Butterfree held the advantage of flight. If it stayed high enough, Raticate's attacks would have a hard time reaching it.
If Hisoka were commanding, he would have fully utilized that aerial advantage, using Stun Spore, Poison Powder, and Sleep Powder to toy with the Raticate until it was finished.
Bug-type Pokémon were never known for high physical defense or stamina. If Raticate managed to leap up and clamp down with a Hyper Fang, the match would likely end in an instant.
Unfortunately, the rookie Ash lacked practical experience. He was a straightforward thinker who didn't consider indirect tactics or playing to his Pokémon's natural strengths.
Ash pointed forward and shouted with confidence, "Butterfree, use Tackle!"
Hisoka stared in disbelief. With a Butterfree's fragile physical build, who exactly was it supposed to be tackling?
"Raticate, jump!" the gentleman commanded, tapping his cane lightly on the deck.
Raticate leaped high into the air, colliding with the Butterfree as it dove down. However, because it was in mid-air, Raticate had nothing to push off of, losing its usual ground-based agility.
The two Pokémon collided repeatedly in the air. The dull thud of physical impact echoed across the deck, sending a surge of excitement through the spectators.
"Ash's Butterfree might not be able to beat that Raticate," Misty said, her voice laced with worry.
"Not necessarily..." Brock, standing beside her with his arms crossed, said with a smile. "The two of them are evenly matched."
"Raticate, use Hyper Fang!" The gentleman grew tired of the stalemate and ordered a finishing move.
Ash might have been stubborn as a mule, but he wasn't brainless. He knew exactly how much power a Raticate's Hyper Fang packed.
"Butterfree, dive down and dodge it!"
This command was actually quite clever. By utilizing the natural advantage of diving and rising, dodging close-range skills became much easier. Butterfree beat its wings and plummeted toward the deck, narrowly avoiding the massive teeth snapping shut where it had been a moment before.
Ash clenched his fists, his confidence soaring. "Nice job! Butterfree, use Stun Spore!"
Butterfree veered upward and climbed to a higher altitude. It began to flap its wings rapidly, releasing a massive cloud of pale yellow phosphorescent powder that blanketed the deck toward Raticate.
The surrounding spectators saw the Stun Spore and turned pale, scrambling backward. That stuff was not to be messed with; the numbing pain and inability to move after being coated in Stun Spore was a miserable experience.
The powder descended from the sky, covering nearly half the marked field. Raticate had nowhere to hide and was forced to endure the Stun Spore as it settled into its fur. Its calm expression immediately vanished, replaced by a pained grimace as its eyes snapped shut. Its body grew increasingly numb, and its legs shook, nearly causing it to collapse.
Because Bug-type Pokémon had short lifespans, their evolution speed was incredibly fast. For example, a wild Caterpie with a sufficient food supply could evolve into a Metapod in just three weeks. From Metapod to Butterfree took only another week. The entire two-stage evolution process could be completed in less than a month.
If cultivated carefully by a trainer, that time could be shortened even further.
A month's time was barely enough for a First Partner Pokémon to go from an infant to a toddler. They were nowhere near their first evolution, let alone their final form.
Because of this rapid evolution, Bug-type Pokémon occupied a significant portion of a rookie trainer's early strength. Evolution represented a massive leap in power. This had even given rise to a specific group among rookie trainers known as Bug Catchers.
A Butterfree's Stun Spore, Poison Powder, and Sleep Powder were commonly referred to by trainers as the "Three Spore" series. In early, lower-tier matches, this strategy could make a rookie trainer's life a living hell. Even some veterans could easily fall victim to it if they didn't have specific counters prepared.
This Raticate was now in that exact position. Perhaps the gentleman had grown complacent after three consecutive victories, leading him into this dilemma. Once Raticate was fully paralyzed, the match would be effectively over.
The gentleman gripped his cane tightly, his small mustache twitching as his eyelid jumped. He was clearly unsettled. He knew that if he didn't do something soon, the battle would be lost.
"Alright! Now, use Gust!" Ash wiped his nose excitedly, ready to deliver the final blow.
Heh, this guy isn't so tough after all. He's being taken down easily by yours truly, Ash thought to himself.
But just as Butterfree was about to launch the attack, the gentleman covered his nose and mouth with a handkerchief and strode quickly onto the field, picking up the paralyzed Raticate.
"Let's call it a draw!" With that, the man carried his Raticate into the crowd. His Mademoiselle companion followed close behind, and they both vanished into the throng of people.
"What?! I clearly won that!"
Ash felt as if he had just swallowed a fly. Butterfree had been one move away from securing the victory, only for his opponent to pull a stunt like thatpicking up the disabled Raticate and walking away without giving Ash a chance to argue.
Since the battle was over, the tourists had nothing left to see and began to disperse.
Hisoka didn't go up to greet Ash and his group. It wasn't the right time to meet them yet; there would be plenty of opportunities later. He was quite interested in seeing how he would interact with these so-called protagonists. It was definitely something to look forward to!
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