Pokémon: The Strongest Trainer (Ash SI)

"An Onix, huh? Nicely trained. But Ash, my Golem is at late Elite-tier. There's a qualitative gap between our Pokémon. I will win this battle," Garan declared confidently, locking eyes with Ash.

"Don't be so sure," Ash replied, steadying his breathing. "Battles can turn at any moment—and my Onix isn't weaker than your Golem just because of rankings."

"Onix, Tackle!"

Ash's voice cut through the tension. His massive Rock Snake lunged forward, slamming toward Golem with thunderous momentum. A direct hit from Onix could easily shatter bones—if it struck a human.

"Take it head-on," Garan said flatly.

Golem braced itself, facing the charge without flinching.

BOOM!

The impact roared across the battlefield as Onix smashed into Golem. The sheer force pushed Golem several meters back, its heavy frame carving deep grooves in the earth.

"They're evenly matched... no, wait." Ash frowned. "It didn't even flinch."

"Golem, Mega Punch!"

"Golemmm!!"

CRACK!

With a roar, Golem's fist lit up white and smashed into Onix's head, making the giant snake roar in pain.

"Hold on, Onix! Wrap around Golem—bind it!"

Ash's voice rang out sharp and clear. Despite the blow, Onix swiftly coiled around Golem, restraining it with sheer strength.

"Oh?" Garan's eyes narrowed, a flicker of surprise flashing in them. "So you were planning to restrict Golem's Rollout. That earlier Tackle wasn't reckless—it was bait."

"Golem, use Rock Blast!"

"Onix, disengage! Get away!"

Ash's reaction was immediate. But he was a second too late.

Though restrained, Golem launched its attack. Jagged rock fragments burst forth in a wave, colliding with Onix even as it tried to retreat. Each shard detonated on impact, causing Onix's stone skin to crack visibly.

"Even Onix's body is showing damage..." Ash muttered, his eyes gleaming with focus. "So that's the level we're at."

"Ash, it's over. Onix may be bulky, but Golem outclasses it. Your Onix's massive size just slows it down further."

"Golem, Rollout!"

Garan smirked, confident as ever.

"Hm?" Ash didn't panic. In fact, he smiled—a calm, quiet grin that made Garan uneasy.

Suddenly—

"GRAAAHH!!"

Golem shrieked.

It hadn't even begun Rollout, but it cried out in raw agony.

No visible wounds. No new attacks from Onix.

Yet Golem was suffering.

"What—?! Golem! What's happening?! That Tackle and bind from earlier couldn't have caused this!"

"Golem looks like it's being crushed... but how?!" someone gasped in the observation room.

"I don't know," another Champion muttered, "but it's definitely related to Ash's Onix."

Ash's voice cut through the confusion.

"You're right. Onix isn't stronger than Golem in a direct fight. So why would I charge in like that?"

Garan's fists clenched. "Why?!"

"Because of a technique I developed specifically for Onix. It's called Heavy Bind. When any Pokémon comes into contact with my Onix, their weight triples. That includes Golem."

The air in the arena froze.

"Triple... the weight?" someone whispered, horrified.

"That's not just adding weight. That's like dropping a mountain on them," Brock muttered from the stands.

Misty nodded. "And Golem already weighs a ton on its own... no wonder it can't move."

"Exactly." Ash's gaze sharpened. "If your Golem weren't Elite-tier, it'd already be out."

"I won this battle," he said quietly. "Onix—Rock Tomb! Then finish it with Strength Sap!"

"ROOOARR!"

Onix slammed its tail into the ground, summoning a ring of jagged rocks that sealed Golem inside a stone dungeon. Then it made contact with the stone shell, and a dark energy pulsed through the trap.

Golem howled as its stamina was siphoned away. Even Garan's jaw tightened.

Ash had turned Golem's strength—its weight—against it.

This wasn't brute force.

This was strategy.

This was Ash Ketchum.

"Golem!!"

Garan's expression finally cracked as he shouted. He could no longer maintain his calm. The battle had lasted barely five minutes—and yet the result was already clear.

BOOM!!!

Ten seconds later, the rocky tomb slowly crumbled apart, falling away in chunks.

But Golem… was barely breathing. Its sturdy body trembled, its chest heaving like it had been hit by a devastating force. The stone titan had reached its limit.

"Is it because Golem's level is too high?" Ash murmured to himself as he studied the scene. "Even Strength Sap couldn't completely drain its stamina..."

Still, Golem was clearly on the verge of collapse.

"Finish it—Onix, Iron Tail!"

Ash seized the moment.

Onix raised its massive tail high, and with brutal precision, slammed it down directly on Golem's head. The heavy blow landed with a crushing sound.

WHAM!

That was it.

Golem's body stiffened, then went limp.

It had lost the will—and the strength—to continue battling.

The battlefield fell silent for a brief moment before Brock, the referee, raised his red flag high.

"Golem is unable to battle! Victory goes to Onix! Gym Leader Garan, please send out your next Pokémon!"

In Pokémon League battles, the red flag represents the Gym Leader, while the green flag represents the challenger.

This round belonged to Ash.

And his Onix had earned it.

...

TN:

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