On-screen—
Darkrai stared at the panting Pikachu and decided it was time to end things.
He raised his voice:
"Let's bring this kid's League journey to an end. Latios—Luster Purge!"
"Oooooh!"
"I won't fall here! Pikachu—Thunderbolt!!"
"PIKA—CHUUUU!!!"
Luster Purge, Latios's signature move, had already shown its power—
One hit was enough to one-shot Ash's well-trained Swellow earlier.
And now Ash dared to clash Thunderbolt against it?
For a Pikachu who was already low on stamina, that was reckless.
[Clemont: He should've ordered Pikachu to dodge!
If they lose another beam clash here… Pikachu won't get another chance!]
Golden lightning ripped through the air—
and collided with the pink psychic beam!
They were evenly matched.
The two forces wrestled, pushed, expanded—
and then erupted into a massive explosion!
Smoke covered the entire battlefield.
No one could see what happened inside.
No one expected Pikachu—after taking that much damage—
to still have this much power left.
Even Darkrai looked genuinely surprised.
But to him, it was only the last flicker of a candle.
"Latios—fly out! Clear the smoke with Psychic!"
Once Latios retooks the skies, the outcome was sealed.
"Ooooh!"
Latios burst out of the smoke—
But so did another figure.
Pikachu—clinging to Latios's back.
"What?! When did he—?!"
"Perfect! Pikachu—hold on and use Thunder!!"
Thunder was mighty, but slow to summon and limited in accuracy.
Unlike Thunderbolt, which Pikachu could freely aim.
But if Pikachu was riding on Latios's back—
Then Pikachu became the lightning rod.
Thunder would hit guaranteed.
(The world is already "realistic"—we're not sticking to the silly four-move limit.
If a Pokémon learned it, it can use it.)
Clouds gathered.
The sky darkened.
Wind howled.
Darkrai's expression finally shifted.
"Get him off—now!!"
"Pikachu—hold tight!!"
"PIKA!!"
Pikachu clutched onto Latios's feathers with both tiny paws—
Lightning cracked.
BOOOOOOM!!!
A thunderbolt as thick as a tree trunk fell from the heavens—
striking Pikachu and Latios dead on!
For Pikachu, the lightning passed harmlessly through.
He was only a conductor.
But Latios—
"GROOOOH—!!"
Latios screamed in pain—
the first time he'd been directly struck since the battle began.
"Thunderbolt!!"
There wasn't time for another Thunder.
Pikachu might not be able to hang on much longer.
Ash made the snap call.
"PIKA—CHUUUU!!!"
Golden lightning detonated point-blank on Latios's back.
Pikachu, the Electric Healer, provides on-site electrotherapy!
[Bruno: Holy—he actually found an opening!!]
[Cynthia: That's Ash… always unpredictable.]
[Lance: Even with this opportunity, Pikachu's stamina is nearly gone.
One more clean hit and he's finished. The situation is still dangerous.]
[Lorelei: Lance, why do you always downplay Pikachu?
Is it because you bet on Darkrai?]
[Lance: Nonsense!! I'm being objective!
Would I care about a measly six hundred points?!]
[Leon: Let's be rational—Pikachu finally has a path to turn this around.
If he can just endure a little longer…!]
[Elesa: Do you all see it? Pikachu… is glowing brighter.]
[Volkner: Let me translate that for everyone—
His electricity is growing stronger.]
At Volkner's reminder, people worldwide noticed—
Pikachu's lightning was indeed intensifying.
"Holy damn—Pikachu's the type who only goes all out in boss battles, huh?"
"He folds against a newbie Snivy but goes Super Saiyan against a Legendary!"
"GO!! PIKA-GOD!!"
"Latios—Light Screen!"
Latios erected a shimmering wall of psychic energy.
With Light Screen active, Pikachu's Thunderbolt would only hit for one-quarter power.
Even if it landed, the damage would be negligible.
"Keep using Thunderbolt, Pikachu!!"
"PIKA—CHUUUU!!"
The burst of lightning flashed brilliantly—
But barely scratched Latios now.
"Latios—use Wrap Attack and shake him off!"
Latios's body glowed white as his wings folded inward.
Then—
He spun.
Fast.
So fast the air cracked.
Five full rotations in less than a few seconds.
Pikachu's vision blurred.
The world spun.
His paws slipped.
He was about to be thrown off.
"Don't give up—Thunderbolt again!!"
"PIKA—CHU!!!"
The match devolved into a battle of stamina.
Would Pikachu shock Latios unconscious first?
Or would Latios spin Pikachu off first?
Champions and Elites worldwide clenched their fists.
And after three, four more Thunderbolts—
The balance finally shifted.
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