Chapter 177: The Change of Pidgeotto
As soon as the battle began, Pidgeotto soared onto the battlefield. Despite the dense vegetation surrounding them, it was still well-suited for combat. Being a Flying-type Pokémon, it had a natural advantage over Grass-types.
More importantly, after ten days of rigorous training, Pidgeotto had significantly improved its understanding of two inherited techniques. While its overall strength hadn't reached the next level yet, its combat ability had advanced far beyond its previous state.
From across the battlefield, Erika watched Pidgeotto closely. She knew that Grass-types were weak against Flying-types, but that didn't mean her Pokémon weren't capable of handling such opponents.
She gave a small smile, already preparing her strategy.
"Battle—Start!"
As soon as the referee signaled the start of the match, Ash swung his right hand forward, issuing a command with confidence.
"Pidgeotto, Quick Attack! Close the distance and follow up with Wing Attack!"
"Piiiii—!"
With a sharp cry, Pidgeotto activated Quick Attack, accelerating instantly. Its body became a blur as it darted through the thick foliage, closing in on Erika's Tangela at high speed.
But Erika remained calm.
"Tangela, use Vine Whip!"
At her command, Tangela's thick vines shot forward, slicing through the air toward the rapidly approaching Pidgeotto.
The twin vines lashed out from different angles, but Pidgeotto's Quick Attack made it incredibly nimble. Twisting in mid-air, it weaved through the incoming strikes, skillfully dodging the vines as it continued its approach.
However, Tangela wasn't finished yet.
Even though its first attack missed, Tangela controlled the vines mid-air, bringing them back down in an attempt to strike Pidgeotto from above.
"Pidgeotto, look out! Dodge!" Ash shouted.
Pidgeotto immediately reacted, tilting its body slightly to the side. The vines slammed down behind it, barely missing their mark. By now, it was less than ten meters away from Tangela!
Erika's smile widened.
"It's not that easy!" she said confidently. "Tangela, attack again!"
"Tangelaaa—!"
Suddenly, two more vines shot out from Tangela's thick covering, targeting Pidgeotto from the front.
Four Vine Whips?!
The crowd gasped in shock. Most people had assumed Tangela could only control two vines at a time, but now it was launching an attack with four!
Even Ash was momentarily surprised, but he quickly regained his composure.
"I expected this!" he thought with a smirk.
He had already considered this possibility before the battle even started.
"Pidgeotto, keep moving forward! But this time—use Secret Technique: Aerial Ace!"
The moment the command was given, Pidgeotto's eyes flashed with understanding.
Over the past ten days, it had fully mastered the inherited knowledge of Aerial Ace—not just as a move, but as a battle technique.
Its speed suddenly doubled.
Pidgeotto didn't even attempt to dodge the incoming vines. Instead, it charged straight ahead!
The spectators gasped in shock.
"Why isn't Pidgeotto dodging?! Is Ash making a mistake?"
With its agility, Pidgeotto could have maneuvered around the attack, even if it was difficult. But choosing to rush forward directly seemed reckless!
From the sidelines, Brock and Misty exchanged knowing smiles.
Unlike the spectators, they had witnessed Pidgeotto's training firsthand. They knew just how powerful Ash's new techniques were.
Erika hesitated for a moment, unsure of Ash's plan, but she remained firm in her decision.
"Tangela, don't stop! Attack!"
The four vines surged forward—only five centimeters away from Pidgeotto!
And then—everything changed.
Aerial Ace—Perfected!
For a brief moment, time seemed to freeze.
Pidgeotto's form suddenly split into three, creating the illusion of multiple copies.
One was diving from above.
One was sweeping in from the bottom left.
One was darting in from the bottom right.
Three Pidgeottos—three attack paths—one real target!
Tangela's vines struck forward, but missed completely, as if they had been aiming at an illusion.
Before anyone could react—
"Wing Attack—Now!" Ash commanded.
The three Pidgeottos attacked simultaneously.
A brilliant sky-blue energy surged through their wings, resembling razor-sharp blades.
All three forms of Pidgeotto slashed through Tangela at the exact same time!
Direct Hit!
The force of the triple Wing Attack sent Tangela flying backward, crashing into the ground.
A thick cloud of dust and grass flew into the air.
As the dust settled, everyone turned their eyes toward Tangela.
It lay on the battlefield, its vines twitching weakly.
And then—
"Tangela is unable to battle!" the referee declared. "Pidgeotto wins!"
A brief silence fell over the gym.
Then—
The entire crowd erupted into cheers!
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Pidgeotto's Growth
Pidgeotto flapped its wings proudly before landing back on the battlefield.
Even Ash was slightly stunned by the results. He had expected Aerial Ace to work, but seeing it executed perfectly in an official battle was something else entirely.
Misty was grinning ear to ear. "That was incredible! I knew Pidgeotto had improved, but I didn't expect it to be this powerful!"
Brock nodded in agreement. "Ash's new training method is really paying off. That was more than just a move—it was a whole battle technique!"
Meanwhile, Erika gazed at Pidgeotto thoughtfully. She had heard of trainers modifying battle techniques, but Ash had taken it to another level.
"You've impressed me, Ash," she said with a smile. "But don't think it's over yet. I still have two Pokémon left!"
Ash smirked, stepping forward confidently.
"Then bring it on, Erika!"
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To Be Continued…