At this moment, Monferno no longer dared to underestimate Bellsprout in the slightest.
All his strength was aimed at Bellsprout, but she effortlessly countered it. He had been using the resisted move Flame Wheel, yet she had managed to grab the fire and fling him aside.
Judging from how she released him the moment he ignited Flame Wheel, the opponent still feared Fire Type Moves, and her previous ability to confront them head-on was related to her uncanny technique.
This was the first time Ash showed a grim expression. He cautioned Monferno against being careless, but in reality, he himself had been somewhat careless; Bellsprout's appearance was quite deceiving.
He clearly knew that the opponent was extraordinary, otherwise she wouldn't be Xunzi's ace and possess a Professional Level, yet he still believed that at the same level, a Fire Type Monferno had an absolute advantage.
The outcome was evident: Monferno got beaten thoroughly, but the force used by the opponent wasn't any special ability, just pure technique.
Under the observation of Ash's Aura Power, if Bellsprout had any special condition applied, he could spot it in an instant. Bellsprout was perfectly normal, indicating her technique ability was inherent.
'The experienced trainers online have said that Pokémon, in addition to combat experience, strength, and inherent skills, can develop their own unique techniques. This Bellsprout clearly possesses such techniques, capable in close combat of counteracting swiftly, outmaneuvering opponents, and besting the strong with the weak. However, she likely can't cope with ranged moves.'
In less than ten seconds, Ash had analyzed the strengths and weaknesses of Bellsprout. Her strength was undoubtedly her unparalleled close combat ability; few Pokémon at the same level could match her.
Her bizarre movements and skill to deflect powerful attacks were not something Monferno could replicate, yet her weakness was equally apparent—it was her fear of ranged moves. If under continuous ranged attacks, no matter how skilled she was, she couldn't completely evade energetic damage.
From Bellsprout's leaf hands, the slightly scorched tips showed evidence of fire scorching. Although she did her utmost to avoid the flames, contact with Monferno in Flame Wheel mode inevitably resulted in burns.
Therefore, the correct approach was to use ranged moves to subdue Bellsprout. While her technique was indeed formidable, her speed couldn't compensate, and overwhelming flames could completely restrict her movements.
However…
"Monferno, I think you have the same idea as me, right?"
"Hooh!"
"Very well, then let's go, use Mach Punch!!" Ash shouted, thrusting his fist towards Monferno.
"Hooh!!" Monferno pushed off the ground, rushing forward like an arrow from a bowstring. In the blink of an eye, he was before Bellsprout, fists gleaming white like bullets unleashed.
"Whoosh whoosh whoosh!!" The shadowy Mach Punch relentlessly attacked Bellsprout, the punching speed creating afterimages, as if numerous fists were striking at Bellsprout.
Yet Bellsprout demonstrated unparalleled flexibility and terrifying evade capability, dodging every punch regardless of where it was aimed. Even when occasionally hit, she deflected it with her leaves, causing the blows to miss.
Ash's eyes shifted continuously, closely watching every move Bellsprout made.
"Bellsprout, Heel Kick!" Xunzi shouted, urging Bellsprout to stop dodging and switch to attacking.
At this moment, Monferno had already thrown countless punches, and his rate of attack visibly slowed, presenting the perfect opportunity to counterattack.
Bellsprout leaned back, dodging two of Monferno's punches, and stood firmly on the ground with one foot, raising the other high. Before Monferno could react, she brought it down fiercely like a root, smashing Monferno squarely on the head!
"Bang!!" A visible shockwave spread out, rustling the nearly destroyed lawn and scattering grass roots everywhere, as Monferno's pupils unfocused at that instant.
This kick directly impacted the brain, delivering immense cranial shock, compounded by Bellsprout's strength far exceeding her size, enough to leave Monferno dizzy, possibly... unconscious!
Ash felt dizzy, dropping to one knee, as Pikachu approached him worriedly and patted him.
"I'm fine, that was indeed a powerful kick, Monferno, are you okay?" Ash disorientedly shook his head and stood up, shouting at Monferno.
Monferno, lying on the ground, slightly moved his fingers, then struggled to get up. The flames on his back that had dimmed reignited fiercely!
The damage from that kick was within Monferno's tolerable range, although the force impacting his head was enough to nearly knock him out. The physical damage wasn't much, but the mental shock was substantial.
If he hadn't recovered, he would have fainted, losing combat capability, and even regaining consciousness later would be pointless. But now that he had come around, a brief respite was all he needed.