This was the last day.
The sunlight grew increasingly intense, illuminating the Fighting Spirit Dojo until it was completely bright.
Ten consecutive days of high-intensity training had plated the skin of both Ash and Charmeleon with a glistening sheen where sweat and sunlight mingled.
They could feel that every inch of muscle in their bodies had memorized the new methods of exerting force, and every look they exchanged contained a deeper level of understanding. This was a compatibility forged through fists.
As the saying goes: the moment you stick your butt out, I know what kind of sh*t you're about to take.
Using battle to drastically improve the tacit understanding between both parties in a short period of time.
It was similar to when you were in school with a close friend... the moment you raised your hand, I knew whether you were going for a crotch grab or a 'Thousand Years of Death'.
A conditioned reflex had already been beaten into them.
—The 'Thousand Years of Death' was one thing; since it happened from behind where you couldn't see, you could only bet on a vague sixth sense.
—But as long as it was from the front, you wanted to grab my crotch? No way!!
Shandou crossed his arms, his face wearing an expression of satisfaction mixed with a trace of imperceptible strangeness... were his hands itching to fight?
Ash's growth satisfied him too much.
"Kid, Charmeleon!"
"It looks like you've pretty much chewed through the basics."
"But the true essence of fighting must ultimately be verified together with your partner in actual combat!"
The coordinated battle between a Martial Artist and a Pokémon is naturally not a simple 2v2, but two combining into one for a 1v1.
That is an advanced technique of a higher level.
Although Shandou had mentioned it to Ash two days ago, Ash had never used it.
A teacher helping a disciple lay the foundation is one thing, but at the very least, they should popularize high-end techniques to broaden their horizons.
Whether one can do it is one matter.
Whether one knows about it is another matter.
After all, this just required a casual mention.
And Shandou had told Ash about the various methods of higher levels.
It was just to the extent of a rough mention.
After all, Ash simply didn't have the time for detailed explanations and teaching. Shandou looked at Ash with burning eyes, his fighting spirit rising like a tangible substance: "Before you leave, how about a graduation test?"
"2 vs 2, Trainer and Pokémon, entering the field together!"
Shandou didn't know if Ash could do it, but he was willing to believe.
After all, Ash's growth these past few days was truly exaggerated.
Ash and Charmeleon looked at each other, and raging flames instantly ignited in both of their eyes.
Ash: "I wouldn't have it any other way!"
Charmeleon: "Ga-oh!"
"Good!" Shandou laughed loudly, raising his hand to beckon his partner who had been watching the show all along. "I choose you, Poliwrath!"
"Yobo!" Accompanied by a steady cry, the physically robust Poliwrath, with the clear spiral pattern on its belly, ran over.
It stood beside Shandou, its eyes sharp, its aura completely integrated with Shandou's, as if it were an extension of his own limbs. This is the connection of aura between Pokémon and Trainer—Martial Artist Version.
In reality, the ones who can achieve this most easily are the Psychic-type and Ghost-type users.
Next are the Fighting-types.
It can only be said that different types of Trainers have some differences in their methods.
Brock voluntarily took on the role of temporary referee, swinging his arm down:
"Ash and Charmeleon, versus Shandou and Poliwrath!"
"Battle start!"
There was no probing. The battle entered a white-hot state the instant it began!
"Charmeleon, left side!" Ash shouted low, but he himself cut in from the right side like a phantom, a low sweeping kick aiming straight for Shandou's lower body.
Although their tacit understanding meant they no longer needed verbal commands, shouting them out carried more momentum.
And in fighting, momentum is very important.
Intense momentum and a heart set on victory can bring out one's strength to a higher degree. —However, there is a rather funny point in this.
—That is, the Pokémon's action speed is sometimes faster than the command.
—It looks like the Pokémon has already started moving, and then the Trainer reads it out afterward.
Who exactly is the Trainer?
Comical.
"Ga-oh!" Charmeleon's sharp claws, wrapped in a gust of wind, lunged toward Poliwrath in coordination with Ash's offensive.
