The tornado combined with the impact of water caused quite a problem for Starmie. If it was just an ordinary tornado, at Pidgeotto's level of Ordinary Peak, Starmie could effortlessly escape it.
But with the field's effect superimposed on the tornado, forming a water tornado, it's a level of resistance that Starmie can't easily break free from.
"What a whimsical idea. If I hadn't been traveling with you all this time, I'd really doubt that you, Ash, are a newly debuted Trainer," Misty said with admiration.
Ash's tactics have shown hints since his battle with Brock. These are not strategies that a freshly debuted Trainer could normally come up with, and today's battle is no exception.
Despite the significant power gap, Ash managed to temporarily trap Starmie with a combined tactical maneuver.
But this is only temporary. Once the tornado's wind weakens a bit, Starmie can rush out of the water and start counterattacking.
"I've laid it on the table, I'm a genius Trainer, way more genius than you, Misty!"
"Pfft!"
"Hehe! My turn isn't over yet. Come back, Pidgeotto... Let's go again, Butterfree!" Ash said with a smile as he recalled Pidgeotto and once again sent out Butterfree.
Seeing this, Misty's fair face showed a puzzled expression. What is Ash doing by sending out Butterfree again? If it was about rotation, now that Starmie is trapped, he should be sending out Pikachu and unleashing the most powerful Electric Type Move to deal a heavy blow to Starmie.
Once Starmie breaks free from the vortex, Misty could bet that Ash won't have another chance to trap it.
As long as Starmie's movement is not restricted, Pikachu's level won't be able to hit Starmie with its attack speed.
In other words, if Ash wants to harm Starmie, this is the best opportunity, yet he didn't use Pikachu but sent out Butterfree. Isn't this wasting the scenario he painstakingly created?
Soon, Ash demonstrated why he used Butterfree instead of Pikachu: "Butterfree, use Telekinesis!"
"Bilibili~~" Butterfree's pair of Compound Eyes lit up with a brilliant blue light, which covered the tornado. An enormous force directly lifted the tornado and flung it towards the right side of the audience stand!
The Three Sisters of Cerulean and Brock were watching from the left, so they weren't affected by the tornado, but the scene was still startling.
What is Ash planning to do? Is he trying to throw Starmie along with the tornado out of the field?
Misty was also watching in astonishment. The water in the pool was flung away with the tornado by Butterfree's Telekinesis, reducing the water level by more than two-thirds, but Starmie wasn't tossed out with the tornado.
On the contrary, the disappearance of the tornado freed Starmie from its binds.
"Ash, what exactly are you trying to do?"
"You'll soon find out... Butterfree, use Gust!" Ash commanded with a wave of his hand.
A storm whipped up in the field again, only this time it wasn't in the form of a tornado; it just howled across the remaining pool water.
Starmie, submerged underwater, wasn't harmed, while Butterfree, after using two moves, was already panting heavily.
Using a non-native move like Telekinesis, coupled with Butterfree not being very high-level, and the object being so massive, one move almost drained half of Butterfree's Physical Strength.
Now, using Gust to blow away the remaining water will undoubtedly further exhaust Butterfree's strength. At this rate, Butterfree might collapse from physical exhaustion before Starmie even needs to attack.
Hold on... blowing away the water?
Misty suddenly realized something and quickly looked at the pool below. Originally full, the pool was now just enough for Starmie to barely hide in. If the water decreased any further, the Water Field would be entirely depleted.
The opponent's goal from the beginning wasn't Starmie, but the water in this pool!
"Now, Butterfree, use Telekinesis to fling the remaining water away!!" The water in the pool was already stirred into chaos. Without cohesiveness, Butterfree could now clear the majority of the remaining water with its current Physical Strength!
"Bilibili!!" Blue light gleamed once more from Butterfree's eyes, and the field's water soared upwards, then was flung to an empty section of the audience stand.
The water swept into the audience stand drained slowly through the drainage system, leaving the battlefield nearly empty; what remained was no longer obstructive for Pikachu to stand below.
"So your plan from the start was this." Misty said with twitching lips, looking at the messy audience area.
"That's right. Whether I can injure Starmie doesn't matter; what's important is giving Pikachu a spacious landing spot. If I were to fight you in the Water Field, even three against one, I wouldn't stand a chance." Ash said as he recalled Butterfree.
Though it feels sorry for Butterfree and Pidgeotto, truthfully, they're not very useful in a direct confrontation.
The level difference is too big. Even if their attacks hit Starmie, it'd be like scratching an itch.
The only one who poses a threat to Starmie is Pikachu, the highest-level Electric Type Pokemon he has.
"But you've exhausted your Butterfree to create such a field," Misty quickly calmed down and said lightly.
Although she indeed lost her field advantage, Ash also lost a troublesome Pokemon.
The greatest use of the Water Field was to prevent Butterfree's annoying powder moves. Now that Butterfree is almost out of combat strength, there's no need to guard against it.
And Pidgeotto, in terms of raw strength, couldn't trouble Starmie much either.
So, even with three Pokemon on hand, Pikachu is the only one left that can impact the battle situation.
As long as Pikachu is defeated, Ash can declare his loss.
"Butterfree and Pidgeotto's efforts were worth it... It's up to you now, Pikachu!"
"Pika Pika!!" Pikachu leaped onto the field with great enthusiasm from Ash's side, and Ralts, seeing this, tried to follow with its small legs, only to be swiftly captured by Ash.
"Wait, wait! It's not your turn; it's Pikachu's turn. Didn't I say you'll just watch today? We'll send you out for a battle in the future." Ash said to Ralts, sweating.
If this little one who hasn't grown up yet went on, the scene would be unimaginable... However, if Ralts indeed went out, Misty might just surrender directly, who knows?