Flamethrower's level is much higher than that of ordinary Pokémon, just like Pikachu's Thunderbolt. It's difficult to master moves like these without shortcuts at Pikachu's current stage.
It's also rare for a Charmander at this stage to learn Flamethrower, which left many nearby Trainers in shock.
How could this possibly be the weak Pokémon that Damian described? Charmander, using a high-level move like Flamethrower, is clearly a Pokémon with limitless potential.
From this, many realized that, as the Trainer in front of them said, it's not that the Pokémon is too weak, but that the Trainer is. If Damian had known Charmander could learn Flamethrower, he would never have abandoned it during training.
At this moment on the battlefield, even though Poliwag's Water Gun resisted part of the attack, the power of Flamethrower remained overwhelming. The Blaze ability significantly enhanced the move's firepower.
Poliwag, already low on stamina, was hit full force, and its entire body was engulfed in flames. After a while, Charizard's flames dissipated.
Poliwag lay on the ground, eyes swirling as it lost consciousness. Seeing this, Damian and his friends wore expressions of disbelief.
Many of the Trainers nearby cheered, happy that Damian was finally taught a lesson. Of course, many began praising Ash as well.
Winning under such a disadvantage, despite the unfavorable type matchup, is something an average Trainer wouldn't be able to pull off.
"Darn it!" Damian clenched his fists, glaring at Ash with venom in his eyes. If not for Ash, he wouldn't have been humiliated like this.
"Yes! Ash won!~" Misty happily rushed to Ash's side, clapping with him in celebration.
At this moment, Charmander glanced at Damian, then turned to Ash, his expression conflicted.
As Damian fumed, his gaze shifted to Charmander, a sneer forming on his face. Ignoring his injured Poliwag, he walked straight toward Charmander.
"So, you've gotten stronger! That means you're finally worthy of being my Pokémon. What do you say, Charmander? Come back to me!"
To everyone's surprise, Damian attempted to win Charmander over again.
The surrounding Trainers reacted with disgust. This guy had first abandoned Charmander and now, seeing its strength, had the nerve to claim it as his again.
He had once looked down on it, and now that it had become stronger, he shamelessly suggested Charmander was worthy. Little did he know, the moment he abandoned it, he lost the right to be its Trainer.
"You jerk! Not only did you deceive and abandon Charmander, but you also tried to humiliate it with Poliwag just now, and now you dare ask to take it back?" Misty's temper flared as she clenched her fists, clearly ready to give Damian a well-deserved punch.
Ash remained silent, and although Brock didn't speak either, it was clear he agreed with Misty.
"Yeah, absolutely shameless!"
"How could you still have the nerve to stick around after losing?"
The nearby Trainers, encouraged by Misty's words, began to murmur loudly, making sure Damian could hear every word.
Though Damian was furious, he couldn't afford to lose face further. How could he let go of such a powerful Pokémon now?
After all, Charmander had pestered him before, and he thought with the right tricks, he could win it over again.
"Hmph! It was my Pokémon to begin with. I trained it to be this strong. I only abandoned it to toughen it up, and it seems to have worked."
Damian's sneer deepened as he continued, "Even a Trainer like you could use it to defeat my Poliwag, which proves my methods were right. So, Charmander, what do you say? Come back to me!"
Not only was Damian shameless, but he deliberately insulted Ash. However, everyone around knew his true nature. Still, there was a flicker of concern in his eyes—what if Charmander really did decide to go back to him?
As Charmander remained motionless, Damian began to feel uneasy. The gossip from the surrounding Trainers only added to his anxiety, and he worried that Charmander might leave with Ash.
Suddenly, with a plan forming in his mind, Damian secretly pulled out a Poké Ball and turned toward Charmander.
"Don't even think about it, Charmander. Your best choice is to be by my side! Go, Poké Ball!"
No one expected Damian to stoop so low. While it's normal for a Trainer to use a Poké Ball to catch a Pokémon, Damian's attempt to forcibly reclaim Charmander after abandoning it was beyond contempt. The moment the Poké Ball flew toward Charmander, someone in the crowd shouted out.
"Watch out!!"
Charmander had been deep in thought, looking at Ash, but snapped back to attention when he heard the warning. He quickly turned and saw Damian's Poké Ball coming right at him.
*Whoosh!*
*Smack!*
In an instant, Charmander's eyes flared with defiance. With a swift motion, he spun around and lashed his tail, smacking the Poké Ball right back at Damian. The ball struck Damian square in the face with a loud thud.
"Ahhh!" Damian cried out as the Poké Ball fell to the ground, leaving a perfect circular mark on his face.
"How dare you—"
Before Damian could finish his sentence, Charmander unleashed a blast of fire. Engulfed in flames, Damian screamed in pain as his entire body was scorched black.
Witnessing this, Ash, who had been silent the whole time, couldn't help but smirk. Seeing his expression, Misty and Brock exchanged glances, puzzled by Ash's calm demeanor.
"Ash, did you know Charmander wouldn't go back to him?" Misty asked.
Ash hadn't intervened at all, clearly anticipating this outcome. But how could he have been so certain?