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"Is that Hitmonchan? He looks so awesome!"
Looking at the figure waving its fists, Misty couldn't help but exclaim.
The speed at which it swung its fists was beyond the ability of the eye to follow. According to Professor Oak's Pokédex, its punch speed could rival that of a high-speed train.
But for some reason, when Ash saw Hitmonchan's face, his first impression was of Groot.
Of course, there was no connection between the two. The first generation of Pokémon, including Hitmonchan, appeared in 1996, while Groot, a character from Marvel, was introduced in 2007.
"Hitmonchan is a very powerful Fighting Pokémon. This is my first time seeing one too!" Brock couldn't help but admire the Pokémon.
"Is it a wild Pokémon?" Misty asked curiously.
"Looking at its movements and physical strength, it's clearly a well-trained Pokémon. It shouldn't be a wild one."
Ash shook his head slightly after hearing this. Whether a Pokémon is wild can actually be observed from subtle details. Of course, in the anime, Ash wasn't known for paying attention to such specifics.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
"What an amazing young man. Just by observing Hitmonchan's movements and physical fitness, he could deduce that it wasn't wild. It seems he's not just an ordinary kid."
At that moment, there was a burst of applause, followed by a rough voice. A tall and sturdy middle-aged man walked over, wearing a vest and a towel draped around his neck.
"Who are you?" Misty asked as she noticed the man approaching them confidently.
"My name is Anthony," the man introduced himself.
"So, this Hitmonchan is your Pokémon, Mr. Anthony?" Brock inquired, looking at Hitmonchan.
"That's right! Boy, you could tell at a glance that my Hitmonchan is well-trained. How about a battle with it?" Anthony said with confidence, turning to Ash.
"Okay!" Ash agreed instantly. He set down the rice ball in his hand and narrowed his eyes slightly.
It was obvious to Ash that Anthony wanted to show off his Hitmonchan's power, but he didn't mind at all.
"Come on then! Hitmonchan, show them your strength!" Anthony said excitedly. At his command, Hitmonchan jumped forward, ready for battle.
Brock and Misty both froze when they saw this, while Ash looked at Hitmonchan with a sly smile.
"Come on! Devileon!"
It was clear that Ash had planned to use Devileon. He knew that Anthony's Hitmonchan was specially trained for the Fighting Competition. With its purely Fighting-type focus, facing a Pokémon like Devileon was bound to be an uphill battle.
"Huh? This is... a Pokémon I've never seen before!" Anthony exclaimed as he stared at the mysterious creature before him. Even Professor Oak had never mentioned such a Pokémon. It was obvious that neither Anthony nor his Hitmonchan knew anything about Devileon's origin.
"No matter what kind of Pokémon it is, my Hitmonchan will never lose! Hitmonchan, use Mach Punch!"
Hitmonchan sprang into action immediately after the command. Its red gloves glowed with a silvery-white light as it dashed forward, delivering a lightning-quick punch aimed straight at Devileon.
The punch was incredibly fast, and for a moment, Devileon appeared to falter, intimidated by the incoming attack. Yet, without any instructions from Ash, it remained motionless, calmly floating in place.
Whoosh!!
Hitmonchan's punch blurred into a streak of white light, creating a Sonic Boom that echoed in the air. The powerful blow closed in on Devileon's face.
But just as the punch was about to connect, it passed clean through Devileon's form without resistance. Hitmonchan's expression twisted in shock as its momentum carried it forward, leaving it off-balance.
"What?!"
Anthony was equally dumbfounded by what had happened. Devileon had not dodged or blocked the attack, so how could it have no effect at all?
Misty and Brock, initially stunned, quickly began to piece together the reason behind the outcome.
Mach Punch, a move of the Fighting type, is ineffective against Ghost-type Pokémon no matter how fast it is.
"Iron Tail!"
As Hitmonchan's fist passed harmlessly through, Devileon shifted slightly in front of it. Ash saw the opening and immediately issued a command.
In response, Devileon moved swiftly, lowering itself to Hitmonchan's level. Its twin tails gleamed with a metallic sheen before swinging powerfully into Hitmonchan's abdomen.
Thwack!
The Iron Tail connected squarely, forcing Hitmonchan backward uncontrollably. Clutching its abdomen with one hand, it staggered slightly, trying to regain composure.
"How is this possible? Hitmonchan specializes in close combat!" Anthony exclaimed, still unwilling to accept the turn of events.
After a moment's hesitation, Hitmonchan adjusted its stance and charged forward again. This time, it unleashed its ultimate move: Close Combat. The high-risk technique sacrificed its defense in favor of an all-out offensive barrage.
"It's just going to be the same again!" Ash said confidently, refusing to issue further commands to Devileon.
Hitmonchan came at Devileon like a storm of fists, each punch swift and powerful. The punches filled the air with sharp bursts, demonstrating Hitmonchan's incredible speed and strength.
But none of the blows landed. Every punch seemed to strike thin air, passing through Devileon as though it were a mere shadow. The Ghost-type Pokémon remained unfazed, effortlessly avoiding any damage.
"How... how is this possible?" Anthony's disbelief deepened as the sound of Hitmonchan's futile punches filled the field.
"I'll tell you, Uncle," Ash said, his tone unwavering. "Devileon is a Ghost-type Pokémon. Your Fighting-type techniques won't work against it."
"What?!" Anthony's shock was palpable. Not recognizing the mysterious Pokémon, he hadn't realized it was a Ghost type. Though devoted to Fighting Pokémon, he knew that Fighting-type moves were entirely ineffective against Ghost types.
Hitmonchan, exhausted from its relentless assault, stepped back, breathing heavily. Although it hadn't been hit many times, the sheer energy it expended in its attacks had left it visibly drained.
Devileon, on the other hand, looked entirely untouched, its calm demeanor emphasizing how lopsided the battle had been.
Anthony clenched his fists, his expression darkening as he observed the situation on the field. His Hitmonchan had been outmatched, unable to land even a single blow on the elusive Devileon.