Pokémon, Ash is going to become a perfect man from now on.

When a Pokémon is paralyzed, its speed is halved. This refers not only to its movement speed but also to its reaction speed when executing moves!

However, Arcanine can quickly respond to commands and play Rumble after failing to Crunch. The duration of this pause can be counted on one hand!

In other words, if it's a normal Arcanine, the interval between its two special moves might only be a few seconds!

"Dragonite, ascend!" Having unleashed three of Arcanine's signature moves and paralyzed it, Ash clearly wasn't planning on continuing the fight.

Dragonite understood immediately and, as it took off, it condensed a giant water ball.

"Pray for rain, then come back."

Bang!

The water balloon exploded high in the sky, and a torrential downpour immediately followed, adding a touch of coolness to the otherwise scorching volcano.

"This rain-praying effect is really powerful... It should also have the effect of the item." Blaine, as expected of an experienced gym leader, immediately realized that the Dragonite was probably carrying a damp rock.

However, what surprised him even more was that Ash was actually directing Dragonite to play a support role!

Using electromagnetic waves to restrict Arcanine's movement and using Rain Dance to weaken the power of Fire-type moves, this is clearly paving the way for the next attacker!

So, it must be that Pikachu…

"Can't wait, can you... Charmeleon!"

"Woo!!"

The dragon's roar was deafening, but Blaine was completely bewildered.

Wait... this kid on the other side, he actually made a pseudo-legendary Kanto Pokémon play support for a mid-tier starter Pokémon?!

And it's even a Fire-type starter Pokémon! So, to counter him, he's even limiting his teammates too!

However, this Charizard is truly extraordinary; its size is even comparable to the previous Dragonite…

"Growlithe, speed!" Blaine didn't dare to be careless and planned to let Growlithe seize the initiative again.

"Dodge while using Dragon Dance!"

However, just as Arcanine was about to get close, Charmeleon suddenly leaped away from the attack, its body enveloped in the air currents generated by Dragon Dance!

"Dragon Claw!" Following Dragon Dance, Charmeleon, upside down, swung its claws without hesitation, striking Arcanine squarely in the back!

Boom!

Arcanine couldn't dodge in time and crashed heavily to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust!

Chapter 156 VS Lava Snail, Support Battle

"Arcanine! It's been so long since I've had a battle like this, I really let my guard down..."

Blaine's expression gradually turned serious. Ash's Charmeleon, with its enormous size, was able to display such agile movements, which was something he had never expected.

However, this only fueled Blaine's fighting spirit. Fire-type trainers never fear any powerful enemy!

"One more time, Arcanine! Use Extreme Speed!" "Awooo!"

Just like the last time, Arcanine launched another fierce attack, but Charmeleon leaped up at the last second and completed a second Dragon Dance boost in mid-air!

"Chase after it and crush it!" However, this time Arcanine suddenly stopped abruptly, then leaped up and opened its blood-red maw at Charmeleon!

"Press it down with your claws!" Fortunately, Ash and Charmeleon were quick enough. Charmeleon suddenly pressed down with one claw in mid-air and firmly pressed down on Arcanine's opening jaws!

"Next, attack with the other dragon claw!"

"Frolic!"

Bang!

In a lightning-fast clash, although Fire-types are resistant to Fairy-types, Arcanine's claws shattered the energy of the dragon's claws, sending Charmeleon flying high into the air!

"Give it your all... Flame Charge!!"

"Ouch!!"

Arcanine, having landed again, let out a terrifying howl and unleashed a torrent of flames as it rammed into Charmeleon, which was still in mid-air!

"Oh no... Charmeleon is having trouble moving now!" Xiaoxia exclaimed in alarm.

"Ash will be alright." She said this, but Blue's voice trembled slightly, and her palms gradually became sweaty…

"Charmeleon... burned to ashes!!"

"No way..." Upon hearing Ash's command, Brock panicked. "Stripper's Arcanine clearly has the Flash Fire ability, using a Fire-type on it... What?!"

Before he could finish speaking, Xiao Gang was surprised to find that Charmeleon had crossed its claws above its head and opened its mouth to spew out a beam of fire-type shockwave!

Burnout isn't for attacking; it's for accelerating!

hum!

At that moment, Charmeleon, which was in mid-air, seemed to transform into a comet with a trail of flames, and smashed down fiercely on Arcanine with explosive force!

