[Flint: What a terrifying clash… But Charizard's improvement is even more terrifying.]
[Blaine: Improvement? This is straight-up cheating!!]
[Blaine: It's simply outrageous. What kind of enhancement can boost a mid-tier Elite Four-level Pokémon directly to the peak of a Champion-level Legendary Beast?]
[Blaine: Mega Evolution and Aura Fusion are simply cheats among cheats!]
A mid-tier Elite Four level being boosted to the peak of a regular Pokémon's Champion level…
If he had seen this image before today, Blaine would have definitely thought anyone who said that was an idiot, but now… he felt like the idiot!!
[Lance: No matter how many times I watch it, things like Mega Evolution… still feel utterly absurd.]
Think about it carefully. Besides the raw power boost from Mega Evolution, the change in form also grants higher base stats than other forms at the same level.
Why can Legendary Beasts fight across levels? Precisely because their stats at the same level surpass those of ordinary Pokémon. Why are pseudo-Legendaries called that? Because their final evolved forms have significantly higher stats than ordinary Pokémon at the same level.
Of course, we're talking about normal circumstances here—excluding bonds, special training, etc., just standard growth. That's why Legendary and pseudo-Legendary Pokémon attract so many trainers.
Even if pseudo-Legendaries are hard to raise and have long growth cycles, the payoff makes it worth the effort.
But now… the Mega system has broken this rule.
While it's unknown exactly how much the Mega system boosts a Pokémon's stats at the same level, judging by Charizard's ability to leapfrog levels after evolution… it probably doesn't concede much to Legendary Beasts.
So, calling the Mega system ridiculous is truly fitting.
...
In the Black World—
After the initial collision, Charizard and Entei began fighting hand-to-hand. During Charizard's Mega Evolution, Ash realized Charizard was even more formidable when using close-quarters moves!
This reminded Ash of an Ability—Tough Claws.
Pokémon with this Ability increase the power of their contact moves by 30%. For his Charizard, it was simply a perfect fit! After all, his Charizard preferred close combat even in its normal state, let alone now, with its Mega-evolved, more solid physique.
The two sides exchanged dozens of rounds, using moves like Bite, Dragon Claw, Crunch, Dragon Tail, Fire Punch, Fire Kick… Before long, the hot spring area was pitted and scarred, almost completely destroyed. Some hot springs were buried under rubble, some evaporated by flames, and others were blown away entirely.
Misty and the others on the sidelines were protected by Sabrina's psychic power. Every time a terrifying battle at the Champion-level or above occurred, Sabrina had to use her powers to withstand the aftermath; otherwise, even at this distance, they could be blown away or even injured by the shockwaves! This was a Champion-level fight!
Ash on the side was also stunned. What kind of monster had he run into this time? Forget about the Charizard that was fighting Entei nearly evenly, why was Ash… still standing motionless amid all these explosions and gales? Whether it was rubble from explosions or flames from collisions, none of it harmed Ash or even made him take a single step from his spot! Although Ash occasionally showed a pained expression, he looked incredibly cool standing there in the midst of the blasts!
On the field—Ash's occasional pained expression naturally came from Charizard taking hits. How could a secret technique that boosted Charizard by one and a half levels have no side effects?
First was the damage-sharing of Aura Fusion. As enemy levels increased, the damage Charizard took grew higher, meaning Ash naturally bore greater risk. Even with his robust physique, frequent attacks from a high-tier Champion-level Legendary Beast caused unbearable pain.
Second… perhaps due to combining Mega Evolution with Aura Fusion, Ash felt an even deeper connection with Charizard. Sometimes when Charizard moved, Ash involuntarily wanted to mimic the action. Back during the Charmeleon days, Ash had done the same. But later, to better observe the battlefield from a third-person perspective, Ash deliberately avoided fusing so deeply with his Pokémon, leaving himself more room to assess the situation.
Now, however, Ash had no such leeway. The deep fusion with Charizard left him no time to pay attention to anything else—the terrain, tactics, coordination… none of that mattered anymore. All he had to do now was… fight! Keep fighting! Completely overwhelm the enemy before him!
After another dozens of rounds, the battlefield was utterly shattered. Both Entei and Charizard bore various injuries, panting as they stared each other down. The next move… would decide the outcome!
"The final blow, Charizard—Dragon Claw!!"
