"Pidgeot is unable to battle!" The referee raised his flag the moment Pidgeot collapsed.
Now, Yozora and Captain Edson were tied at two Pokémon each.
Both sides had only their final Pokémon left.
"You've done well, Pidgeot." Yozora recalled his partner into its Poké Ball.
After all, Pidgeot had only just evolved. It was only natural that its strength couldn't compare to Captain Edson's ace. Yozora didn't feel disappointed—Pidgeot still had plenty of room to grow, and he wasn't impatient about it.
"Your turn—Charmeleon!" Without hesitation, Yozora sent out his final Pokémon.
It was worth mentioning—
Ever since evolving, Charmeleon had lost its former soft and adorable look. On the contrary, its expression often looked fierce, almost intimidating.
Fearing it might scare little children, Yozora usually kept Charmeleon inside its Poké Ball, only releasing it for battles or when absolutely necessary.
"As expected! Yozora's last Pokémon is Charmeleon!" The commentator's voice rang out with excitement.
The spectators weren't the least bit surprised.
In their eyes, Charmeleon was Yozora's trump card. No matter how unfavorable the situation—whether type disadvantage or battlefield conditions—if it came down to the final moment, Yozora would always send out Charmeleon.
That was the unshakable trust of a Trainer in their ace Pokémon.
Amid the heavy rain, Charmeleon narrowed its eyes, locking onto the Gyarados across the field. Its fighting spirit surged so strongly that even the blue flame burning at the tip of its tail rose higher than before.
It was as if the downpour hadn't weakened Charmeleon in the slightest—in fact, it seemed to sharpen its resolve.
"So cool—this Charmeleon is just so cool!"
"What a presence!"
"I want one… If only Yozora would part with it…"
"Are you stupid? Who would ever give up their ace Pokémon?"
"Charmeleon, let's go!!"
The audience couldn't help but be swept up by Charmeleon's raw aura. Many of them were already shouting encouragement for Yozora and his partner.
"Even though the type and weather are against us, Charmeleon is still Yozora's ace. Gyarados, don't take it lightly," Captain Edson warned, then gave his command. "Gyarados, lock on and use Hydro Pump!"
"Jump and dodge it!" Yozora called back instantly.
Hydro Pump blasted forth with frightening speed—nearly impossible for Pidgeotto to evade. But Charmeleon was faster and sharper.
At Yozora's command, Charmeleon leapt high, narrowly dodging the torrent.
"Stay airborne—Flame Charge!" Yozora ordered.
With a hiss, fire flared across Charmeleon's body. In midair, it became a blazing fireball, burning through raindrops as it hurled itself at Gyarados.
But Captain Edson was prepared. "Gyarados, Aqua Tail!"
Gyarados' massive tail shimmered blue, transforming into a surging liquid whip that smashed into Charmeleon's fireball.
Water and flame collided, erupting into clouds of steam.
Both Pokémon were forced back, but Gyarados' power was clearly greater. Charmeleon skidded hard across the ground, gouging deep trenches with its claws.
A pained grunt escaped Charmeleon, though the agony flashed across its face for only a moment.
And then—
That pain ignited its spirit even further.
With a roar, the blue flame on its tail suddenly flared fivefold, towering larger than Charmeleon itself.
Blaze had been activated!
The instant its ability awakened, Charmeleon's aura surged wildly, overwhelming even Gyarados.
"What terrifying firepower… That Charmeleon's potential is astounding!" Sherry gasped from the sidelines, her eyes wide.
In this era, the concept of "Abilities" hadn't yet been studied.
Most people thought of such traits as natural-born talents—gifts only certain Pokémon possessed. The stronger the talent, the greater the potential in the eyes of Trainers and spectators alike.
"So that's power beyond the Senior tier…" Ritchie clenched his fists, his eyes blazing with yearning.
He longed for that kind of strength.
Unfortunately, his own partners were still stuck at the early Senior stage. To surpass that barrier, he still had a long road to walk.
"Charmeleon's fired up! The battle has swung completely around again!" the commentator shouted.
Even Captain Edson was left speechless by the sudden reversal.
And he wasn't alone—
Even the calm, taciturn blond gentleman in the stands, who rarely showed emotion, allowed a flicker of shock to cross his eyes as he watched Charmeleon's blazing form.
"Charmeleon—Fire Blast!" Yozora's voice rang out.
"Fire Blast? Against Water-type power? Gyarados, Hydro Pump!" Captain Edson commanded, though his voice carried a note of disbelief.
The battlefield erupted.
Charmeleon roared, spewing a blazing 大-shaped inferno forward. It smashed headlong into Gyarados' Hydro Pump.
But the Fire Blast didn't falter—instead, it shredded through the torrent as if it weren't even there. With unstoppable force, it struck Gyarados, engulfing the sea serpent in a storm of fire and steam.
"Roooaaaar!!"
Though Gyarados was naturally resistant to fire, the sheer force of Charmeleon's Blaze-fueled attack tore through that defense. Writhing in agony, Gyarados crashed to the ground, its body twisting as it howled in pain.
Captain Edson's eyes went wide in disbelief.
"Charge in—Slash!" Yozora commanded.
Charmeleon didn't even wait—it instinctively cloaked itself in fire once more, using Flame Charge to rocket toward its opponent.
In a blur, it closed the distance. The flames dispersed, leaving its claws glowing sharp and deadly.
With a feral cry, Charmeleon slashed into Gyarados again and again, each strike carving deep crimson marks across its scaled body.
"GYAAAHHH!!"
The leviathan reeled, screaming under the relentless assault.
After only two seconds of this furious barrage, Gyarados let out one final groan and collapsed, defeated.
(End of Chapter)