Chapter 313: This Move, He's Stolen It Before
*2024-05-15 Author: Samsung Charmander (Author Name)*
*(A little writer's block. Oh, the debut should be tomorrow.)—*
The second round.
The Pokémon battle began anew.
"Bruno, please give it your all. I want to know just how far my current strength is from an Elite Four member's," Ash said with a serious expression.
The two had already created distance, moving to a new, flat, rocky area.
Bruno's expression, however, remained unchanged. He took a single step sideways, completely unperturbed.
"That depends on whether you can make me use my full strength."
With that, Bruno tossed a Poké Ball forward. As the red light faded, a humanoid Pokémon appeared before everyone.
It had a brownish-tan body and appeared to be wearing a light purple tunic and a small skirt, though these were actually part of its skin and couldn't be removed.
Three bumps rose from the top of its head, and its clenched fists were shaped like red boxing gloves.
"Beep. Hitmonchan. Already covered. Not repeating."
The Pokédex entry was extremely brief this time, but Ash didn't dare to be careless.
Just by standing there, without its fists even moving, the powerful, intimidating presence radiating from this Hitmonchan put him on high alert.
Compared to the Hitmonchan owned by the trainer he'd used as a training tool for his Primeape, this one was on a completely different level.
Ash took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. Having an Elite Four-level sparring partner was a godsend, and he couldn't afford to waste it.
"In that case, I choose you!"
Ash then fiercely threw his own Poké Ball. A flash of red light passed, and a brownish-yellow figure appeared. The moment it was released, it rapidly soared high into the sky, circling and dancing, displaying the cool and arrogant posture of a giant bird as it let out a skyward cry.
"Pidgeot-geot!"
It was his utility bird, Pidgeot!
When facing an opponent with such a huge disparity in strength, using a type disadvantage was just for show; he had to rely on type effectiveness for a solid approach.
Miyazaki Mountain was very close to Pallet Town, so Ash hadn't brought all of his Pokémon with him. But thinking he might have a shot at the Fighting-type Elite Four member, Bruno, today, he naturally kept his Flying-type, Pidgeot, with him.
"Pidgeot, is it?"
Bruno shook his head indifferently. He was the Fighting-type member of the Elite Four; countless people had come to challenge him with Fearow and Pidgeot, birds unique to the Kanto Region. He had taken down more Pidgeot than a PC box could hold.
He crooked his finger, signaling for Ash to make the first move.
Ash didn't stand on ceremony and immediately waved his hand forward.
"Pidgeot, let's show Bruno our speed! Go, use Quick Attack!"
"Pidgeot-geot!"
Pidgeot flapped its wings forcefully and charged, tucking them in to reduce friction. Its body was enveloped in a thick, brilliant white light, and it moved at incredible speed.
"Its speed is pretty good."
Bruno offered a polite compliment. To say it was fast... it wasn't particularly fast.
Of course, that was from his perspective.
After a half-second delay, he finally gave the command:
"Hitmonchan, use Mach Punch!"
The moment he spoke, Hitmonchan's figure had completely vanished from its spot. Its feet moved so fast across the ground that all anyone could see were humanoid afterimages and the continuous pounding of its steps.
*Thud, thud, thud!*
In the next instant, Hitmonchan had already shot in front of its target, its speed a step faster than Pidgeot's Quick Attack. In Pidgeot's eagle eyes, only a humanoid afterimage remained.
And a white fist that grew infinitely larger in its vision.
"Boom!"
The Mach Punch struck Pidgeot squarely on the cheek, instantly breaking the momentum of its Quick Attack. The powerful blow sent Pidgeot reeling back into mid-air.
"Pidgeo..."
The retreating Pidgeot frantically flapped its wings, flying back several meters before stabilizing itself, its small heart still pounding with lingering fear.
"Hiss... so fast..."
Ash couldn't help but gasp.
Both Quick Attack and Mach Punch were fast priority moves, yet even though Bruno gave his command half a second later, his Pokémon was still able to strike first. This signified a massive gap between the two Pokémon.
*Then I'll try a long-range attack.*
"Pidgeot, use Hurricane!"
Pidgeot flapped its wings continuously, immediately kicking up a moderately-sized windstorm that sent sand and stones flying, and the smoke and dust obscured their vision.
However, Hitmonchan and Bruno, at the very center of the Hurricane, stood as firm as a mountain. Their bodies didn't move a single step in the storm, and their gazes were incomparably resolute.
Ash immediately launched another attack.
"Then try this! Pidgeot, use Air Slash!"
Pidgeot spread its wings and then flapped them forward forcefully. Two light-blue blades of energy shot from the tips of its wings, transforming into a pair of scythe-like projectiles that sped toward their target.
"Crack!" "Crack!"
Hitmonchan swung both fists forward simultaneously, shattering the two menacing Air Slash blades in mid-air, leaving only remnants of energy to fall.
It wasn't even a proper move.
"Pidgeot-geot!"
At that moment, a fierce cry came from behind Hitmonchan. The sound was extremely close; Pidgeot had somehow, without anyone noticing, approached its target again, even flying directly behind it.
Pidgeot was a physical, close-combat Pokémon. Its ranged attacks were just a diversion; close combat was Ash's real goal.
At this moment, Pidgeot's incredibly sharp beak was coated in a white light that seemed capable of piercing through anything. Its attack instantly became incredibly sharp as it launched from Hitmonchan's rear blind spot.
Although its speed was a notch weaker than the previous Quick Attack, its ferocity and craftiness were several times stronger.
"Now! Use Aerial Ace!" Ash roared.
Aerial Ace was a sure-hit move. From this angle, it had to work!
No matter how strong the opponent was, a move with type effectiveness was sure to have an effect!
The white light flashed past, striking Hitmonchan squarely!
"Swoosh!!"
Immediately after, Pidgeot passed right through Hitmonchan's body, as if it hadn't hit a solid object at all.
"What happened?!" Everyone was a bit baffled.
Half a second later, Hitmonchan's body finally began to move, having already shifted into an evasive posture. What Pidgeot had struck was merely an afterimage.
"Protect can block any move. Aerial Ace is a sure-hit move." Those are just the official descriptions; in reality, it's never that simple.
Pidgeot was enraged. Its Aerial Ace hadn't ended; its body circled and reversed in mid-air, its beak still gleaming with that intensely sharp white light as it attacked once more.
Aerial Ace!
"Swoosh!"
A slight smile touched Hitmonchan's lips. It bent its body slightly, once again dodging the blow by the slimmest of margins.
Pidgeot was about to explode with rage, instantly striking back and forth with Aerial Ace!
"Swoosh!"
"Swoosh!"
"Swoosh!"
Yet Hitmonchan just kept shifting its body—whether leaning to the side, raising an arm, or bending at the waist. Each movement was minimal, its breathing never even faltering, yet it was able to evade every single sharp Aerial Ace, remaining completely untouched.
"Look!"
Brock was the first to notice something, pointing a finger at Hitmonchan's legs.
Everyone subconsciously looked in that direction and saw that while Hitmonchan was constantly moving its upper body, its feet had not once left a circular area of less than half a meter!
"Hiss..."
Everyone simultaneously gasped, realizing for the first time just how vast the gap was between an Elite Four member and a normal trainer.
Ash, in the middle of the battle, had an even more drastic change in expression. He noticed a faint green light glowing in Hitmonchan's completely calm eyes.
And this method of dodging attacks...
"The Detect fighting style...?!" Ash blurted out subconsciously.
This move... he had stolen it before.
(Author's Note: Third update on the fourth day. Please subscribe!)
(end of chapter)