Ash slowly recalled the incapacitated Metapod, gently comforting it in the Poké Ball: “Thank you, A-Tie, you're one step closer to evolving into Rayquaza.”

He then looked up, his gaze sharpening as he fixed on Starmie.

This is a powerful opponent. With Pikachu slacking off, I can only send out a Pokémon fast enough to avoid being directly knocked out by the opponent's powerful Hydro Pump.

Thinking this, Ash suddenly realized something. He only had one left, why was he hesitating in the void?!

So Ash suddenly threw a Poké Ball and shouted, “I choose you, Tool Bird!”

“Pidge...otto?”

Emerging from the red light, Pidgeotto, who was about to spread its wings and let out a loud cry, suddenly twisted its head 120 degrees like a Rowlet, looking at its trainer with a bewildered expression.

What did he just call me? It didn't sound like a very polite name.

Ash's heart sank. He'd accidentally blurted out his thoughts. He could only lie through his teeth, saying, “You misheard, I called you the mighty Pidgeotto…”

“Didi. Data updated...”

At this moment, the Pokédex suddenly rang automatically again. The sound was a bit harsh.

“Pidgeotto, Nickname: Tool Bird.”

One person, one bird: “...”

The scene fell into an awkward silence…

“Boom!”

A thick blue water jet suddenly shot out, finally ending the Pokémon-attacking-trainer incident that was about to happen. Pidgeotto barely managed to dodge this powerful Hydro Pump, relying on the natural keen eyesight of Flying-type Pokémon.

“Darn it!”

Misty exclaimed, regretting her failed sneak attack, but Ash on the side secretly let out a big sigh of relief. No matter how intense internal conflicts become, at this moment, as long as a common external enemy appears, even mortal enemies will stop fighting and unite against the outside. This powerful Starmie was clearly such an existence.

So Ash quickly offered another reassurance.

“Pidgeotto, after the match, I'll help you change your nickname. This is a Pokémon Master's promise to you!”

Anyway, he was a future one, not a current one.

Hearing this, Pidgeotto nodded, reluctantly accepting the proposal.

Battle start!

“Starmie, use Water Gun!” Misty attacked again.

After all, with Pidgeotto's speed, Hydro Pump's terrible accuracy, no matter how powerful, was meaningless if it couldn't hit. Moreover, Hydro Pump was a big move, consuming a lot of energy. But if Water Gun could hit Pidgeotto and drench its wing feathers, greatly reducing its speed, it would become a sitting duck for Hydro Pump.

“Sizzle!” “Sizzle!”

Starmie frantically sprayed Water Gun, but Pidgeotto dodged every shot with agile movements, not a single drop of water on its feathers.

“Pidgeotto!”

Pidgeotto had somehow darted directly in front of Starmie, the two less than two meters apart.

“Starmie, use Water…”

Misty hadn't finished speaking when Ash cut her off: “Pidgeotto, use Hurricane!”

Pidgeotto flapped its wings, and the storm generated at near-zero range blew Starmie away directly before it could even unleash a move, sending it flying backward.

Seeing this, Misty suddenly had an idea and instructed: “Starmie, use High Speed Spin against the wall!”

Starmie instantly recovered from its stun in mid-air, its body spinning wildly, and using the reactionary force from the wall, it shot towards Pidgeotto.

“Swoosh!”

Pidgeotto took a direct hit and quickly flapped its wings, flying to the side to adjust its flying posture.

Misty pressed her advantage, shouting, “Starmie, continue using High Speed Spin!”

Starmie charged straight towards a side wall, using the reactionary force to bounce towards Pidgeotto again.

Ash dared not be careless: “Pidgeotto, fly higher!”

“Pidgeotto!”

Pidgeotto quickly flapped its wings vigorously, gaining altitude, and narrowly avoided this High Speed Spin. However, the subsequent Starmie took advantage of the surrounding terrain, continuously bouncing and using High Speed Spin, its altitude also rising, constantly closing in on its target. The situation quickly became tense, and Pidgeotto grew somewhat flustered.

