But Ash's goal had been achieved. In the previous fight, Poliwhirl was clearly not going to win. Ash had only wanted to minimize the damage caused by the attack.
"Poli~"
After falling to the ground, Poliwhirl stood up with difficulty. Though the damage from [Hydro Pump] had been greatly reduced, it had still been hit three times. In addition, falling from the air had caused a shock to its body. That it was able to stand and continue fighting was a testament to its strength.
However, Poliwhirl was clearly wounded, while Frogadier was almost untouched except for some injuries from the earlier collision.
The outcome seemed clear.
"Ash, your Poliwhirl is barely standing. If you can't beat me in the next round, you'll lose. Use whatever tactics you have."
Eddie said this, but he didn't relax. The person in front of him was not someone who would just sit and wait for defeat.
If Eddie hadn't seen where Poliwhirl had been just moments ago, the [Body Slam] from the sky would likely have knocked Frogadier out immediately.
Eddie could only read this move because of his vast experience and battle knowledge from his previous life. His awareness allowed him to anticipate and counter many battle tactics.
But if it had been someone else, they might have been defeated by Ash's unexpected tactics just now.
After all, who would have so many tricks up their sleeve for a Trainer at this level? Without enough experience, one would definitely be in trouble.
Eddie was wary of Ash, but Ash didn't continue to attack. Instead, he looked at Eddie and began speaking slowly.
"Morning, you're not only strong, but you also have an exceptional combat awareness. To be honest, you're the first Rival I've ever met like this."
"When I'm not strong enough, I often use unexpected tactics to defeat my opponents. Gary, on the other hand, relies on his sheer strength to break through everything and crush his opponents. That's probably why he and I don't get along."
Ash pressed his hat down and spoke lightly, but the fighting spirit in his eyes didn't fade—instead, it burned brighter.
"Let's not talk about the future. Right now, you're stronger than Gary, and your combat awareness is better than mine. You seem to have all the advantages of both me and Gary, and that's why I want to fight you—even if it's just one-on-one."
Eddie was slightly surprised when he heard this.
He hadn't expected that the usually impatient Ash would say something like this.
It was clear now that he wasn't just a simple hot-blooded fool.
But if Ash had been nothing more than a reckless, hot-headed idiot, how could he have become the leader of the 'Pokédex owner'?
"So, Ash, what are you trying to say right now?"
Though surprised, Eddie still couldn't understand what Ash was trying to convey at this moment.
Moreover, at this very moment, Eddie had a sense of déjà vu—he couldn't shake the feeling that Ash was about to say something similar to what Gary would have said. Was Ash going to say, "Eddie, I don't want Poliwhirl anymore," and then evolve Frog with a Water Stone?
"Well, actually, I have no choice. I just... sigh."
Ash's calm and composed attitude was instantly shattered, and he now spoke with an embarrassed look on his face.
Eddie: "······"
"Okay, enough with the emotions. Let's start the final round!"
Ash declared with high morale. Even though he was at a disadvantage, his fighting spirit had not faltered.
"Poliwhirl!"
The Poliwhirl, which had already managed to stand up, let out a roar in response to Ash's fighting spirit.
Despite its body being covered in wounds, its momentum remained unwavering.
"···This guy, did he say all that just to give the Poliwhirl more time to recover?"
Eddie looked at the Poliwhirl , which had regained some of its energy, as if he had figured out Ash's intention.
He glanced back at Ash with a deadpan expression. Whether Ash was playing dumb or simply didn't realize it, he still looked full of fighting spirit.
"Forget it, no matter what, the winner will only be me. I will definitely defeat you today!"
Eddie thought for a few seconds and decided to ignore the matter. Now, he needed to quickly beat this European emperor.
"Frogadier, give him the final blow—[Hydro Pump]!"
"Poliwhirl , use all your strength—[Ice Beam]!"
Frogadier and Frog responded, each preparing their final attacks.
[Hydro Pump] and [Ice Beam] collided once more, both sides pushing themselves to the limit.
Poliwhirl tried its hardest. Now, it had used up all its strength, resulting in a brief stalemate between the [Ice Beam] and Frogadier's [Hydro Pump].
However, this seemed to be a last-ditch effort. The stalemate lasted only a few seconds before the [Ice Beam] was overpowered and crushed by the [Hydro Pump].
In those brief moments, Poliwhirl was struck by [Hydro Pump] once again.
Poliwhirl was knocked down, though it still tried to rise and keep fighting.
But fighting spirit was not enough; the injuries on Poliwhirl's body no longer allowed it to continue. It barely stood before its body trembled and collapsed once more, losing its ability to fight.
The winner was clear.
"Ding! Frogadier gained experience, Charmeleon gained experience."
"Ding! You defeated Ash and earned Silver Crown x2, [Charcoal], and TM [Dragon Pulse]!"