Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command!

The flames from Fire Blast burned fiercely.

Everyone watched the battlefield, waiting for the outcome.

As the fire dissipated, the first thing to appear was Ampharos. Its charred body lay unconscious on the ground, confirming its defeat.

Ampharos had endured a Fire Spin and two Fire Blasts—the last of which was boosted by Charizard's Blaze ability. There was no way it could have stood a chance.

And Charizard...

"It's still standing?"

Nock's eye twitched as he stared at Charizard, still standing tall despite the fiery blast it had endured.

It had taken a Thunderbolt enhanced by Electric Terrain and then been caught in its own Fire Blast. Yet, Charizard remained on its feet—an astonishing feat.

The commentator, brimming with excitement, exclaimed, "Unbelievable! Charizard has survived the Fire Blast! As the saying goes, not all Charizards are created equal!"

However, after the praise, the commentator quickly shifted tones.

"But there's a problem—although Charizard managed to survive, its remaining stamina is dangerously low."

"And Nock still has one Pokémon left, completely fresh and at full strength."

"The situation remains grim for Ash."

The audience, still reeling from Charizard's incredible display, was snapped back to reality by the commentator's analysis. Worry began to set in for Ash and his Charizard.

Ash and Nock both heard the commentator's words.

Ash clenched his fists nervously. Yet, one look at Charizard left him feeling helpless.

The battle wasn't in his hands—it was entirely in Charizard's control.

On the other hand, Nock relaxed slightly.

Though he couldn't explain how he had lost two Pokémon in a row to Charizard, he was determined not to lose the third round.

"This one's up to you, Chandelure!" Nock recalled Ampharos and sent out his final Pokémon with a flourish of a Luxury Ball.

Pop!

A burst of white light revealed a Pokémon resembling a wrought-iron chandelier, with eerie purple flames flickering from its arms.

Chandelure hovered midair, its ghostly flames swaying hypnotically, evoking an otherworldly sense of unease in both Pokémon and humans alike.

"Nock's final Pokémon is Chandelure, a Ghost- and Fire-type!" the commentator explained.

"Chandelure... Ash's Charizard is finished," Luo Yuan remarked.

"How can you say that? I think Charizard still has a fighting chance!" Gary protested, confused by Luo Yuan's conclusion.

"You didn't read the data, did you?" Luo Yuan asked, gesturing toward Chandelure.

"Uh..." Gary hesitated.

"Check its ability."

Gary fumbled for his phone, pulling up the notes Luo Yuan had shared earlier.

"Chandelure... suspected Elite Four-level strength, Ghost/Fire typing, ability... Flash Fire."

Gary's eyes widened as he finally understood.

The Flash Fire ability not only nullified all Fire-type attacks but also increased Chandelure's own Fire-type move power when hit by one.

This left Charizard in a near-impossible position.

Of course, Charizard wasn't completely out of options.

It had non-Fire-type moves like Seismic Toss and Submission, which could still deal damage.

But Chandelure's Ghost typing made it immune to Fighting-type moves, leaving Charizard with only Air Slash as a viable attack.

Chandelure was essentially Charizard's perfect counter.

Luo Yuan silently counted three seconds of sympathy for Ash before turning his attention back to the battlefield. He was curious to see how long Charizard could hold out.

On the battlefield, Ash's expression was tense, his hands balled into fists. Clearly, he was aware of Chandelure's ability.

"Charizard, be careful of its—"

Before Ash could finish, Charizard, brimming with confidence after its two victories, charged forward without waiting for instructions.

"Roar!"

It unleashed a Flamethrower, boosted by its Blaze ability, directly at Chandelure.

From the outside, the move seemed devastatingly powerful. Even a Pokémon stronger than Charizard would likely suffer significant damage if hit.

However, Chandelure possessed the Flash Fire ability.

As the flames rushed toward it, Chandelure didn't even flinch.

The instant the Flamethrower touched its body, it dispersed harmlessly, absorbed into Chandelure's glowing purple flames.

The orange flames were assimilated, turning into an eerie lavender hue.

Slurp.

Everyone in the audience collectively imagined a sound as Chandelure "devoured" the flames.

Charizard, stunned by the complete failure of its attack, hesitated, leaving its strategy disrupted.

Before it could react, Chandelure countered.

"Inferno!"

The purple flames on Chandelure's arms flared brilliantly, bathing the battlefield in an eerie light.

It lowered its head slightly, unleashing a torrent of spectral blue and purple fire that surged toward Charizard.

Realizing the danger, Charizard tried to take to the skies.

But Chandelure's mastery over flames was extraordinary. With a slight tilt of its head, it aimed the flames directly at Charizard's flight path—a perfect prediction.

The spectral flames engulfed Charizard completely, instantly draining what little stamina it had left.

Charizard spiraled out of control, crashing to the ground.

Thud!

The impact left a crater in the battlefield.

As the smoke cleared, the referee raised their flag.

"Charizard is unable to battle!"

"All of Ash's Pokémon are unable to continue. Nock wins and advances to the next round!"

Ash's final record: two wins, three losses.

Luo Yuan wasn't surprised by the result.

From a purely theoretical standpoint, Ash had a chance to win.

If he had started with Charizard, it could have quickly taken down Ferrothorn and Ampharos. Then, he could have relied on Kingler and Pikachu to deal with Chandelure.

Victory wasn't impossible.

But real battles rarely follow theory.

If Charizard hadn't been backed into a corner, it might not have fought so fiercely in the first place.

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T/N: rigged smh