Charizard had been carrying the Rainbow Wing since it was a Charmander, and it had never been removed.
During the long training sessions, Charizard unwittingly developed the power of the Rainbow Wing. It's also said that during its growth, the Rainbow Wing continuously transferred Ho-Oh's power to Charizard.
The power of Ho-Oh within the Rainbow Wing is not much, but it can be continuously consumed and restored. It was through this subtle transformation that Charizard inherited Ho-Oh's most crucial power—the Sacred Fire!
Previously, when battling Primeape, the power of the Sacred Fire had already begun to show signs, but at that time, it could only be said that there was a tiny spark of Sacred Fire within its own flames.
Compared to Ho-Oh, whose every move releases Sacred Fire, Charizard still has a long way to go.
Not to mention unleashing Sacred Fire at will; Charizard currently cannot even use Sacred Fire as a trump card move.
However, that power is indeed hidden within Charizard's body now—it just needs a high-pressure battle to fully activate it.
That's why Ash decided to challenge an Elite Level Pokémon today.
To unleash the Sacred Fire, Ash's assistance is necessary, meaning they have to enter Aura Fusion. But once in Aura Fusion, regular Gym Level Pokémon can't exert enough Pressure on Charizard.
Therefore, the Rainbow Hero in the group suggested that Ash should find an Elite Level to battle, do or die!
Once the full power of the Sacred Fire is activated and combined with Aura Fusion, even an Elite Level is not unbeatable!
The premise is that it can be triggered.
Just facing off against Toxicroak, Ash already felt intense Pressure!
He is now sharing senses with Charizard, becoming one with it. The Pressure and pain felt by Charizard, he feels as well.
So now, it's like he's using Professional Peak strength to face an Elite Level Pokémon—it's no wonder there's immense pressure.
This battle is undeniably the most uneven bout Ash has faced since his debut.
"Oh? You can even use Drain Punch to create distance. To dodge attacks at such close range, this must be related to that special power on you, right?" Koga raised an eyebrow and said cryptically.
"Special power? Mr. Koga, can you sense Aura Power?"
"Haha, I am, after all, a ninja. Although a ninja's power can't compare to you Special Ability Users, when it comes to sensing energy, I consider myself quite remarkable."
"At the beginning of the battle, you transferred your special energy to Charizard, right? The way you enhance your Pokémon's power is quite similar to Sabrina's. So this power is called Aura Power."
Koga said with sudden realization, while Ash was a bit surprised. His Aura Power didn't sense any special power from Koga, yet Koga could sense Aura Power on him.
He even confirmed he's using Aura Power to boost Charizard's strength.
What's remarkable is that such a mysterious sensory ability is considered amazing for an ordinary person.
However, knowing or not knowing this doesn't affect the outcome of the battle. At most, it solves the mystery of Charizard's sudden power boost.
Like earlier, Erika was confused by Charmeleon's sudden strength increase and didn't know what happened even after the battle ended. But it doesn't affect the battle outcome.
"No matter how arrogant I am, I wouldn't think an Elite Level Charizard could stand up to an Elite Level Pokémon. Without some special means, how could I challenge the Elite Level?" Ash replied noncommittally.
"But now it seems, even with your special power, your Charizard still isn't a match for Toxicroak," Koga said sarcastically.
If this is Ash's ultimate strategy, then it's nothing extraordinary.
"Charizard hasn't fallen yet. Isn't it too early to say such things, Mr. Koga?"
"Oh, really? Then let him fall. Toxicroak, Scare!" Koga, who was chatting leisurely, suddenly commanded Toxicroak to attack.
Toxicroak took a deep breath and then let out a piercing screech!
The sudden scream nearly stopped Misty and Brock's hearts; it was terrifying!
On the field, Charizard was affected not only by the sharp sound but also by the Ghost Type energy carried within the sound.
If Charizard's mental state showed even a hint of vulnerability, this Ghost Type energy could invade and leave it flinching.
But unfortunately, in the state of Aura Fusion, Charizard's mental Defense is impregnable!
This level of psychological attack doesn't affect Charizard at all. Instead, Charizard inhaled sharply and then exhaled a searing flame.
"Toxicroak, use Poison Jab to split it." As the flames approached, Koga didn't have Toxicroak dodge; instead, he had it face it head-on with brute force!
When the level difference is substantial, there's no need for fancy moves to counter the opponent. One should focus on landing each attack, even if it leads to a trade, for higher-level sides will profit purely!