Ash wouldn't have made the same decision as Daizumi under identical circumstances.
However, that didn't mean he looked down on him for making it.
In fact, he understood it perfectly well.
If he mocked Daizumi for it, then he wouldn't be much different from those people who casually asked, "Why don't they just eat meat?" while standing high above everyone else.
After all, everyone had different circumstances.
Different responsibilities.
Different pressures.
And different reasons for fighting.
Pitter-patter...
The rain continued to fall steadily across the battlefield.
"ROOOAR!!"
BANG! BANG!!
The once-dry arena floor had gradually become soaked and muddy under the influence of Rain Dance.
Yet rather than hindering the battle, the weather seemed to be fueling it.
Chansey, being a Normal-type and primarily a support Pokémon, remained positioned farther behind.
But Gyarados and Blastoise were both Water-types.
This rainy environment was practically tailor-made for them.
Especially Ash's shiny Gyarados.
Despite being seven levels lower than Blastoise, it was displaying astonishing aggression.
It was the very picture of a predator on the hunt.
With a thunderous roar, Gyarados surged forward like a heavily armored war machine with the accelerator pressed to the floor.
Its Water Tail dragged a raging torrent behind it.
The image was almost comical—
Like a street thug dragging an oversized machete while charging straight into a fight.
Wild.
Violent.
Unstoppable.
The sheer ferocity made spectators' blood boil with excitement.
At the same time, it filled opponents with anxiety.
The pressure radiating from Gyarados was overwhelming.
So overwhelming, in fact, that Blastoise suddenly felt an instinctive urge to retreat into its shell and hide.
And as it turned out—
That was exactly what both Blastoise and its trainer intended to do.
"Blastoise, use Withdraw!"
Daizumi shouted from across the field.
"Blas—!"
BOOOOM!!
The moment Blastoise pulled its head and limbs back into its shell, Gyarados's Water Tail arrived.
Wrapped in overwhelming force, the attack struck the shell directly and sent Blastoise skidding across the muddy battlefield.
The frightening part wasn't the first hit.
It was what came next.
Before Blastoise could even stop sliding—
"ROOOAR!!"
Gyarados let out another savage roar and immediately chased after it.
BANG!!
The Water Tail never dissipated.
Closing the distance instantly, Gyarados unleashed another Water Tail.
This time from the opposite direction.
A brutal backhand strike.
Blastoise's shell was sent spinning vertically like a giant top.
It rotated at high speed while continuing to slide backward through the mud.
At first glance, it seemed like a simple follow-up attack.
But the details hidden within that exchange were incredibly sophisticated.
The first strike had sent Blastoise spinning rapidly.
Ordinarily, that would be highly effective.
However, Blastoise knew Rapid Spin.
A Pokémon skilled in Rapid Spin possessed exceptional control over rotational movement.
Whether the initial spin actually caused meaningful dizziness or damage was difficult to say.
Not only that—
Blastoise was a Water-type.
Water Tail was also a Water-type move.
The damage multiplier wasn't particularly impressive.
And Blastoise's defensive capabilities were already among the best of its species.
On top of that, a Pokémon that regularly practiced Rapid Spin naturally developed tremendous resistance to dizziness and disorientation.
But the second hit changed everything.
The instant Gyarados struck from the opposite direction—
The rotational force reversed.
Clockwise became counterclockwise.
Counterclockwise became clockwise.
The sudden shift violently disrupted Blastoise's equilibrium.
Even without seeing inside the shell, everyone could imagine what Blastoise was experiencing.
Its world was probably spinning.
Its stomach was likely churning violently.
And dizziness was undoubtedly crashing into it like a tidal wave.
The most astonishing thing was that Ash hadn't commanded any of this.
Not once.
These adjustments had all been made by Gyarados itself.
Based on Ash's daily teachings.
Based on years of training.
Based on its own battle instincts and judgment.
"Whoa!!"
The commentators quickly noticed the subtle detail.
And naturally, they brought it up during the live broadcast.
The audience's attention was immediately drawn to the sequence.
Still, to avoid sounding overly biased, the commentator cautiously added another possibility.
"Of course, this could simply be a coincidence."
"Perhaps Gyarados just happened to strike from the opposite direction while pursuing."
However—
What happened next completely destroyed that theory.
Because Gyarados immediately demonstrated through its actions that the previous sequence wasn't luck.
It wasn't accidental.
And it certainly wasn't a coincidence.
This was simply how it fought.
BANG—!!
—BANG!!
Its tail swung left.
Then right.
A forward strike.
Followed by an immediate reverse strike.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Blastoise's shell transformed into a giant spinning top.
One moment it rotated clockwise.
The next moment it spun counterclockwise.
Back and forth.
Relentlessly.
Even the spectators watching from the stands could imagine how miserable Blastoise felt inside.
Its stomach was probably in complete chaos.
Its sense of direction was likely gone.
And most importantly—
It had fallen completely into Ash's battle rhythm.
At this point, Gyarados wasn't simply attacking.
It was chasing Blastoise down and beating it mercilessly.
"Roaaarrrr—!!"
The commentator's voice rose with excitement.
"Ash and Gyarados's offensive pressure is simply unbelievable!"
"And their control over battle tempo is absolutely flawless!"
"The current situation is eerily similar to what happened earlier with Machamp!"
"Machamp was also relentlessly pursued by Gyarados, unable to fight back at all!"
"In the end, Hideo was forced to surrender!"
"So now that Daizumi and Blastoise find themselves trapped in the same situation as their teammate before them—"
"What choice will they make?"
"Will they manage to stall long enough to find a breakthrough?"
"Or will they choose to surrender like Hideo did earlier?"
"Let's wait and see!"
"Blastoise!! Blastoise!!"
"Blastoise!! Blastoise!!"
"Gyarados!! Gyarados!!"
"Gyarados!! Gyarados!!"
The stadium had become a boiling sea of excitement.
The fierce battle.
The commentator's passionate narration.
The deafening cheers of the audience.
Everything combined into a thrilling spectacle.
"Give up?"
Daizumi quietly muttered under his breath as he listened to the commentator.
"It's not time for that yet."
"And besides... I can't surrender."
Earlier, his younger brother Hideo had conceded without hesitation.
That was because Machamp's flesh-and-blood body truly couldn't endure any more punishment.
No solution.
No support.
No chance of recovery.
Under those circumstances, surrendering had been the correct decision.
Many spectators would likely praise him afterward for caring about his Pokémon.
But Daizumi's situation was different.
At least, that's how he saw it.
Yes, Blastoise had also fallen into Ash's rhythm.
Yes, it was currently unable to fight back.
But Blastoise was a Water-type.
A Pokémon renowned for its defensive abilities.
Its level was higher than Gyarados's.
If he surrendered now—
The tactical analysts would tear him apart afterward.
Not only would he fail to gain popularity from battling Ash—
He would become a laughingstock.
No matter how he looked at it, surrendering now was the worst possible option.
Which meant there was only one choice left.
Find a way out.
And fortunately—
He had finally thought of one.
The moment Gyarados landed another reverse Water Tail and sent Blastoise skidding away once more, Daizumi's eyes flashed.
"Blastoise!"
"Use Rapid Spin counterclockwise!"
"Accelerate your retreat, gain altitude, and open the distance!"