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"ROAAAAR!"
Charizard soared swiftly just above the surface of the magma before ascending rapidly into the open air above the volcanic battlefield.
While Arcanine's Extreme Speed attack was indeed formidable and difficult to counter, Charizard possessed an absolute advantage of its own: the power of flight. Upon evolving from Charmeleon into its final form, Charizard had gained this incredible aerial ability.
This newfound capacity for flight represented perhaps the most significant improvement that came with Charizard's evolution. As Blaine watched his opponent rising rapidly through the air, his eyes narrowed with concern at this sudden shift in battle dynamics.
"Don't let it escape! Use Extreme Speed!" Blaine commanded urgently.
Watching Charizard climb steadily higher, Blaine understood that once the Dragon-type Pokemon gained sufficient altitude, it would completely dominate the battlefield from above. Seeing Charizard preparing to burst free from the confines of the volcano's mouth, only Arcanine's lightning-fast Extreme Speed technique had any hope of catching up.
"Arrrrooooo!"
Arcanine howled with determination as it activated Extreme Speed once again. The Legendary Pokemon launched itself upward in hot pursuit, racing against Charizard as both Pokemon rushed toward the volcano's opening simultaneously.
"Now's our chance!" Ash's eyes gleamed with tactical insight as he watched the scene unfold.
"Intercept it!" he shouted.
The moment Ash saw Arcanine charging forward with its Extreme Speed attack, he issued his command. Charizard's ascending body suddenly came to a complete stop mid-flight. The Fire-type Pokemon spread its powerful arms wide and, instead of continuing to flee, beat its wings forcefully and dove straight toward the approaching Arcanine.
"CRASH!"
As Arcanine's Extreme Speed attack carried it forward, Charizard managed to grab the oncoming Pokemon with both of its powerful claws. The tremendous momentum from Arcanine's charge forced Charizard's body backward through the air, but it held on with fierce determination.
Seeing this unexpected development, Blaine's expression showed genuine surprise. He clearly hadn't anticipated that Ash would choose direct confrontation rather than using Charizard's aerial mobility to avoid the attack entirely.
Green watched the unfolding battle with obvious nervousness etched across her face. Charizard's body was falling rapidly through the air while grappling with Arcanine. If this continued much longer, both Pokemon might be driven straight into the dangerous magma below.
However, under Charizard's fierce resistance, the driving force behind Arcanine's forward charge gradually began to diminish. Rather than being pushed toward the molten rock as Green had feared, Charizard managed to guide their combined descent until both Pokemon landed safely on one of the remaining stone pillars. The power of Extreme Speed had been completely neutralized.
At that moment, Charizard's claws remained tightly gripped around Arcanine's body, holding the Pokemon securely in place. Seeing this turn of events, a look of alarm crossed Blaine's weathered features.
"Oh no!" he exclaimed.
"Now, Charizard! Seismic Toss!" Ash called out, seizing the perfect opportunity.
Fire blazed intensely in Charizard's eyes as it received the command. The powerful Pokemon tightened its grip around Arcanine's struggling form, launched itself from the stone pillar, and rocketed directly into the sky above the volcanic crater.
Arcanine writhed and fought desperately to break free, but Charizard maintained its iron grip with grim determination. Gritting its teeth against its opponent's struggles, Charizard carried Arcanine high into the sky, climbing through the clouds until both Pokemon disappeared from view of those watching below.
This marked the first time Charizard had performed Seismic Toss since completing its evolution. Standing among the clouds far above the battlefield, Charizard began spinning rapidly through the air while maintaining its hold on Arcanine. The rotation pattern resembled the Earth's own spinning motion as it orbited through space.
After several rapid rotations that built tremendous centrifugal force to its maximum potential, Charizard suddenly dove toward the volcano's mouth far below at incredible speed, still carrying Arcanine in its powerful grasp.
Blaine looked upward with a deeply furrowed brow as he witnessed this devastating technique unfold. Once a Pokemon became caught in the rhythm of Seismic Toss, it became nearly impossible to escape through struggle alone. The attack's power increased exponentially as the spinning Pokemon approached the ground.
The air pressure generated during the high-speed descent was sufficient to completely immobilize Arcanine, leaving even an experienced trainer like Blaine with no viable options to counter the attack.
"Go!" Ash shouted into the air, unconsciously clenching his fists with excitement and tension.
