Chapter 282: Chapter 282: The Samurai Is Defeated
This mantis-like creature had a green, insectoid body and sharp scythe-like arms, standing poised and ready to battle.
Its spiked legs and powerful wings gave it impressive speed and agility, allowing it to fly with remarkable acceleration.
Scyther
Type: Bug, Flying
Category: Mantis Pokémon
Abilities: Swarm or Technician
Hidden Ability: Steadfast
Swarm: Increases Bug-type moves' power by 1.5x when HP is below one-third.
Strength: Silver level
Scyther was formidable, especially with its impressive speed and attack stats.
Samurai immediately commanded an aggressive strategy, hoping to mirror Ash's tactics.
He pointed towards Beedrill, shouting, "Scyther, use Agility and get close to Beedrill!"
With a determined cry, Scyther activated Psychic energy, boosting its speed as it charged forward, nearly disappearing in a flash as it rapidly closed the gap to Beedrill.
"Beedrill won't lose in speed or close combat," Ash murmured confidently.
His Beedrill had been through rigorous training and was faster than ever after multiple Agility boosts.
"Beedrill, Agility again, then use Fury Attack!" Ash commanded, deciding to show more of Beedrill's potential. Up until now, Beedrill hadn't even revealed its full strength.
With a burst of speed, Beedrill blurred forward, faster than Scyther, and charged toward it.
As it advanced, Normal-type energy flowed through it, activating both Agility and Fury Attack simultaneously.
Samurai's eyes widened in shock as he watched Beedrill execute two moves at once.
"Impossible!" he muttered in disbelief. He had no time to adjust his strategy, and Scyther was caught off guard by the unexpected combo, unable to dodge.
In rapid succession, Beedrill landed four precise hits with Fury Attack.
Each blow struck with incredible force, generating shockwaves on impact and critically injuring Scyther.
With the force of the blows, Scyther was thrown backward, struggling to stay on its feet as it hit the ground hard. Although still conscious, it was weakened and struggled to rise.
Ash seized the opportunity. "Beedrill, finish it! Poison Jab!" he called.
Beedrill flew overhead, its right stinger glowing with Poison energy as it dove down, striking Scyther in the abdomen.
The blow was powerful, and Scyther's eyes went wide, saliva dribbling from its mouth as its body bent in pain.
After a few seconds of struggle, it collapsed, losing consciousness.
"Scyther is unable to battle! Beedrill wins again!" the referee announced. Beedrill had claimed victory over two opponents in a row!
The arena erupted in cheers, with fans celebrating Ash's impressive skill.
The commentators were equally thrilled. "Ash's strength remains unmatched! He's one step closer to completing an incredible feat of taking down three opponents in a single qualifier!"
Samurai's face was taut with tension as he released his final Pokémon—Pinsir.
While it was also at the Silver level and had performed well in previous matches, Samurai's composure was slipping.
His judgement faltered under the pressure, leading to multiple strategic errors.
Ash quickly exploited these mistakes, allowing Beedrill to use another Fury Attack to defeat Pinsir with ease.
"Pinsir is unable to continue! Beedrill wins! The winner of this Ice Arena battle is Ash!" The referee's final announcement reverberated through the stadium. Samurai fell to his knees, stunned by the result.
He had known that Ash was strong, but the sheer gap in their abilities surprised him.
Rather than narrowing since they had parted ways in Viridian Forest, the distance between them had only grown wider.
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As Ash celebrated with Pikachu and Beedrill, acknowledging the cheering crowd, Samurai looked on with mixed emotions.
After a moment of reflection, he sighed, recalled Pinsir, and made his way over to Ash.
"Ash has completed a remarkable four straight rounds in the qualifiers with three consecutive victories in each match.
While rare, those who achieve this are often destined for greatness, like renowned Trainers Mr. Lance and Mr. Bruno!" The commentator's voice rang out with excitement.
In his view, Ash's future was promising, potentially reaching the heights of top Trainers like Lance and Bruno.
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Samurai extended a hand to Ash, saying, "Congratulations, Ash."
"Thank you, Samurai," Ash replied, shaking his hand firmly.
"Good luck in the main competition. I hope to see you reach the pinnacle of the Indigo Plateau Conference," Samurai added, his tone sincere despite his disappointment.
Ash smiled. "That's the goal I have in mind!"
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Meanwhile, on the grassy field, Gary was also in the final qualifier round.
Determined not to fall behind Ash, he used Arcanine to secure his own series of three consecutive wins, matching Ash's feat of four qualifier rounds with three victories each.
After his match, Gary was interviewed and was informed that Ash had also achieved a 3-0 sweep in his qualifier.
When asked his thoughts, Gary replied confidently, "I'm looking forward to facing Ash in the main event."
He kept it brief, his focus squarely on a potential showdown with Ash, even if it meant facing him as early as the top 32.
Ash, hearing this in his interview, responded with a smile, "I'm looking forward to our next battle too!"
The audience buzzed with anticipation, eager to see which of these rivals—Gary or Ash—would come out on top in the main competition.
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