"This beach terrain puts Steelix at a clear disadvantage. We have to land some solid damage on Dragonite as soon as possible. Thankfully, there's still one move left we can use!"
Steelix fighting here was a real handicap. No matter how powerful it might be, it was still a Rock and Steel-type Pokémon—vulnerable to water, and in a sandy beach environment, its mobility was compromised.
"Is Ash really planning to take on that Dragonite?"
"Pointless. That Dragonite is at least Legendary-level. Unless he brings out Suicune, he doesn't stand a chance!"
"You're underestimating him. Maybe it's because you haven't seen Ash's full strength. Compared to you all, he's the most talented trainer I've ever met."
As Ash and Dragonite clashed violently, even Cynthia and the others were left speechless. Dragonite wasn't just Champion-level—it had already crossed into the realm of Legendary Pokémon.
"Steelix, use Light and Heavy Rock!"
Just as Dragonite prepared to launch an attack, Ash gave a command that stunned everyone on the field.
At Ash's order, Steelix's massive body suddenly lifted off the ground—hovering as if weightless, like a Gyarados in mid-flight. Even Dragonite hesitated for a moment, clearly baffled by what it saw.
"No way... Steelix isn't even a Flying-type. How is it flying?!"
"Did Ash teach it a custom move?!"
"No... The rock itself is flying!"
"Don't be so shocked. I saw this move back when Ash was only twelve—at Professor Oak's lab!"
"This technique is called Light and Heavy Rock—it places the Rock-type Pokémon in a state of zero gravity. While its physical attack power lightens a bit, it doesn't actually lose strength overall!"
Hearing this, Bill slipped into his classic analyst mode. A few years back, he had witnessed Ash's experimental training sessions, and many of Ash's self-developed moves had been documented and shared with Professor Oak.
"Is he really just fifteen?" Cynthia furrowed her brow, deep in thought. "At this level, he could easily stand as a Champion in Kanto... Why is he still wandering as a 'rookie'?"
"WOOOHH!!!"
Just as everyone was analyzing Ash's unique battle strategy, Dragonite roared—its right fist igniting with crimson flames as it launched a Fire Punch straight toward the airborne Steelix!
Without even waiting for Ash's command, Steelix dodged with fluid agility—his massive body moving like it weighed nothing at all. The flaming fist missed entirely.
"Now! Impact—Heavy Gravity Rock!"
The moment Steelix dodged, Ash seized the opportunity. Steelix struck Dragonite's huge body midair with brutal force. Dragonite, while powerful, was large and slower in flight compared to smaller Pokémon.
BOOM!!!
"WUUOOOH!!"
Dragonite let out a painful cry. Despite the level gap between them, physical power was not tied to level alone—it came down to pure force.
"Wait... didn't Bill just say that Light and Heavy Rock reduces Steelix's attack power?" Cynthia asked, eyes narrowing. Her insight as a Champion showed in how quickly she spotted the contradiction.
"You're still too green," Bill replied smoothly. "Ash's command wasn't just to use Light and Heavy Rock—he added Heavy Gravity Rock. That move multiplies gravity around Steelix and any Pokémon it touches by three to five times. The force behind its body slam just now was on a whole different level!"
Even if Light and Heavy Rock had drawbacks, combining it with Heavy Gravity Rock created a devastating combo.
"WUUUOOOHH!!!"
Dragonite roared once more, but this time, it wasn't in pain. Triple gravity wasn't nearly enough to overwhelm a Legendary Pokémon. Its fists sparked with electricity—Dragonite was preparing a Thunder Punch.
Master of the Thunder law, Dragonite's lightning-based attacks were brutal in both speed and power. Even a Zapdos would struggle against that punch!
BOOOOM!!!
"ROOOAAARR!!"
With a single charged strike, Dragonite's Thunder Punch knocked Steelix out of the sky and slammed it into a nearby rock formation. As the dust settled, Steelix was still conscious—but panting hard.
This Dragonite was different from Suicune.
Suicune, master of Water, fought with flowing precision and elegance. But Dragonite, wielding Thunder, was pure offense—raw and unforgiving. The destructive force of its attack, amplified by its natural power level, made it far more dangerous in close combat.
"Damn... that was brutal. Even Steelix was taken down in one hit..." Ash muttered, eyes cold and unreadable as his Sharingan spun silently. "Even Suicune couldn't pull that off. I underestimated the elemental advantage—Thunder really is insane…"
The reason Ash hadn't been knocked out cold by the force of that last attack came down to one thing—the Sharingan.
Its blessing kept his mind sharp and rational, always prioritizing logic over panic. In this world, such an ability was nothing short of broken. No matter what he faced, Ash could maintain his composure and adapt mid-battle.
"Wooooh!!"
Steelix, already battered, struggled to stay upright—but Dragonite wasn't giving it a second chance. A sphere of orange energy began gathering in its mouth—Hyper Beam!
Having survived through ancient eras, this Dragonite knew better than to let an enemy regain their footing. It was ready to finish things with ruthless efficiency.
"Steelix, Dig—now!"
Ash's Sharingan whirled as he issued the command. Without hesitation, Steelix slammed its body into the sand, burrowing deep underground just before Dragonite fired.
The Hyper Beam roared across the field—but its target had already vanished beneath the surface.
Seeing Steelix disappear underground, Dragonite didn't show the slightest hint of frustration. Instead, it calmly dispersed the energy it had been charging and stomped heavily on the beach. The impact sent a shockwave tearing across the field, the sheer force of it enough to make Cynthia and the others stagger as sand exploded into the air.
"Susanoo!"
Ash's eyes spun into the Mangekyō pattern, erupting with scarlet flames. A glowing red skeletal structure—his Susanoo—materialized around him, shielding him from the shockwave's blast radius.
It wasn't just for defense. Ash knew that if he took even a single hit from an attack like that, he'd be in no condition to give commands for the rest of the battle.
While some of his Pokémon were veterans in their own right, no matter how good they were, nothing could replace real-time judgment and coordination from a Trainer's eyes.
"Damn it… That Dragonite is brutal," Ash growled, voice low and cold as the Susanoo flickered. "It used its sheer size and the triple gravity Steelix triggered earlier to pull off an improvised Earthquake..."
Looking around at the devastated battlefield, Ash's expression tightened. Debris was scattered, craters had formed—and Steelix, the pride of his current lineup, was nowhere in sight.
This… was the worst beating he'd taken in this world so far.
...
TN:
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