Charizard brought Arcanine plummeting down toward the volcano's mouth at tremendous speed. Just before impact, the Pokemon suddenly released its grip and hurled Arcanine downward with additional force generated by its own strength.
Seismic Toss traditionally became more powerful the closer it was performed to the ground, with maximum effectiveness achieved by releasing the opponent at the very moment of impact. However, with dangerous magma flowing directly below them, Charizard had chosen to release Arcanine slightly before reaching the volcano's mouth to avoid the most extreme hazards.
"BOOM!"
The impact was devastating. While magma was liquid rather than solid ground, falling from such an extreme height made the landing nearly as dangerous as hitting solid rock. The molten rock proved far more viscous than water would have been under similar circumstances.
When Arcanine was slammed downward in that instant, the effect was comparable to striking solid ground at full force. With a thunderous crash, the Pokemon was driven hard into the bubbling magma below.
The tremendous impact created a massive explosion, sending flames bursting upward from the volcano's mouth in all directions. Both Ash and Blaine instinctively raised their arms to shield themselves from the intense heat and burning debris, but neither trainer wavered from their positions. They endured the scorching air while keeping their eyes fixed intently on the volcano's mouth.
The flames gradually began to dissipate, revealing Charizard's form slowly descending from high above. The victorious Pokemon landed gracefully on one of the remaining stone pillars while everyone present turned their attention toward the magma below. The molten rock continued to bubble and churn with extreme heat and agitation.
Under the tremendous impact from the Seismic Toss attack, the magma below appeared even more restless and violent than before, creating an ominous atmosphere throughout the volcanic chamber.
"That should... that should have finished it, right?" Green couldn't help but voice her thoughts as she stared down at the churning scarlet pool below.
Agatha remained silent, offering no immediate response to the question. Blaine's expression stayed completely neutral, revealing nothing of his thoughts or concerns. As for Ash, he refused to allow himself any relaxation until the battle's outcome was definitively determined.
"WHOOSH!"
"ARRROOOOO!"
At that critical moment, glowing embers suddenly began rising from within the magma. The molten rock swelled and bubbled more violently than ever before. A dark silhouette burst upward from the magma's surface, shaking molten rock from its body as it soared through the air. It was Arcanine, somehow still conscious and fighting.
With a defiant roar that echoed throughout the volcanic chamber, Arcanine leaped back onto a stone pillar positioned directly in front of Charizard. The Pokemon landed on the rocky surface with determination, though obvious burn marks could be seen across its body, and its breathing had become noticeably labored from the ordeal.
"After taking such a devastating attack, it still hasn't been defeated?" Green exclaimed in amazement.
The display left her genuinely surprised by Arcanine's incredible resilience. The strength and endurance of this particular Pokemon probably exceeded even that of Blaine's Magmortar!
"ROAAAAR!"
Charizard responded to this development with an excited roar of its own, clearly thrilled by the prospect of continuing this intense battle. At the same time, Blaine stepped forward to address his opponent.
"This battle has been absolutely incredible, Ash! Although I hate to see it end, the time has come to determine our final victor. Arcanine, use Blast Burn!"
"Right! This is our moment to claim victory! Charizard, use—"
Ash listened to Blaine's declaration and prepared to launch his own final attack. He began calling out the name of Charizard's most powerful technique, but before he could complete the command, he noticed something unexpected happening to his Pokemon.
A brilliant fiery red light began emanating from Charizard's entire body, while the flames burning at the tip of its tail suddenly flared with dramatically increased intensity.
This appeared to be the familiar precursor to Fire Pledge, leading everyone present to assume that Charizard was preparing to use that particular attack.
"ROAAAAAAAR!"
"CRACK! BOOM!"
Charizard released a thunderous roar that shook the entire volcanic chamber. Simultaneously, both the Pokemon's body and the stone pillar supporting it produced loud cracking sounds. Charizard clenched both of its powerful fists as the red light surrounding its form suddenly exploded outward with incredible intensity.
The original red glow was instantly replaced by actual flames bursting forth from every part of Charizard's body. The Fire-type Pokemon released scorching hot flames that completely enveloped its entire form, creating an awe-inspiring spectacle of raw power.
Ash's expression changed dramatically when he witnessed this unprecedented display. Recognition dawned in his eyes as he suddenly shouted out the name of the technique that had spontaneously come to mind.
"Blast Burn!"