Pokémon: The Strongest Trainer (Ash SI)

"Growlithe? He's seriously sending in a Growlithe to battle Uncle Garan's Rhyperior?"

Shiro stared at the battlefield, stunned by the choice. The size and strength difference between the two Pokémon was massive.

"You idiot," Draco snapped, narrowing his eyes. "Take a closer look. That Growlithe isn't ordinary—it's already at early Ace-tier. It just hasn't evolved yet. Hard to believe, but Ash's Growlithe has already broken into the Quasi-Elite threshold!"

Lance sighed. "You can't judge a Pokémon just by its appearance. You've gotta look at its actual level and training."

"Well said," Skye Draconis chimed in. "But the difference between early Ace and mid-Ace tier is no joke. I'm curious—how does Ash plan to overcome that gap?"

On the battlefield, Garan—the seasoned Rock-type Gym Leader—was quietly assessing the Growlithe.

"You've trained this Growlithe well. Reaching Ace-tier without evolving... that takes serious effort," he acknowledged with rare praise.

Even without knowing Ash's exact Trainer rank, the fact that his unevolved Growlithe could stand toe-to-toe with a powerhouse like Rhyperior spoke volumes.

Ash didn't wait.

"Growlithe—Flamethrower!"

With a roar, Growlithe unleashed a blazing column of fire. The heat shimmered off the battlefield as the jet of flame surged forward.

"Dodge and counter with Iron Tail!" Garan said calmly, eyes fixed on the action.

Rhyperior sidestepped the flames with surprising grace for its bulk. Its tail gleamed with metallic energy as it swung toward Growlithe with crushing force.

Rhyperior's physical strength was undeniable. But its size came with a cost—its speed. While Rhyperior was still fast enough to pressure Ash, Growlithe had its own advantages.

"It's too fast. Growlithe—Flame Wheel, now!"

Growlithe snarled, and its entire body burst into flames as it spun into a flaming wheel just in time to meet the blow.

Boom!

Iron Tail struck, but the Flame Wheel softened the blow. Some of the impact even rebounded onto Rhyperior, causing it to grunt in pain.

"Incredible reflexes," Garan muttered. "To respond like that in real time... Among young Trainers, you might be in the top five."

Ash's gaze didn't waver. "There's no such thing as a weak Pokémon—only weak Trainers. Even low base-stat Pokémon can become strong. Growlithe—show them what we've worked for! Ash Cloud!"

He believed in it deeply. His Pokémon didn't need to be pseudo-legendaries to stand among the best. With the right training, the right strategy, even a Growlithe could defy expectations.

At his command, Growlithe exhaled a dense, burning gray cloud—hot, toxic, volatile. It wasn't smoke. It was heavier, meaner, and far more dangerous. In seconds, Rhyperior was swallowed in the haze.

"Ash Cloud?" Garan narrowed his eyes. "Never heard of that move... It looks like smoke, but—"

Ash cut him off with a shout.

"Now—Ignite! Break it open!"

Growlithe lunged forward, clamping down on the swirling cloud with its jaws—and in the next instant:

BOOOOM!

The gray cloud exploded into a massive fireball, engulfing Rhyperior in a violent burst of flames and pressure.

"Rhyperior!!" Garan shouted, shielding his face from the shockwave. No one expected that—an original move with that much power?

From the Dragon Clan's observation room, the audience watched, stunned.

"A custom move...?" one muttered.

"That's what Professor Oak was talking about… Ash's trump card."

"He developed this at his age? And executed it this well?"

"It's not just the move," Skye added. "It's the synergy between Ash and Growlithe. Their trust is absolute. Their coordination? Near flawless."

As the ash cloud roiled on the field, Garan didn't waste a second.

"Rhyperior—brace yourself! Exit the cloud, now!"

But Ash was already one step ahead.

"Shadow Clone—surround the cloud! Follow with Ghostfire!"

Growlithe split into six afterimages, each circling the gray cloud like predators closing in. Then, from every angle, came blazing ghostly fireballs—small, fast, and impossible to track. The combination of Shadow Clone and Ghostfire created a storm of illusory and real attacks.

"There's no way to tell which is real…" Skye breathed. "He's sealed off every escape route. That has to be the move he calls Ghostfire. With this setup, Rhyperior's chance of escape is under 30%!"

Lance's jaw clenched. "This isn't just a battle… It's a performance. A statement."

Ash's expression remained firm. Calm, clear, commanding.

He wasn't just fighting.

He was showing the world what Growlithe—and a determined Trainer—could become.

"Ash's battle sense is sharp—easily on par with a Champion's. You can tell just how much effort he's poured into honing his skills through real battles," one of the elders from the Dragon Clan remarked, analyzing the fight unfolding before them.

"Roooaaar!!!"

While the observers discussed strategy, Rhyperior—having just escaped the thick Ash Cloud—was struck on the arm by one of the ghostly fireballs trailing behind. The hit left a visible burn across its armored hide.

Rhyperior was battered, bruised, and scorched. Despite being a Pokémon at the Elite level, it had been pushed to the brink by Ash's tactics. The sheer destructive force of the Ash Cloud followed by Ghostfire was astonishing.

This wasn't just about levels anymore.

Sometimes, victory didn't come from raw power alone. It came from preparation, creativity, and the right move at the right moment. In this battle, Ash had shown that good strategy and synergy with one's Pokémon could shake even the most experienced Trainers—and their strongest teams.

...

TN:

Ace-tier = Quasi-Elite tier; that is, the tier just below Elite. 😊

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