Charmeleon resembled Charmander in form, but its skin tone was darker, and its eyes were sharper, brimming with authority.
Its limbs were longer and sturdier than Charmander's, giving off a sense of raw strength. Its claws had also grown sharper and more elongated. Perhaps it was for this reason that, the moment it evolved, it instinctively mastered the move Slash.
Not only was Slash a powerful attack, it could tear into flesh and strike vital spots—inflicting even greater damage.
"Unbelievable! Contestant Yozora's Charmander evolved into Charmeleon in the middle of the rain!" the announcer cried out, instantly igniting the crowd's excitement.
With Charmander's evolution, the tide of battle had completely turned.
Yozora's Charmeleon radiated not just overwhelming presence but also unmatched physical might.
Normally, Charmeleons averaged around 1.1 to 1.2 meters in height, but Yozora's Charmeleon was easily around 1.5 meters tall—larger and more imposing than most of its kind.
Placed among a group of Charmeleons, one glance would make it obvious this was the leader.
Even just standing there, Charmeleon's intimidating aura and physique made others tremble.
"Hmph, it's still raining, so the advantage is mine! Pelipper, use Water Gun!" Sherry snapped coldly, giving her order.
In the heavy rain, Pelipper's life energy surged, and the Water Gun it unleashed was far stronger than before.
Yet Yozora remained completely unfazed.
Pelipper drew strength from the rain…
But so did Charmeleon.
True, Charmeleon might struggle in the water, but in the rain its combat power was naturally bolstered.
"Charmeleon, Flamethrower!" Yozora commanded.
"Boooom!"
A pillar of fire burst from Charmeleon's jaws, completely different from before. The flames were more concentrated, more condensed, and their crimson glow burned hotter than ever.
There was no doubt—after evolving, Charmeleon's Flamethrower had not only grown denser but also reached a far higher temperature.
Greater density increased impact. Higher heat intensified destructive power.
"What?!" Sherry's eyes widened.
In an instant, Charmeleon's Flamethrower crushed Pelipper's Water Gun and slammed into the bird in a searing blaze.
"Fire Spin!"
Yozora went all in, daring to use Fire Spin in the pouring rain!
Charmeleon, with its unique vitality in the downpour, unleashed an inferno whose power remained nearly undiminished despite the weather.
Rain dampened flames by nature. But here—one force strengthened, the other weakened. They canceled out.
The result was Charmeleon's fire techniques erupting at nearly full strength.
And at its current level—near the peak of the Senior Tier—that was terrifying.
The swirling flames of Fire Spin raged for several seconds, refusing to be quenched even by the torrential rain. When they finally dissipated, Pelipper's body was charred black. With a miserable cry, it plummeted from the sky.
Boom!
Pelipper crashed heavily into the ground, completely unconscious.
"Pelipper is unable to battle!"
The referee declared, while the announcer gasped, "What a Fire Spin! Even in the rain, it unleashed such devastating power!"
The audience was stunned. Yozora's Charmeleon was far stronger than expected—perhaps even surpassing many Charizards!
"So strong…" Ritchie clenched his fists tightly, eyes locked on the arena.
He realized once again how wide the gap between himself and Yozora had grown.
"Pelipper…" Sherry stood in shock.
She had sensed that Charmeleon would be stronger after evolving. She had expected Pelipper to lose.
But never this quickly.
And this was under rainy conditions!
In normal weather, wouldn't Pelipper have been knocked out instantly?
After a long silence, Sherry recalled her fallen Pelipper and sent out her second Pokémon.
A Sceptile.
Sceptile—the fully evolved form of Treecko, the Grass-type starter of the Hoenn region.
Of course, Sherry herself was a Hoenn trainer. She had traveled to Kanto specifically to compete in the Indigo Plateau Conference.
Her newly caught Kanto Pokémon weren't yet strong enough, so she relied on her old team.
And Sceptile, from its aura alone, was clearly her ace—far beyond Pelipper.
Pokémon: Sceptile
Type: Grass
Tier: Senior Peak
Potential: Elite-tier
Notes: A battle-hardened Sceptile with significant combat experience.
"What a pity it's a Sceptile," Yozora said with a smile. "If your ace were Blaziken or Swampert, you might stand a chance against me."
"It's only a type disadvantage. If your Charmeleon can reverse matchups, then so can my Sceptile!" Sherry retorted.
"Go, Sceptile! Use Bullet Seed!"
"Charmeleon, Flamethrower!"
"Boom!"
The two attacks collided midair, but Charmeleon's Flamethrower overpowered Bullet Seed almost instantly, surging forward toward Sceptile.
Sceptile's eyes flashed. As expected of the Forest Pokémon, it reacted instantly, darting away with blinding speed thanks to Agility.
Even so, the momentum was already lost—Sceptile's aura weakened before Charmeleon's might.
Fire trumps Grass. Fire Pokémon also resist Grass attacks.
Charmeleon could deal double damage.
Sceptile could inflict only half.
The type disadvantage was absolute. Even though Sceptile was strong, it was still only Senior Tier. How could it possibly overcome type and power to defeat this Charmeleon?
But Sherry, as a trainer, lacked this awareness. She stubbornly commanded:
"Sceptile, charge in! Use Leaf Blade!"
With a sharp shhhk, Sceptile gathered Grass-type energy, forming two gleaming green blades along its arms.
It sprinted swiftly through the rain-soaked arena, slashing down at Charmeleon with Leaf Blade.
"Block it."
Yozora merely shook his head and gave the calm order.
(End of Chapter)