Chapter 55: The Ghost vs. the Tank
Whitney's eyes widened as she witnessed the incredible move firsthand. Though she had seen videos of Ash's Haunter using Aerial Ace, experiencing the secret skill in person was far more shocking.
The referee froze for a moment, stunned by the display of raw power, before quickly regaining composure and raising his flag.
The gym fell silent for a heartbeat before erupting into thunderous cheers.
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"That secret move, Aerial Ace… it's a marvel!"
Even though researchers had been studying the technique for some time, the mystery surrounding it remained unsolved.
Ash's Pokémon were the only ones capable of mastering such a feat, solidifying his reputation as an innovator in battle strategy.
"That was unbelievable! Attacks from three directions at once—it's like something out of a dream!" one Trainer exclaimed, watching Haunter with awe.
"Imagine if I could teach my Pokémon something like that…" another murmured, gazing longingly at Ash's confident stance.
Ash's friends, Misty and Brock, stood at the sidelines, basking in the audience's admiration. Though they were accustomed to Ash's skill, they couldn't help feeling a surge of pride.
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Whitney recalled her Blissey and turned her gaze toward Ash. "That technique… It's overwhelming. I can't think of a way to counter it aside from brute strength."
She paused, considering whether even Protect would be sufficient against such an attack. After taking a deep breath, she retrieved her final Pokémon—her trump card, Miltank.
Miltank's power as Whitney's ace Pokémon was undeniable. With its Scrappy Ability, it could turn even its Normal and Fighting-type moves into threats for Haunter, despite its Ghost typing. .
—
The atmosphere in Goldenrod Gym had shifted. Whitney had already lost her Blissey, and the once-lighthearted Gym Leader now wore an expression of steely determination.
Across from her stood Ash, his Haunter grinning mischievously as it floated in midair, exuding confidence with its eerie laugh. The crowd was silent, the tension palpable.
Ash adjusted his cap, confidence written across his face. "Alright, Haunter, one more to go. Let's finish strong!"
Whitney retrieved her final Poké Ball, gripping it tightly. "You've been strong, Ash, but I'm not going down easy. Miltank is my ace, and together, we've taken down countless challengers. Don't think for a second we're scared of your Haunter!"
With that, she tossed her Poké Ball into the air. In a flash of light, Miltank appeared, its pink hide gleaming under the gym's artificial lights, and its tail swinging rhythmically.
Despite its outward appearance, Miltank radiated an aura of raw power, its hooves stomping the ground with determination.
Ash instantly recognized the danger. He'd scouted Whitney's battles previously, and it was clear that her Miltank was nothing like standard Normal-types. "Let's stay alert, Haunter. This one's tough."
Miltank
Category: Milk Cow Pokemon
Ability: Thick Fat/Scrappy
Hidden ability: Sap Sipper
Strength: Silver-level
Whitney smirked, crossing her arms. "You might be confident, but don't forget that Scrappy means no tricks here, Ash. This isn't your typical Haunter vs. Normal-type matchup. Miltank can hit your ghost just as hard as anyone else!"
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Whitney wasted no time, her sharp voice ringing out. "Miltank, use Thunder Wave!"
Miltank let out a loud cry, its body glowing with faint yellow sparks as it unleashed an electrified wave of energy toward Haunter.
"Haunter, dodge with ease!" Ash shouted.
Haunter vanished just before the wave hit, phasing out of sight with a flicker of ghostly energy.
The Thunder Wave fizzled uselessly as Miltank turned its head, searching for its elusive opponent.
"Now, counter with Shadow Ball!" Ash commanded.
Reappearing directly above Miltank, Haunter chuckled wickedly as it fired a swirling orb of dark energy down toward its opponent.
"Block it with a Defense Curl!" Whitney yelled.
Miltank tucked itself into a tight ball at blinding speed, its body glowing faintly as the Shadow Ball struck it.