"Good... Arcanine, use Crunch!"

"Awooo!"

Blaine, as expected of an experienced trainer, continued to direct and respond until the very last moment. However, due to the effects of paralysis, Arcanine was ultimately unable to successfully change its move.

It could only watch helplessly as the Charizard rapidly approached, swinging its sharp claws with all its might, before everything went black and it knew nothing more…

Bang!

After Charmeleon landed, Arcanine also crashed heavily to the ground...

"Come back, Arcanine... Get some rest now." Blaine solemnly recalled his Pokémon. "Ash, you really gave me a big surprise... I didn't expect Charizard to be the main attacker, with Dragonite playing support."

Compared to pseudo-legendary Pokémon, none of the starter Pokémon would have arranged their lineup like Ash did, which is why Blaine was caught off guard.

However, that Charmeleon was indeed powerful... and considering Ash's family background, Blaine felt that he was not unjustly chosen.

The kid's father is a very wealthy man, the kind who can pull out a bunch of pseudo-gods in a heartbeat.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to rise to the second-highest position in the league, second only to the Four Heavenly Kings, by simply "giving away pets."

“Every Pokémon has its own preferences. In addition to setting requirements for them, trainers also need to consider what they like to do,” Ash said seriously. “My Dragonite has never been the type to be aggressive. What it likes most is to take care of everyone around it, so this is the most suitable way for it to fight.”

"Ha, well said! That's the kind of awareness a true trainer should have!" Blaine laughed with satisfaction. "Then let's try this one, the Magikarp!"

For her second Pokémon, Blaine sent out the snail, which is common in the Johto region and whose body temperature is said to reach up to 10,000 degrees Celsius.

Of course, some of these settings are just for fun.

In fact, the Fire-Body Snail is known far more for its expertise in hatching eggs than for its combat prowess.

"Charmeleon, charge after Dragon Dance!"

The opponent was a slow opponent, and Ash had no intention of letting up. He let Charmeleon get a boost and then launched a strong attack!

At this moment, Charmeleon was so fast that it even left a trail of afterimages!

"Lava snail, highly poisonous!"

"Oh no... Jump up quickly!"

"Don't let it escape! Spray it upwards!"

Faced with the surging venom, Ash immediately commanded Charmeleon to jump and dodge, but Blaine's Magcargo suddenly raised its head and sprayed out a burst of poisonous rain!

"Charmeleon, come back!" Fortunately, Ash was also careful, and the beam from the Poké Ball pulled Charmeleon back at the limit position, managing to narrowly avoid the attack.

Although I feel a little sorry for the three-stage enhancement, the effects of the deadly poison are unbearable no matter what.

Just look at Blaine's Arcanine to see how bad it is to be debuffed!

"You reacted quickly, but how are you going to deal with that... Stealth Rock!"

With a triumphant wave of his hand, the Lava Snail immediately summoned a shower of tiny pebbles, covering the entire area with rock spikes!

Now, the situation is starting to turn against Ash!

Whether it's Charmeleon or Dragonite, rocks are their absolute weak point. If a Stealth Rock hits them, they'll lose at least a quarter of their stamina.

"I see... Magna is also a support!" Ash suddenly realized that Blaine's Magna actually does the same job as Dragonite, supporting its teammates and applying status effects to its opponents.

"Let's give it a shot and see who has the last laugh! Dragonite!" Faced with a similar battle strategy, Ash certainly wouldn't back down, determined to use Dragonite to tip the scales of victory!

Bang!

Sure enough, the Rex was hit by a spiked rock attack as soon as it entered the arena, and immediately showed a pained expression.

"Don't give it a chance to breathe! The rain is over, unleash a barrage!"

The series of struggles that just took place, even with the effect of damp rocks, had long since ended by the time the rain began.

Blaine seized the opportunity and had Lava Snail unleash a powerful fire-type attack!

"Dragonite, use Extreme Speed ​​to get past!" Ash quickly regained his composure, and Dragonite suddenly accelerated and darted past, skimming the edge of the flames.

Charging forward fearlessly, Dragonite is undaunted by anything that stands in its way, whether it be poison or something else!

"Attack with sharp stones!!" However, Blaine was also waiting for this moment. Sharp stone attacks are difficult to guarantee a hit, so it is essential to close the distance with the opponent!

Bang!

The sharp stone pillar suddenly shot up and slammed heavily into the Dragonite!