Chapter 305: Charizard’s Epiphany

Chapter 305: Charizard's Epiphany

Jingwu Hall, known as the sacred ground for Fighting-type Trainers, was all about the thrill of hand-to-hand combat.

The earlier battle between Charizard and Urshifu had thrilled the crowd.

The image of Charizard's orange frame wrapped in ghostly pale flames, being relentlessly pressured by Urshifu's flowing martial arts, was still fresh in everyone's minds.

From the outside, it looked like a one-sided beatdown.

But the true enthusiasts in the audience—those who understood the subtle nuances of combat—had their own perspectives.

"That Charizard knows some fighting techniques, but it's clearly self-taught. Too raw. Urshifu had it dancing to his rhythm."

"Still, give credit where it's due. Charizard isn't even Master-level, and it still held out against Urshifu for that long!"

"If its hand-to-hand isn't working, why not just use ranged energy attacks?"

"That's obvious—Urshifu can dodge them, or just tank through. Worse, it might get close to the Trainer during the opening."

"Wait… wasn't that Exploding Fist just now? Charizard should've been confused by that!"

"What the—why does it look totally unaffected?"

The crowd murmured in disbelief.

While the Gardevoir vs. Slaking fight was interesting, most were focused on the Charizard–Urshifu clash.

And when Charizard shrugged off the Exploding Fist, soared skyward, and unleashed a devastating Fire Blast, many of the trainers watching were stunned.

They all knew Exploding Fist's secondary effect—guaranteed confusion. Even if no damage was dealt afterward, the confusion usually lasted at least three seconds.

But Charizard?

He wasn't even phased.

"Could it be wearing some kind of anti-status item?"

When Hu Ba's voice rang out declaring Hikaru had passed the Master Trainer assessment, many finally understood.

"Two Elite-peak Pokémon actually passed a Master-level Trainer exam?"

"Against an Urshifu and a Slaking, no less—that's insane."

"Still… doesn't that mean it's a bit of a stretch to call him a Master Trainer?"

"Don't kid yourself. I watched all of Hikaru's matches. Charizard and Gardevoir aren't even his strongest. His real ace is Latias."

"Charizard and Gardevoir are already Elite peak. Latias must be Master-class by now!"

As the discussions spread, Hikaru finished registering his new Master-level credentials.

He didn't leave right away.

That's because Hu Ba had Urshifu perform a live demonstration of Flowing Force, the very martial technique it had used against Charizard.

Flowing Force was a form that emphasized seamless defense—gentle yet unbreakable, like a stream that could erode stone.

In Hu Ba's top-tier Urshifu, it had been refined to its highest state.

Its movements varied—sometimes surging with power like a waterfall, other times gentle and constant like a babbling brook.

Even more exciting—Hu Ba, clearly in high spirits, gave live commentary during the demonstration.

The crowd of Trainers and their Pokémon watched in awe, nodding along, captivated.

This was rare. While such showcases sometimes happened after the Dragon-Tiger Cup, a live breakdown and tutorial? That was nearly unheard of.

Seeing the opportunity, Hikaru called out Charizard and Greninja.

Neither was a true Fighting-type Pokémon, but they had strong ties to the style.

For Charizard, Hikaru had always wanted him to be a hybrid attacker—both physical and special.

He had once believed Charizard's fighting technique was decent, thanks to sparring with Greninja and others.

But compared to a true martial master?

It wasn't even close.

As for Greninja—if the move was called Flowing Force, then surely it had a water-based essence.

Greninja might pick up something valuable from watching.

Too bad Lucario wasn't here.

With the [Fighting Master] trait, Lucario would've been perfect for absorbing this style.

Though Hikaru recorded everything for him to watch later, it wouldn't match the experience of seeing it live.

---

"Flowing Force," Hu Ba explained, "was born when Urshifu and I traveled through every water-type secret realm we could find—streams, lakes, waterfalls—we studied them all."

"Then we challenged the strongest martial artists across the regions until we fused their knowledge into this form."

"The simplest part of Flowing Force is fluid motion—attacks that never stop, like water. But its true essence is in the balance between hard and soft, aggression and patience."

"Earlier, my Urshifu only showed the defensive side during battle. But there's an offensive side too…"

As Urshifu continued its demonstration, Hu Ba explained every movement, every shift of stance.

The surrounding audience—including many Pokémon—were completely absorbed.

Some of the more talented Fighting-type Pokémon even began to mimic the moves on the spot.

But while some managed to imitate the motion, they failed to capture the intent.

Charizard, though, was different.

Having just fought Urshifu firsthand, his eyes were glowing with recognition.

Hikaru noticed immediately and nodded quietly to himself.

He's starting to get it.

The early use of the red trait [Battle Leech], while subtle, had produced profound results.

Though there wasn't always instant feedback, the underlying benefits were clear.

Hikaru didn't interrupt Charizard's concentration.

He let him soak in every second of the demonstration.

Even after Hu Ba and Urshifu finished, Charizard remained motionless, deep in thought.

His eyes sparkled occasionally, reflecting moments of insight.

Many nearby Trainers and Pokémon turned to look.

"No way… that Charizard…"

They were amazed.

A Fire/Flying-type Pokémon, showing signs of enlightenment inside a Fighting-type dojo?

Hu Ba and his Urshifu exchanged complicated glances.

He had only told Urshifu to perform casually—to attract more students to the gym.

And here came this massive lizard… stealing the show?

Still, Hu Ba stared hard at Charizard.

He wanted to see—

Did this Charizard really learn something from Flowing Force?

Because if he did...

Then this Charizard's potential—was frightening.

---

Read up to 20 Chapters ahead on patreon.com/Fanglin

[Please leave a 5 Star review and power stone for this novel]

*Thank you*