"So it still retains the Dragon type, huh…"
Seeing that Flare Blitz failed to deal any decisive damage, Red quickly drew his conclusion.
Dragon-type Pokémon naturally resisted Fire-type moves.
Red began considering his next move.
Big body, high HP—that was common sense.
If Charizard kept using Flare Blitz, it might recoil itself to death before Dragonite even went down.
And the giant Dragonite wasn't some stationary punching bag.
Its massive head lifted suddenly, and from its enormous jaws burst a pillar of blue water.
A normal Water Gun might reach two meters in diameter at best.
This one was nearly ten meters wide.
A trueHydro Pump.
BOOOOM—!
The water column carried overwhelming force, enough to smash a small mountain.
It even carved a grotesque trench across the sea's surface below, dragging ripples and waves behind it, as though the air itself were being crushed apart as it shot straight toward its target.
"Charizard!"
Red didn't need to say anything else.
Charizard already understood.
Facing a water cannon many times larger than its own body, it showed no fear. Its wings tilted sharply as it darted sideways.
Whoosh—SPLASH!
Charizard skimmed right along the edge of the water pillar, so close yet never touching a single drop, spiraling around it as it rapidly closed in on the source—the giant Dragonite.
"ROOOAAAR!!"
Dragonite slowly turned its head.
The massive water column followed, sweeping across the sky, clearly intending to engulf Charizard completely.
"Charizard, use Steel Wing!"
At Red's command, Charizard's wings flashed with metallic light.
Instead of retreating, it surged forward, slashing sideways straight into the approaching water column.
CLANG—BOOM!
Using the rebound force, Charizard kicked off and pulled back again.
It was now only five meters from Dragonite's face.
At that moment, the difference in size was laughable—
Like a flea facing a titan.
From afar, a blinding metallic-white flash suddenly ignited at Dragonite's neck.
The light shot upward—straight into its chin.
Charizard's wings had fully transformed into steel as it launched itself skyward!
CLANG—BOOM!
The impact sounded like colliding metal plates, forcing even the giant Dragonite into a tactical backward tilt.
"ROOOAAAR!!"
Dragonite shook its massive head violently.
The falling water droplets were like a torrential downpour.
Its gaze sharpened as it forcibly suppressed the dizziness from the blow. Then—
Those tiny wings on its back began to flap.
HOOOO—BOOOOM!!
A massive storm erupted instantly.
A terrifying dragon-scale hurricane swallowed Charizard's small figure whole, forcing it backward. Wings straining, Charizard could only barely struggle against the gale.
"Don't lose to it—use Heat Wave!"
Red shouted.
Charizard's eyes flared.
It spread its wings wide, heat rapidly building beneath its crimson scales.
WHOOSH—!
Against the storm, Charizard pushed back with sheer force, unleashing a blazing Heat Wave filled with scattered fire sparks.
Astonishingly, it pushed Dragonite's violent winds back, the two attacks clashing evenly in the sky.
Storm and heat collided relentlessly.
Thanks to Pidgeot's protection, Red remained unharmed.
A green, translucent barrier shimmered around Pidgeot—
Protect, absolute defense.
The three people on the shore weren't so lucky.
Blasted by alternating gales and downpours, they were left dizzy and disoriented.
Watching the two Pokémon clash while the sea churned like the apocalypse itself—and that man standing motionless atop Pidgeot's back—
Their shock reached absurd levels.
"…What kind of battle is this…?"
Bill muttered.
The storm finally dissipated.
Red frowned.
"So Heat Wave only breaks even with Hurricane…"
Looks like Charizard's strength really had dropped after coming to this world.
Had it been hit by a balance patch?
Or did it simply need retraining?
"If only I still had my Key Stone…"
Red sighed.
Charizard still carried its Mega Stone, but Red's Key Stone was gone—making Mega Evolution impossible.
"Then I'll just chip it down with Dragon Claw…"
Dragonite's HP pool was simply too thick. This would have to be a war of attrition—
Just as Red was about to give the command, a voice suddenly rang out in his mind, hot-blooded and excited.
"Hey, hey, Red! Cut the fancy stuff—hurry up! I wanna see a steamroll!"
Despite having his body taken over, Ash's consciousness was still fully awake.
