"Venusaur..." Leaf murmured quietly.
I wonder if my Venusaur could defeat Red's Venusaur...
"Then what are you getting excited about, dead-last Ash from Pallet Town?" Gary teased, finding Ash's behavior utterly baffling.
"Because I captured a starter too! Aren't you envious!" Ash boasted, seizing the opportunity to suppress Gary's usual arrogance toward him.
"Is that so? Only your Charizard evolved to its final form, right? And there was even a period when it wouldn't obey you. Don't think I don't know about those embarrassing incidents. I really don't understand what you have to be smug about," Gary said with exasperation, disgustedly shifting his position to avoid being contaminated by Ash's foolishness.
Ash fell silent, unable to formulate a response. Fortunately, Brock intervened promptly to soothe Ash's wounded pride, urging everyone to focus their attention on Red's match instead of engaging in meaningless bickering.
The battle bell rang with a sharp metallic clang, and Naoto immediately issued his first command.
"Poliwrath, charge forward and use Ice Punch!"
"Blastoise, we'll also use Ice Punch," Red countered calmly.
On the thick ice surface, Blastoise and Poliwrath simultaneously charged at each other, swinging frost-covered fists that crackled with frigid energy.
The violent collision echoed throughout the battlefield, nearly blowing the command flags from the referee's hands. The sheer power on display was extraordinary.
After a brief contest, the outcome became clear—Blastoise's absolute dominance prevailed, exactly as Red had anticipated.
Despite Naoto's Poliwrath being impressively developed at 1.5 meters tall with excellently trained muscle definition and obvious strength conditioning, it ultimately couldn't match Red's King Blastoise.
Although Blastoise wasn't part of Red's premier starter lineup and couldn't be considered first-tier, its strength far exceeded the earlier Omastar. Within moments, Blastoise forcefully pushed Poliwrath backward with overwhelming brute strength.
Poliwrath attempted resistance, straining until its face flushed crimson, yet couldn't match Blastoise's superior power.
"Poliwrath, quickly use Hydro Pump!" Naoto called anxiously, not expecting Blastoise's strength to be so overwhelming.
Since close-combat tactics proved ineffective, Naoto opted for ranged offense.
As expected... this must be Lord Red's starter Pokémon! Naoto thought excitedly.
The more powerful Blastoise demonstrated, the more thrilled Naoto became, believing he'd earned Red's complete recognition.
A thick pressurized water column erupted from Poliwrath's abdomen like artillery fire, streaking rapidly toward Blastoise.
"Hydro Pump," Red stated calmly.
Blastoise manipulated the twin cannons on its back, raising them forward to release two massive water columns.
"That's impossible!" Naoto exclaimed in disbelief.
Before everyone's astonished eyes, Poliwrath's Hydro Pump was instantly engulfed by Blastoise's superior assault. Before Poliwrath could react, the overwhelming torrent struck its body directly, forcing it to stagger backward several steps.
"Poliwrath, hold strong!" Naoto shouted encouragingly.
Fortunately, the muscular Poliwrath managed to steady itself in time, preventing further stamina depletion.
"Poliwrath, quickly use Bulk Up!"
Upon hearing the command, Poliwrath flexed its muscles dramatically, increasing both attack and defense power.
Blastoise didn't interfere, allowing the enhancement without objection. In Blastoise's assessment, this Poliwrath posed no genuine threat—its developed musculature couldn't compare to Snorlax's level.
"Poliwrath, use Mega Punch!"
"Mega Punch."
Both combatants' right fists erupted with brilliant white energy, colliding fiercely with a deafening impact.
The audience sat transfixed by the spectacular display, increasingly eager for Blastoise and Poliwrath's continued performance.
Some fitness enthusiasts grew so excited they removed their shirts, flexing and displaying their muscle definition to nearby spectators.
Fortunately, Officer Jenny arrived promptly to halt this comedic disruption, warning the offenders about maintaining proper order.
Realizing Poliwrath couldn't overcome Blastoise's superior strength, Naoto quickly altered tactics. Unfortunately, his anxiety led to a critical miscalculation.
"Poliwrath, use Seismic Toss now!" Naoto commanded, planning to leverage Poliwrath's signature combination technique to drain Blastoise's stamina.
Poliwrath immediately struggled to grasp Blastoise's leg, attempting to execute Seismic Toss. Clearly, both Naoto and Poliwrath had overlooked something crucial.
"This is surprisingly foolish," Red observed dryly.
Although Naoto's Poliwrath boasted impressive development, compared to Blastoise with regal qualifications, it appeared diminutive—almost childlike in stature.
Blastoise stared down expressionlessly at Poliwrath clutching its feet, attempting futilely to lift it. Watching the Tadpole Pokémon strain until its face turned scarlet, Blastoise felt inexplicably irritated.
I'm not that heavy!
The displeased Blastoise raised both cannons, aiming point-blank at Poliwrath to execute Aura Sphere. Twin azure energy spheres erupted from the cannons, striking Poliwrath's body at devastating close range. The released power sent Poliwrath stumbling backward uncontrollably.
Poliwrath panted heavily, clutching its wounded body in obvious pain.
After recognizing its inadequacy, Poliwrath momentarily fell into self-reproach and dejection. It had been deployed as Naoto's strongest combatant, yet couldn't land a single effective attack on Blastoise.
"Don't give up, Poliwrath. Even if we fail, it doesn't matter. We're already standing on the stage we dreamed of reaching. What matters now is not disappointing the efforts that brought us here!" Naoto said with a gentle smile, comforting the guilt weighing on his partner's heart.
His words resonated deeply with Poliwrath, making it feel ashamed for allowing negative emotions to compromise its battle performance.
After crushing the cowardice lurking within, Poliwrath's eyes blazed with renewed fighting spirit. Its determined gaze locked onto Blastoise before flexing its muscles, using Bulk Up once more to fortify its body.
Things are getting interesting, Blastoise thought with anticipation, eager to witness Poliwrath's next move.
"Poliwrath, use Focus Blast!" Naoto roared.
Energized by Naoto's passionate fighting spirit, Poliwrath erupted with tremendous momentum, condensing a massive Focus Blast between both hands before hurling it forcefully toward Blastoise.
Bring it on! Blastoise thought excitedly.
Blastoise elevated both cannons, releasing twin azure dragon breaths that converged mid-flight, forming a spectral blue energy dragon.
The draconic phantom opened its gaping maw, attempting to devour the approaching Focus Blast. In their brief clash, Poliwrath's Focus Blast actually penetrated Dragon Pulse's defensive barrier, continuing its trajectory toward Blastoise.
"Brick Break," Red commanded calmly.
Blastoise delivered a devastating karate chop radiating white energy, effortlessly bisecting the incoming Focus Blast. The severed halves dispersed harmlessly before Blastoise, striking the ice surface behind and nearly fracturing it completely.
"Incredible power! Contestant Naoto and Poliwrath's fighting spirit has reached its absolute zenith! The victor will be determined in the next exchange!" the announcer declared passionately.
Although the audience had already concluded Red would emerge victorious, they still eagerly anticipated Poliwrath's final offensive—after all, the battle atmosphere deserved a proper climax, not an anticlimactic conclusion.