However, after a few back and forths, Ash also discovered a key point. His gaze was fixed on Starmie's trajectory. When the latter's parabolic trajectory reached its maximum height, he suddenly shouted:

“Now, use Wing Attack!”

Pidgeotto suddenly increased its altitude, narrowly avoiding the High Speed Spin, and one of its wings was already covered in a white glow. Then, it slammed downwards. The gem in the center of the horizontally spinning Starmie had no defense whatsoever and was hit directly.

“Splat!”

Die, you Psychic-Water type!

Under the Wing Attack, Starmie fell vertically from high in the air. Since its gem was attacked, one hit left it on its last legs.

Seeing this, Misty was secretly surprised, not expecting Ash to be such an old geometrician, but she wouldn't give up just like that.

“Starmie, take the opportunity to dive into the water!”

Using this backward momentum, Starmie directly dove into the pool, concealing its body.

“Use Water Gun while moving!”

This is the Cerulean Gym; fighting in the water is its advantage!

“Darn it, is it that troublesome...?”

The situation once again became Starmie, hidden underwater, constantly jumping out to fire Water Gun. It wouldn't get greedy after one shot, diving back into the water and resurfacing in a different spot to spray again. Even a veteran couldn't withstand being sprayed from all directions. Pidgeotto, exhausted from running around, was about to get a face full of water when Ash suddenly flipped his hat and shouted:

“Pidgeotto, use Wing Attack on the water's surface!”

Hearing this, Pidgeotto's body trembled, its fighting spirit soaring. It flapped its wings and rushed to half a meter above the water's surface, then with its glowing wing, delivered a powerful blow to the water.

“Clang!!”

The terrifying force seemed to make the pool and the entire Cerulean Gym tremble violently. The ripples spread, and Starmie, hidden on one side of the pool, couldn't withstand the tremor and was abruptly shaken out of the water.

Ash's eyes lit up, and he roared, “Last hit! Pidgeotto, use Quick Attack!”

Seeing this, Misty's eyes lit up even more than his. Although she didn't know Ash would force it out in such a brute-force manner, knowing his finishing move was Quick Attack was enough.

She waved her finger: “Starmie, use Hydro Pump directly ahead!!”

Waiting for the opponent to get close before attacking—this was a move she learned from Metapod in the previous match.

“Boom boom boom!!”

A thick blue water jet launched, even creating a vacuum in the surrounding pool as it rushed with immense power towards the attacking Pidgeotto.

Pidgeotto couldn't possibly block this move!

“This match, I win!”

Misty smiled triumphantly.

Even Brock, watching from the sidelines, shook his head and narrowed his eyes.

Hydro Pump wasn't something Quick Attack could block, not even for Ash…

“Pidgeotto!”

A sudden cry startled everyone. The powerful Hydro Pump successfully hit Pidgeotto, yet there was no trace of impact, as if it had passed right through.

“What's going on!?”

Misty was shocked. When she came to her senses, she suddenly realized that Pidgeotto had somehow flown directly beneath the water jet, still dashing forward along its edge. It had already reached Starmie's feet, the two less than a meter apart.

“Clang!!”

Quick Attack hit!

The powerful attack finally became too much for Starmie, and its body flew backward, leaving a long trail of water.

It was incapacitated.

“Starmie is unable to battle, Pidgeotto wins!” “This match, Ash wins!”

...

Ash was stunned for several seconds. He hadn't expected Misty to still have a trick up her sleeve. As for how Pidgeotto dodged the Hydro Pump at the end, he didn't know, but as long as they won, that was all that mattered.

Thinking this, he jumped directly from the trainer's stand onto the pool's floating platform, bouncing several steps, and affectionately hugged Pidgeotto.

“Pidgeotto!”

Pidgeotto was also very happy, flapping its wings and patting Ash's head, seemingly reminding him of something.

“I know, I know. Brock is already arranging the high-quality food. I'll take you to the Pokémon Center to eat your fill later!”

Ash joyfully recalled it into its Poké Ball.

Pidgeotto: 0-0

Under the red glow of the Poké Ball, Pidgeotto's face appeared somewhat blank.

Trainer, did you forget something?

“Swoosh.”

It entered the Poké Ball.