In a Black World —
In Charizard Valley,Liza looked at the panting Ash with open suspicion.
"He's just been shouting commands and gesturing from the back," she muttered."Why does he look more exhausted than the Charizard that just fought?"
She paused, recalling something odd.
"When that Charizard was blasted away just now… Ash was twisting and dodging at the same time."
Her eyes widened.
"Don't tell me—Ash is imitating Charizard?Synchronizing his movements to understand Charizard's emotions and issue better commands?"
The trio exchanged looks.
What kind of thinking is that?!
After a moment, they unanimously decided not to correct her.
After all, this was one of Ash's hidden trump cards.If Liza figured it out on her own, fine—but there was no reason to explain it.
Besides… she looked smart, but somehow painfully straightforward.
On the battlefield—
"Ha… ha… ha…!Is that all? Come again!"
Charizard roared triumphantly into the sky.
Flames surged to its throat—only to sputter into smoke, choking it instead.
Even Ash felt dizzy.
The Charizard they had just defeated was already Elite Four–level.
And even with Aura Fusion, Ash's Charizard still hadn't reached that tier.
The gap of half a rank shouldn't have been insurmountable.With proper tactics, this battle never needed to be so brutal.
But tactics?
This was Charizard Valley.
Here, there were no tricks.No feints.No clever setups.
Only raw power.Only will.
Who hits harder.Who stands longer.
Anything else was no different from surrender.
That belief burned in both Ash and Charizard.
So they stood there—exhausted, scorched, but unyielding.
Even if another Charizard weaker than the last stepped forward,they would still fight.
As long as they hadn't fallen completely—there was no such thing as defeat.
BOOM.
BOOM.
Heavy footsteps shook the valley.
A massive Charizard emerged—a deep scar cutting across one eye, its body radiating terrifying pressure.
With each step, the earth trembled.
Almost every Charizard in the valley bowed its head.
Only two or three remained standing, watching solemnly.
Liza's expression changed instantly.
"That one…"
Sabrina spoke flatly.
"You're about to say Ash is doomed, right?"
Liza's lips twitched.
"It's worse than that.If he steps out, the challenge ends here."
She took a breath.
"Even a random high-level Charizard would defeat Ash in his current state.But this… this is respect."
Her gaze softened.
"For an outsider to reach this point—Ash is only the second in history."
"The first," she added quietly,"was Lance, the Johto Champion."
"But even Lance never forced him to appear."
She looked at Ash's Charizard with awe.
"They see something in it.Potential. Ferocity. The will to grow."
"This Charizard—is one of the Top Three Champions of Charizard Valley."
A true Champion-level monster.
No one argued.
They all knew what Champion-level meant.
Sabrina's psychic power quietly gathered.
Misty clenched her fists, worry flooding her eyes.
Brock swallowed.
Ash stood there—battered, breath ragged—
…and impossibly heroic.
In the Black World —
Facing the scarred Charizard, Ash felt Aura surge back at him.
A crushing presence.
A voice without words.
You cannot win.
Ash clenched his teeth.
"Charizard—let's go!"
"Divine Flamethrower!"
Charizard roared.
Flames erupted—intertwined with a faint, iridescent shimmer.
Sacred Fire.
Not pure—but real.
A fragment of the flame wielded by Ho-Oh.
Only a fraction—but even that raised the attack's power by over fifty percent.
This move hadn't been used earlier.
It was saved—for this impossible opponent.
The flame surged forward, dazzling and violent.
The scarred Charizard merely raised its wings.
BOOM.
The flames were scattered—as if brushed aside.
No damage.
Not even a stagger.
The difference was absolute.
"One more time!" Ash shouted.
But the Champion Charizard moved.
Gone.
The next instant—
Silver claws closed around Charizard's throat.
Ash gasped, clutching his own neck.
Liza frowned.
"…Why is he copying that too?"
No one answered her.
Sabrina was already preparing to intervene.
Misty's nails dug into her palms.
The scarred Charizard struck.
A crushing blow to the stomach.
Ash and Charizard's vision blurred.
Is this… the end?
No.
No.
I won't lose.
Not here.
Charizard roared—
and tightened its grip.
The image froze.
Text appeared.
[Question]
What happens next?
A. Ash unleashes Aura beyond his limits, forcing Charizard to Champion-level—but loses the Rainbow Wing's blessing.
B. Charizard repels the opponent through sheer will, then collapses from exhaustion.
C. Ash loses control and personally attacks, resulting in mutual destruction.
D. Ash and Charizard's bond reaches its peak, triggering a miracle—Charizard evolves again.
Answer time: 5 minutes.
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