"Boom!!"
The Charmeleon, relentlessly unleashing Fire Blast, had no chance of dodging and was once again hit by Solar Beam. The area where Charmeleon was engulfed in smoke, and it seemed like the outcome of this match was already decided.
Misty even turned her head away, unable to bear watching.
Since traveling with Ash, when had Ash ever been beaten so badly?
But this time, there was nothing that could be done. Even with the advantage of time and place, the human factor was lacking.
If only Charmeleon's strength were a bit higher, the result might have been different. The gap between the Advanced Peak and the Professional Junior Level is two major stages!
Unless a Legendary Beast is involved, what Pokemon can cross these two major stages?
Ash and Charmeleon had already done their best.
As the smoke slowly dispersed, Charmeleon lay on the ground, while Ash was half-kneeling, a look of painful distress on his face.
"Hey, Ash, are you alright?" Erika keenly noticed that something was wrong with Ash. Even though it was Charmeleon fighting, why did Ash look as if he was suffering along with Charmeleon?
It's said that Superpower Users can share their abilities with Pokemon, enhancing the Pokemon's strength, but similarly, any damage the Pokemon takes rebounds on the user. If the Pokemon is injured or loses the ability to fight, both suffer defeat.
Could Ash also possess such an ability?
If so, it would explain how Charmeleon could exhibit such terrifying strength at the Advanced Peak.
"I'm fine, let's continue..." Ash took a deep breath and slowly stood up from his half-kneeling position.
"Continue? You're not in great shape, and Charmeleon has already lost the ability to fight. Even if you want to continue, you need to recall him and send out your next Pokemon."
As Erika spoke, she looked at the beautiful Gym referee. The referee nodded and waved the flag in her hand: "Charmeleon is unable to battle, Venusaur wins..."
"Roar..." A low growl interrupted the referee's announcement. Both the referee and Erika turned their surprised gazes toward the fallen Charmeleon.
The Charmeleon's arms slowly moved, eventually pushing itself up from the ground!
That last hit didn't knock it out of the fight?
A look of disbelief appeared on Erika's pretty face. Even with Light Screen as a shield, that kind of attack level, combined with two hits from Solar Beam, plus using so many moves of its own, should have left it unable to stand.
Is it standing purely through sheer willpower now?
"We... can still fight!"
"Roar!!" Charmeleon stood up completely, unleashing an earth-shattering roar that echoed through the gym as blazing flames erupted into the sky—not flames it breathed but the fire on its tail!
At that moment, the flame on Charmeleon's tail seemed bigger than its entire body!
Blaze!!
"Activated the Blaze ability? But isn't that flame a bit too large?" Erika saw the fire behind Charmeleon and understood what was happening.
The Blaze ability appears when a Pokemon's physical strength drops to one-third. It enhances Fire Type damage by 50%, a formidable Enhancement Skill.
However, Erika had never seen a Blaze of this magnitude. Judging from the explosion of flames, it looked much more than just a 50% increase.
However, the activation of Blaze also indicated that Charmeleon's physical strength was at a critically low point. One more hit, and the opponent surely wouldn't endure it.
At this juncture, they're merely resisting stubbornly.
"Venusaur, use Synthesis!"
This time, Erika wisely refrained from initiating an attack, choosing instead to restore Venusaur.
If they attacked actively, Charmeleon might dodge with its mysterious movements, creating a vulnerability.
But doing otherwise was different.
Erika had discerned Charmeleon's weakness, which lay in its attacks!
Charmeleon's overall strength was far inferior to Venusaur's. It could dodge Venusaur's attacks due to some unknown preemptive sensing ability.
By sensing Venusaur's attack trajectory and dodging in advance, it could evaded Venusaur's strikes completely.
Yet, the two hits Venusaur landed were during Charmeleon's attacks when Erika seized the opportunity to counter.
As long as the attack timing overlapped, Charmeleon couldn't anticipate and dodge due to its offensive actions.
If Charmeleon evaded after its attack ended, it would be too late.
So... now she only needed to wait for Charmeleon to attack, and when the trumpet of its assault sounded, it would also signal its defeat!
"Synthesis again... Charmeleon, go! Flare Blitz!!" Ash's expression sharpened, his body slightly crouching, and Charmeleon mirrored Ash's stance.
In that moment, their synchronization seemed to enhance once more.
The next instant, Charmeleon propelled itself forward, its entire body enveloped in searing flames, blazing a fiery trail towards Venusaur like a giant fireball!
The sunlight from the gym's ceiling brightened, fueling Charmeleon's flames more intensely, while Venusaur also utilized the light to restore itself to nearly full strength.
"Then, Stomp to finish it!" Erika calmly ordered.
The Flare Blitz combined with Sunny Day's power was undeniable, but this level couldn't possibly instantly knock out a fully-restored Venusaur. Withstand this move, then counter and finish it.
The lost strength and incurred damage could still be healed with subsequent Synthesis.
At the very least, this victory was inevitable for her.
The scorching flames reached Venusaur directly and erupted!
The raging fire engulfed Venusaur, and as Charmeleon's head collided with Venusaur's, both displayed fierce expressions on their faces.
The scorching pain contorted Venusaur's face in agony, yet it endured and lifted its front legs, poised to deliver the final blow to Charmeleon!
"Don't lose to it, Charmeleon!"
"Roar!!!"
Amidst the flames, light gleamed brightly!
Before everyone's eyes, Charmeleon's body grew larger and larger, its size becoming comparable to Venusaur's.
The next second, the glow amongst the flames dissipated, revealing its transformed figure.
Even enveloped by fire, it was clear that the reborn Charmeleon's horn transformed into two, its tail thickened and lengthened, its body enlarged, and a pair of massive wings had sprouted from its back!
Evolution—Charizard!
Erika: ...
Another evolution? Are you kidding me?
First Gardevoir, now Charizard. Are your Pokemon targeting me specifically for evolution? Am I the only one left with evolved forms?
Just when Erika had settled down, her mental defenses started to crumble a little again. It wasn't that her mental fortitude was weak, but today's events were simply beyond belief.
She tolerated the disgusting tactics and the bizarre strength enhancements. She even accepted the prescient dodging predictions. But how could she endure these consecutive evolutions?
Is this guy here to challenge the gym or mess with her state of mind?
On the brink of winning, and suddenly an evolution? What's this about?
"Venusaur, stomp it down! Even if it evolved, it can't change its precarious state in this wind. Finish it directly!"
"Fly up!"
"Block it with Fire Punch, then use Fire Blast!" Ash chose not to dodge but to take the Stomp head-on!
Having just evolved, it was a moment of high momentum for Charizard. How could they retreat at this moment? Even in loss, they would lose standing their ground!
"Thud!!"
Venusaur's front legs slammed down hard, dissipating the flames on Charizard, but its fists still burned fiercely, fist against foot. A dull sound reverberated, and the shockwave of impact radiated outwards in waves.
Both Charizard and Ash groaned, clenching their teeth, enduring the impact stubbornly. Following that, Charizard opened its huge maw, and an intensely fierce flame gushed forth!!