Charizard hovered in mid-air, his chest heaving violently. The wound on his flank, caused by a Hammer Arm, throbbed with lingering pain; every breath felt like fire burning within him.
Since his Flare Blitz hadn't connected with the opponent, the recoil damage was negligible; nevertheless, Charizard's injuries were severe.
Yet, he stared unflinchingly at Registeel. He would win this battle!
"Truly impressive, Ash. Both you and your Charizard have earned my genuine respect—forcing Registeel into a situation like this is something I've never seen before... but this is where it ends." Brandon offered sincere praise to Ash and his Charizard.
But his expression instantly shifted back to that of a battler: "Registeel, Lock-On!"
The gem on the Steel-type Titan's chest lit up, and an invisible wave locked onto Charizard in the air.
Charizard would have no way to dodge the next attack!
Brandon had resolved to decide the outcome with this very next move!
"Use Hyper Beam." Brandon's calm, steady voice rang out again; this time, he commanded Registeel to unleash the ultimate Normal-type move—Hyper Beam!
While the move was immensely powerful, it was usually difficult to land a hit; however, with Charizard already locked on, Hyper Beam had become an unavoidable strike.
Registeel spread its arms wide as golden energy surged and condensed furiously in front of its chest. The sheer magnitude of that energy made the air inside the pyramid tremble.
"Oh no... In Charizard's current state, if it takes a Hyper Beam head-on, it will definitely be unable to continue battling." Brock looked worried.
One of Charizard's major advantages over Registeel was its speed—something clearly demonstrated by the fact that it had successfully landed two Fire Punches.
Had Brandon not been so experienced—using Hammer Arm to pin Charizard to the ground during a momentary pause in its movement—Charizard could have continued to use its speed to maneuver and wear Registeel down through hit-and-run tactics.
Brandon understood Registeel's disadvantage, so he abandoned any fancy tricks; he decided to simply overpower the opponent with sheer force.
Charizard could no longer dodge; it had no choice but to take the Hyper Beam head-on.
It was a matter of either taking the hit directly or taking it after a clash of moves.
In a direct confrontation, Charizard was no match for Registeel; it was in a truly tight spot...
"Charizard, Flare Blitz!" Ash's voice rang out, echoing through the vast pyramid.
"ROAR!!!"
Charizard let out a mighty roar and snapped its wings wide open! Crimson flames surged forth from its body. Since it couldn't dodge, it would meet the enemy head-on!
A peculiar glint flashed in Brandon's eyes—he realized that the red flames enveloping Charizard were different from ordinary fire.
That explained how Charizard had managed to completely incinerate the Ancient Power attack earlier.
However... this time would not be so simple. The power of Hyper Beam far surpassed that of Ancient Power, and Registeel could sustain the attack; in a direct clash, Charizard wouldn't be so lucky.
Yet, the very next moment, Brandon's composed expression faltered.
Amidst the crimson flames burning around Charizard, a deep, impossible-to-ignore black light suddenly flared up.
Compared to the brilliant red glow surrounding Charizard, this black light seemed almost too tiny to notice, yet the instant it appeared, everyone's gaze was instantly drawn to it.
Brandon, in particular, sensed an unparalleled power emanating from those black flames.
"What is that... black flame?" Brandon murmured in bewilderment, even as the black flames enveloping Charizard began to expand!
This was a power unique to Charizard, its ultimate trump card—the Flames of Amaterasu!
"Let's go all out, Charizard! Starting with this battle, we're going to the very top of the world!" Ash swung his arm, his voice echoing throughout the Battle Pyramid.
Charizard's body was completely engulfed in black flames; the pitch-black fire seemed capable of burning right through the very fabric of space.
Even the rubble on the ground had melted completely into molten lava.
Were it not for Mewtwo's power, the Battle Pyramid might well have collapsed before Charizard even made a move.
In the next instant, Charizard transformed into a black meteor, diving straight down from the heights!
The black flames trailed behind it like a long comet's tail; wherever it passed, the air itself warped and distorted from the intense heat.
