Just as Ash had anticipated, it took less than ten seconds for Arcanine's speed and Peacock Fist technique to weaken significantly.
The burden was simply too much. In the end, it couldn't withstand Dragonite's Dive attack and was sent flying across the battlefield.
"Arcanine!" Ash called out, running over in concern. When he reached his partner's side, his heart sank—Arcanine had clearly lost the ability to battle. Internal injuries had damaged many of its energy pathways.
"Hurry and take this!" Without hesitation, Ash pulled out a Full Restore Capsule and helped Arcanine swallow it. This was exactly why he had dared to let Arcanine use the Eight Inner Gates technique so recklessly.
Unfortunately, the Full Restore Capsule could only treat the backlash of opening six gates. The damage caused by opening the seventh gate was far more severe and beyond its restorative ability.
"Arcanine…" With a faint growl, Arcanine stirred from unconsciousness. Although the medicine had restored more than half of its stamina, the internal backlash from using the Eight Gates technique wasn't so easily healed.
"You did great. Rest now." Ash gently smiled, withdrawing Arcanine back into its Luxury Ball so it could recover.
On the other side, Dragonite wasn't doing too well either. The earlier barrage from Arcanine had drained a huge portion of its stamina. Its energy reserves were down by at least half, and it was starting to show. Even for a powerful Dragon-type like Dragonite, such moves couldn't be used lightly.
Coupled with the damage it had sustained from Pidgeot earlier, Dragonite knew its endurance wouldn't last much longer. After a moment of hesitation, it made a bold decision.
"Wooo!!!" Dragonite pointed at the remaining Pokémon behind Ash and gestured again with determination.
"You want to take them all on at once?" Ash raised a brow, wincing. "Are you serious? You think you can handle a full team alone? You'd need ten lives to survive that!"
"Woooo~ Woooo~" Dragonite protested again. This time Ash understood—Dragonite knew that this war of attrition wasn't in its favor. If it had to face Ash's team one by one, it would eventually fall. Instead, it wanted all of Ash's remaining Pokémon to fight together—so that it could unleash its strongest move without hesitation.
Ash's smile faded slightly.
"You're kidding, right? Absolutely not. If you use Outrage, you'll lose control of yourself. If we win, it'll still count as a loss. And if we lose… people and Pokémon here could get seriously hurt," Ash said sternly.
Ordinary Dragonite might have been manageable under the effects of Outrage, but this one was different.
This Dragonite was a super-ancient species—one that had mastered the Law of Thunder. The destruction it could cause was more than just brute force—it was devastation amplified by elemental law.
Besides, Ash was starting to see the futility of the current battle. Dragonite's raw strength, technique, and speed were in a completely different league. Even though Ash's Pokémon each had their own unique abilities and custom techniques, the power gap was real.
Just like with Steelix, Pidgeot, and Arcanine—their battles had been spectacular, but the defeats came too quickly. It wasn't strategy or skill they lacked, just sheer combat stats. Dragonite's overwhelming growth in power and speed had suppressed them all.
Even Suicune had been pushed to its limits. Even with the boost of the Eight Inner Gates, the most Ash could do was increase Suicune's physical strength and inner energy flow.
As for the seventh and eighth gates, Ash had absolutely no intention of letting anyone open them. It wasn't just that they hadn't been trained to that level—opening those gates was a guaranteed death sentence. This was the Pokémon world, not the world of Naruto. Things worked differently here.
"Let's stop it here," Ash finally said, looking up at Dragonite. "You won't be fighting anymore. After I conquer the Indigo League, I'll come find you again. By then, my team won't lose."
He tossed a small Healing Capsule toward Dragonite as a gesture of goodwill.
"Wooo~?" Dragonite tilted its head in confusion. Despite its immense power, it still had that slightly dopey expression that made it oddly adorable.
Even now, Ash couldn't help but chuckle at its unintentional charm.
"Ah!"
Understanding Ash's meaning, Dragonite nodded, then swallowed the Healing Capsule it had long been eyeing. The moment it did, strange black toxins began seeping out of its body, coating its skin with a foul-smelling substance.
"Ugh! That stinks!" Ash recoiled immediately. Cynthia and the others who had just approached were caught off guard by the awful odor as well, their expressions twisting in disbelief.
"Quick! Into the ocean—wash it off!" Ash shouted. "That's the detox kicking in!"
"Woooo!!!"
Realizing what was happening, Dragonite sniffed its body and immediately dove into the nearby sea. When it resurfaced moments later, its scales glistened with a radiant luster, smooth and polished under the sunlight. Its figure and coloration were absolutely stunning—like a perfect specimen straight out of legend.
"A Healing Capsule like that..." Cynthia murmured to herself, eyes narrowing as she took it all in. "My fiancé really is full of secrets, isn't he?"
The corner of her lips curled upward, a flicker of intrigue and admiration flashing through her golden eyes.
"No way... I've changed my mind about you completely!"
Giselle, who had been standing nearby, had stars in her eyes as she stared at Ash. "I didn't expect you to be this strong. Even my sister wouldn't stand a chance!"
It was an instant shift in attitude.
Just moments ago, Giselle had been unimpressed, even annoyed by Ash. But now, after watching his performance in battle—even in defeat—she was captivated. His command over his Pokémon, the synergy between partners, and the raw creativity in his battle style had completely shattered her expectations.
Even though Ash technically lost the battle, she had to admit—every one of his partners was elite-tier. And Ash himself? He opened the door to a whole new way of thinking about Pokémon battles.
Just as Ash was about to respond to Giselle's sudden praise, Dragonite let out a loud cry—
"Woooooooo~!"
It pointed at the Luxury Ball clipped to Ash's belt and called out again.
"You… want to come with me?" Ash blinked, stunned. "You sure about this? Once you go into the Poké Ball… you'll officially become my partner."
Ash's heart was pounding with excitement.
A super-ancient Dragonite—one that had just pushed his entire team to the brink—was actually offering to join him. Any trainer who said they wouldn't want that was lying. He had lost the battle, and yet this moment felt like a victory.
"Woooo~! Woooo~!"
Dragonite nodded enthusiastically.
It had made its decision.
In over 5,000 years of life, it had seen countless humans come and go. Some tried to challenge it. Most fled upon seeing its colossal size, never understanding what kind of Pokémon it truly was.
But Ash… Ash was different.
This boy had faced it without fear, pushed it to its limits, and—most importantly—earned its respect.
Ash held out the Luxury Ball, hand trembling just slightly, and smiled.
"Welcome to the team."
...
TN:
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