Under pressure from several senior officials, Sawakoshi Ito reluctantly returned to his seat.
Though unwilling, he knew they were right. If the elders truly wished to hold him back, it would be easy. He represented the Sinnoh League this time—but if he lost the match, even the authority of the "Creation God" would not protect him from being cast aside.
From the previous two battles, everyone could already see that Ito Makoto was no match for Ash. If it were Ito Sakoshi fighting, he might have lasted a little longer. But Ito Makoto's own strength barely reached the level of a quasi-Elite. Naturally, he couldn't handle the pace or precision of a Champion-level battle.
"Come out, Tyrantrum!"
With a grim expression, Ito released his next Pokémon—a massive, rock-skinned dragon that roared as it appeared.
Narrator: "Ito sends out his next Pokémon—Tyrantrum, the Fossil Pokémon from the Kalos region! It's a Rock and Dragon-type Pokémon!"
Tyrantrum, like Aerodactyl of Kanto, was revived from fossils and considered an ancient Pokémon. Its violent temperament and close-combat prowess made it one of the most ferocious fossil Pokémon known.
"Damn it… most of Dad's Pokémon are power types, and Tyrantrum's Rock typing is weak to that guy's Venusaur," Ito muttered irritably. "He'll have to rely purely on instinct for this one."
Tyrantrum's pure Rock typing made it especially vulnerable to Grass-type attacks. Against a Pokémon like Venusaur, its defensive advantage was practically nonexistent. At best, it could resist only half of the damage—if that.
Ash's eyes narrowed slightly. "Oh? So the fossil resurrection machine has finally been completed. Looks like my plan in Sinnoh is already halfway to success."
There was a faint, almost imperceptible gleam in his eyes as he stared at the raging Tyrantrum.
"ROAARRR!!!"
Without waiting for Ito's command, Tyrantrum's eyes turned blood-red, and it charged straight toward the giant tree supporting Venusaur.
This Tyrantrum had only been revived a few months ago. Though its raw power was at the Champion level, its savage nature made it uncontrollable. He couldn't command it at all.
Ito's only hope was that Tyrantrum's hunting instincts would kick in. But that was a gamble. The beast would only act on primal impulse. With a thunderous impact, Tyrantrum's thick, cone-shaped head smashed violently into the massive tree supporting Venusaur.
Boom!!!
The shockwave rippled through the forested battlefield. The tree trembled under the blow, nearly throwing Venusaur off balance. Fortunately, the trunk was sturdy enough to withstand the impact.
"Has it lost all consciousness?" Ash frowned slightly. "So it's been asleep for too long… its reason has been completely replaced by instinct."
Dealing with instinct-driven Pokémon was tricky. They were unpredictable, but that same instinct made their actions easy to read once you understood their rhythm. It was both a danger and an advantage.
"Venusaur, use Forest Pillars!"
Seeing the cracks spreading through the tree's base, Ash's tone turned calm once again.
Creeeeak—
The trees that Venusaur had summoned earlier began to twist and merge, forming a sprawling network of interwoven wooden bridges high above the ground—just wide enough for Venusaur to maneuver.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Venusaur lumbered along the elevated pathway, moving from one tree to another while Tyrantrum roared in frustration below.
Narrator: "Incredible! Ash's Venusaur just linked the surrounding trees into a massive overpass—it's like a living fortress! What a practical use of terrain!"
Ash exhaled softly, a small puff of smoke escaping his lips. "Hmph. It's troublesome… but in the end, it's just an unconscious beast. Let's finish this quickly."
Tyrantrum bellowed again, its crimson eyes following Venusaur's movements with raw hunger. It rammed into nearby trees in fury, shaking the entire battlefield as if trying to tear down the forest itself.
"ROAARRR!!!"
Driven by frustration and instinct, Tyrantrum unleashed a deafening roar. Energy began to condense within its jaws, forming a brilliant sphere of destructive light. A heartbeat later—
"Hyper Beam!"
The golden blast tore through the air, striking the wooden overpass Venusaur was standing on.
BOOM!!!
The bridge exploded into splinters, the shockwave echoing through the forested arena. Venusaur's footing gave way, and it plummeted toward the ground below.
"Yes! Finally got it!" Ito Makoto exclaimed, his face lighting up with excitement as he watched Venusaur falling helplessly from the shattered bridge.
Narrator: "Under the devastating impact of Tyrantrum's Hyper Beam, Ash's Venusaur is in serious danger! How will Ash respond?"
The audience held their breath. Even Ash's supporters looked uneasy—except for Ash himself. He simply stood there, calm and collected, a faint smile tugging at his lips. Those who noticed it—Cynthia among them—could tell immediately that he still had everything under control.
"Venusaur—Mountain Press!"
The moment Ash's command echoed across the battlefield, Ito's expression twisted in shock. Venusaur had been falling directly above Tyrantrum all along—because the raging fossil Pokémon had been following its movements from below, never realizing the trap.
Venusaur was a massive Pokémon—its sheer weight alone was enough to cause tremors when it landed. From such a height, that impact would be catastrophic.
"Damn it! Tyrantrum, dodge! Dodge, now!" Ito shouted desperately.
But Tyrantrum, lost to instinct, didn't move. Its predatory eyes were locked on Venusaur as prey descending from above—it didn't even realize the danger until it was too late.
BOOOOOOMMMMM!!!
The impact was like an earthquake. Dust and debris exploded outward as the ground split beneath the collision. Venusaur landed squarely atop Tyrantrum, pinning it into the earth with tremendous force.
Narrator: "Unbelievable! Tyrantrum was completely caught off guard—Ash's Venusaur used its own fall to deliver a crushing Mountain Press! The entire battlefield is shaking! Can Tyrantrum possibly continue after that?"
A massive cloud of smoke and dust billowed upward, obscuring the scene. The audience stared in silence as the tremors slowly subsided, unsure of what they would see when the dust cleared.
Ash, however, didn't move. His calm, steady gaze remained fixed on the battlefield, as if he already knew how this clash would end.
...
TN:
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