Erika's temper was usually impeccable, gentle, refined, and slow to flare. But Ash's fighting style… it tested the limits of that composure.
No, "tested" wasn't the right word. It infuriated her.
"Disgusting" was the only word she could find.
Hypnosis. Dream Eater. Skill Swap. Teleport.
Each move more frustrating than the last. His strategy had felt like fighting against a spider's web, every step she took, she only got more entangled.
Even when she was stronger, she couldn't land a decisive hit.
And to lose like that… to that kind of battle!
Erika inhaled sharply through her nose, closing her eyes for a moment. The second match had left a sour taste in her mouth. She wasn't angry that she'd lost; she was angry that she'd been toyed with.
So, in the third round, she decided to stop holding back.
If Ash wanted to play mind games, then she would show him what real power looked like.
"Go, Venusaur!"
Her last Poké Ball burst open, releasing her main Pokémon, a massive, battle-worn Venusaur whose flower glowed under the sunlight still lingering from Gardevoir's earlier Sunny Day.
This was one of her core team members, and though it was the weakest among them, it was still Professional Level, Early Stage.
That gap, between Elite and Professional, wasn't something one could just "try harder" to cross.
Ash's eyes skimmed the stat profile: all B-ranks across the board. Not a single weakness.
E-tier meant untrained. D-tier was poor. C-tier was average. B-tier was exceptional.
And A-tier… that was the realm of prodigies and perfectionists.
Few Trainers could ever push a Pokémon that far. It wasn't just talent, it was time, care, experience, and relentless precision.
Even Ash, with all his A-tier Pokémon, knew how rare that was.
And this Venusaur, raised to near-perfection, stood like a mountain. A wall between him and victory.
This wasn't an opponent he could simply "punch above his level" to defeat.
Ash's lips tightened. "This… this is overkill," he muttered. "Isn't this basically bullying a newcomer?"
Erika smiled coolly, folding her arms. "What's wrong? Cat got your tongue? I'll even let you make the first three moves. Don't say I bullied you."
Her tone was teasing, but her eyes were serious.
It was a small gesture to make up for the broken terms, after all, this match was supposed to be at Elite-level difficulty, not Professional. And though she'd technically already promised him the badge, she still wanted a fair fight.
Ash's expression shifted from disbelief to determination.
"It's a deal," he said at last. "You let me take three moves. If you win, I won't accept the badge. I'll come back and challenge you again."
Erika blinked. "You won't accept it?"
Ash nodded. "Badges mean nothing if I didn't earn them. If I win, I'll take it. If I lose, I'll lose honestly. That's how it should be."
The words carried a weight that surprised even her.
Most challengers came for the badge, not the battle. But Ash's eyes burned with something else entirely, a conviction she hadn't seen in years.
She exhaled softly. "Very well. I promise not to retaliate. You have three moves."
Venusaur stomped the ground, the shockwave rippling through the grass as it let out a low, rumbling roar.
The exhausted Gardevoir still stood her ground, the hem of her white gown fluttering in the breeze. She looked up at the hulking Venusaur before her, her expression calm despite her trembling body.
Ash's voice softened. "Gardevoir… can you still stand?"
"Ga… rd…"
She nodded, faint but resolute.
Ash smiled. "Then, for one last time, use Sunny Day!"
Erika's composure cracked for an instant. "Wait, Sunny Day?!"
That move was a setup, one that benefited Fire-types more than Grass-types. Was Ash already planning to swap Gardevoir out for another Pokémon?
But Sunny Day would also activate Venusaur's Chlorophyll, doubling its speed.
That was a double-edged sword, no, a gift to her Venusaur!
Gardevoir raised a trembling hand, gathering her last reserves of power. A radiant orb of sunlight formed above her palm, then shot upward, bursting into a miniature sun that illuminated the entire Gym.
The air shimmered with heat.
"Now, Reflect! Light Screen!"
Twin barriers flared around the field, golden and silver light intertwining before fading from view.
Ash exhaled as the aura around Gardevoir dimmed. She stood there for a moment, fragile yet beautiful, before he gently raised her Poké Ball.
"Thank you for your hard work… no, thank you for everything, Gardevoir."
