The Entei that suddenly appeared before Ash and his companions completely ignored them. Its piercing, beastly eyes were fixed solely on Delia.
"Mama!"
Entei had spoken!
Blue light flickered in Ash's eyes as he lashed out with his Psychic power, attempting to envelop Entei. However, a deafening roar suddenly erupted in his ears, an auditory shockwave that sent Ash reeling back several steps.
"Entei, don't push it!" Ash snarled.
Entei paid him no mind. Its gaze never wavered from Delia. "You are Mama!"
This was a Hypnosis far more sophisticated than anything a Noctowl could produce; it was actively ensnaring Delia's mind. Ash tried to use his Psychic power to break the hold, only to suffer a violent mental backlash.
"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"
Sensing Ash's fury, Pikachu's electricity surged with explosive intensity. Despite the Thunderbolt being 200% more powerful than usual, Entei dodged it with ease. Seeing that the Hypnosis had taken hold, Entei lunged forward to take Delia away.
Suddenly, Wobbuffet appeared in front of Delia, fearlessly throwing itself into Entei's path. Entei's massive frame slammed into it, but Wobbuffet treated it as a Tackle and executed a decisive Counter, actually managing to shove the legendary beast back!
"Good job, Wobbuffet!"
Ash was still reeling from the mental backlash, but seeing Entei's advance interrupted, he gritted his teeth and threw a Poké Ball. "Snorlax, I know you're awake! Use Block!"
Snorlax was indeed awake. It leaped out like a living wall of flesh, sealing off the path between Entei and Delia.
"Entei, stop this at once!"
System, is there an item that can break Entei's Hypnosis? Ash roared in his mind. Entei's trance was no ordinary status effect; a mere Lum Berry or Awakening wouldn't be enough. He had to rely on the system.
"Human, move!" Entei finally turned its gaze toward Ash.
"Less talk, more fight!" Ash waved his hand in a fury, commanding his strongest Pokémon to strike. "Snorlax, High Horsepower!"
High Horsepower was a Ground-type move that Snorlax had only recently mastered through intense special training. Against a Fire-type like Entei, it was super effective! This move required immense weight; among many Pokémon, only the likes of Snorlax, Golurk, Mudsdale, and Copperajah were capable of wielding such force.
Snorlax's squinted eyes suddenly flashed with a predatory light. Shrouded in the raw power of the earth, it charged at Entei.
[Snorlax: 215/255]
As expected, battling a powerful foe was a shortcut to raising a Pokémon's Bond Level.
[Recommendation: Host should exchange for the item, Sacred Ash.]
The system never disappointed. It gave Ash the answer he needed almost instantly.
Sacred Ash was a legendary item tied to Ho-Oh. According to legend, the Entei of old had been resurrected from a great fire by Ho-Oh itself. Regardless of this specific Entei's origins, the system-produced Sacred Ash would surely break the spell.
It cost a staggering 500 exchange points, nearly half of everything Ash had accumulated over the past two weeks of constant battling. Ash didn't hesitate. He redeemed the Sacred Ash and threw it toward Delia!
"Ash!"
Delia recovered instantly, looking at her son with deep concern.
Seeing her back to normal, Ash finally allowed himself a moment of relief. "Snorlax, keep it back! Use Block again!"
However, Entei was now truly enraged. As a Fire-type legendary, it possessed a naturally volatile temperament.
"Roar!"
It was the move Roar!
Snorlax was forcibly recalled into its Poké Ball. In an instant, the path to Delia was clear once more.
"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"
Ash's reactions were pushed to their absolute limit. Almost instinctively, he commanded Pikachu to strike the moment Snorlax vanished. Yet again, Entei dodged the surging lightning with trivial effort.
"Damn it!" Ash hissed, hand already reaching for another Poké Ball.
But then, a hand caught his arm.
"Mom?"
When Ash turned around, his friends gasped. His eyes were bloodshot and crimson, a combined result of the Psychic backlash and the sheer mental strain of the battle. Under Entei's crushing pressure, Ash was on the verge of a mental collapse.
"Ash!" Misty cried out, her heart aching at the sight of him.
Delia, however, looked at Ash with maternal tenderness, gently stroking his hair. "It's alright, Ash. I don't think Entei dear means any harm."
With that, she recalled the heavily injured Wobbuffet and handed its ball to Brock before stepping in front of Ash.
"Entei dear!"
A mother was truly a mother. To Ash, Entei was a terrifying powerhouse, but to Delia, it had already earned a pet name.
Entei hadn't actually used an offensive attack yet, but a single shove had been enough to knock Wobbuffet out of the fight. If it truly went on the offensive and Snorlax wasn't there to tank the hit, everyone behind him would be finished. Ash couldn't afford to lower his guard.
"Entei dear, did Molly send you to find me?"
Delia was as sharp as she was kind. The moment the Hypnosis broke, she had pieced together Entei's motive.
"Yes. You are Mama!" Entei said again, though this time it refrained from using Hypnosis.
"Mom, what are you doing?" Ash asked. Now that the adrenaline was fading, his entire body screamed in pain. The consequences of Psychic backlash were truly terrifying.
Delia turned and smiled at him. "Ash, I'm going to go take care of little Molly. You'll come and save us both, won't you?"
Ash nodded emphatically. "Of course!"
Delia gave a satisfied smile and walked bravely to Entei's side. "Entei dear, you don't need to put a spell on me. I'll come and look after Molly."
Entei held true to its word. It allowed Delia to climb onto its back and turned to race back toward the Crystal Tower. As it left, it spared one final glance for Ash.
Ash turned to Brock. "Brock, please... contact Liza immediately. Have her transfer Charizard... I need its strength."
"And those crystals... we can't move against them recklessly..."
Before he could finish, Ash's vision went black, and he collapsed into total unconsciousness.
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