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Pete's final Trump Card was Arcanine, an extremely rare Pokémon even in the Kanto Region. However, at this Alliance Conference, Trainers from around the world had gathered, and even the rarest Pokémon no longer seemed quite so uncommon. This was especially true after Ash conquered Moltres during the opening ceremony.
The moment Arcanine appeared on the field, it landed gracefully on an ice rock formation and gazed down at Pikachu with the bearing of a king. Perhaps sensing that its Trainer had been pushed into a corner, Arcanine's eyes burned with fierce determination and fighting spirit.
"Arcanine, use Fire Blast!" Pete called out as the third match was about to begin. He wasted no time launching his offensive. Upon hearing the command, Arcanine immediately leaped from the ice rock, flames gathering in its mouth.
Boom!
The flames erupted forth as a massive fireball shot into the air. The fireball transformed into the shape of a blazing kanji character for "big" and plummeted from above toward Pikachu.
"Here it comes—Fire Blast! Player Pete is using a Fire-type ultimate move right from the start," the commentator said with surprise in his voice.
It wasn't particularly shocking that Pete could use Fire Blast. However, while Fire Blast was indeed one of the most powerful Fire-type moves, its accuracy left something to be desired. Pokémon with high agility could dodge it fairly easily.
"Pikachu, dodge it!" Ash commanded immediately upon seeing the attack. Pikachu jumped sideways with nimble grace, and the large-scale attack slammed directly into the ice.
Boom!
Under the tremendous force of impact, scorching heat enveloped the entire ice surface. A huge crater melted into the field, and steam began rising continuously from the damaged area.
"Arcanine, keep using Fire Blast!" Pete shouted. The first attack had missed, but he continued his assault, still relying on Fire Blast to maintain the offensive pressure.
"Pikachu, use Agility!" Ash countered. Pikachu had completely adapted to the ice by now and could move freely across its surface.
Facing Arcanine's ferocious offensive, Pikachu activated Agility. Its body flashed continuously across the field, and attack after attack missed their mark.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
The sound of explosions rang out repeatedly throughout the arena. To the commentator and most spectators, Pete appeared to have lost his composure after losing two consecutive matches.
"Arcanine's attacks continue to miss their target. Pikachu's speed is simply too fast, rendering all of Arcanine's attacks ineffective!" the commentator announced, even though the situation seemed unusual. Still, he had a job to do.
"What's going on with his strategy? Even though he can't land a hit, he keeps attacking like this. Is he trying to drain Pikachu's stamina?" Misty wondered aloud from the audience, holding Togepi nervously.
Although Ash had built up a commanding lead, the intensity of his opponent's assault still made her feel anxious.
"It's not impossible," Brock said, frowning thoughtfully. "After all, Pikachu has already battled through two consecutive matches. On a field like this, Pikachu will burn through stamina much faster."
He spoke carefully, uncertain of what Pete's true plan might be.
"But if Arcanine keeps using such a powerful ultimate move over and over, won't that drain Arcanine's stamina too?" Yellow asked worriedly as she watched the relentless attacks.
"Yeah, that's true. You can see that this opponent has adopted a strategy with no way back," Brock responded seriously.
"Ah! Wait, this is—!" The group's conversation was suddenly interrupted.
The commentator's surprised voice echoed through the stadium, and Brock and the others turned their attention to the battlefield. Their faces filled with astonishment at what they saw.
The entire venue had transformed. The ice and snow that had covered the field had completely melted away. The arena now resembled an enormous swimming pool.
"What?! This is—!" Brock and the others stared in shock. The ice field had been converted into a water field.
At this moment, both Pokémon in the arena stood on separate positions. Except for the small platform where Arcanine stood, everything else was surrounded by water.
Pikachu was left with only a tiny ice floe beneath its feet. There was no solid ground anywhere nearby that could provide shelter or escape. Both Pokémon appeared like solitary boats adrift on the sea.
"The temperature from Arcanine's Fire Blast was too intense, causing the entire field to melt. Now Pikachu has nowhere to run!" the commentator explained.
He finally understood Pete's tactics. Against Pikachu's superior speed, landing a special move would normally be extremely difficult. But in this situation, Pikachu had no escape route.
"So this was his plan all along!" Brock exclaimed, breaking into a rare sweat.
This truly was a strategy with no retreat. The terrain wasn't favorable for Arcanine either, after all.
Watching the scene unfold, Misty and Yellow grew increasingly nervous. However, Ash, standing on the battlefield, maintained his calm composure.
"Your Pikachu has nowhere to escape now!" Pete declared seriously, observing the field's condition.
This had been his final gambit—the very reason he had chosen to send out Arcanine. Of course, it was also his most desperate plan.
"I admire your determination to make such a risky move," Ash said, reaching up to grasp his hat and turning it slightly. "But you should realize that this means you have no way out either."
Ash's tone was measured and calm. Such a tactic was indeed a double-edged sword.
Arcanine was a Fire-type Pokémon. While Fire-types weren't particularly weak to water in the way some might think, and Arcanine was actually an excellent swimmer, there was still a problem. In water-filled terrain, a Fire-type Pokémon couldn't unleash its full power.
"Now that we've reached this point, I have no way back. I can only push forward with everything I have! Arcanine, use Fire Blast!" Pete responded passionately to Ash's words, his voice filled with determination.
Then he gave his final command. At this moment, Pikachu stood on nothing but a small fragment of ice, with no room to escape. Even if Pikachu dove into the water to evade the attack, Pete had a counter ready.
"Arcanine has used Fire Blast once again, and this time Pikachu truly has nowhere to run!" the commentator shouted as the scene unfolded before the audience.
At that moment, Ash lowered the hand that had been adjusting his cap, and an enigmatic smile appeared on his face. He genuinely admired his opponent's resolve.
"I saw through your plan from the very beginning, but I didn't stop it," Ash said calmly as the Fire Blast hurtled toward Pikachu.
Hearing Ash's words, Pete's expression froze momentarily, and surprise flashed through his eyes. His opponent had known about his tactics all along?