At that same moment, Registeel finished charging its attack—Hyper Beam, fire!
A golden beam shot forth from between the Steel Titan's hands, surging toward the sky with a force that seemed capable of destroying everything in its path!
Gold and black collided violently in mid-air—BOOM!
The entire Battle Pyramid shook violently; the floor of the arena was torn up by the shockwave, sending debris flying in all directions.
Yet, everything was held back by a transparent barrier; only then did Brandon snap out of his intense focus.
He had been wondering why the clash between two Champion-level Pokémon—which generated such immense power—hadn't affected the surroundings at all. It turned out Ash had already put protective measures in place.
Undoubtedly, that transparent barrier was Ash's doing.
He didn't know how Ash had managed it, but it was a huge help; without Ash, the Battle Pyramid—built at such great expense—might have been completely destroyed today!
Even as Brandon was momentarily distracted, the earth-shattering clash continued on the battlefield. The golden beam of destruction and the pitch-black flames collided. Contrary to the expected scene where Charizard would be utterly crushed, the two forces remained locked in a stalemate mid-air.
Visible shockwaves rippled outward, slamming against the surrounding barrier.
After a standoff lasting several seconds, the flames enveloping Charizard began to wane.
To go head-to-head against a Legendary Pokémon of "High-Champion" level while possessing only "Low-Champion" strength was already a remarkable feat.
Had the attack been a standard Flare Blitz rather than those pitch-black flames, Charizard—even in his Mega Evolved state—would have been instantly swallowed by the Hyper Beam, left without a shred of recourse.
Managing to hold the line for even a short while was an exceptional performance.
Unfortunately, that was as far as it would go.
The Hyper Beam was poised to ruthlessly crush Charizard; the battle was effectively won...
Hiss, hiss, hiss—a piercing sound erupted from the point of impact. The weakening black flames were actually burning away the golden beam!
Enveloped in the Amaterasu flames, Charizard wore a ferocious expression. His body was beginning to break down under the strain of the flames' side effects and the external pressure, yet he unleashed his full power without a second thought!
He would not lose!
So what if the opponent was "High-Champion" level? He hadn't been afraid back when he was merely "High-Elite Four" level—let alone now that he had reached the Champion tier!
In the past, his Trainer had always shielded him; even when he reached the Elite Four level, he still hadn't been able to stand as a bulwark for Ash. But now, he was a Champion!
Times had changed!
Now, he would use his own body and his own flames to carve out a future for Ash!
"ROAR!" Charizard let out a final, thunderous bellow, unleashing every ounce of his power at once! The black flames surged violently, tearing the Hyper Beam apart like a black dragon!
"What?!" The composure on Brandon's face finally shattered; he never imagined that Charizard could pull off a comeback like this!
The golden beam shattered upon contact with the black flames, dissolving into a myriad of light particles that scattered across the air.
Charizard surged through the destructive beam with unstoppable momentum, slamming heavily into Registeel!
BOOM!
Registeel's massive, heavy body was sent flying through the air; the metal plating on its chest began to melt and warp under the intense heat of the black flames, spraying out droplets of molten red iron.
The black flames clung tenaciously to Registeel, relentlessly searing its steel body.
That metal shell—reputed to withstand any physical attack—proved as fragile as paper against the black flames.
Registeel crashed hard onto the ground and tumbled repeatedly, finally coming to a halt only after slamming into the barrier at the edge of the arena.
The six red gems on its chest were now dim and lifeless, and its silvery-grey metal shell was scorched pitch-black and riddled with cracks, revealing the searing-hot core beneath.
The legendary Steel Titan was now reduced to such a wretched state!
Everyone—from Brandon to the referee—was too stunned by Registeel's battered appearance to react immediately.
It was only when the flames surrounding Charizard faded and the light of reversion washed over him, returning him to his original form, that they snapped back to reality.
Charizard stood panting heavily; he was covered in injuries and looked even more battered than Registeel, yet he remained standing on the field.
