Rhydon's defeat didn't shake Gary's resolve. Taking out a Poké Ball, he threw it decisively into the field. "Come on, Arcanine! This battle is yours!"
The Poké Ball burst open, releasing a brilliant light that revealed Arcanine's majestic form. Standing tall, its flowing mane danced in the wind as it roared.
The visible sound waves spread out, intimidating Pidgeot and reducing its attack power by one level.
"Come back, Pidgeot!" Ash called, a satisfied smile tugging at his lips. He had anticipated this.
Leaving Pidgeot on the field wasn't to fight Arcanine, but to confirm Gary's choice of Pokémon.
Now, with intimidation active, Ash could swap out Pidgeot and avoid any impact on his next Pokémon.
With a flick of his wrist, Ash replaced Pidgeot's Poké Ball with another. "Blastoise, I'm counting on you!" he declared.
The battlefield erupted in cheers as Blastoise emerged, the perfect counter to Gary's Fire-type Arcanine.
With Haunter already down and Pidgeot running low on stamina, Blastoise was Ash's best bet to turn the tide.
Blastoise landed with a thud, its confident gaze locking onto Arcanine. A slight smirk tugged at its mouth as if declaring it wouldn't lose.
Gary wasted no time. "Arcanine, use Extreme Speed to get close, then follow up with Thunder Fang!" he commanded.
His strategy mirrored the one Ash had used against him in their earlier battles—utilizing speed to close the distance before unleashing a powerful move.
Arcanine shot forward like a streak of lightning, disappearing from its spot. In less than two seconds, it crossed the 100-meter distance and appeared beside Blastoise, its jaws crackling with electricity.
"Withdraw, then Rapid Spin!" Ash's command came instantly.
Blastoise tucked into its shell, activating its Water-Type energy to raise its defences, then began spinning rapidly just as Arcanine lunged.
"Bang!" Arcanine's electrified fangs struck the spinning shell, but the force of Rapid Spin deflected the attack, sending Arcanine tumbling backward. The recoil caused minor damage while leaving Blastoise unscathed.
"Now, maintain the spin and use, Hydro Pump!" Ash continued.
"Blas-toise!" Blastoise's muffled voice echoed from inside its shell. The cannons on its back extended and unleashed twin jets of water.
The Hydro Pump not only boosted Blastoise's spin speed but created centrifugal force, transforming the water into expanding circular waves.
Caught off guard, Arcanine had no time to evade and was blasted by the powerful waves.
The attack sent it skidding backward over ten meters, soaking its fur and draining a significant chunk of its stamina.
Gary's eyes widened in shock. "How is this possible?!" He knew how difficult it was to execute such a combination.
His own Blastoise couldn't pull off Rapid Spin and Hydro Pump simultaneously with this level of control.
Realizing Arcanine was at a disadvantage, Gary quickly raised its Poké Ball. "Arcanine, return!"
But Ash was ready. "Blastoise, Water Pulse!" he commanded.
Blastoise stopped its spin and launched a water orb between Arcanine and Gary. The orb exploded upon impact with the ground, creating a towering wave that formed a barrier between them.
Gary froze mid-motion, his expression tightening as he recalled a similar tactic Ash had used in a previous battle. "Arcanine, Extreme Speed! Evade the area and reposition!"
Arcanine responded instantly, vanishing in a blur as it darted around the field, waiting for the water barrier to subside.
Ash smirked. "You think speed alone will save you? Blastoise, Hydro Pump! Track Arcanine!"
Blastoise's keen eyes followed Arcanine's afterimage, its improved dynamic vision from rigorous training allowing it to lock onto the speeding Pokémon.
With a low growl, its twin cannons aimed forward, brimming with Water-Type energy.
"Fire!" Ash shouted.
With precise timing, Blastoise unleashed a concentrated Hydro Pump. The twin streams converged into a single, powerful jet of water, forming a massive arrow-like projectile that tore through the air, pushing it aside with sheer force.
"Boom!" The Hydro Pump hurtled toward Arcanine at blistering speed, threatening to end the chase.
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