He smiled faintly. "You're not a little one anymore. You've grown into a strong Pokémon."
Ash gently clipped Gardevoir's Poké Ball back to his belt and exhaled, the battle's heat still swirling around him. Then, with steady hands, he drew another Poké Ball.
"For the second one…" His voice was calm, but his eyes gleamed with fierce resolve. "I choose you, Charmeleon!"
A burst of crimson light illuminated the field.
"Roooaaar!!"
Charmeleon burst forth, its tail flame burning brighter than ever, the heat waves rippling through the air. The Fire-type Pokémon stood tall, claws flexing, eyes blazing with determination.
This was Ash's second Pokémon, and aside from Pikachu and Gardevoir, his current strongest partner.
Erika's gaze softened into mild amusement. "As expected," she said lightly. "A Fire-type."
She'd seen it coming the moment Gardevoir had set up Sunny Day. Her opponent's preparation was obvious now. Still, the fact remained, Charmeleon hadn't even evolved yet. To her, that said plenty.
In her experience, a Pokémon's form often reflected its growth. Without reaching its final stage, how strong could it really be?
"Is this one of your trump cards?" she asked, arching an elegant brow.
Ash smiled faintly. "No… this is my real trump card."
As he spoke, a deep blue radiance enveloped his body. The light shimmered, spreading outward like ripples in water, then connected with Charmeleon's aura.
Their energies intertwined.
The air pulsed.
Erika's breath caught.
A visible wave of heat rolled from Charmeleon's body as the Fire-type's aura surged. His flame, once a steady glow, now burned a vivid azure at the edges, fiercer, purer.
Ash's Aura and Charmeleon's will had synchronized, Aura Fusion.
In this state, their hearts, senses, and energy became one.
The pressure emanating from Charmeleon's body was staggering. Though his outward level was still Elite-class, his battle power now pushed beyond, approaching Elite High-level.
Almost a full tier of difference bridged in an instant.
But Aura Fusion was a double-edged sword. The boost came at the cost of immense strain. They couldn't hold it forever. Ash knew it, and so did Charmeleon.
The time limit didn't discourage them, it only ignited their resolve.
Across the field, Erika narrowed her eyes, watching the eerie blue glow encircle Ash and his partner. She couldn't sense Aura like they could, but even from afar, she felt the power shift.
"What is that?" she murmured under her breath. "That light… is it some kind of Trainer amplification technique?"
Rumors had long swirled around Ash, rumors that he wasn't just an ordinary Trainer, that he possessed special abilities akin to Sabrina's psychic powers.
And now, seeing it firsthand, Erika realized the whispers might not have been rumors after all.
'How is this even fair?' she thought, a bead of sweat tracing down her temple. 'He's been traveling barely a month… and he already has this level of skill?'
Pushing down the unease, she straightened her posture and raised her arm. "Let's see just how powerful your Charmeleon really is. Venusaur, Vine Whip!"
Four thick vines erupted from Venusaur's sides, slicing through the air toward Charmeleon with terrifying speed.
Ash didn't move. He simply closed his eyes.
The Aura flowed outward from his body, merging completely with Charmeleon's senses.
In an instant, Charmeleon saw the incoming attack, not with his eyes, but within his mind.
The whips, which should have been too fast to track, appeared to him in perfect clarity, every motion slowed, every trajectory mapped.
The two had practiced Aura Fusion before, but never in real combat. This was the first time Charmeleon was experiencing its full potential.
He let out a growl of exhilaration.
Then, he moved.
Charmeleon's body became a streak of red light, his movements smooth and fluid as he slipped past each vine. One whip struck where he'd just been, another sliced the air behind him, but none connected.
He darted, twisted, rolled, his tail flame tracing dazzling arcs of orange through the sunlight.
From the stands, Misty gasped. "He's… he's dodging all of them?!"
Brock leaned forward, eyes wide. "That's not normal reaction time. He's predicting the strikes before they land!"
Even Erika's composure faltered. Her graceful smile wavered, replaced by astonishment.
That speed… that coordination…
"This can't be just an Advanced-tier Pokémon," she muttered. "At least Elite Mid-level… maybe even higher."
