Encouraged by his Trainer's words, Charizard straightened slightly, the fierce light in its eyes softening into something gentler. The searing pain in its body faded just enough for it to breathe normally again, but continuing to fight was out of the question.
Even without needing to test it, Ash could feel through their Aura Link that Charizard's energy reserves were completely depleted.
And the next opponent Koga was about to send out… was another Champion-level Pokémon in perfect fighting condition.
If Charizard so much as touched that Pokémon right now, it would probably faint on the spot.
Ash placed a hand on Charizard's flank, channeling a faint stream of Tokiwa Power, a soothing, life-giving energy that eased Charizard's internal strain and stabilized its Aura.
"Rest for now," he murmured softly. Then, with a flash of red light, Charizard was recalled back into its Poké Ball.
Across the battlefield, Koga wordlessly withdrew his fallen Toxicroak. His sharp eyes lingered on Ash, his expression caught somewhere between disbelief and reluctant admiration.
He hadn't missed what happened at the end of the match.
When Charizard had started to collapse, Ash had appeared at its side in the blink of an eye.
Koga's own vision, honed enough to track the movements of Champion-level Pokémon, hadn't even caught how he moved.
That shouldn't be possible.
Even Champion-class Pokémon couldn't move faster than his eyes could follow.
Could it be…?
No, he must have been distracted for a split second. That had to be it.
Because if this boy's movement was truly faster than even a Champion Pokémon's reflexes, then that would be an absurdity beyond reason.
Koga exhaled slowly, regaining composure, then turned toward his assistant.
"Aya. Turn off the barrier."
Aya nodded, retrieved a small remote, and pressed the release button. The shimmering protective dome around the battlefield flickered, then dissolved into nothingness.
If Ash had wanted, he probably could've just punched his way out, but that would have been a little too destructive, considering how much force he'd just displayed.
Once the field cleared, Koga faced Ash directly again. His tone was calm, but his eyes were sharp.
"An Elite-level Pokémon defeating a Champion-level opponent…" He paused, letting the statement hang in the air.
"I admit, I underestimated you. But tell me, Ash, do you have another Pokémon capable of such miraculous power?"
The meaning was clear.
He wasn't really asking. He was warning.
If Ash didn't have another Pokémon with that same kind of divine might, then it would be wiser to forfeit now.
Ash simply shrugged, lips curling into a small, confident smile.
"Won't we know once we fight?"
Koga's expression darkened instantly.
That was exactly what Ash had said before sending out Charizard, right before turning his entire strategy upside down.
Once was enough. He would not be humiliated twice in a single day.
If another Elite-tier Pokémon under Ash's command managed to defeat one of his Champions again, then what credibility would he have left?
Originally, this live broadcast had been planned to boost his reputation, to solidify his image before his promotion to the Johto Elite Four.
But if he kept losing to a rookie, especially a rookie from Kanto, then this broadcast would turn into a disaster.
Johto's people were watching.
The Kanto region and the Johto region might appear united, but everyone in the League knew the truth:
Johto held the upper hand.
The current Kanto Elite Four and Champion also held honorary posts within Johto's structure. It was Johto's stability and influence that had kept Kanto's League functioning after years of internal disarray.
And now… this boy, this Kanto rookie, was giving Kanto a new ray of hope.
Koga could respect that in theory.
But in practice?
He couldn't let himself be the stepping stone that allowed Kanto to rise again.
If he lost here, his long-awaited appointment to Johto's Elite Four might very well be postponed, if not canceled outright.
That was something he could not afford.
Koga's gaze hardened. His hand moved sharply to his belt, pulling out his next Poké Ball.
"Go, Arbok!"
A blinding flash of light split the air, and an enormous cobra materialized on the battlefield, coiling menacingly.
Its hood flared open, revealing a terrifying pattern like a demonic face. Just looking at it made the air feel heavier, an almost tangible wave of pressure swept through the arena.
Arbok, the Cobra Pokémon. Ability: Intimidate.
The audience gasped. Even the spectators on the live stream could sense the change.
This was no ordinary Arbok.
Its scales gleamed like polished obsidian, its muscles rippling with predatory strength.
Ash narrowed his eyes. He'd seen Arbok before, Team Rocket's Jessie had one. But compared to this, hers was a joke.
Koga's Arbok radiated Championship-level power.