"Too naive!" Shandou laughed heartily, neither dodging nor evading. His calf muscles tensed as he took Ash's strike head-on, his body steady as a monolith. At the same time, he commanded: "Poliwrath, slap it away with Double Slap!"
White light rose from Poliwrath's palms as it slapped out with astonishing speed, precisely parrying Charmeleon's sharp claws, emitting crisp "Pa pa" sounds.
However, this was merely the beginning.
The figures of Ash and Charmeleon crossed rapidly within the field.
Their attacks were no longer individual entities but woven into an invisible net.
Ash's feints created real killing opportunities for Charmeleon, while Charmeleon's fierce lunges covered Ash's tricky close-range strikes.
"Right now, Mach Punch!" Shandou spotted an opening and shouted sternly.
Poliwrath's fist instantly turned into an afterimage, striking straight at the open gate of Charmeleon's chest.
"Protect him!" Ash keenly discovered this after disengaging, and now was the time to emphasize coordination.
In the nick of time, he condensed Aura onto his hand and attacked Poliwrath's fist from the side.
"Bam!"
With a heavy muffled sound, Poliwrath's fist was knocked off course.
This is the Way of Fighting for Martial Artists.
Attacking against an attack doesn't mean clashing head-on.
Attacking from the side to guide and deflect the opponent's attack is also a part of attacking against an attack.
This is using offense as defense!
Amidst the heavy muffled sound, Ash retreated, borrowing the momentum to roll and offload the force, while shouting to Charmeleon behind him: "Don't worry about me! Use Flamethrower to seal its movements!"
"Ga-oh!" A trace of worry flashed through Charmeleon's eyes, but it was overtaken by the berserk fighting spirit ignited by Ash's protection.
"Roar——!"
A scorching pillar of fire spewed forth, forcing Poliwrath, who wanted to pursue, to retreat.
The look of appreciation in Shandou's eyes grew thicker: "Nice interception and counterattack!"
"But it's not enough!"
"Poliwrath, Surf!"
Shandou was gradually increasing the intensity of the battle.
He wanted to force Ash to bring out even stronger potential bit by bit.
And Poliwrath naturally understood its Trainer's thoughts.
"Yobo!" Poliwrath slapped the ground with both palms. Majestic torrents emerged out of thin air, turning into a giant wave that swept across the entire field, attacking Ash and Charmeleon indiscriminately.
This move had majestic momentum and covered a huge range, but its single-target damage was not high.
After all, this was just the preparatory setup for the [Shandou · Water Fighting Style].
Facing this area-of-effect attack, Ash and Charmeleon actually calmed down.
The days of exchanging hearts through fists allowed their wills—amidst high-speed movement and the link of Aura—to seemingly touch a certain resonance point.
"Charmeleon!" Ash shouted in his heart, fully guiding that scorching and uninhibited will belonging to Charmeleon, which he had felt during thousands of collisions, through his Aura!
And so, he achieved it in battle!
The burning flames released by Charmeleon seemed to be drawn by an invisible force, turning into streams of flowing fire. As if possessing life, they followed that invisible bond and wrapped around the right fist Ash swung out.
Whoosh—
Ash's entire right arm was instantly enveloped in raging flames.
That flame was not an illusory red, but a solid entity condensed with explosive energy.
The air distorted under the high temperature, and waves of scorching heat were pushed out in all directions.
"Take this move—Fire Punch!"
Ash roared, carrying the will to burn everything, and punched toward the oncoming giant wave!
"What?!" Misty stood up abruptly, covering her mouth in disbelief.
Brock's pupils also constricted suddenly: "Guiding Fire-type energy onto his own body? That's too dangerous!!"
Brock indeed knew that Martial Artists would do this.
But Martial Artists generally used types like Water, Ground, or Grass; at the very least, they wouldn't cause harm to themselves.
For example, Elite Four Bruno used Rock.
