Chapter 11: Venusaur’s Vine Whip

"Venusaurrr!" Venusaur let out a deep, rumbling roar, releasing its overwhelming presence into the arena.

Seadra, floating across from it, eyed Venusaur cautiously. Despite its confidence, Seadra instinctively recognized that Venusaur was far stronger—this wasn't just a matter of levels or visible strength.

"Venusaur?" Cissy blinked in surprise, but quickly recovered. She didn't underestimate Ash's choice. 

If he had chosen Venusaur for this challenge, it was clear he had complete confidence in its abilities.

"Venusaur, prepare yourself," Ash commanded calmly.

Venusaur, understanding Ash's instructions perfectly, nodded with determination, its massive form brimming with energy.

"So..." The audience grew silent, their attention fixed on Ash and Venusaur. They were eager to see how Ash planned to beat Seadra's record of 6.42 seconds—a feat that seemed almost impossible.

"Use Vine Whip continuously!" Ash exclaimed, thrusting his right hand forward.

"Venusaurrr!" With a thunderous roar, Venusaur activated its Grass-type energy. Thick vines shot out from beneath the flower on its back, piercing the air with astonishing speed.

The first Vine Whip struck one of the iron cans with precision, knocking it down. At the same moment, Venusaur prepared a second vine, compressing it like a spring.

As the first vine retracted, the second vine launched forward with even greater speed, striking its target. 

This spring-like compression technique allowed Venusaur to accelerate its attacks, creating a rapid-fire effect.

By the third strike, Venusaur's Vine Whip was moving so quickly that the vines appeared as afterimages. The audience watched in awe as the remaining cans were knocked down one after another in mere moments.

When the final can fell, the timer stopped: 5.57 seconds. Venusaur had not only shattered Seadra's record but had also achieved an unprecedented time under six seconds!

—--

"How... how is this possible?" Cissy muttered, momentarily stunned. She had believed Seadra's record-breaking performance would be impossible to surpass, but Ash's Venusaur had exceeded all expectations.

The hall fell into silence for a brief moment before erupting into cheers and murmurs. Venusaur's speed and precision had completely defied everyone's expectations—except for Ash and Misty.

—--

Ash's Venusaur had been rigorously trained to enhance the speed and power of its Vine Whip. 

By compressing the vines like springs and releasing them with explosive force, the technique significantly increased the attack's velocity and impact.

Ash had developed this strategy to give Venusaur an edge in speed-based challenges. 

While he hadn't needed it during the Indigo Plateau Conference due to Venusaur's overwhelming strength, this challenge called for its use.

—---

"That's incredible..." Tracey muttered, furiously sketching in his notebook. While the principle of the compression technique seemed simple, executing it required extraordinary control and discipline—something Ash's Venusaur had mastered.

"As expected of Ash!" Senta cheered loudly. Despite his sister's loss, he couldn't contain his excitement. "The Indigo Plateau Conference Champion is amazing!"

"You win..." Cissy admitted after regaining her composure. Her expression was a mix of admiration and disbelief. "I never imagined anyone could break that record so decisively."

Ash nodded slightly, his demeanour calm. "Thank you for the match," he said as he recalled Venusaur to its Poké Ball. 

In truth, Venusaur hadn't been in its best form—Ash believed it could have shaved off another half a second with optimal conditions.

Cissy exhaled deeply, steadying her emotions. "Well, you've passed the first challenge," she said with a faint smile. "Now, let's move on to the second!"

—---

Surf Racing Challenge

Cissy turned to her younger brother, Senta, who was still cheering enthusiastically. "Senta! Stop celebrating and get to work!" she scolded playfully.

"Ah... yes, right away!" Senta stammered, quickly grabbing a remote control. With a few button presses, a section of the wall retracted, revealing the beach and open ocean beyond.

"This is the second challenge: Surf Racing," Cissy explained as she led Ash outside to the starting point. 

Misty, Tracey, and the rest of the audience followed to watch the event unfold on the large screens in the gym.

Cissy pointed toward a green buoy floating 500 meters offshore. "The goal is simple: you and your Pokémon must race to the buoy, circle around it, and return here. The first one back wins!"

"Can any Pokémon participate?" Ash asked, observing the conditions.

"Yes, but only those that can move effectively in water," Cissy clarified. "Flying Pokémon aren't allowed—this is a Surf Racing challenge, not a Flying Race."

With that, Cissy threw a Poké Ball into the air. "Blastoise, let's do this!"

A white light materialized into a Blastoise, standing tall and confident on the sand. Compared to most Blastoise, this one was slightly smaller and sleeker—a result of focused training for speed rather than sheer size.

"Blastoise, huh?" Ash smirked, adjusting his cap. He pulled out his own Poké Ball and tossed it with precision. "Blastoise, it's your turn!"

In a flash of white light, Ash's Blastoise appeared. Unlike Cissy's Blastoise, Ash's was noticeably larger, its shell broader and its cannons more imposing. 

Months of specialized training and optimal nutrition had made Ash's Blastoise a powerhouse in both strength and speed.

Cissy's eyes widened at the size difference. "Your Blastoise is huge!" she remarked.

Ash grinned. "Size isn't everything. Let's see who's faster!"

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