Chapter 302: The Three Stage Thrust
Even after enduring the combined force of three hurricanes, Rhydon should have been unable to continue. But this Pokémon's willpower was undeniable.
Pidgeot let out a soft pant, its eyes fixed on Rhydon with a new respect. So far, only Pikachu and Charizard had withstood such a powerful blow.
The fact that Rhydon remained standing made Pidgeot acknowledge its strength.
"It's not over yet, Rhydon! Use the most powerful Stone Edge!" Gary called out, determination in his voice.
He hadn't called Rhydon back because he knew that no other Pokémon could stand up to Pidgeot in this situation. Rhydon was his only hope, and he could only pray it could wear down Pidgeot's stamina.
Rhydon let out a fierce roar, summoning the Rock energy once again. This time, rather than scattering the rocks, Rhydon concentrated the energy into a single devastating punch.
It struck the ground with such force that waves of energy rippled outward, causing sharp rock pillars to erupt from the earth, charging directly toward Pidgeot!
Ash's eyes narrowed. "If we're going to go all out, then let's give it everything we've got, Pidgeot!" he declared. He was ready to let Rhydon fall with honor.
Pidgeot understood Ash's intention immediately. His eyes sharpened with resolve, and he lowered his altitude to match Rhydon's position, preparing for the final clash.
"Air Slash!" Ash commanded, raising his right hand in a decisive gesture. Pidgeot's wings beat fiercely, and a torrent of Flying-Type energy gathered around his form.
The high-pitched call of the bird rang out as the attack surged forward, a bright, sky-blue blade of energy slicing through the air.
The audience gasped in disbelief. Ash had chosen to counter Rhydon's Stone Edge with Air Slash, a move known for its relatively weaker power compared to the might of Stone Edge.
Not only that, but Air Slash was at a disadvantage due to its type interaction. The power disparity between the two moves seemed insurmountable.
The commentator could hardly believe his eyes. "What is Ash thinking? Air Slash can't possibly defeat Stone Edge! Is Pidgeot in trouble?"
Gary's eyes widened in confusion as well, unsure of Ash's reasoning. "Why would he choose Air Slash against something as powerful as Stone Edge?" he wondered.
Only Misty and Brock seemed to understand. They weren't surprised, knowing that Ash had something up his sleeve. He wasn't one to back down from a challenge.
As the two attacks collided, something unexpected happened. The Air Slash didn't shatter or get overwhelmed by the Stone Edge.
Instead, it cleaved through the rock pillars with astonishing precision, cutting through the attack and continuing forward without losing any power.
"What?!" The commentator exclaimed, stunned. "This... this is impossible!" The crowd murmured in disbelief, as they watched the air slash annihilate Rhydon's Stone Edge instead of being destroyed by it.
Gary, too, was struck with awe. For a moment, he could hardly process what he had just witnessed.
But then, realization dawned. "Of course…" he muttered to himself. "Ash's Air Slash has incorporated many attacks into one, doesn't it?"
Indeed, the key to the success of Air Slash was the three-stage thrust technique. On the surface, it appeared to be a single attack, but in reality, it was three strikes occurring simultaneously.
The sheer force of the overlapping attacks created a destructive force capable of causing collapse upon impact, which obliterated everything in its path.
In this case, Air Slash wasn't just a simple attack; it was a perfect display of the three-stage thrust—an attack so powerful that it could disrupt and destroy any defense it encountered.
Even though the force of the three-stage thrust began to dissipate as it moved forward, weakening as it passed through the Stone Edge attack, the ultimate result was still devastating.
By the time it reached Rhydon, the energy of the attack had been significantly reduced, but it still managed to penetrate Rhydon's defenses.
The three strikes of Air Slash hit Rhydon all at once, unleashing a final burst of power.
Rhydon was blasted backward, flying more than twenty meters before crashing into the ground.
It slid several more meters, leaving deep marks on the arena floor, before finally coming to a stop, unconscious and unable to fight.
"Rhydon loses the ability to fight! Pidgeot wins!" the referee called out, snapping everyone back to reality.
The arena erupted in a mix of disbelief and awe. The audience couldn't fathom how Air Slash had managed to break through Rhydon's defense with such power. The event had shattered their understanding of what was possible in battle.
The camera replayed the moment on the big screen, but even in slow motion, it was impossible to fully comprehend what had happened.
The mysterious phenomenon was beyond the audience's ability to understand. It wasn't like anything they had ever seen before, even surpassing the power of Ash's previous Aerial Ace secret technique.
"Unbelievable!" the commentator exclaimed. "Did Ash develop this move himself? Is this another secret technique?"
The camera turned to Ash, who stood calmly, as if the battle had unfolded exactly as he had planned.
His expression revealed nothing, but in his eyes, there was a glint of satisfaction. The power of the three stage thrust had allowed him to achieve victory in a way no one could have predicted.
After the battle, Ash turned to Pidgeot, who was visibly exhausted from the effort. The continuous use of Aerial Ace and the three-stage thrust had drained much of its stamina.
"You did great, Pidgeot," Ash said softly, to the exhausted bird.
Gary, still recovering from the shock, nodded solemnly as he returned Rhydon to its Pokéball.
Although Rhydon hadn't achieved the desired outcome of defeating Pidgeot, Gary had to admit that Rhydon's resilience had at least allowed it to perform admirably and wear down Pidgeot's stamina.
"Good job, Rhydon," Gary murmured, his voice tinged with respect. "You did your best."
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