Chapter 54: GOATmeleon
"Incineroar～" Incineroar shook its head, struggling to get up.
A Fighting-type Brick Break was super effective against it, not to mention this was delivered by Charmeleon after two Dragon Dances.
"Hmph—trash, don't think you've won just from that." Cross glared viciously at Charmeleon. "Watch closely and see for yourself why you were abandoned!
Incineroar, Flamethrower!"
"Incineroar!" Incineroar suddenly straightened its upper body, and the belt at its navel erupted with a massive torrent of blazing fire.
The surging fire blast was incredibly wide, swallowing everything as it roared toward Charmeleon like a tidal wave.
Charmeleon hesitated and looked back at Ash. Ash nodded, eyes firm:
"Do what you want to do. I believe in you.
Everyone says you're not worth it. Everyone looks down on you. But you, you're the one who refuses to let anyone down the most!"
"Char!" Charmeleon nodded. Facing the oncoming flames, it opened its arms wide.
Boom! Incineroar, empowered by Blaze, unleashed a fire blast whose temperature and force were beyond imagination.
Sss… flames wrapped around Charmeleon's body as black smoke drifted from him.
Yet those golden-red pupils were still shining…
Thud! The flames died out. Charmeleon, covered in burn marks, dropped to one knee.
"Hahahahaha! That's it for you, right?! You? Make me regret it? Listen well—there is no world where I regret abandoning you!" Cross roared hysterically, drawing frowns from the surrounding crowd.
"That bastard!" Verity furiously tried to jump into the arena to punch him, but Sorrel grabbed her.
"What are you doing! Let me hit him twice!" Verity flailed her arms, punching and kicking at Cross from afar.
"Calm down. Ash hasn't lost yet." Sorrel said helplessly.
"Huh?" Verity finally looked into the battlefield.
Boom—flames roared to life again as golden-red fire surged from Charmeleon's tail, spreading across his entire body.
Magma-like light wrapped around him.
Charmeleon swung both arms backward, his aura erupting like a volcano!
Ash clenched his right fist and lifted his head sharply:
"Now it's your turn to witness our Blaze! Charmeleon—Flamethrower!"
"Incineroar, Flamethrower as well!" Cross refused to back down.
"Rooaar!!" The dragon-like cry carried the presence of a future Charizard. Charmeleon leaned back and unleashed a pillar of blazing golden-red fire.
"Doga!!" Incineroar braced itself, belt flames erupting into a deep crimson torrent.
Boom! Two flames of different colors collided in midair.
For a moment, they were evenly matched!
"Incineroar! Push him back!" Cross roared.
"Incineroar!!" Incineroar gritted its teeth as its flames expanded further.
But Ash moved in the opposite direction:
"Charmeleon, concentrate the flames—pierce through it!"
"Chaaar!" Charmeleon stepped forward. His golden flame pillar suddenly thinned sharply—then pierced Incineroar's flamethrower!
Boom!!
The blazing dragon-flame surged upward and swallowed Incineroar whole.
As Cross's eyes widened in disbelief, Charmeleon descended like a war god, raising his arm for a finishing blow—
Brick Break!
CRACK!!
Charmeleon's elbow struck Incineroar's head dead-on. Incineroar's eyes rolled back as it dropped to the ground.
"No… impossible…" Cross stared at the Pokémon he once abandoned.
But Charmeleon didn't spare him a single glance. Instead, he turned and bumped fists with Ash in celebration.
Ash lifted his right index finger toward the sky:
"We win!"
"Waaah! Ash won! Charmeleon is so cool!" Verity cheered loudly.
Sorrel clapped and nodded: "That Charmeleon really proved himself. He's not inferior to anyone."
"Tch, don't get cocky. Just you wait." Cross recalled Incineroar and turned to leave.
It wasn't that he only looked down on Charmander. He stubbornly believed that except for Alola's native Pokémon, those from other regions were inferior.
To beat Ash, he decided not to waste any more time and return directly to Alola to train.
Next time we meet, he thought, I'll defeat you with flawless technique.
Too bad he didn't know—
next time they meet, Ash will already be someone he could only look up to.
"Ash, great job! That kind of person needs to be taught a proper lesson!" Verity praised him the moment Ash stepped off the stage.
"Hehe, of course~" Ash grinned.
"Are we heading to Celadon Gym next? Your appointment time is getting close." Sorrel reminded.
"Yeah. I'll make a quick call and have Charmeleon switch with Pidgeotto. Then we head out." Ash nodded and rushed into the Pokémon Center.
Sorrel and Verity tidied up their bags while waiting.
Soon, Ash dashed back out carrying a Poké Ball and Pikachu on his shoulder.
"Done! Let's go!"
The three left the Pokémon Center and hopped onto the sightseeing bus at the street corner, heading to the Celadon Gym entrance.
Although it was a Pokémon Gym, Celadon Gym looked more like a giant glass botanical garden from the outside.
Usually, it was also open to the public as a plant conservatory and as an exhibition for the famous Celadon City product—Gloom No.5 perfume.
Erika, besides being Gym Leader and academy instructor, also occasionally taught flower-arranging classes here.
As one of Kanto's top eight major Gym Leaders, Erika wasn't just born into a prestigious family—she excelled in every area. A true Yamato Nadeshiko.
When Ash and the others approached the entrance passage, they were immediately stopped.
"You three, the Celadon Gym isn't a place you can just wander into." A few beautiful women in traditional furisode walked over.
Ash had been expecting this and flashed a confident smile.
"Come on, you don't recognize us already?"
The leading girl's eyes lit up. She instantly smiled widely and approached:
"Oh! Aren't you the guests who bought lots of perfume yesterday?"
Ash nodded. "That's right. I have a Gym battle scheduled with Erika today."
"I see. Sisters, it's fine—he's the Gym Leader's guest." Reiko, the lead attendant, waved the others off.
Hearing they were guests, the attendants instantly relaxed, bowed politely, and returned to their posts.
"Gym Leader is currently practicing archery. Follow me." Reiko warmly swiped open the access door and led them inside.
Walking through the lush greenery, Sorrel whispered to Ash:
"So the perfume shop is owned by Celadon Gym?"
Ash spread his hands:
"What else did you think?"
Sorrel quietly gave a thumbs-up:
"Impressive. You handled that perfectly."
Ash smiled helplessly. He didn't have a choice…
After all, last time he barely sneaked in by wearing women's clothes!
Way less comfortable than this. Now the Gym staff themselves politely welcomed him in.
The customer is always right.
Old sayings never fail.
To be continued…