According to Nurse Joy's League records, Koga's current team lineup included:
Two Champion-level Low-tier Pokémon,
Three Champion-level Mid-tier, and
One Champion-level High-tier.
And the Arbok before him was one of those Mid-tier Champions, with all its base stats above B-rank, and Attack and Defense reaching solid A-rank territory.
Even if Charizard had been in peak condition, fighting this Arbok would've been a nightmare.
The Intimidate drop alone would cripple its power output, and with Arbok's durability, even Sacred Fire might not have been enough to finish the job before Charizard's stamina ran dry.
Ash exhaled deeply, forcing a faint, wry smile.
"Mr. Koga really thinks highly of me, sending out a Pokémon of this level."
Koga raised an eyebrow.
"Oh? You can tell Arbok's level?"
Ash nodded slightly. "Didn't you hear? I've got a special ability. I can sense the energy flow inside a Pokémon's body. Even without fighting, I can roughly gauge its strength."
He attributed it casually to his Aura.
Koga gave a low chuckle. "Heh… what a convenient ability. Don't blame me for this, Ash. You're the one who chose this difficulty. By sending out Arbok, I'm acknowledging your strength. But understand this..."
His expression hardened into cold resolve.
"I cannot afford to lose again. I have my own reasons for why I must win."
Using an Champion Level Pokémon against a Trainer who had only traveled for two months, even if that Trainer requested it, was actually an extremely shameful thing.
But what could Koga do?
When the so-called "rookie" turned out to be monstrously strong, the only choice left for the "big" was to get even bigger.
"Then I truly feel honored, Mr. Koga…" Ash said calmly, then glanced down at the small yellow figure by his side. "Pikachu, how about it? Can you fight?"
"Pika-pi!!" Pikachu's red cheeks sparked faintly as it looked up at Arbok. The serpent's enormous body and deadly aura made even Pikachu's fur bristle in instinctive fear.
But then Pikachu puffed up its chest, remembering who it was, the big brother of the team, the very first partner who'd stood with Ash through thick and thin.
Pikachu slammed a paw to its chest, its eyes blazing with determination. Guaranteed win!
Ash smiled. "Then I'm counting on you. It's decided, Pikachu!"
He reached up, took off his hat, and, gently, almost ceremonially, placed it on Pikachu's head.
From the sidelines, Koga's brow furrowed slightly.
What an odd gesture. Was it… a form of encouragement?
The boy clearly treasured that hat, so perhaps sharing it with Pikachu symbolized trust, an emotional trigger to unlock its potential.
Pokémon and humans… truly, their bonds could give rise to miracles no science could explain.
Still, Koga wasn't sentimental enough to believe in miracles.
A Pikachu against his Champion-tier Arbok?
That wasn't courage, that was suicide.
No matter how highly Koga regarded Ash, he couldn't take that mouse seriously.
Pikachu hopped into the arena, its little form dwarfed by the towering Arbok before it. The cobra flared its hood, its eyes glinting menacingly.
At once, a wave of pressure swept across the battlefield, Intimidate, activated.
Pikachu's posture stiffened. Its attack power dropped immediately, and its confidence wavered.
Ash inhaled deeply, feeling the shift through Aura.
"Alright, Pikachu… this is it. Let's give it everything."
He pressed his palm forward, and his own Aura surged, waves of brilliant blue energy flowing out from his body and into Pikachu.
"This is the first time… merging both powers. I don't know what will happen," Ash murmured, eyes focused. "But to win… this is the only way!"
Partner Form Overlay, Aura Fusion!
A storm of golden lightning erupted around Pikachu's small body. Its fur stood on end, and the air pressure in the Gym spiked so high that loose dust and petals lifted off the ground.
A spinning column of energy swirled around Pikachu's frame, forming a small tornado of electricity.
Koga's eyes snapped wide open.
"W–What in the world…"
He could sense it. That wasn't just power, it was level.
This Pikachu's energy output… it wasn't Elite-tier. It was Professional-level!
Higher than that Charizard just now!
In just two months of travel… how could someone raise a Pokémon to this level?
Unless… this Pikachu was already strong when Ash caught it.
But no, that couldn't be. The trust, the timing, the synchronization he saw between them wasn't something built in days or weeks. This was the product of years of shared hardship.
Their bond ran deep, deeper even than what he'd seen between Ash and Charizard.
