"Screech—"
An ear-piercing sound rang out on the field, causing Misty, Aya, and others to cover their ears involuntarily.
The defense barrier could block energy, but it couldn't block sound. The noise was so sharp and grating that it truly made people uncomfortable from the bottom of their hearts.
Even Koga couldn't help but cover his ears. Screech affected everyone equally, and apart from the one who used it, everyone who heard it would feel a sense of irritability and pain rising from within.
Moreover, within this screeching sound was mixed a Supersonic that carried chaotic power.
To defend against such a combo, either intercept it before it's used, or block your ears so you can't hear a thing.
Otherwise, getting hit would be disastrous for the Pokemon, trapping them in confusion and lowering their defense.
Yet Ash recklessly let Bulbasaur use the Growth skill.
Growth could raise one's attack by one level, and under Sunny Day conditions, this boost would double directly.
The moment Bulbasaur used Growth, its size seemed to expand.
But at that moment, the sharp sound reached Bulbasaur's ears, causing a pained expression to appear on Bulbasaur's face. Its eyes started to wander, seemingly lost in confusion, unable to tell direction.
"Great! Crobat, use Brave Bird!!" Seeing that both skills hit Bulbasaur, and with Bulbasaur defenseless, it was the perfect attack opportunity!
The opponent's defense had been lowered by two levels, and Crobat excelled in physical moves. If this attack hit, the damage would be incomparable to the earlier Air Slash!
Ash shook his head slowly, his voice calm: "Maximum power, Frenzy Plant."
Koga was stunned, Frenzy Plant? Isn't that a move only the Grass Type's Final Evolution of the Three Starter can use? And Bulbasaur can even use it?
However, it didn't matter; Bulbasaur was in a confused state. Whether it could use it wasn't the issue—its power would be mediocre, and its release speed would absolutely be slow...
Just as Koga thought this, the entire field suddenly began to tremble violently, as if some gigantic creature was awakening beneath the soil.
In the next second, countless cracks burst open, and amidst the flying dirt, thick roots shot out of the ground like frenzied pythons breaking free!
The originally empty arena was immediately covered by these roots, transforming the field into what seemed like a forest!
The newly placed barrier was shattered in the blink of an eye by the roots erupting from the ground!
'Ash' furrowed his brow slightly. He raised his arm, a faint blue light glowing in his hand, as a new blue barrier rose to firmly protect the surrounding people and observers.
The Crobat on the field, like a meteor, plummeted downward, and seeing the robust roots sprouting from the ground, it was too late to stop.
"Boom!!"
Countless roots and branches weaved through the air, wrapping around the Crobat, which was enveloped in a layer of blue energy.
The muffled booming sound echoed among the roots, unable to tear the encased gray-brown trees apart.
The commotion within the vines grew smaller and quieter, finally falling into silence after a few seconds.
With the vines' movement ceased, everyone around—including Koga, Misty, and those watching on televisions and computers—fell silent.
Dining people's chopsticks and bowls dropped, people walking on the street obliviously bumped into utility poles, and those lounging on sofas went limp. Although the previous battles were somewhat unexpected, they didn't evoke such expressions and emotions from everyone. Now, all spectators had blank minds, devoid of any thought.
Koga, as the person involved, appeared dazed; his eyes were vacant. If not for the dignity of an Elite supporting him, he might have collapsed into his seat, feeling powerless, and his limbs cold.
This match was bewildering. Previously, he had the upper hand throughout, but the opponent's special abilities allowed them to react quickly, making landing attacks difficult.
Even if he could hit the opponent once, he could have won the previous two battles. Unfortunately, he failed to do so.
He could excuse the previous losses with speed issues or carelessness. Yet in this battle, he sent out his ace, Crobat, the fastest on his team!
With multiple boosts, even a Champion-level Pokemon would be outpaced considerably by Crobat's speed!
Its sheer strength was also the strongest among all his Pokemon, making this fight almost a guaranteed win.
But in this battle, he faced an even more terrifying monster.
Air Slash failed to inflict any meaningful damage on Bulbasaur. He barely managed to increase speed, using Screech and Supersonic in an attempt to disrupt, preparing for a decisive blow!