"Heliolisk is unable to battle! This match is won by Elite Four Wikstrom!!"
With Heliolisk defeated, the referee at the side of the battlefield immediately announced the result.
"Elite Four Wikstrom…! Elite Four Wikstrom…!!"
"Elite Four Wikstrom…! Elite Four Wikstrom…!!"
"Escavalier…! Escavalier…!!"
"Escavalier…! Escavalier…!!"
The moment Wikstrom was declared the winner, a deafening wave of cheers erupted from the audience.
Although Clemont, as his opponent, had also put on an excellent performance and there were plenty of spectators cheering for him as well, compared to the overwhelming number of supporters celebrating Wikstrom's victory, Clemont's cheers were ultimately far too few. They were completely drowned out by the roar of the crowd.
Clemont's defeat had been within everyone's expectations.
After all, Wikstrom was one of the Four Elite of the Kalos League, while Clemont's Heliolisk had only just stepped into the Gym Leader level.
Even Clemont himself, despite being the one who had lost, showed no trace of frustration or disappointment. He calmly accepted the result.
However, with the battle between Sawyer and Clemont now over, it was finally Ash's turn.
Inside the waiting room, Ash stretched his arms out and loosened his body before getting ready to enter the battlefield.
"Up next is Ash from Pallet Town in the Kanto region versus Wikstrom of the Kalos League Elite Four! The battle will be a one-on-one match. The battle will end when one side's Pokémon is unable to continue fighting or when its Trainer voluntarily forfeits!"
After arriving on the battlefield and taking his position, the referee at the side raised his hand and gave the signal for both sides to prepare.
"Ash, do your best!!"
"Ash, you can do it!!"
Back in the audience after his own match, Clemont, along with Serena and the others, shouted loudly in support of Ash.
On the battlefield, Ash smiled and waved toward the spectators before raising a Poké Ball and tossing it forward.
"Pidgeot, today's opponent is Wikstrom, one of the Kalos League Elite Four. You'd better stay sharp and give it everything you've got!"
"Boom~!"
The Poké Ball opened in midair, and Pidgeot emerged onto the battlefield.
"Pidgeot—!"
Its wings spread wide.
A fierce gust of wind swept across the arena, causing the magnificent crest feathers atop Pidgeot's head to flutter freely and elegantly in the wind.
With a clear and piercing cry, Pidgeot shot into the sky like an arrow.
Ash withdrew his gaze from Pidgeot and looked straight across at Wikstrom.
Now then… let me properly experience and understand your knightly spirit and your way of the knight.
Ash silently thought to himself.
Wikstrom did not keep him waiting for long.
As the referee issued the preparation signal, and almost at the exact same moment Ash released his Pokémon, Wikstrom also threw the Poké Ball in his hand.
"Aegislash, let us fight this battle together!"
"Boom~!"
The Poké Ball opened.
"Just as I thought… Aegislash?"
Seeing the Pokémon Wikstrom had sent out, Ash wore an expression that said the result was exactly what he had expected.
Before the battle officially began, Clemont and Sawyer had introduced Wikstrom's main Pokémon lineup. During their respective matches, Wikstrom had successively sent out Pokémon that ranked among the strongest members of his team.
At that time, Ash had already developed a vague suspicion.
He had a feeling that when Wikstrom eventually faced him, there was a very high possibility that he would send out his strongest trump card—
Aegislash.
And now, his prediction had come true.
"Pidgeot~!"
"Aaaah~!"
Both Trainers and their Pokémon were now on the battlefield.
The moment the two Pokémon faced each other, their auras collided like needle against needle. The atmosphere was thick with tension, smoke, and the unmistakable smell of gunpowder.
The audience erupted into cheers once more.
"Wikstrom…! Wikstrom…!!"
"Wikstrom…! Wikstrom…!!"
"Ash…! Ash…!!"
"Ash…! Ash…!!"
"…"
"…"
"Battle start!!"
Seeing that both Trainers were in position and both Pokémon were fully prepared for battle, the referee decisively announced the official start.
"Pidgeot, use repeated 'Agility' and raise your speed to the absolute limit!"
The battle had barely begun.
Knowing that his overall strength was inferior to Wikstrom's, Ash immediately seized the initiative and gave Pidgeot its first command.
Wikstrom, however, had no intention of simply sitting back and waiting.
Nor was he going to stand there and watch Pidgeot freely build up its advantage.
Although Pidgeot possessed the obvious advantage of flight, Aegislash was a Ghost-type Pokémon and could also float freely in the air.
Therefore, Pidgeot did not possess an absolute advantage simply because it could fly.
"Aegislash, attack with 'Shadow Ball'!!"
Wikstrom swept one arm forward and immediately ordered Aegislash to attack.
"Yaaaah~!"
On the battlefield, Aegislash reacted immediately to Wikstrom's command.
Its sword remained sheathed behind its shield, maintaining its shield form.
Its body rotated slightly.
At the hilt, a dark sphere of ghostly energy rapidly condensed.
Then, after locking onto Pidgeot soaring through the sky like a dancer, Aegislash fired the Shadow Ball.
However, Ash's Pidgeot possessed a 122 Speed individual value, and that terrifying speed was certainly not for show.
On top of that, it was continuously using 'Agility' to increase its speed.
When Aegislash's Shadow Ball came flying toward it, Pidgeot did not even need Ash to issue another command.
Its speed had already reached an almost absurd level.
With a single graceful movement, Pidgeot easily slipped out of the Shadow Ball's trajectory.
"Aegislash, fire Shadow Ball continuously!!"
Watching the nimble and slippery Pidgeot dancing through the sky, Wikstrom could not help but furrow his brows.
As someone who revered the way of the knight, he loved honorable, straightforward combat above all else.
He preferred meeting strength with strength and confronting his opponent head-on.
As for Pokémon that relied on overwhelming speed to toy with their opponents, using agility and evasive movements to exhaust and frustrate them…
To be honest, Wikstrom really did not like encountering opponents like that.
Now, as he watched Pidgeot continuously use 'Agility' to stack its speed advantage higher and higher, Wikstrom could only feel a headache coming on.
For the moment, he could only have Aegislash continuously fire Shadow Balls, testing just how far Pidgeot's movement speed and evasive ability could actually go.
"Yaaaah~!"
"Whoosh—!"
Following its Trainer's command, Aegislash did not hesitate.
Its great sword was drawn from behind its shield.
With a sharp swing of the blade toward Pidgeot, another Shadow Ball rapidly tore through the air.
But after repeatedly using 'Agility', Pidgeot's speed had already reached an astonishing level.
It was like a dancer soaring through the heavens.
With effortless grace, it slipped past Aegislash's attacks one after another.
The previous battle between Clemont and Wikstrom had given Ash an idea.
This time, he did not give Pidgeot any further commands.
He simply allowed it to move on its own.
Ash seemed to be deliberately using this kind of behavior to wear down Wikstrom and Aegislash's fighting spirit and confidence.
After all, watching their attacks repeatedly miss while Pidgeot danced effortlessly through the sky was bound to put tremendous psychological pressure on even the most composed opponent.
And for someone like Wikstrom, who valued a proud and honorable battle above everything else, being forced into such a frustrating situation was particularly uncomfortable.
The battle had only just begun.
Yet Ash had already begun quietly testing the limits of the legendary knight of the Kalos Elite Four.