"It's really Blastoise..." Ritchie muttered through gritted teeth. Despite the disadvantage, he hesitated to recall Charizard, still hoping to turn the tide. "Jibo, use your strongest Air Slash!"
Charizard let out a roar and hurled sharp blades of air straight toward Blastoise on the ground.
"Blastoise, Hydro Pump!" Ash called out. He saw through Ritchie's intention—this was a probing attack.
Seizing the moment, Ash countered with a decisive move to overwhelm his opponent.
"Krr-oo!" Blastoise roared, its dual cannons aligning and glowing faintly blue. In an instant, a raging torrent of water shot forth, colliding with the Air Slash.
The blades shattered under the sheer force of the Hydro Pump, which continued its path, heading directly for Charizard.
"Dodge it, Jibo!" Ritchie shouted, his voice tense. Knowing how disastrous this attack would be for his Charizard, he ordered an immediate evasive maneuver.
Charizard swiftly dove, barely skimming past the torrent of water. It felt a drop of water land on its scales and shuddered—Hydro Pump's immense pressure left even a glancing sensation intimidating.
Ash frowned slightly. "Avoided, huh? As expected." While Hydro Pump's power was undeniable, its speed left room for agile opponents to evade.
Ritchie's Charizard, with its impressive aerial agility, managed to dodge. But Ash wasn't going to let the opportunity slip.
"Blastoise, use Water Pulse and launch it now!"
Blastoise immediately condensed an orb of water in its hands and hurled it toward the ground—away from Charizard.
"What? Blastoise missed?" The commentator sounded bewildered, as did the audience.
Ritchie also hesitated, his hand holding Charizard's Poké Ball. "A mistake...?" His confusion delayed his reaction, and he failed to recall Charizard in time.
The Water Pulse struck the ground several meters in front of Ritchie, detonating into a powerful wave that surged upward, blocking his vision completely.
Ash smirked. "Exactly as planned." The wall of water obscured Ritchie's view of Charizard, leaving him unable to recall it. Meanwhile, Charizard hesitated in mid-air, unable to see its trainer.
"Jibo, ascend quickly!" Ritchie finally commanded. Charizard, hearing his voice, recovered its composure and began rising into the air.
But this was the exact opening Ash had been waiting for.
"Blastoise, Hydro Pump!" Ash barked, his voice cutting through the noise.
Blastoise roared, its dual cannons adjusting and releasing a colossal stream of water.
The attack surged upward like a projectile, slicing through the air toward the airborne Charizard.
As the water wall dissolved into splashes, Ritchie's view cleared just in time to see the devastating Hydro Pump heading straight for his Pokémon. "Jibo, dodge!" he shouted desperately.
Charizard turned to see the attack too late. The thick column of water slammed into it with incredible force, sending it hurtling higher into the air.
The sheer impact pushed Charizard back nearly ten meters before the Hydro Pump dissipated.
Charizard, now battered and soaked, spiraled downward in a weakened state.
"Return, Charizard!" Ritchie hurriedly activated his Poké Ball, but Ash wasn't letting up.
"Blastoise, Water Gun!" Ash commanded.
Blastoise quickly repositioned, its smaller cannons firing twin streams of water at incredible speed.
The Water Gun intercepted the Poké Ball's recall beam, causing the red light to miss its target. The Water Gun struck Charizard again, pushing it further across the battlefield.
Ritchie's face fell as he realized Ash had anticipated his every move.
"Finish it, Blastoise! Water Gun, once more!" Ash's voice rang with finality.
Blastoise unleashed another precise Water Gun, the force driving Charizard into the arena wall. The Fire-type collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
"Charizard is unable to battle! Blastoise wins!" the referee declared, raising a flag in Ash's favor.
For a moment, Indigo Stadium fell silent. Then, an eruption of cheers swept through the crowd, their voices calling out the victors' ames.
"Ash! Ash! Ash!"
"Blastoise! Blastoise! Blastoise!"
The roars of enthusiasm echoed across the arena, celebrating Ash and Blastoise's flawless strategy and execution.
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Ash's masterful tactics demonstrated not just skill but foresight—how will Ritchie adjust to this level of precision in their next encounter?
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