And yet, somehow, Pikachu's strength had grown to this degree…
The realization hit Koga like a thunderbolt.
That mysterious energy from earlier, Aura! The same boost Ash gave Charizard.
If Charizard, with Aura amplification, had reached near-Gym-Leader-level power…
Then this Pikachu, whose natural potential was even higher…
"Impossible," Koga muttered. "Even boosted, you can't reach Champion-tier…"
Unless… this Pikachu also had a special move like that rainbow flame.
He exhaled slowly, his sharp eyes narrowing. "To train a Pikachu to such a level… you truly are talented, Ash. Against Professional or even Gym difficulty, you'd probably win easily."
His words were calm, even complimentary, but his meaning was clear:
At Champion level, you stand no chance.
Ash smirked faintly. "Don't underestimate my Pikachu, Mr. Koga. Everyone who's done that hasn't ended well."
"I'm not underestimating," Koga replied. "But in both level and species, you're at a disadvantage. How exactly do you plan to win?"
Ash pointed forward. "Like this. Pikachu, Electric Acceleration!"
Koga reacted instantly. "Arbok, Coil!"
His instinct was sound. Strengthen defense first, no matter the opponent's opening.
But before Arbok could even tighten its coils...
BOOM!
A flash of blinding gold filled the entire battlefield.
Lightning exploded outward, and suddenly Pikachu wasn't where it had been.
It was in front of Arbok.
The next instant, Pikachu's head slammed upward into Arbok's jaw with thunderous force!
"BANG!!"
The Champion-tier serpent was launched like a projectile, crashing into the far barrier so hard that cracks spread across its surface.
Gasps filled the Gym.
Koga's pupils contracted. His mind went blank.
"W–What… what move was that supposed to be? Electric Terrain doesn't do that!"
The distance between them had been half the field.
And yet Pikachu had crossed it in a blink.
Even a Champion-level Pokémon couldn't move that fast.
How… how could a Pikachu do it?!
Misty, who was in the stands, inadvertently caught a glimpse of Koga's expression and couldn't help but let out a 'pfft' of laughter.
This expression was exactly the same as the one she showed when Ash first used Electric Acceleration.
And to be fair, who could blame them?
Because this move was downright broken.
Electric Acceleration wasn't just fast, it was insanely fast. Its release speed was easily on par with a same-tier Pokémon's Extreme Speed, one of the fastest known moves in existence.
And as if that wasn't enough, Electric Acceleration came with a built-in guaranteed critical hit.
That meant, any reduction to Pikachu's Attack stat? Completely ignored.
Any defense boosts on the opponent? Worthless.
When this move hit, it hit at full power. Every single time.
Even if Pikachu's strength was halved from Intimidate, the critical hit bypassed it entirely, so its damage output remained absurdly high.
And the kicker?
It was a STAB move, a Same-Type Attack Bonus move, with no special conditions required.
Grassy Glide needed Grassy Terrain.
Surging Strikes was locked to Urshifu.
But Electric Acceleration?
Zero setup. Zero cost. Zero mercy.
If any other Trainer besides Ash had access to this move… the entire competitive scene of the Pokémon world would have fallen into chaos within a week.
But thankfully, or maybe unfortunately for everyone else, this Pikachu was one of a kind.
"Don't let up! Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"
Ash's command cut sharply through Koga's stunned silence.
The ninja master had frozen for half a heartbeat, long enough for Pikachu to seize the momentum.
A flash of gold exploded from Pikachu's body, arcs of lightning dancing across its fur as it released a Thunderbolt faster than most eyes could track.
"PIKA...CHUUUUU!!!"
A jagged bolt split the air, slamming into Arbok before Koga even processed the words.
"CHAAABOH!!"
The serpent's agonized roar echoed through the Gym as its entire body convulsed from the hit. Sparks crackled across its scales, leaving the faint smell of ozone in the air.
Koga finally snapped back to his senses.
"Arbok, Dig!"
Arbok, still twitching from the residual electricity, gritted its fangs and forced its body into motion. It slammed into the ground, burrowing deep into the earth in a blur of movement, vanishing from sight just before Pikachu's next wave of lightning crashed down.
The Thunderbolt hit the ground, exploding dirt and dust into the air, but the target was gone.
Still, Koga's confidence wavered.
In just two moves, his Champion-tier Arbok had been hit, twice.
...
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