Not only could it attach to the body surface to form armor, but he could also throw the stones on his body to attack.
If one trained more, Lightning could also further stimulate the flesh to achieve faster speeds.
But generally, no one used Fire.
"Pika Pika~" Pikachu: (□~□□)
Pikachu: It's Aura!
With Aura protecting his body, Ash wouldn't be easily hurt by the fire.
The scorching fist of fire and the cold giant wave of water collided boldly!
Hiss——!!!
A massive amount of steam erupted instantly.
White mist permeated the entire dojo, as if they were instantly placed in a sea of clouds.
The wrestling between fire and water emitted intense hissing sounds.
As the mist dispersed slightly, Ash was seen maintaining his punching posture, panting slightly, his whole body soaked.
The flames on his right arm slowly faded. His sleeve was scorched black and damaged, but the exposed skin was not burned, merely flushed red.
"Roar!" Charmeleon excitedly pounded its chest with both hands, making thumping sounds.
On the ground around the dojo, there was a layer of water reaching up to the knees.
Although it hindered movement somewhat, it also lowered the ambient temperature.
Shandou was stunned at first, then burst into even more hearty laughter: "Hahahahaha!"
"Good! What a Fire Punch!"
"Kid, you really are an incredible monster!"
"I knew you could do this!"
His fighting spirit was completely ignited, his eyes shining with the light of a hunter delighted by prey: "In that case! I'm coming too!"
Before his voice fell, Shandou took a deep breath.
He sank his waist and stood firm, extending both hands toward the Poliwrath beside him: "Old partner, let's go too!"
"Yobo!" Poliwrath understood immediately.
Cerulean water light rose around its body.
The water flow on the dojo floor acted like docile silk ribbons, rapidly wrapping around Shandou's arms and torso, finally forming a layer of flowing, water-armor-like coating on the surface of his body.
This is the Water-type Pokémon move—Water Sport.
Since Martial Artists want to fight in coordination with their Pokémon, they naturally have their own characteristics.
There are those who simply choose brute force.
There are also methods of adding enchantments to one's own body.
The sunlight shone upon it through the steam, refracting dreamlike colors.
Brock and Misty had completely lost their ability to speak, their mouths wide enough to fit a Pokémon Egg.
Although it wasn't unheard of.
But seeing it up close was a first.
Trainers not only guiding elemental power but also turning it for their own use.
This wasn't the practice of Pokémon and Trainers from before the League was established.
Back then, in wild battles, this mode was still very common.
It's just that it's seen less and less now.
—The physical fitness of high-level Trainers generally wouldn't be too bad.
After all, if their physical fitness were too poor, they could easily go snap while interacting with their own Pokémon.
Uh... being able to do this kind of thing is also thanks to the fact that humans in this world are not ordinary humans.
Humans in the Pokémon world count as a type of Pokémon too, and not just carbon-based monkeys.
Floating beside Misty, Misdreavus looked at Ash's burning fist, then looked at Shandou's flowing water armor.
Its big eyes were first filled with shock, immediately followed by a surge of deep loss and depression.
"Muma..."
Misdreavus cried out dejectedly.
It remembered seeing Ash and Pikachu training secretly under the moonlight late at night two days ago.
At that time, the golden electric arcs jumping on Pikachu's body had similarly wrapped around Ash's body.
Although it was only for an instant, it was dazzling.
—I really want to...
—I really want to pass my power and feelings to Ash...
—But Ghost-type energy is treacherous and unpredictable, full of negative chills, and extremely difficult to operate; one slip-up and it would erode the living being's body instead.
Misdreavus couldn't be as scorching and direct as Pikachu's lightning or Charmeleon's fire, nor as gentle and controllable as Poliwrath's water flow...
Although Ash could use Aura to forcibly control Ghost-type power.
But the current result was 1+1
It wasn't that it couldn't be done, but the cost-performance ratio was too low.
This matter would have to wait for further cultivation in the future.
