Chapter 179: Three-Stage Thrust
As Ash shouted his command, Pidgeotto, previously ensnared by Erika's Confusion, suddenly opened its eyes wide with determination. Drawing on its innate Flying-type energy, Pidgeotto executed a powerful Wing Attack, channeling the energy into a unique move it had inherited—
** Three-Stage Thrust**!
This technique was a masterful display of speed and precision. When launched, the first, second, and third thrusts all 'existed' at the same position simultaneously. Even if the first attack was blocked, the second and third would strike through the same opening.
This was the ultimate attack—**the three-stage thrust of ignorance**, an unstoppable force!
In an instant, Pidgeotto broke free from the hold of Confusion. Rather than succumbing, it harnessed the energy of its Wing Attack to shatter the psychic bonds imprisoning it. With its momentum still strong, it hurtled toward Exeggutor.
"What?!" Erika gasped in disbelief. It was impossible for a Pokémon under Confusion to break free so easily, especially when its strength was evenly matched. Pidgeotto's Wing Attack was powerful, but it shouldn't have been enough to counteract Erika's psychic grip so rapidly.
But before Erika could fully process the situation, she quickly ordered Exeggutor, "Use Psyshock to intercept the opponent!"
"Exee—!" Exeggutor channeled its Psychic energy, forming a concentrated ball of energy before launching it at the oncoming Pidgeotto.
"Come on, Pidgeotto!" Ash shouted, a fiery determination in his voice. "Face it head-on!" He believed in Pidgeotto's ability to break through the attack.
With fierce resolve, Pidgeotto charged toward the Psyshock. "Pidgeotto!" it cried out, slamming into the pink-purple energy beam. In a spectacular display, it pierced right through the Psyshock, scattering the energy on either side as it soared toward Exeggutor.
A moment of silence fell over the battle hall as time seemed to freeze. In a split second, the first Wing Attack collided with Exeggutor, but what followed was breathtaking—the second and third Wing Attacks landed simultaneously, unleashing a flurry of strikes upon the unsuspecting Pokémon.
Exeggutor's six eyes widened in shock, unable to comprehend the intensity of the damage inflicted upon it. The sheer force of the attack sent it tumbling forward, crashing to the ground and raising a cloud of dust, indicating that it had lost the ability to fight.
"How... how could this happen?!" Erika exclaimed, her expression a mix of shock and confusion. "It's just Wing Attack! How could it have incapacitated Exeggutor?!"
The audience was just as baffled. Apart from Ash, Misty, and Brock, no one could grasp the extraordinary nature of what had just transpired.
"The winner is Ash! Exeggutor has lost its ability to fight!" the referee announced after a brief pause, her voice ringing out through the hall.
"Yes!" The battle hall erupted into cheers. Though the spectators didn't fully understand the details of the battle, they knew one thing: Ash had triumphed over the Gym Leader's Pokémon!
"Awesome job, Ash! And Pidgeotto!" Misty cheered, but just then, something incredible happened on the battlefield.
A burst of colorful light enveloped Pidgeotto, dimming the lights in the entire battle hall. The crowd gasped in unison.
"Is it evolving?" Ash exclaimed, his eyes wide with surprise.
Under the radiant glow, Pidgeotto's form began to shift, growing larger, its wings expanding, and its claws sharpening. As the light gradually faded, a magnificent new Pokémon stood where Pidgeotto once was—an impressive Pidgeot, regal and powerful, resembling a fierce eagle in flight.
Pidgeot
Type: Normal, Flying
Category: Bird Pokémon
Ability: Keen eyes or tangled feet;
Hidden Ability: Big pecks
- Keen eyes: This ability allows Pidgeot to anticipate its opponent's movements with heightened clarity.
With its evolution, Pidgeot's strength surged beyond that of an elite-level Pokémon, firmly establishing it as Ash's strongest ally.
"Pikachu!" Pikachu squeaked, waving its little paw in excitement for Pidgeot. Despite the evolution, it felt nothing but joy for its teammate.
"Pidgeot!" Ash called out, beckoning to his newly evolved partner. Pidgeot, soaring majestically above, glided down to Ash, creating a gust of wind as it landed with poise.
"Well done, Pidgeot!" Ash praised, affectionately ruffling Pidgeot's feathers. Just then, Erika approached, crossing the battlefield with an impressed smile.
"You've truly come far in just a few months, Ash. Your growth as a Poké Ball-level Trainer is remarkable!" Erika said, taking the Rainbow Badge from a staff member and presenting it to Ash.
"Thank you!" Ash replied, his voice brimming with pride as he accepted the badge. With this victory, he had collected five badges, leaving only three more until he was eligible to compete for the Quartz Championship!
"I'm curious," Erika said, glancing at Pidgeot, "during the battle, you commanded Pidgeotto—no, Pidgeot—using some unique moves. Did you develop them yourself?"
"Yeah," Ash nodded,
"I call them **Secret Aerial Ace** and **Three-Stage Thrust**." He felt a surge of confidence sharing this information, even as he recognized that these were more skills than standard moves.
"Secret Skill—Aerial Ace... and Ignorant Three-Stage Thrust..." Erika whispered the names thoughtfully. "I can grasp the concept behind Aerial Ace, but Ignorant Three-Stage Thrust...?" She hesitated, then shook her head. "Forget it, I shouldn't pry."
Ash chose not to explain further; these techniques were indeed beyond the comprehension of most trainers, and he didn't want to fabricate elaborate stories just to justify their existence.
Erika raised an eyebrow, surprised by Ash's lack of fluster in front of her. She felt an odd mixture of admiration and curiosity.
"I look forward to your future, Ash. I believe you'll soon rise to become a Great Ball or even an Ultra Ball Trainer!" Erika said, her smile returning.
"I will! I promise!" Ash replied confidently, fueled by the encouragement and excitement of the journey ahead.
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