"Damn it! Either way, I'll take you down here, Ash!"
Ito roared, his expression twisting as Ash recalled Venusaur and reached for another Poké Ball.
The tension in the air thickened. Ito's reason seemed to slip away, leaving behind only raw fury. All he wanted now was to crush Ash completely, to tear away at his pride like a predator on its prey. Winning or losing no longer mattered — only domination did.
With a flash of white light, a massive Garchomp emerged onto the battlefield opposite Ash's Charizard. The ground trembled beneath its claws.
Compared to Cynthia's Garchomp, this one radiated an even more oppressive aura — the strength of a seasoned Champion's Pokémon.
Commentator: "Ito has sent out Garchomp, a pseudo-legendary Dragon and Ground-type Pokémon native to the Sinnoh region! Let's see what kind of sparks will fly against Ash's Charizard!"
Garchomp — like Dragonite from Kanto — was a rare and powerful pseudo-legendary species. Though not on par with the true Legendary Pokémon, it was a fearsome force nonetheless. With the influence and wealth of the Ito family, obtaining such a Pokémon wasn't surprising.
"System, scan the data," Ash said calmly. He preferred to rely on the system's precise analysis before deciding his strategy.
Ding~!
Pokémon: Garchomp
Level: Champion
Ability: Sand Veil — Boosts evasion in a sandstorm; unaffected by sandstorm damage.
Type: Dragon / Ground
Potential: A+
Ash nodded slightly. "A pseudo-legendary… not far off from Dragonite's stats. Interesting. This world's really something."
Having fought alongside Cynthia before, Ash was no stranger to Garchomp's power.
"Garchomp, use Quick Slash!" Ito shouted.
In a blur of motion, Garchomp accelerated with blinding speed, its fin glowing with a cutting edge of air. It appeared before Charizard in an instant, striking toward its neck with lethal precision.
"Catch it!" Ash ordered sharply.
Charizard's claws shot out, clamping down on Garchomp's fin. The impact forced Charizard back half a meter across the ground, talons carving deep lines in the dirt, but the strike was successfully blocked.
Commentator: "Ito's Garchomp is displaying incredible speed and power! Let's see how Ash's Charizard responds to this fierce assault!"
"Don't give him any chance to counterattack! Garchomp, Body Slam!" Ito barked.
Garchomp roared and lunged forward again. The rhythm of its attacks was clearly refined — the mark of a trainer who'd grown up studying his father's battle style.
After all, this Garchomp was originally raised by Ito Sawakoshi, Makoto's father. Having watched countless battles between them, Makoto had learned to imitate the style — though only superficially. His mastery was far from genuine Champion-level skill, a mere pseudo-champion performance.
"Charizard, Fly!" Ash commanded.
With a powerful flap of its wings, Charizard shot into the sky, evading the slam just in time.
"Now, Mega Punch!" Ash's eyes narrowed as Charizard dove, fist glowing with brilliant white light as it hurtled toward Garchomp.
"Boom!!!"
"ROAR!!"
The impact echoed across the field. Garchomp staggered back with a furious growl, then spun, its tail shimmering like metal.
"Use Iron Tail!" Ito countered instinctively.
But before the gleaming tail could strike, Charizard vanished from view — the sound of rushing air filling the silence.
"Shave!" Ash muttered under his breath.
Reappearing behind Garchomp, Charizard's wings flared with heat, eyes locked on its opponent. The real battle was only beginning.
"Charizard, Flamethrower!"
As soon as Charizard reappeared behind Garchomp, a torrent of blazing fire erupted from its mouth. The two Pokémon were barely a meter apart — at such close range, the flames roared like a living inferno, engulfing Garchomp's body completely.
Commentator: "Incredible! Ash's Charizard has unleashed Flamethrower at point-blank range! Ito's Garchomp took the full brunt of that attack — how will Ito respond to this fierce assault?"
"Rrraaargh!!"
Garchomp roared, its powerful arms flexing as it broke through the blaze. The flames scattered and dispersed, leaving Garchomp standing tall, its scales shimmering under the heat — unburned, unbroken.
As expected of a Dragon/Ground-type, Garchomp's natural resistance to Fire-type moves kept it unharmed. The flames that could melt steel barely left a mark.
Ash narrowed his eyes, muttering to himself, "So that's how it is. Even with Champion-level flames, Fire-type attacks won't be enough… Ground-types naturally resist fire."
He exhaled slowly. "But if the intensity of the flame surpasses the limit of what even a pseudo-legendary can endure… then that resistance won't save you."
Across the field, Ito folded his arms and smirked arrogantly. "You're wasting your time, Ash. My Garchomp's a Ground-type — it's built to counter your Charizard! Fire attacks are useless here. Let's see what else you've got!"
Ash didn't answer. Instead, he smiled faintly — calm, deliberate, almost taunting.
That quiet confidence sent a chill through Ito's chest. For the first time since the battle began, a flicker of unease crept into his expression.
...
TN:
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