It felt like watching a 4D movie from first-person view.
The ultimate VIP seat.
Red: "…"
…Should he just take this chance and never give the body back?
"Hey—Red, we're mentally linked! I can sense that thought—are you actually planning—"
The sudden shout startled Red.
Damn it. He'd accidentally leaked his inner thoughts.
Would this kid start suspecting him now?
Red panicked slightly.
"Hahaha! I've been waiting for you to try possessing me!"
Ash laughed wildly.
"Next time, don't even give it back—I'll be the one forcibly possessing you!"
"We should've clashed properly a long time ago!"
Red: "…"
01000111·01000001·01001110!
But since Ash wanted a steamroll, Red wasn't unwilling to oblige.
Abruptly, he recalled Charizard into its Poké Ball.
Ash panicked instantly.
"Red! Even if my body's tough, we're not beating that thing barehanded!"
Red pinched the bridge of his nose.
He really wanted to crack his skull open and check if his brain had tied itself into a permanent knot.
"Quiet. Watch this."
He casually tossed out another Poké Ball.
Everyone assumed another powerful Pokémon was about to emerge.
Instead—
The Poké Ball gently trembled and drifted forward, floating lightly until it reached the giant Dragonite.
Dragonite stared blankly.
The Poké Ball suddenly opened.
A red light expanded absurdly fast, engulfing the massive Dragonite as it was slowly—painfully slowly—sucked inside.
Thunk… thunk… thunk…
Just a regular empty Poké Ball.
Clearly, this Poké Ball was being forced to endure a shape it was never meant to contain.
Ash: "?"
Hey—this is illegal!
Dragonite still had at least half its HP!
What do you mean you just threw a ball?!
Are you a One-Ball Man?!
At that moment, Red placed a hand on another Poké Ball at his waist.
"Please… weld the car door shut."
The next second—
An overwhelmingly powerful blue psychic light burst forth.
The pressure alone made everyone except Red freeze, breath catching, cold sweat pouring down their backs.
A radius of several kilometers fell into eerie silence.
Even the violently churning sea seemed to freeze solid.
"Did… something terrifying just come out?!"
The same thought struck the three on the shore.
Then—
The pressure vanished.
The psychic force precisely locked onto the nearly-exploding Poké Ball, twisting space itself to seal it shut.
Hummmm…
The Poké Ball floated midair, shaking violently.
Three seconds later—
It stopped.
And gently dropped back into Red's hand.
Giant Dragonite: Captured.
Ash: "?"
Everyone else: "?"
THIS is a steamroll?!
Coach—
I want to learn this move!!
Red smirked faintly and patted the Poké Ball at his waist again.
"Thanks. Good thing I brought you along."
"Don't make me do this again. It's filthy."
A low, displeased voice echoed in Red's mind.
Ash looked around in terror, thinking he'd awakened a third personality.
"Just this once."
Red replied humbly.
Very sincerely.
(He'd absolutely do it again.)
"The rest is up to you now, Ash."
With that, Red returned control of the body, not daring to linger.
"Remember to store my Pokémon in the PC."
"…Am I back?"
Ash opened his eyes, realizing he'd regained control.
A bit disappointed he hadn't gotten to clash wills with Red.
But his attention quickly shifted to the Poké Ball Red had touched last.
Just what kind of monster is in there…?
Even through the Poké Ball, he could sense something incredibly dangerous.
Just as he reached toward it—
"Don't touch me. You're dirty."
Ash's hand froze midair.
…Dirty?
Red's voice echoed faintly:
"Don't touch it. That thing has severe mental洁癖—anything it doesn't approve of is 'dirty.'"
Ash withdrew his hand reluctantly and guided Pidgeot back down to land.
"Man… so this is what my Pidgeotto evolves into? That's insanely cool!"
He rubbed his face against Pidgeot's smooth, radiant feathers, then pulled out his Pokédex to scan it.
"Beep. Pidgeot.
Nickname: Pidgeotto.
Trainer: Green.
Moves: Fly, Defog, Protect, Tailwind, Rain Dance, Reflect."
Ash: "!!!"
So this is the Pidgeot build path!
…I've seen the light!
Pidgeot: "?"
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