"Char…"
Hearing Grey's teasing, Charizard rubbed the back of its head, a little embarrassed.
Back then, after it evolved, it kind of stopped wanting to listen to Ash. If Grey hadn't corrected it in time, it probably still wouldn't be listening to Ash even now.
So to Charizard, Grey could count as a second savior who'd set it back on the right path.
The small talk ended quickly.
And the second battle was about to begin!
"Charizard, Flamethrower!"
At Ash's command, he still instinctively opened with Flamethrower!
No other reason—high power, and it just feels good to use!
As an opening move, it was naturally the best choice.
"ROAAH!"
Charizard snapped its head up, an orange-red glow lighting in its throat.
The next moment, a scorching fire pillar nearly two meters wide erupted out!
One glance told you the power was no joke—compared to Flamethrower back when it was a Charmander, this was on a completely different level.
"Not bad, not bad."
Grey nodded lightly, giving Charizard's Flamethrower his approval.
Sirfetch'd stood ready, like a knight awaiting Grey's command.
The Flamethrower was already closing in. Grey shouted, "Brick Break!"
"Siiir!"
A sharp gleam flashed in Sirfetch'd's eyes—it had already seen through the flaw in this move.
Its webbed feet suddenly exploded with force, and it swung its leek sword. Fighting energy surged out violently!
Right as the leek sword collided with the crimson fire pillar—
Slash!
With a crisp sound of energy tearing apart, the Flamethrower was forcibly split clean down the middle!
The separated waves of flame screamed past on either side of Sirfetch'd, blasting two charred trenches behind it.
And that leek-sword arc that had cleaved the fire didn't slow at all—Sirfetch'd pointed straight at Charizard's vital spot and charged forward in long, decisive strides!
"Charizard, use Fire Punch!"
Watching his proud Flamethrower get split in half, Ash didn't even know what move to call next.
In desperation, he could only try Fire Punch and see if it worked!
Otherwise, with the strength Sirfetch'd showed in cutting Flamethrower apart, Charizard's plan to wear it down from range was basically impossible.
"ROAAH!"
Overconfidence led to defeat—Charizard had lost to Grey before, and it didn't want to lose again this time.
Hearing Ash's command, flames flared up around both fists as it threw a punch at the onrushing Sirfetch'd!
"Night Slash."
Grey's command fell.
Dark-type energy immediately surged from Sirfetch'd's leek sword, black light billowing as it collided with Charizard head-on.
BOOM!!!
Flames and shadowy sword-light crashed violently in midair. Within the red-and-black energy turbulence, you could faintly see Charizard and Sirfetch'd locked in a standoff at point-blank range.
The shockwave howled, kicking up dust more than three meters high. Both figures were shoved back several steps by the impact.
Sirfetch'd dropped back to the ground. It shook its body, forcing the smoke and dust out from its snow-white feathers—and looked completely fine.
Charizard, on the other hand—
"Rrr…"
A dark sword gash now cut across its abdomen, savage and ugly.
In that exchange, Charizard's Fire Punch had vanished the moment it met Sirfetch'd's leek sword—like raindrops falling into the sea, disappearing without a ripple.
It left Charizard momentarily dumbfounded.
"Did it find another weakness again?"
After traveling for so long, Ash naturally knew what Focus Energy did.
It was a move that raised the chance of landing critical hits.
But Sirfetch'd hitting vital spots over and over—every strike a critical—had Ash scratching his head in frustration.
If it kept landing critical hits like this, wouldn't Charizard be unable to hurt Sirfetch'd at all?
The thought made Ash suck in a cold breath.
But in the short term… he really couldn't think of a way to break through.
Because no matter what, Charizard's moves were just getting neutralized!
"Ash, why obsess over clashing moves head-on?" Grey said with a smile, hinting at the answer.
He could tell—Ash truly trusted his partner.
No matter how many times his moves got broken, Ash still kept having his Pokémon trade moves directly.
In that situation, the efficiency was terrible.
Even if you fought until you dropped, you might not deal any damage to Sirfetch'd at all.
Not even a little.
"Right—why am I obsessing over clashing moves head-on?"
Ash suddenly realized.
Why was he being so dumb?
If he couldn't win the move clash, then he could just have his Pokémon tank a hit and counterattack!
For a moment, Ash felt like an absolute genius.
"…"
Grey scratched his cheek, already guessing what Ash was thinking.
This kid… didn't he…
Misunderstand it?
Tank it head-on, my ass—Sirfetch'd's moves right now could practically be called "guaranteed" critical hits. And in that situation, you still dare to tank it?
Grey really wanted to give Ash a big thumbs-up.
Yep. That's you.
"Charizard, use Flamethrower again!"
Ash already had a plan in mind.
Now he just needed Sirfetch'd to bite.
"ROAAH!"
Charizard lifted its head, and an enormous fire pillar surged out again!
Thick firelight dove downward, trying to roast Sirfetch'd on the ground into a fragrant, sizzling duck!
"Night Slash."
With Grey's sweeping gesture, Sirfetch'd moved at once.
Slash!
Black light flashed, and the Flamethrower was split in half again, just like before.
Two waves of flame scraped past Sirfetch'd's body from both sides.
And Sirfetch'd sprang high into the air, the black glow on its leek sword not weakening at all. After charging power to the fullest, it brought the blade down in a heavy slash—aimed straight at Charizard's already-injured abdomen!
"Charizard—block it, then use Seismic Toss!"
Charizard didn't dodge. It let the sword-light rip open a new wound across its abdomen!
It forced itself through the pain, spread its arms, and the instant Sirfetch'd fell, clamped it around the waist!
The next second, Charizard's tail flame exploded into a burst of thrust—turning both Pokémon into a scarlet meteor shooting straight into the sky!
"Oh? Seismic Toss?"
Grey clicked his tongue, clearly recognizing Charizard's "signature technique."
In Charizard's hands, Seismic Toss was said to have a high chance of defeating the opponent as long as it landed.
Even if it didn't finish them, it could still leave the opposing Pokémon stuck in bed for days.
"With Sirfetch'd unable to use its arms, it can't do anything to Charizard!" Ash wore a faint smile.
Charizard's stamina was still pretty healthy.
Now that it had Sirfetch'd under control—and had stopped it from using its weapon—once Seismic Toss went through, a follow-up Flamethrower would definitely cripple Sirfetch'd!
Ash felt like his command was perfect!
"Is that so?"
Grey's lips curved, half-smiling. "Farfetch'd, use Peck continuously!"
This was the perfect move for Sirfetch'd right now.
The base power was low, sure—but landing critical hits would boost the damage!
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