Chapter 178: Crack

As soon as Weepinbell appeared on the battlefield, Erika wasted no time in issuing a command.

"Weepinbell, use Sunny Day!"

She intended to activate its Ability, Chlorophyll, which would double its speed under strong sunlight.

"Weepin... bell!"

Weepinbell let out a slightly dull cry, but its reaction was anything but slow.

A bright sphere of Fire-type energy formed above its body before shooting toward the ceiling of the battle hall. As soon as it exploded, the entire battlefield was bathed in blazing sunlight, making the air hot and dry.

Immediately, a green glow surrounded Weepinbell, signaling that Chlorophyll had taken effect. Its movements became noticeably faster, and its body seemed lighter than before.

Ash, however, remained unfazed.

"It doesn't matter how fast you are," he muttered to himself.

He knew that Aerial Ace, especially when used as a secret technique, was an attack that transcended normal speed limits.

"Even if Weepinbell is twice as fast, it's impossible to dodge an attack that reaches a 'multi-dimensional distortion phenomenon'!"

A confident smirk formed on Ash's lips.

He had absolute faith in the power of his secret technique: Aerial Ace.

The only limitation was that if Pidgeotto's own strength wasn't high enough, the attack wouldn't be able to fully overpower an opponent. But against Weepinbell, that wouldn't be a problem.

"No need to hide our full strength anymore. Pidgeotto, Quick Attack! Get close and follow up with Wing Attack!"

Ash swung his right arm forward as he gave the command.

"Piiiiiiiii!"

Pidgeotto let out a sharp cry and swooped down, instantly activating Quick Attack. A faint white glow surrounded its body as it shot toward Weepinbell like a lightning bolt.

Even from a distance, its powerful momentum was evident.

Erika's eyes narrowed slightly. She focused all her attention on Pidgeotto's movements, determined to analyze and counter it.

But she wouldn't just sit back and watch—she was going to find a way to break this attack!

"Weepinbell, dodge!"

Erika took advantage of Weepinbell's boosted speed, commanding it to evade just as Pidgeotto closed in.

Weepinbell obeyed, keeping a sharp eye on Pidgeotto's movements.

When Pidgeotto was less than ten meters away, Weepinbell suddenly twisted its body, attempting to dodge at the last possible moment.

But it was already too late.

"Now, Pidgeotto—Secret Aerial Ace!" Ash shouted.

In an instant, Pidgeotto's pupils shrank as its body split into three identical figures.

One attacked from above.

One struck from the bottom left.

One lunged from the bottom right.

All three charged at Weepinbell simultaneously!

At the same time, the white glow of Quick Attack faded, replaced by a sky-blue light as Flying-type energy surged through Pidgeotto's wings.

Wing Attack was activated.

The energy covering Pidgeotto's wings sharpened, forming blade-like edges. With its incredible speed, the wings seemed to slice through the air like cold steel.

Weepinbell was caught completely off guard.

Despite its increased speed, its movements were still predictable—and Pidgeotto had already calculated its dodge pattern!

The crowd gasped in shock as they watched the attack unfold.

Three Pidgeottos... three angles... no escape!

"Boom!"

A direct hit.

The impact sent a powerful shockwave rippling across the battlefield.

Weepinbell was launched into the air, spinning wildly before crashing down just like Tangela before it. It tumbled across the battlefield before coming to a complete stop.

The silence in the battle hall was deafening.

Then, the referee raised his flag and declared the result.

"Weepinbell is unable to battle! Pidgeotto wins!"

---

The Power of Aerial Ace

The audience erupted into cheers.

Even though they had seen this technique before, witnessing it again was just as shocking.

"Incredible... how is that even possible?!" someone in the crowd exclaimed.

"That attack ignored Weepinbell's speed completely! I've never seen anything like it!"

From the sidelines, Misty clenched her fists in excitement.

"Ash has developed something insane! This isn't just a move—it's a whole new level of battling!"

Brock nodded, eyes full of admiration.

"A technique that distorts perception... it's not just about speed, it's about complete control of movement and timing. Ash has turned Aerial Ace into something far beyond a simple Flying-type move."

Meanwhile, Erika remained silent, watching Ash thoughtfully.

This was the second time she had seen this technique completely overpower her Pokémon.

She took a deep breath, then smiled.

"You're full of surprises, Ash. But don't think this battle is over yet."

She reached for her third and final Poké Ball.

"This is my strongest Pokémon. Let's see if your Aerial Ace can defeat it too!"

Ash grinned, his battle spirit burning brighter than ever.

"Bring it on, Erika! I'm ready!"

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To Be Continued…