Chapter 213: The Ninetales Jinchuriki!
2024-05-15 Author: Samsung Charmander (Author Name)
"Wartor..."
Wartortle's body began to stagger and sway on the battlefield.
"Wartortle, snap out of it! Remember what you said last night!"
Seeing the dire situation, Ash quickly let out a rallying cry.
Last night in the hot spring, Wartortle had told him that it didn't want to continue being the comic relief used to liven things up. It wanted to become a truly powerful combat general.
It had noticed that in recent battles where Ash sent it out, although it had plenty of screen time, it was mostly for comedic effect. Compared to the constantly improving Ivysaur and Charmeleon, its character was veering in a strange direction.
*I, Wartortle, will not be outdone by anyone!*
"Wartor!"
Wartortle's swaying body paused for a moment, as if it had remembered something.
Seeing this, Ash's eyes lit up and he shouted, "Now! Use Bubble Beam!"
"Wartor!"
Bracing itself against the dizzying afterimages of Zapdos that filled its vision, Wartortle stirred its Water-type energy and spat out countless blue, bubbly water spheres!
But the Bubble Beam had traveled less than three meters before it suddenly changed direction, striking its own source and exploding into a watery mist on the spot.
*Splash...*
The Bubble Beam hit itself!
Everyone: "..."
However, this mishap didn't anger Ash. Instead, he was delighted and immediately commanded again, "That's what I wanted! Now, use Water Gun!"
"Wartor!"
From within the mist and dust, only a low cry from the turtle could be heard, followed by a blue pillar of water suddenly shooting out, though its source was obscured.
This time, the Water Gun wasn't as thick as before. Its diameter had shrunk to a mere ten centimeters, making it a literal water "gun."
*Swoosh!!*
With its diameter reduced, its power and speed increased severalfold. It caught Ninetales completely off guard, splashing it right in the face, drenching its elegant and noble fur and making it lose its composure.
Super effective!
"It worked!"
Wartortle's form was also revealed, its expression resolute. It had clearly shaken off the confusion.
Watching from the sidelines, Misty's eyes narrowed as she smiled and began to clap.
To prepare for this fire-type challenge, although Ash hadn't borrowed any Water-type Pokémon from her, a specialist in that type, the two had still stayed up late, deeply discussing Water-type battle strategies.
By narrowing the Water Gun's area of effect and concentrating the strike on a single point, its power and speed would rise to a new level. This was a new tactic they had developed together.
They had even proposed a hypothesis: if the Water Gun's diameter was further reduced to one centimeter, it would become an indestructible cutting blade, capable of slicing through anything as it moved!
You should know, some members of Team Magma don't use knives to slit a passerby's throat; they use steel wires!
Transforming a Water-type attack, which was fundamentally about high-pressure impact, into a sharp, cutting attack was undoubtedly a mind-blowingly creative idea.
But for now, reducing the diameter to ten centimeters was Wartortle's limit.
"Not bad. Using a weak Bubble Beam to break your own confusion, even creating a smokescreen for disguise, and then launching a sneak attack with that special Water Gun."
Blaine quickly saw through all of Ash's prior maneuvers, gaining a preliminary understanding of the boy's sharp mind.
"In that case, try this! Ninetales, use Extrasensory!"
Blaine launched another attack.
Ninetales was already a Pokémon with a mystical quality to it, capable of using strange moves like Confuse Ray, Extrasensory, and Will-O-Wisp.
As Ninetales's eyes flickered, a surging blue light instantly enveloped Wartortle, freezing it in place.
"Wartor..."
Wartortle strained where it stood but couldn't break free, unable to move an inch.
"Vulpix~"
Ninetales let out a soft cry, and the power of the blue psychic energy instantly intensified, focusing on the target. One could even see with the naked eye how Wartortle's body was being twisted and squeezed by this powerful telekinesis.
"Wartor..."
Under the force of Extrasensory, Wartortle let out a pained cry.
Ash's mind raced. Suddenly thinking of something, he quickly shouted a suggestion, "Wartortle, use Rapid Spin!"