Before she could regain her bearings, Charmeleon had already closed the distance, charging headlong toward Venusaur with his claws ignited.
"Charmeleon!" Ash shouted, voice sharp as steel.
Erika's eyes widened. "Not so fast, Venusaur, Vine Whip, again!"
But this time, six thick vines lashed out instead of four.
The ground cracked beneath Venusaur's strength.
The earlier attack hadn't even been full power, Venusaur could wield six vines at once.
For a moment, Erika was certain her attack would land.
The six vine whips came from every direction, too fast, too close, too sudden.
But then, impossibly, Charmeleon dropped his center of gravity and bent backward in a near-impossible arc, his body almost brushing the scorched ground. The vine lashed past his snout, missing by inches.
Erika's pupils shrank. "What kind of reaction speed is that?!"
Ash didn't hesitate. "Fire Punch!"
Still leaning back, Charmeleon twisted his body, gathering the motion into his arm. Flames erupted from his clawed fist, burning so fiercely they shimmered blue at the edges.
Bang!
The blazing strike shot upward, cleaving through two vine whips mid-swing. Fire coursed along the severed tendrils, racing toward Venusaur like a trail of sparks on a fuse.
"Venusaur, Razor Leaf!" Erika countered instantly, voice sharp.
Venusaur grunted, sending a pair of razor-sharp leaves spinning toward the burning vines. The blades cut cleanly through, halting the spread of fire, but that moment of defense had given Charmeleon all the time he needed.
By the time the embers faded, he was already there.
"Fire Punch!"
The flames around his fist flared brighter, his tail fire blazing in sync. He slammed his punch straight into the side of Venusaur's head.
BOOM!
The massive Pokémon staggered backward, sliding across the grassy field. Its feet dug trenches into the dirt, stopping only when its back brushed against the transparent barrier wall.
Erika's confident expression hardened. The underestimation in her eyes vanished completely.
"Venusaur, Energy Ball!" she ordered.
Venusaur steadied itself, the bulb on its back glowing as it drew in sunlight. Within seconds, a dense green sphere pulsed before its mouth, expanding rapidly before it launched forward like a cannon shot.
The bright orb screamed across the field, its speed doubled under Sunny Day. At that range, even an Elite-tier opponent would struggle to dodge.
But Ash's Aura pulsed once through his link with Charmeleon.
Left!
Charmeleon moved before the thought even formed.
He sidestepped at the perfect moment, the Energy Ball grazing past his shoulder and slamming into the ground behind him. The explosion sent shockwaves through the arena, tearing a crater into the earth.
"Unbelievable," Erika whispered, her voice trembling between awe and disbelief. "He even dodged that… He has to be cheating!"
Ash ignored her, eyes gleaming. "Charmeleon, Fire Punch!"
"Fire Punch again?!" Erika snapped, losing her composure. "Do you not know any other moves?!"
It was true. Since entering the field, Charmeleon had done nothing but Fire Punch. Yet every single strike was more refined, more forceful, more precise than the last.
Each punch was an extension of Ash's own will through Aura Fusion, his mind guiding Charmeleon's body like his own.
And Venusaur… could barely keep up.
Charmeleon ducked under another Vine Whip and dashed forward. In a blink, he was within striking range. His blazing fist collided with Venusaur's head again, the exact same spot as before.
The impact echoed through the Gym.
"Venusaur!" Erika cried.
"Don't stop!" she shouted quickly, her teeth clenched. "Endure it, then Solar Beam!"
Venusaur roared in defiance. The massive flower on its back blazed with sunlight, soaking up the rays from Sunny Day.
Charmeleon's flames raged across its body, the scent of burning leaves filling the air. But Venusaur refused to fall.
Within seconds, the sunlight condensed into a blinding white glow at the heart of its bloom.
The flower pulsed once, then fired.
At point-blank range, a blinding beam of concentrated solar energy burst forth, engulfing Charmeleon in golden light.
BOOOOOOOM!!!
The explosion of solar fire swallowed the field, shaking the entire Gym. Heatwaves rippled outward, the protective barrier trembling from the impact.
Misty gasped. "Ash!"
Brock's jaw clenched. "That was… point-blank Solar Beam!"