet seemed to skim across the water like a skateboarder. With a swift glide, it darted aside, leaving behind nothing but a great splash of water to take the brunt of the attacks.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The water exploded like fireworks, scattering in dazzling bursts.
Golduck had already shifted to the side. Its arms came together, palms cupped, condensing a glowing sphere of sapphire-blue water energy—like a martial artist charging a devastating Kamehameha.
"Now, Golduck—Water Pulse, fire!" Yozora shouted.
Water Pulse couldn't launch itself; once condensed, Golduck hurled it forward with both arms.
"Dodge with a spin!" Red barked back.
Moltres twisted its body with a graceful spin, slipping past the orb with ease.
But it wasn't just a Water Pulse.
This was… Psychic Water Pulse!
Whirr—!
The orb suddenly veered, spiraling midair like a drill. It smashed into Moltres's exposed back before the Legendary Bird could react.
Boom!
Water exploded with a deafening roar. Moltres was hurled forward by the blast, shrieking in agony as the attack's crushing power slammed into it.
Golduck's strength was far beyond ordinary!
This Golduck wasn't just strong—it had Tier 3 Legendary potential. In terms of raw talent and growth potential, it was no weaker than Moltres itself.
Golduck already wielded power beyond its level. In the pouring rain, boosted even further, its attacks became utterly terrifying.
Add in the elemental advantage—Water overwhelming Fire—doubling the damage…
In a single instant, Moltres was gravely wounded!
[Golduck]: Lord-tier peak. Tier 3 Legendary potential.[Moltres]: Gym Leader-tier peak. Tier 3 Legendary potential.
From a game's perspective, Golduck was roughly level 59, while Moltres was around level 68. The gap wasn't even ten levels. But under rain, with type advantage, Golduck's Psychic Water Pulse hit like a warhead.
If not for Moltres's status as a Legendary Pokémon—its stamina and endurance far surpassing ordinary measure—Golduck might have outright one-shot it.
Even so, the Fire-type bird was in a miserable state: plumage disheveled, body trembling, face twisted in pain.
"What a terrifying Water Pulse! It even bends in midair! That's insane! Even the Legendary Moltres looks like it can't take it anymore!" the announcer cried out, his voice full of disbelief.
On the battlefield, the exploding water drove Moltres tumbling helplessly toward Golduck.
Seeing this opening, Yozora wouldn't let it slip.
"Golduck, Hydro Pump!"
The downpour raged on as Golduck opened its beak wide, unleashing a massive torrent of high-pressure water straight at Moltres.
A direct hit would mean certain defeat!
But at the very last moment, a beam of red light cut across the field. Red had recalled Moltres into its Poké Ball just in time.
"Whoa! That was way too close!" the announcer exclaimed.
"Waaah!" The crowd roared, a storm of excitement sweeping through the stadium.
Yozora's fans cried out in frustration—Golduck had been so close to felling a god. So close to a God-Slaying moment.
But it wasn't to be.
Meanwhile, Red's fans were sweating buckets, their hearts racing from the narrow escape.
Outside the field, Ash, Brock, and the others all exhaled in relief.
It had been too tense, too dangerous.
A fraction of a second later, and Moltres would've been crushed. What a legendary upset that would have been!
"Red's decision was right," Professor Oak analyzed. "It's clear Yozora has placed all his hopes on Beedrill. Moltres is one of the few Pokémon that can effectively counter it. Before it faces Beedrill, Red cannot afford to lose it."
Ritchie nodded. "And in this heavy rain, Moltres is crippled anyway. Withdrawing it now was absolutely correct."
He paused, then added, "But this means Red has now used up his second—and last—substitution. The second half of the match will be much harder. From here on, it all comes down to judgment… and the order of his Pokémon."
Everyone—Ash, Brock, Misty, Professor Oak, Ryūnan, and A.J.—all nodded gravely.
Red had burned his final switch just to preserve Moltres.
…
As the crowd buzzed with speculation, Red sent out his fifth Pokémon.
"Draaa!"
Dragonite burst onto the field, roaring triumphantly despite the sheets of rain.
Though not a Water-type, Dragonite's species had an extraordinary affinity with water. Whether swimming in the ocean or flying through storms, their physical prowess and life energy surged under such conditions.
It was this natural adaptability—this harmony with multiple elements—that defined their kind.
[Dragonite] (Dragon/Flying): Elite Level, Champion potential.
The instant Dragonite appeared, Golduck felt the pressure.
Unlike Moltres, weakened by rain, Dragonite thrived in it.
Worse still, this Dragonite's level was even higher than Moltres's, and its aura was overwhelming.
Pokémon were closer to nature than humans, their senses sharper. Though Dragonite looked gentle and kind, its battle aura was massive—and here on the battlefield, it unleashed it without restraint.
Golduck's instincts screamed in warning.
"Dragonite—use Dragon Rush!" Red commanded the moment the battle resumed.
With a thunderous swoosh, Dragonite charged forward.
Its usually soft, kind features contorted into something fierce and fearsome. A killing intent surged outward, freezing Golduck in place.
At the same time, Dragonite cloaked itself in a massive, roaring dragon-shaped aura, diving toward Golduck with unstoppable force.
…
…
(End of Chapter)