"Roar!!!"
Charizard spread its thick arms, its sharp claws sheathed in a layer of emerald-green energy that formed sharp, extended claws!
"But it's not over yet… add this!"
Ash suddenly gritted his teeth, and the blue light in his eyes deepened and brightened!
Simultaneously, all the power in Charizard's body surged forth. Multicolored flames—Sacred Fire—wrapped around the emerald-green claws! The blazing heat fused into the Dragon Claw, and the very air seemed to burn at this moment!
Sacred Fire superimposed on Dragon Claw! Coating the claws with Sacred Fire allowed the incredibly hard Dragon Claw to deal physical damage while the attached Sacred Fire inflicted fire damage. Simply put—it was an enchantment!
"Roar?!"
Entei hurriedly questioned. Why is your Sacred Fire different from mine? Why can mine only be used as a move, while you've mastered using it to enhance other attacks? He could tolerate the earlier Flamethrower, Fire Punch, etc., infused with Sacred Fire. But now Dragon Claw could carry Sacred Fire too?! You, Charizard… that's illegal!
"Roar!!"
Without giving Entei time to think, Charizard beat its massive wings, its form turning into a black lightning bolt that drew a dark arc across the sky, arriving before Entei in an instant!
Entei, no longer caring about legality, mustered his greatest strength, condensing multicolored flames in his mouth—a full-power Sacred Fire!
The collision of the Sacred Dragon Claw and the Sacred Fire produced the largest explosion of the battle so far!
The blast wave sent countless sand particles flying everywhere. The entire arena was damaged even more deeply, the ground shattering inch by inch as a massive crater formed at the center!
The explosion's power was so immense that even Ash couldn't weather it unaffected. With all his Aura power devoted to offense, Ash had no extra strength to defend against the aftermath…
But… he still had Pikachu!
Pikachu condensed lightning on its tail, then spun and fired an Electro Web, blocking all the erupting whirlwinds and debris. Even though the web's gaps were large, tiny lightning bolts within them stopped even the finest dust.
On Misty's side, Sabrina had also increased her psychic output. Unlike the stunned Ash, Sabrina was accustomed to such scenes. This was minor compared to before—when the Guardian of the Seas fought Dark Lugia. That spectacle was truly outrageous. Even the aftermath then… wasn't something her psychic power could fully stop.
The frenzied gale raged for over ten seconds before slowly subsiding. Smoke and dust hung heavy, obscuring the field.
However, seeing Ash panting but still standing, Sabrina could roughly guess the final outcome.
After another ten seconds, the dust cleared, revealing the scene. The black dragon stood tall, though injured all over, while the once-majestic lion lay collapsed in a heap within a web of cracks, its eyes swirled, having lost the ability to battle.
Charizard had won this battle!
Ash gasped, took a Poké Ball from his waist, and threw it directly.
You beat a Legendary Beast fair and square? What a generous soul! Even if he's the Rainbow Hero, can't he catch Entei? On the contrary, precisely because he's the Rainbow Hero, he wants to catch Entei! Imagine taking the three Legendary Beasts to challenge Ho-Oh—what a beautiful scene that would be!
As the Poké Ball hit Entei, a beam of light drew the Legendary Beast inside. The ball shook three times indicatively before finally emitting a crisp click!
"I caught… Entei!!"
"Pikachu!!"
"Roar!!!"
...
[Blaine: I'll be damned! Black Ash actually caught Entei directly!?]
[Flint: ?]
[Flint: What's strange about that? After defeating Entei, shouldn't he catch it? Should he wait for Entei to wake up, have a heart-to-heart, and then catch it with Entei's consent?]
[Blaine: Well… I suppose what you say makes sense.]
Blaine had genuinely thought of what Flint mentioned—because although Black Ash knew how to befriend Legendary Beasts, he always sought their consent before catching them. So, this time, Black Ash decisively throwing a Poké Ball surprised Blaine.
However, after Flint's reminder, Blaine realized this was the normal way to catch Pokémon! Defeat, throw the ball, catch successfully. Not defeat, persuade, gain heartfelt agreement, then catch…
Because theoretically, after defeating the opponent, they should acknowledge you…
Well, that was the universal rule. Only Black and White Ash often employed the method of winning hearts first, then catching through battle, which had led to Blaine's misconception…
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