Bathed in blazing light, Charmeleon let out a powerful roar.
Brilliant radiance erupted from its body.
Its frame began to expand, muscles swelling as its silhouette grew larger and larger.
The flames engulfing its body were no longer burning chaotically—they were being drawn inward, absorbed completely.
This was evolution.
Charmeleon was using Incineroar's own flames as the catalyst to break through.
Boom!
Massive wings unfurled with explosive force, violent gusts of wind tearing the surrounding fire apart.
A brand-new form emerged before Cross.
No—
It was no longer Charmeleon.
It was Charizard.
Fireworks for the birth of a king.
"Charmeleon evolved into Charizard!"
"Pika—Pika!"
The bond between Ash and his Pokémon surged to new heights, igniting Charizard's fighting spirit.
Unshakable will.
Burning resolve.
A heart that refused to yield.
All of it converged into this evolution born within the flames.
Now evolved, Charizard's size was no longer inferior to Incineroar's.
As for raw power—
The audience would soon see that.
Live Commentary
Lance: "It evolved… then this fight—"
Flint:[Covering mouth]
Caitlin:[Covering mouth]
Diantha:[Covering mouth]
Cynthia: "Lance, you'd better stop talking now and just watch."
Lance: "…I'm tired. I give up."
Battle Continues
Cross stared at the newly evolved Charizard in disbelief.
"That's impossible… that trash actually evolved?!"
"But even if it evolved, it doesn't matter! I told you before—trash stays trash!"
"Incineroar, Darkest Lariat!"
Charizard glanced back at Ash and nodded.
In that instant, it was as if a beam of light passed through Ash's mind.
He understood.
Completely.
"Use Dragon Claw!"
"ROAR!"
Emerald-green energy condensed around Charizard's claws, forming razor-sharp draconic talons.
Evolution had granted it a new move.
Dragon Claw.
Not a Fire-type move.
Not even STAB.
But its reach and cutting power far surpassed Slash.
Longer reach meant dominance.
BOOM!
Dragon Claw collided head-on with Darkest Lariat.
Shockwaves exploded outward, and loose stones blasted into the air.
BAM! BAM! BAM!
A direct contest of strength.
Before evolving, Charmeleon would never have been able to fight Incineroar head-on.
But now—
Charizard had reached the same tier.
No.
It had surpassed it.
"ROAR!"
After several fierce clashes, Charizard's Dragon Claw surged larger, its glow intensifying.
Then—
SLASH!
Incineroar attempted to counter, but it was already too late.
CRASH!
The blow sent Incineroar flying several meters back.
"Now! Flamethrower!"
"Protect!"
A green barrier enveloped Incineroar, deflecting the flames completely.
"Tch… it even knows Protect."
If not for that move, even a Fire-resistant Pokémon would have taken serious damage.
"No problem. Charizard—take to the skies!"
Charizard spread its wings and soared upward.
"Flamethrower!"
Cross tried to shoot it down.
Columns of fire blasted upward—but Charizard danced through the sky with ease.
Flames struck cliffs instead, exploding into smoke.
Power meant nothing if it couldn't hit.
"Dragon Rage!"
A pulsing purple sphere shot from Charizard's mouth like a cannonball.
BOOM!
Incineroar had no chance to dodge.
The blast hit cleanly.
Charizard landed before Ash, letting out a small puff of fire—
as if to say:
That wasn't even hard.
"Wow… Charizard is amazing!"
Charizard puffed out its chest proudly.
That tiger was nothing.
Charizard reigns supreme.
Red crossed his arms, studying it carefully.
"The Charizard in the vision is strong. That one's brushing Champion-tier."
"Yours still needs work. You're… a bit small."
Charizard instantly deflated.
Size was his eternal pain.
Red's Charizard towered over him.
In the vision, evolution had been natural.
Here, it was forced.
And without the Rainbow Wing, recovery took longer.
Painful.
Truly painful.
Final Clash
Incineroar rose again, battered but not defeated.
Its belt flared violently.
Blaze activated.
"This is it," Ash said calmly.
"It's strong—but it's almost out of stamina. Stay steady, and we win."
Charizard roared, flames surging.
"Fire Fang!"
Incineroar lunged.
Charizard barely dodged, wings beating frantically.
"Don't let it escape—drag it down!"
Incineroar leapt impossibly high, grabbing Charizard midair and locking its body tight.
A crushing hold.
Then—
Darkest Lariat, point-blank.
The blow struck Charizard square in the chest.
Its eyes dulled.
Its body began to fall.
Cross smiled.
He had won.
"Charizard! Don't you dare lose!"
"Your goal is to become the strongest Fire-type Pokémon in the world!"
"Use Seismic Toss!"
Ash's voice thundered like a battle cry.
Charizard's eyes snapped back to life.
It halted mid-fall—then rocketed upward.
Three rapid spins.
Incineroar was flung skyward like a meteor.
BOOOOM!
The mountain shook.
The battlefield cracked apart.
Dust swallowed everything.
When it cleared—
Incineroar stood, barely.
One last breath.
Then—
"Flamethrower!"
A final gamble.
"We'll answer it head-on!"
"Flamethrower!"
Two infernos collided.
Heat engulfed the mountain.
Then—
Charizard's flames multiplied.
Tenfold.
The beam condensed into a massive fireball—
And detonated.
When the dust settled, Charizard stood proudly before Ash.
Incineroar lay defeated.
Victory belonged to Charizard.
Lance: "That was Flamethrower?!"
Alder: "That was Cross Flame in everything but name."
Diantha: "Ridiculous explanation."
Cynthia: "No… that was bond given form."
Oak: "Next… Ho-Oh."
And as Ash approached the sacred stone, Cross whispered—
"I saw Ho-Oh once."
The world froze.
But Ho-Oh never chose him.
And that—
Was the difference.
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