"Molly, I didn't expect you to be this good!" Ash recalled Wartortle. "Thank you, Wartortle."
The Flaaffy that Molly had summoned out of thin air was surprisingly powerful with its electrical attacks. After Wartortle was paralyzed by the current, she had seized the opening and shocked it into unconsciousness.
"Of course! Big Brother Ash, your Pokémon are amazing too!" Molly complimented him.
"They are my most trusted partners!" Ash threw his third Poké Ball. "Molly, I'm training constantly to become a Pokémon Master!"
The Pokémon Ash sent out this time was Houndour!
"Big Brother Ash is my goal! Right now, I can beat you!" Another crystal Poké Ball appeared in Molly's hand as Flaaffy vanished.
This time, Molly sent out a small blue elephant.
The Ground-type Phanpy, the pre-evolved form of the Donphan Ash had encountered before!
In terms of typing, it also held an advantage over Houndour.
"You really are familiar with type advantages, but Molly, can you win this time?" Ash and Houndour shared a glance and nodded.
"Of course, I won't lose! Phanpy, use Rollout!"
Rollout was the signature move of the Phanpy and Donphan line. Donphan even had a tire-like tread on its nose and back.
"Use Foul Play!"
At Ash's command, Houndour charged toward the rolling Phanpy, its body shrouded in wicked purple energy!
The collision happened in the next instant. The heavy impact of Phanpy sent them both flying backward. Foul Play was a Dark-type move that utilized the opponent's own strength to attack.
The higher the attack power of Phanpy's Rollout, the greater the damage it would take in return!
"Flamethrower!"
Ash believed in Houndour. Even as it was being knocked back, he issued the next command.
Houndour's crimson eyes snapped open. Its claws dug into the ground, and before it had even stabilized its footing, it unleashed a searing pillar of fire from its mouth!
"Hmm?"
Ash and Houndour's performance caught the attention of Entei, who was standing behind Molly.
He actually stood up. "Molly, let me."
"Papa?" Molly looked back as Entei walked to her side. "Papa, are you going to give Big Brother Ash a lesson?"
Entei nodded.
"Then Papa, please go easy on him. Don't hurt Big Brother Ash!" Molly smiled and waved her hand, causing Phanpy to vanish.
Entei stepped onto the battlefield.
"Entei!"
Ash looked at Entei, unsure of what the legendary Pokémon intended. This Entei wasn't just a simple creation of the Unown based on Molly's longing for her father; he had his own consciousness and thoughts.
He existed solely to ensure Molly's happiness!
"Boy, attack!" Entei looked at Houndour and Ash.
"Fine then!" Ash suddenly realized that Entei was planning to act as a sparring partner!
"Houndour, Flamethrower!"
Its crimson eyes shining with excitement, Houndour could feel the explosive heat contained within the massive Fire-type legendary before it!
Houndour's pillar of fire burned hotter and stronger than usual a total peak performance. It collided with a fire orb that Entei had casually spat out.
Roar!
Before the fire could even explode, Entei let out a thunderous roar. Cloaked in flames, he charged straight at Houndour.
A legendary was a legendary; even a basic move carried immense power. Houndour was sent flying without question.
"Houndour, Feint Attack!"
Boom!
In that moment, the previous collision of flames finally exploded. The shockwave knocked Molly onto the ground, but Ash held his position, using his Aura Power to stand as firm as a mountain!
Houndour's airborne figure vanished instantly and reappeared beside Entei, baring its fangs for a bite.
However, Entei was faster, and his counter-attack was even more ferocious! He whipped his head around and clamped his Fire Fang onto Houndour before tossing the heavily injured Pokémon aside.
Entei was indeed Entei; he had completely dominated Houndour from the start.
"Houndour!"
Ash didn't even have time to give another order as he watched Houndour be engulfed by Entei's flames.
Howl!
Amidst the violet-red flames, Houndour's cry suddenly shifted from pain to pure exhilaration! A brilliant light of evolution mingled with the fire.
"It's evolving!"
Ash's eyes lit up. He remembered seeing many Fire-type Pokémon evolve while being bathed in flames. Although he wasn't sure if this would be good or bad for Houndour, it had already accumulated enough experience. It was time for it to evolve anyway.
Entei's purple flames were actually being absorbed into the evolving Pokémon. Its ability was Flash Fire!
Roar!
The flames died down, and the newly evolved Houndoom appeared before Ash.
The mask it once had was gone, replaced by large, curved horns that looked like a demon's. It had a slender body, black fur, and bone-like armor covering its neck and back. A long tail with a triangular tip trailed behind it.
Every detail made it look like a demon from hell. In the past, people had feared Houndoom, believing them to be messengers of death.
It had already been the pack leader as a Houndour, and it was significantly larger than its peers. Now that it had evolved, its size was even more imposing, standing at over 1.4 meters tall.
Thump-thump!
Suddenly, Ash heard his own heartbeat synchronized with Houndoom's!
Houndoom: 244/255
After evolving, Houndoom's Compatibility had maxed out instantly, and even its Bond level was only 11 points away from perfection!
"The battle continues!" Ash decided right then to go all-out against Entei!
"Houndoom, use Feint Attack!"
Houndoom vanished again, its body covered in dark energy as it slammed into Entei.
Roar!
Entei turned and took the hit head-on.
"Good!" Entei praised before launching another fire orb at Houndoom from point-blank range!
Before evolving, Houndour couldn't have handled a legendary's fire, but now!
"Meet fire with fire! Fire Fang!"
Houndoom's fangs ignited as it bit down directly onto the fire orb!
Boom!
The orb was crushed by Houndoom's jaws. The resulting explosion forced even Entei back a few steps.
Smoke drifted from Houndoom's mouth, but its eyes gleamed with intensity. Its power had surged to a whole new level!
"Big Brother Ash, you're so strong!" Molly, still sitting on the ground in shock, looked at the smiling Ash with stars of admiration in her eyes.
"Not enough! Houndoom, we have to get even stronger!"
Houndoom: 245/255
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