How could simple brute force be more effective than the power generated by spinning?
"Wartor!"
Hearing this, Wartortle's eyes lit up. Its four limbs and head shot into its shell. The shell then began to spin in the air, and the rotational force seemed to tear through a layer of paper, easily breaking the bonds of Extrasensory and allowing it to spin freely in mid-air.
Rapid Spin was naturally effective at breaking free from binding moves like Sticky Web, Toxic Spikes, and Bind. It also had a miraculous effect against the psychic restraint of Extrasensory.
You could say that Ash had stumbled upon the perfect counter, coincidentally using a move that was a natural counter to being restrained.
"A good counter..."
Watching the spinning shell that was about to charge him, Blaine's tone grew serious as he pushed up the sunglasses on his face.
"In that case, let's just finish it. Ninetales, use Solar Beam!"
"Vulpix~"
Following Ninetales's cry to the sky, a beam of golden energy shot up from its body into the air above the volcano. It instantly expanded several times over, becoming a large, brilliant orb of golden-white light. A terrifying, scorching energy coalesced on its surface, and even the surrounding air began to slowly distort from the high temperature.
"What!?"
Not just Ash, but Brock and Misty behind him were all greatly alarmed, not expecting Ninetales to have such a move up its sleeve.
"Heh heh, with the Drought ability, how could I not prepare a Solar Beam in advance?"
Blaine chuckled lightly. Solar Beam was a powerful Grass-type move, but its only drawback was that it required a period to charge.
But under a sunny sky, the terrifying Solar Beam could be fired instantly!
*Zzz-swoosh!!*
The golden energy sphere shot a scorching laser down from mid-air, striking the still-spinning Wartortle.
*Boom!!*
The Solar Beam was a direct hit. The terrifying force of the super-effective attack landed. Although it felt like a scorching, high-temperature Fire-type attack, it was actually Grass-type!
"Wartortle!!"
Wartortle didn't even have time to poke its head out. Its entire body, shell and all, was sent flying backward by the Solar Beam. The terrifying solar laser even dragged it across the ground, carving a long gouge!
Super effective!!
*Rumble!!*
The laser swept past, even causing an explosion at the very end!
"Wartortle!!"
Smoke and dust danced before Ash's face as he yelled anxiously toward the center of the explosion.
"So he keeps a Grass-type move in reserve specifically for the Water-type Pokémon that challengers send out against his Fire-types?"
Brock, standing at the edge of the arena, watched with a profound look, a new understanding in his gaze as he looked at Blaine.
It seemed this old man was very experienced in Fire-type battles and in dealing with challengers.
"Hahaha, I remember when I was still on my journey, I made a name for myself relying on this very Drought and Solar Beam combination with Ninetales."
With the Solar Beam's success, Blaine began to laugh triumphantly.
"Back then, I even earned a title: The Ninetales Jinchuriki!"
Jinchuriki, in an ancient text, was a term used to describe a specific kind of human—a person who was a sort of tool or sacrifice.
But its meaning has completely changed in the present day, now referring to a trainer who is exceptionally skilled at commanding a specific type of Pokémon.
For example, Lance could be called the Dragonite Jinchuriki, or the Bird-User Jinchuriki.
"So strong..."
Soon, the aftershocks of the Solar Beam's explosion completely dissipated. A single attack had carved a long gouge across half the battlefield, stretching all the way to the edge of the volcanic rock.
"Wartor..."
A turtle-like silhouette slowly rose from the crater.
To Blaine's surprise, Wartortle, after taking a direct hit from the powerful Grass-type move Solar Beam, had not completely lost the ability to battle.
Although its whole body was covered in scorch marks as if it had been roasted by flames, it still stood up, trembling, its eyes firm as it stared intently at Ninetales.
It was a water turtle, yet it was burning!
I will not be the comic relief!!
(Temporarily retconning a previous plot point... At the Power Plant, after Ash defeated Zapdos, he not only obtained a Thunder Stone, but also one of Zapdos's feathers.)
(end of chapter)