In contrast, Registeel lay motionless on the ground; were it not for the faint glow still emanating from its core, anyone witnessing the scene would have assumed it had perished.
After a brief pause, the referee waved the flag: "Registeel is unable to battle! Charizard wins!"
A heavy silence fell over the arena.
Paul sat in the stands, his hands gripping the armrests tightly. He clearly remembered how his Magmortar had unleashed a Flamethrower at Regice, failing to even breach its defenses.
Yet, Ash's Charizard had head-on overwhelmed Registeel—a Pokémon with even greater defensive capabilities than Regice.
It wasn't merely a matter of breaking through defenses; it had practically melted the opponent's entire body!
Who could have imagined a Legendary Titan being reduced to such a wretched state?
That Charizard... was it really only at the "Entry-level Champion" tier?
An Entry-level Champion facing a High-level Champion—the only power boost involved was Mega Evolution; Ash hadn't employed any of those bizarre methods for sudden power spikes he had used in the past.
And yet, he still won?
Should one attribute this to Charizard's indomitable will, the sheer absurdity of those black flames, or perhaps... something else entirely?
Paul looked down to see Ash rushing to Charizard's side, supporting the Pokémon as they walked off the battlefield while Ash used a special power to heal it.
Such emotion, such a bond—perhaps that was the very reason Charizard was able to unleash such terrifying power.
...
Brandon remained silent for a moment before recalling Registeel.
Legendary Pokémon possess immense vitality; despite the beating Registeel had taken, its life was never in actual danger. A quick recovery at the Pokémon Center after the battle would set things right.
Then, Brandon's gaze fell upon Ash, his admiration undisguised.
"Well done, Ash. Both you and your Charizard have truly amazed and astounded me. In all my years, I have never seen a Charizard quite like this one."
Black flames, a willpower that commanded awe, and talent of a terrifying magnitude... Even Leon's Charizard might not possess the same uniqueness as this one.
In terms of raw talent, Ash's Charizard was undoubtedly superior to Leon's.
As for current strength, while Ash's Charizard still had a long way to go to match Leon's, given time, it would certainly catch up.
Even now, this Charizard's strength ranks among the elite Pokémon; among the Trainers holding the title of Champion, how many could guarantee a victory over Ash's Charizard?
His defeat was by no means unjust.
However... Charizard had reached its limit; it had even reverted from its Mega Evolved state.
Although it hadn't technically been knocked out, it was effectively out of commission.
In other words, their situations were now identical: both had only two Pokémon remaining.
Ash treated Charizard, stabilizing its injuries, before recalling it into its Poké Ball.
That "Amaterasu-flame" version of Flare Blitz was a move that came at the cost of one's very life force.
Without Ash's healing and the ongoing effect of the Rainbow Wing within Charizard, that single strike alone would have caused wounds that might never have fully healed.
This variant flame, born from the Sacred Fire, possessed a destructive power far more terrifying than the original, yet it lacked the Sacred Fire's life-giving, restorative properties.
In terms of destructive output, this power allowed Charizard—even at the Champion level—to completely overwhelm and shatter Registeel, effectively punching two weight classes above its own.
Yet, Charizard itself suffered immense damage; it was a "win by a thousand, lose by eight hundred" kind of move.
Although Charizard had recovered somewhat thanks to Ash's treatment, Ash did not intend to use it again in the battles to come.
He would leave the task of dealing with the opponent's remaining two Pokémon to his own two remaining Pokémon.
"My second Pokémon is... Go, Regirock!" Brandon tossed his Poké Ball, releasing his second Pokémon.
It was a Pokémon composed entirely of rock—the Titan of Rock, Regirock!
The moment Regirock appeared, its stats and data flashed before Ash's eyes.
It was a Pokémon with even greater physical defense than Registeel, though its special defense was comparatively weaker—at least when measured against Registeel.
In terms of attack power, Regirock also surpasses Registeel; as for its level, it matches the latter—sitting at the Champion-High tier. All things considered, the Rock Titan is stronger than the Steel Titan!
"As for my choice... I choose you, Gardevoir!"
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