The curled defense absorbed much of the impact, leaving Miltank largely unscathed. With a powerful kick from its hind legs, Miltank returned to its stance, glaring up at Haunter.
Whitney smirked, her strategy becoming clear. "Ash, you'll have to do better than that! Miltank, use Rollout!"
The crowd gasped as Miltank suddenly rolled into a spinning blur, its rapidly moving body almost indistinguishable as it shot forward like a bowling ball, aiming directly at Haunter.
"Haunter, evade it again!" Ash shouted.
Once again, Haunter vanished just before the attack could connect, but Whitney grinned. "Keep it going, Miltank! Build that momentum!"
The deadly part of Rollout became clear as Miltank quickly looped back, its speed increasing with every missed strike.
It zipped toward Haunter yet again, leaving destruction in its wake as debris flew from the cracked battlefield.
Ash gritted his teeth. "We can't stay on the defensive forever... Haunter, use Secret Skill: Aerial Ace!"
Haunter gave a ghostly laugh as its body split apart into three glowing copies, each radiating a faint black-purple light.
Phantom-like energy swirled around their claws as the three Haunters lunged simultaneously, attacking from three separate angles.
The crowd broke into cheers as the three Haunters' synchronized movements overwhelmed even the speeding Miltank.
The attack connected, halting Rollout in its tracks. Miltank groaned loudly, skidding across the battlefield with sparks flying from its hooves.
Whitney clenched her fist, surprised by the maneuver. "That's a new one…"
"Like I said," Ash grinned, "Haunter's always full of tricks."
---
Haunter's three copies floated back together, reforming into its single form. Its tongue lolled out of its mouth as it giggled, clearly enjoying the battle.
Sweat ran down Whitney's brow as she analyzed the situation. "Fine, let's push harder! Miltank, use Rock Slide!"
Miltank stomped the ground, causing boulders to materialize out of thin air. With a powerful swing of its muscular arms, it sent the stones crashing toward Haunter in rapid succession.
"Block it, Haunter, with Psychic!"
Haunter raised its hands, glowing faintly as blue psychic energy wove around it. The incoming boulders froze in midair before being flung backward in Whitney's direction, causing Miltank to leap sideways to dodge its own attack.
"Nice save!" Brock said from the sidelines. "Ash is really keeping his cool. That Psychic move really balances Haunter's offense and defense."
Whitney smirked, a glint of determination returning to her eyes. "Not bad at all, Ash! But we're not done yet. Miltank, use Zen Headbutt!"
Miltank roared, its head glowing bright with psychic power as it charged forward in an all-out dash. The ground shook under its hooves as it barreled toward Haunter with alarming speed.
"Haunter, meet it head-on! Use Thunder Punch!"
Haunter cackled as an aura of electricity burst to life around its disembodied claw. With a maniacal grin, it shot forward to counter Miltank's Zen Headbutt, and the two attacks collided with an explosive burst of energy.
The sheer force of the exchange pushed both Pokémon backward, with Haunter taking to the air to regain its composure. Miltank dug its hooves into the ground, recovering almost instantly.
"That's the toughness of Miltank's Scrappy Ability!" Misty exclaimed from the stands. "It's able to go toe-to-toe with a Ghost-type like it's nothing!"
Whitney took full advantage of the slight pause in the battle. "Miltank, use Heal Bell!"
Miltank let out a soothing cry, ringing an invisible bell as gentle light washed over its body. The healing energy rejuvenated it, replenishing some of the strength it had lost in the earlier exchanges.
Ash furrowed his brow, realizing the challenge ahead. "She's playing the recovery game… Alright, Haunter, we'll just hit harder! Get ready for another Secret Skill: Aerial Ace!"
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Haunter grinned wickedly as its body began to glow and split once again into three copies, preparing another synchronized strike.
But Whitney wasn't about to let her Miltank go down easily. The battlefield continued to crack and tremble under the intensity of their moves as the climactic final round loomed.
Both trainers had their strategies in motion, and the battle promised to only grow fiercer from here.
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