"ROAR!!!"
Both Charizard and Magmar unleashed deafening roars as their attacks collided—Charizard's Dragon Rage against Magmar's Fire Blast. The clash detonated in a violent explosion, shaking the battlefield and tearing apart the arena floor.
Just when it seemed like the two techniques had canceled each other out, Charizard's Dragon Rage burst through the flames and slammed directly into Magmar.
"ROAR!!!" Magmar howled in pain as the attack struck, clearly taking heavy damage from the hit.
"Magmar!" Blaine shouted, his focus locked on his Pokémon. "Don't give in—use Skull Bash!"
Magmar lowered his head and shot forward in a straight line, faster than most could track. Before Charizard could react, Magmar slammed into his chest with incredible force.
"ROAR!!!" Charizard let out a strained growl as the impact reverberated through his body. The two red lumps on Magmar's head weren't just for show—their hardness rivaled diamonds, and the Skull Bash had landed with frightening power.
Blaine smirked. "So much for your Charizard. That should keep it down."
But Ash didn't flinch. His expression was calm, eyes steady.
"The warm-up is over. Charizard—Flamethrower!"
"What did you say?!" Blaine's eyes widened. He had pushed Magmar to full power from the very start of the match, and Ash was saying Charizard had only been warming up? Impossible!
"ROAR!!!" At Ash's command, Charizard unleashed a torrent of flames, stretching tens of meters across the battlefield. The sheer size and heat of the Flamethrower made dodging impossible—it could only be endured.
"Not good! Cloyster, Water Gun on the ground!" Lorelei quickly sent out her Cloyster, its spray of water cooling sections of the battlefield before the flames consumed them. At the same time, Sabrina used her psychic power to levitate Cynthia, Suzie, and Lorelei above the inferno.
The eruption scorched the entire crater arena, leaving behind only a few stable footholds amidst molten rock and ruined terrain.
"Where's Magmar?!" Ash narrowed his eyes, scanning the battlefield. But the fiery figure had vanished, leaving no trace.
"You miscalculated, Ash!" Blaine shouted. "Magmar—Mega Punch!"
From beneath the magma, Magmar suddenly burst out, fist glowing with white energy, and smashed it square into Charizard's jaw.
"ROAR!!!" Charizard cried out in pain, wings flapping desperately as he staggered back. The hit was strong, but still within his tolerance—he steadied himself and landed on another patch of solid ground.
"Tch… I underestimated the battlefield," Ash thought, gritting his teeth. The earlier destruction had left hidden pools of magma that Magmar could use to conceal himself. Even with his insight, he'd put too much faith in his own eyes and failed to anticipate Blaine's strategy.
Both Pokémon now stood battered and scarred, their bodies marked with burns, bruises, and scorch marks from the relentless exchange of fire and close combat. Their breathing grew heavy, but neither looked ready to give in.
Charizard's last Flamethrower had nearly drained his reserves, but the volcanic crater around them was saturated with fire energy. He could recover.
"ROAR!!!"
"ROAR!!!"
The two Fire-types glared fiercely at one another, pride and determination burning in their eyes. Neither would back down—not when both carried the same lineage of flame.
For Charizard, this was his first true battle fighting side by side with Ash. There could be no failure—absolutely none. That determination made his spirit burn fiercer than ever before.
"That was too close… I thought we'd be roasted alive." Sabrina and the others finally descended back to the ground, thanks to Lorelei's Cloyster shielding them with its icy armor. Without that protection, the sheer heat radiating from the battlefield would have been unbearable.
Ash and Blaine stood apart from one another, far enough away that neither had been caught in the eruption.
"Ash," Blaine called out, his voice steady despite the tension.
"Your Charizard's move just now… it was incredible. Easily at the level of an S-class technique. I have to admit, you truly are a genius—not just as a Trainer, but even in fields like medicine. You're unlike anyone I've ever seen."
Both Trainers were silently guiding their Pokémon to recover what stamina they could during this lull. Still, Blaine couldn't hide his astonishment.
He hadn't imagined Ash's Charizard would possess such powerful, self-developed techniques. Nor had he expected Ash's battle sense to be so sharp, matching his own stride for stride. It left him with little doubt that Ash's future achievements would far surpass the ordinary.
A thought crossed his mind—one that softened his expression. Perhaps Lorelei's father had been right after all. At first, Blaine had been unhappy about the idea of Lorelei being promised to Ash for the sake of family benefit. But now… watching this boy, seeing his growth and determination… Blaine could no longer raise an objection.
Ash was destined for greatness. If Lorelei became Ash's partner in the future, her place beside him would be secure beyond doubt. Blaine had already investigated Ash's character; today's battle confirmed it. Ash was a worthy young man.
Lorelei's mother was Blaine's own sister, which only deepened his affection for his niece. He had always cared for her dearly. But because the Glacienne family specialized in Ice-type Pokémon, he could offer her little beyond advice—his own team and expertise lay elsewhere.
Even so, Blaine was a Champion-level Trainer. When Lorelei's father had married Blaine's sister, not even the Glacienne family could object. A Champion's strength outweighed politics—families sought out Trainers of that caliber, not the other way around.
...
TN:
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