"Tch, what was I even expecting? It turned out to be just a Bulbasaur evolution — a Venusaur from the Grass-type family. How pathetic."
Makoto Ito's eyes flashed with disdain as he saw Ash's Venusaur step onto the battlefield. With a flick of his wrist, he threw out a Poké Ball.
In a burst of white light, a Blaziken appeared, landing with perfect balance. Flames flared around its wrists, and its sharp, fierce gaze made it clear — this was no ordinary Pokémon. A champion-level Blaziken, powerful and proud.
Commentator: "Makoto Ito has sent out a Fire-type Pokémon, Blaziken, one of the Hoenn region's three starters! It seems he intends to take advantage of the elemental matchup. This could be quite the uphill battle for Ash!"
As Blaziken appeared, the commentator's voice echoed through the stadium, projecting its info onto the holographic screen so the crowd could see its stats and abilities.
Ferb Ignatius: "Ash isn't kidding around — his trump card is actually a Venusaur."
Mr. Blackstone: "This doesn't look good. The matchup is terrible for Ash. Fire overpowers Grass, and even Venusaur's mobility will be limited."
In the stands, Ferb Ignatius and the others watched intently. They had little love for Makoto Ito, and most came to see him humbled. Yet none expected the match to escalate into something that felt like a life-or-death duel.
"Is Ash really okay with this? A battle like this could turn dangerous," Suzie murmured from the audience, worry in her eyes.
"It's fine," Cynthia said, trying to reassure her. "You know Ash's strength. He'll handle it."
Still, even Cynthia couldn't shake her unease.
Meanwhile, Sabrina sat calmly, her expression unreadable. She had absolute faith — even admiration — for Ash. Though her demeanor was distant, their connection was something only the two of them truly understood.
"Blaziken, Flamethrower!"
At Makoto's sharp command, Blaziken exhaled a roaring stream of fire. The air shimmered with heat as the attack blazed toward Venusaur.
"Vine Whip," Ash said coolly, arms crossed.
Eight vines shot out from Venusaur's flower, spinning rapidly like the blades of a fan. The rotating vines dispersed the flames before they could reach their mark, scattering embers harmlessly around them.
Normally, a Vine Whip could never block Flamethrower, but Ash's Venusaur was different. After mastering Mokuton-style energy manipulation, it could channel life force through wood and plants, even absorbing energy to regenerate faster.
The burning vines quickly healed, regrowing as though the fire had never touched them. Within moments, Venusaur stood unscathed.
Commentator: "Incredible! Venusaur's Vine Whip actually held back Blaziken's Flamethrower! This is something we've never seen before!"
"That's it! Show him, Ash!"
"Teach that arrogant Makoto a lesson!"
"Beat that Hoenn hotshot who came here acting all high and mighty!"
The crowd erupted into cheers. It was clear they were rooting for Kanto's own underdog.
"Such powerful regeneration… even the speed of recovery is beyond normal," said Nate Mugino, watching from the VIP lounge, visibly impressed.
"Hmph! So what if it blocked a Flamethrower?" Makoto snapped, his face twisted with frustration. "Blaziken, get in close and use Fire Punch!"
"Blaze!"
Obeying instantly, Blaziken cut off the flames and dashed forward in a blur, fist igniting as it prepared to strike. Its speed and close-combat prowess were legendary — a single hit could turn the tide.
"The terrain might not favor us," Ash said quietly, "but let's show them what we can really do. Venusaur — Forest Domain!"
"Venuuusaur!"
Venusaur stomped down with immense force. The battlefield trembled — and then, trees burst from the ground like spears of life. Within seconds, a towering forest covered the entire arena.
The sunlight filtered through the leaves as Venusaur rose upon a massive trunk it had created, standing high above the battlefield. From this vantage point, the majestic Pokémon looked down upon the forest it had summoned — its own living domain.
Commentator: "Unbelievable! Ash's Venusaur has actually transformed the battlefield into a forest! This defies all logic—how could such a feat even be possible? Is this truly Ash's ace Pokémon?"
The crowd erupted in shock. Creating a living forest mid-battle was extraordinary enough—but for Venusaur to sustain it as part of its power was beyond comprehension. Gasps and murmurs filled the entire stadium as everyone tried to grasp what they were witnessing.
Ferb Ignatius: "Incredible... so that's Forest Domain."
Even Ferb, who had doubted that Venusaur was Ash's trump card, stood in awe of the skill's sheer magnitude.
Skye Draconis: "Hahaha! Well done! As expected of the Draconis bloodline—magnificent!"
Professor Oak: "Nonsense! Clearly, that's the Oak family's talent shining through!"
As Venusaur's power surged, both Skye Draconis and Professor Oak burst into laughter, pride swelling in their voices. Skye shot a smug look toward the stiff, pale-faced Sawakoshi Ito, his expression full of unspoken mockery.
"This... this can't be," Sawakoshi Ito muttered, eyes narrowing as he stared at the vast forest spreading across the arena.
"A sixteen-year-old creating his own unique move? Impossible."
He clenched his fists tightly. He knew very well that this wasn't a normal battle — this was a life-and-death match.
Champion-level Pokémon weren't toys to be thrown around lightly. Even within his powerful family, he personally possessed only four such Pokémon; the remaining two were borrowed from his clan's elders just to fill out a full team for his son's use.
And yet, here was Ash Ketchum — a boy — whose Venusaur had just shattered every expectation of what was possible in battle.
...
TN:
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