Pokémon, Ash's art style is off!

Instead... fiercely!

With a flick of its claws, a dazzling orange-red light instantly condensed at the cannon-like tips of its arms.

The temperature in the air suddenly rose a few degrees.

Ash frowned and whispered to Charizard.

"Watch out, Charizard! This guy... he's got something!"

The fire-breathing dragon nodded.

Its pupils had shrunk to two thin lines, its wings were slightly tucked back, and its body was lowered, indicating that it had entered a state of high alert.

It's really strong.

It's so much better than that Growlithe from before.

That sense of oppression, that burning fighting spirit that seemed to emanate from the very core of one's being—

It's the kind of aura that only battle-hardened Fire-type Pokémon possess.

But Charizard showed no fear; instead, the corners of its mouth turned up slightly.

It's only when you beat strong opponents that you feel a sense of accomplishment!

As a rebellious dragon, its favorite thing to do, number one, is to ambush Gengar.

The second most common is the subordination of the superior!

......

Seeing that the Duckbill Flame Beast had finished charging up and was preparing to attack.

Charizard, which was ready to respond to an attack at any moment, suddenly paused and looked in the direction of the gym entrance with a puzzled expression.

Immediately afterwards—

"Squeak-"

A remarkably realistic sound of a door hinge turning echoed clearly throughout the dojo.

Both the Duckbill Flame Beast and Blaine were startled, instinctively tightening the light from the cannon's muzzle.

Another new challenger?

Are all the people taking the exam today so intelligent?

Both the human and the beast instinctively looked in the direction the sound came from—

However, the wooden door to the battleground was tightly closed.

It didn't budge.

There wasn't even a crack.

Ok?

The duckbill fire beast blinked.

The door wasn't open?

Where did that sound come from?

It hadn't had time to think about this issue in detail yet—

A sharp pain in its lower back interrupted all its thoughts.

"Gurgle—?!"

The duckbill fire beast suddenly turned around.

The black fire-breathing dragon had somehow disappeared from its original position.

It quietly moved closer to my side.

A pair of thick dragon claws pierced deep into the soft flesh of its waist, ten sharp claws piercing the skin and embedding themselves into the muscle, bringing a burning, tearing sensation.

The duckbill fire beast was both shocked and furious.

Its eyes widened, its face filled with disbelief.

Both are Fire-type Pokémon!

You—you actually—are so cunning?!

Taking advantage of the moment when your attention is diverted and you turn your head to look at the door, launch a surprise attack at close range?

Have you no shame?!

The fire-breathing dragon gave a sinister smile.

His expression showed not a trace of embarrassment, but rather the exhilaration of a successful sneak attack.

It even twisted its claws hard, as if to confirm the victory.

That's just how battles are.

You were already standing on the field, and you got distracted. Who can you blame?

"Huh? Is it just my imagination?"

Xia, who was standing next to her, had also subconsciously looked towards the door.

Now that he's come to his senses, he tilts his head, looking completely bewildered.

"I clearly heard the door open just now, so why didn't anyone come in?"

As for the Charizard's sneak attack...

To be honest, Xiaoxia was already used to it.

Since this Charizard was captured, has it ever acted according to common sense?

If it weren't for a sneak attack, and it were a proper one-on-one fight, that would truly be a miracle!

Xiao Gang nodded, his gaze steady.

"It shouldn't be my imagination, I heard it too."

"Then this...?"

Upon hearing this, Pikachu, standing behind Ash, twitched its ears.

With its little paws folded in front of its chest, it gave off an expression that said, "You mere humans."

You guys are totally no good! You're not as good as me, Mouse!

It had heard it clearly; the sound was obviously coming from the fire-breathing dragon.

It wasn't at the doorway, nor on the wall; it was the fire-breathing dragon itself.

If that's the case, then it must be correct.

It's ventriloquism!

Charizard had somehow mastered an extremely skillful mouth technique, fooling everyone except for the mouse and Ash with an incredibly realistic door hinge sound!

"I didn't expect Charizard to have learned even this. Its talent is indeed remarkable."

Xiao Zhi sighed.

He glanced at the Charizard on the field, which was holding onto the Magmortar with its claws, and then his tone subtly changed.

"That's exactly what I'm thinking... If only I could use it for good."

......

Charizard grinned.

That smile carried a smug air of "the world is all white, only I am black."

Not only Gengar, it's also constantly growing!

It put in a lot of effort to practice this vocal technique.

It was worth all the time I spent learning it; the first time I used it in actual combat, the opponent fell for it!

Charizard was so pleased with itself that it unconsciously used a little more force with its claws to poke the Magmortar's waist again.

however.

It was a bit too early for it to be happy.

After all, Uncle Xia was a veteran who had been involved in both the legitimate and criminal worlds for decades.

The initial shock lasted only a moment.

The next second, his brows furrowed sharply, and his eyes flashed with a sharp light.

"Flammon, ignore them! Flame Punch!"

There were no extra instructions, no tactical analysis.

Blaine gave the most concise and deadly command.

Upon hearing this, the intense pain in its waist calmed the duckbill fire beast down.

The instinct to fight instantly overwhelmed everything.

The heavy cannon on his right arm snapped back with a bang, and a burst of intense flame shot up from his fist.

The orange-red firelight illuminated its face, its eyes so fierce it looked as if it wanted to devour the person opposite it whole.

Upon seeing this, the Charizard's pupils contracted.

Not good.

Successfully launching a sneak attack is one thing, but getting caught in the crossfire and beaten by this fiery monster is not so fun.

Know when to stop!

The fire-breathing dragon made a decisive move, its claws suddenly loosened, its wings instantly spread out, and with a powerful thud, its entire body was about to launch backward.

As long as you create some distance, given its mobility, the Duckbill Flame Beast will have a hard time catching up.

After all, that thing is huge; speed is definitely not its strong point.

However, how could the Magmortar let Charizard off so easily?