"Whew... Serperior, come on out!"
Trip took a deep breath, steadied himself, and sent out his last remaining Pokémon—Serperior.
No matter how dire the situation became, he would never give up easily.
"Pikachu, keep it up! Let's finish this in one push!"
Ash remained composed and kept Pikachu on the field.
"Serperior, use Energy Ball!"
The moment the battle resumed, Trip gave Serperior an order.
Serperior formed a green energy sphere the size of a soccer ball and hurled it at Pikachu.
"Pikachu, use Iron Tail!"
Without a trace of fear, Ash directed Pikachu.
Pikachu swung its tail, slicing the incoming green energy sphere cleanly in two.
"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!"
Having blocked the attack, Ash immediately launched a counterattack.
Pikachu raised its forepaws, lightly tapped its cheeks, and unleashed a powerful yellow current toward Serperior.
"Serperior, use Protect!"
Trip's expression remained unchanged as he calmly gave the command.
Serperior formed a transparent barrier, easily blocking Pikachu's Thunderbolt.
"Serperior, use Dragon Pulse!"
Trip seized the opening to counterattack, directing Serperior.
A powerful, green, dragon-shaped shock wave erupted from Serperior's mouth.
"Pikachu, use Quick Attack!"
Ash's expression shifted slightly, but he reacted in time.
Pikachu raced across the field on all fours, evading Serperior's attack.
"Serperior, use Grass Knot!"
The corner of Trip's mouth curled upward as he called to Serperior.
As Pikachu ran, a tripwire woven from grass suddenly appeared in its path.
Caught off guard, Pikachu tripped over it and fell to the ground.
"Now's our chance! Serperior, use Frenzy Plant!"
Trip seized the opportunity and issued another command.
He intended to finish Pikachu off in one blow with Frenzy Plant.
"Not a chance! Pikachu, use Counter Shield!"
Ash certainly wasn't going to stand by. He immediately directed Pikachu to interrupt the attack.
Still on the ground, Pikachu rolled straight