In fact, the operation difficulty of [Charmeleon's Fire] and [Pikachu's Thunder] was still relatively high.
[Gyarados's Water] and [Pidgeotto's Wind] were actually the easiest to control.
But similarly, the lower the operation difficulty, the lower the amplification magnitude.
[Water and Wind] didn't have the intuitive damage of [Fire and Thunder].
But this also meant that when Ash could manage to control Misdreavus's power... the degree of amplification would be quite terrifying, right?
Ash had tried this after Shandou's teaching earlier.
It was just that at that time, his test results had no practical combat value.
He could only use Aura to control energy under high mental concentration.
In the field.
The battle had entered its final climax!
Here we go!
"Yobo!"
"Ga-oh!"
The four of them.
Two humans and two Pokémon.
As if their hearts were in sync, they launched the final charge simultaneously.
All techniques, all bonds, were condensed into this final strike!
As for why not all their power?
A teacher using full power on an apprentice?
What are you trying to do!!
Ash's right fist ignited with flames again; although not as blazing as the first time, it was more condensed.
Shandou's water armor shimmered, wrapping his fist in a torrent.
Charmeleon roared, channeling all its strength into its left claw!
Poliwrath was as steady as a mountain, its left fist condensed with water light striking out boldly!
Time seemed to freeze at this moment.
Boom!!!
It wasn't an explosion, but a dull roar and a strong shockwave produced by the extreme collision of energy!
In the center of the field appeared that scene capable of making any Martial Artist's blood boil—
Ash vs. Shandou.
Right fist against right fist!
Fire and torrent eroded each other madly at the point where the fists met, making "Chi chi" sounds and steaming up even denser water vapor!
Charmeleon vs. Poliwrath.
Left fist against left fist!
The claw strike and fist force collided without any fancy tricks, the wind pressure of the force blowing away the water ripples on the ground.
A lot of the water in the dojo had flowed out, so there wasn't much left now.
There were floor drains inside the dojo, facilitating cleaning while also making it hard for water to stay.
The four forces reached a delicate balance, stalemated in the center of the field, with no one able to advance another inch.
A few seconds later.
The power was exhausted simultaneously.
Ash and Shandou each took a step back, steadying their bodies.
Charmeleon and Poliwrath also retracted their fists at the same time, their chests heaving violently as they stared closely at their opponents.
The dojo was silent, leaving only the sound of heavy panting from the group.
Immediately following—
"Hahaha—!"
"Pfft-hahahaha—!"
"Ga-oh!"
"Yobo!"
Ash and Shandou looked at each other's wretched yet carefree appearances and couldn't help but laugh out loud at the same time.
Charmeleon and Poliwrath also relaxed their tense bodies, issuing cries filled with laughter.
Fighting is awesome!
"Good! That was great!" Shandou patted Ash's shoulder vigorously, his eyes full of gratification and undisguised appreciation.
"This is a Martial Artist!"
"Hearts connected, powers dancing together!"
"Understanding each other in battle, turning each other's power into one's own power!"
"You kid, you've understood it completely!"
The main point of a Martial Artist is to have a heart that steps onto the Way of Fighting.
The remaining techniques and strength can only be brewed by time.
Without a heart that can step onto the Way of Fighting, one is just a thug with power.
Ash wiped the sweat and condensed steam from his forehead.
Feeling the increasingly clear resonance within his body that was almost fused into one with Charmeleon, he nodded heavily: "Yeah! I understand, Uncle Shandou!"
His gaze swept over Pikachu who ran over, then looked at the somewhat dejected Misdreavus overhead:
—Not just fighting, it's the same with partners of other types.
—One day, we will all be able to do it!
That would be an unprecedented peak!
The sunlight projected hazy pillars of light through the steam that hadn't yet dispersed, enveloping the four figures in the center of the dojo who had just finished their fierce battle.
As if draping them in a veil of glory.
This special graduation test ended in a draw.
Victory or defeat wasn't important at this moment.
It was just a final commemoration.
____
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