"Toh-da!"
Torterra roared.
Torterra—continent Pokémon. Its movement might be slow, but that depends entirely on how you use it.
Ash had been waiting for this moment for a long time.
"Excellent, Torterra—Earthquake!"
"Toh-da!"
Torterra's four massive limbs—like stone pillars—rose. It lifted its front legs high and slammed them down with force!
Crack! Crack! Crack!
The earthquake attack was devastating—especially against Electivire!
"Electivire, hold your ground—Ice Punch!"
In the original timeline, Torterra had once been knocked out cold by Electivire's Ice Punch—just a single strike.
After all, Ice-type attacks are four times effective against Torterra.
"Once more—Earthquake!"
Boom!
A second earthquake followed instantly. The battlefield cracked apart, terrain ripped open, and Electivire was forced to slow down!
Its mobility was heavily hindered.
There was no way it could close the distance quickly now.
Ice Punch would have to be abandoned… for now.
Electivire's sharp gaze locked onto Torterra.
After evolving, Torterra's power had exploded. Across all attributes, it far outclassed its pre-evolution form. This… this was Ash's training style.
Build a solid foundation first—then reach for the skies.
Torterra had been holding back its evolution for a long time, and now that the transformation had arrived, all the accumulated energy had erupted in a single glorious metamorphosis!
"Use Thunder—blast apart the battlefield!"
Electivire was getting punished hard by repeated Earthquakes. Volkner had to close the gap.
After all, Electivire's electric moves were useless against a Ground-type like Torterra.
The only hope lay in Ice Punch and Fire Punch.
"Torterra—Solar Beam!"
Suddenly, Ash made a seemingly reckless call: Solar Beam.
"What?!" Dawn gasped. "Isn't that a mistake? Solar Beam takes time to charge—and Electivire will definitely take the opportunity to close in!"
"It's a trap," Anabel shook her head calmly. Her experience far outclassed Dawn's.
Even Elite Four member Flint glanced at Anabel in surprise—then nodded in agreement.
They were spectators. They could see the strategy clearly.
Electivire had no way to attack from range—so a close-quarters assault was inevitable.
But the earlier Earthquakes had disrupted the terrain. Any attempt to approach would be filled with delays and uncertainty.
Ash anticipated Electivire's next step perfectly: forcing a reckless close-range encounter.
So when Solar Beam was ordered, Volkner, as predicted, gave the order to charge!
Flint watched his old friend quietly.
"Ash's Torterra will use Protect. He's not reckless. Once he withstands the Thunder-smashed debris, he'll be ready..."
This battle wasn't about brute force—it was a cerebral ambush.
Volkner realized it too. But he had no better option.
He had to attack at close range—or lose.
Even knowing it was a trap, he walked straight into Ash's hands.
Electivire surged forward.
As massive stones flew through the air from the Thunder-damaged battlefield, they rained down upon Torterra's thick shell.
The tree on its back continued drawing in solar energy.
Torterra stood tall, weathering the stone storm in silence.
Until Electivire closed the gap—and their gazes locked.
"Protect!"
"Ice Punch!"
Ash and Volkner shouted simultaneously.
Both Pokémon were ready!
You think Solar Beam was locking Torterra in place?
You forgot—Protect doesn't require movement at all.
A green energy barrier shimmered into place—deflecting the full force of Ice Punch.
Crack crack crack…
It even froze slightly!
But Volkner only grinned.
"Ash, don't forget—Electivire has two fists!"
Without hesitation, the second Ice Punch came swinging in!
BOOM!
Suddenly, the ground beneath Electivire exploded!
From the shattered earth rose thick, terrifying vines—Frenzy Plant.
Huge spiked tendrils surged forth like beasts, crashing upward into Electivire!
The first wave of vines was blocked by its Ice Punch, but the sheer number overwhelmed it.
It couldn't stop them all!
This… this was instinctual battle awareness—trained by Ash over time.
He had taught his Pokémon how to fight without waiting for orders—to adapt, to anticipate!
"Fire the Solar Beam!"
Biu!
A blinding golden ray of energy burst forth!
BOOM!
The Solar Beam exploded directly onto Electivire's body—still trapped in midair and impaled by Frenzy Plant.
Two Earthquakes. A surprise Frenzy Plant. Now a direct Solar Beam blast.
Electivire fell to the ground, fainted instantly.
"Electivire is unable to battle—Torterra wins!"
From the beginning, Solar Beam had never been the real plan.
It was the bait. The focal point of a layered strategy.
Ash had been training Torterra's body constantly.
To fire both Solar Beam and Frenzy Plant in such quick succession without any downtime—most Pokémon couldn't do it.
It required endurance, power, and extreme control.
But all of Ash's effort paid off.
Torterra executed everything flawlessly.
This strategy—beginning from the very first Earthquake—was a trap woven with care.
He had invited the enemy into the snare… and slammed it shut.
Tenfold Experience Multiplier Card activated!
Ding!
[Congratulations, Host! Metagross defeated Jolteon. Torterra defeated Electivire.
Battle Experience Sharing enabled—Metagross and Torterra both receive 10,000 EXP!]
Metagross leveled up!
Lv. 47!
Lv. 48!
Lv. 49!
Lv. 50!
Lv. 51!
Lv. 52!
With a starting point of Lv. 46, it gained a massive 6 levels!
Torterra also leveled up!
Lv. 56!
Lv. 57!
Lv. 58!
Lv. 59!
A slight shame—it just missed the Lv. 60 threshold for entering the Elite tier.
Volkner exhaled. "Ash, I have to hand it to you. That entire battle was a strategy from the very first step."
"No wonder you're this strong at such a young age…"
He smiled and raised his final Poké Ball.
"Now, I send out… my very first partner—Raichu!"
Raichu burst onto the battlefield!
Ash gave a firm nod.
"Then it's only right I send out mine too—Pikachu, it's your turn!"
"Pika!"
Volkner's Raichu was no ordinary one.
Blue-tier potential. Level 65. Elite-ranked.
No wonder regular challengers couldn't interest him.
This Raichu… was the real deal.
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T/N:
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