"Why is Ash holding back? He should be pressing the attack! Articuno just took Charizard's Flamethrower head-on!"
Misty looked on, puzzled by Ash's approach.
"No, it's not that simple," Brock replied. "After all, we're up against a Legendary Pokémon here. Its stamina is not to be underestimated..."
Before Brock could finish, Noland's Articuno quickly ascended, its movements showing no signs of delay from the recent Flamethrower!
Misty and May were both taken aback.
Nearby, Scott nodded, commenting, "This is shaping up to be quite the battle. Ash truly deserves to be someone who made it to the top eight in the Ever Grande Conference!"
"Articuno, use Haze!"
The moment Noland issued the command, Ash's heart skipped a beat. In the original story, when Ash challenged the Battle Factory, his opponent used Haze to disrupt Charizard's view, gaining the upper hand!
But Ash was prepared. As Articuno created a haze, Charizard remained in place!
Ash's senses had improved significantly, including his hearing. Listening closely to the sound of Articuno flying, Ash began to form his strategy.
A faint sound of Articuno reached his ears!
"Now! Charizard, use Fire Blast, and make it explode above the Haze!"
Noland's Articuno used Haze, cloaking both itself and Charizard in mist in the air. Noland was confident in Articuno's strength and hadn't expected Ash to counter this way!
Fire Blast exploded just above the haze, releasing a wave of fiery energy. Articuno finally reacted with a cry of pain, feeling the impact this time!
"What? Articuno, get out of the Haze!"
"Don't let it escape, Charizard! Flamethrower!" ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ n͟o͟v͟e͟l͟f͟i͟r͟e͟.net
"Articuno, use Hurricane to deflect Flamethrower!"
Noland managed to help Articuno distance itself from Charizard. However, after taking the Fire Blast, Articuno's stamina was significantly depleted—even if the move didn't land directly.
Fire Blast, a powerful Fire-type move that does double damage against an Ice/Flying type like Articuno, was not so easy to shake off!
Noland hadn't anticipated Ash and his Charizard would be so relentless. If this kept up, he'd need a way to immobilize Charizard before attempting a decisive strike with Sheer Cold!
Noland began formulating his next steps.
Meanwhile, Ash's offensive continued without pause.
While Noland considered Sheer Cold, Ash was planning to use Seismic Toss to settle the battle!
To do that, he needed to close in!
"Charizard, use Steel Wing!"
A close-range attack?
Noland saw this as an opportunity!
"Articuno, dodge Steel Wing and counter with Ice Beam on Charizard's wings!"
Articuno swiftly evaded Charizard's Steel Wing and moved behind it.
Ice Beam landed directly on Charizard's wings! Though Ice is strong against Flying types, Fire resists Ice, resulting in neutral damage for Charizard.
Misty and May both held their breath, feeling tense as they watched Charizard struggle against the attack.
"Nice! Articuno, follow up with Water Pulse and Ice Beam for a double attack!"
Noland believed Ash's choice to bring Charizard close was a mistake and, as Ash predicted, combined Water Pulse and Ice Beam into a powerful move.
Articuno's combined move was formidable. Using Water Pulse to create a water source, it then froze it with Ice Beam, resulting in countless sharp ice shards hurtling towards Charizard!
This was precisely what Ash anticipated.
"Charizard, use Tornado plus Fire Spin! Block it in front of you!"
Brock, Misty, and May watched with excitement. The Tornado plus Fire Spin combo was a move Ash had recently developed, though he initially practiced it with Pidgeot and Ponyta. This time, he relied on Charizard alone!
Despite having no prior practice, Ash and Charizard's bond of trust was about to be tested.
The swirling combination of Tornado and Fire Spin shielded Charizard, melting Articuno's Water Pulse and Ice Beam combination in mid-air!
Noland was left stunned, not expecting his strategy to be countered so effectively.
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