"Since speed is Magneton's weakness… Pikachu, use Chidori! End this in one strike!"
After dodging the Zap Cannon, Ash's Sharingan instantly locked onto Magneton's flaw.
"Pika~!"
Pikachu responded energetically. Thunder crackled as yellow lightning surged and concentrated on his left paw, the energy compressing into a sharp, piercing charge.
"That's Chidori!" Brock shouted in shock upon recognizing the move.
This wasn't just any ordinary attack—Chidori was a move known for its extreme penetration. It had even taken down his grandfather Garan's Steelix in one hit!
Seeing Brock's reaction, Cynthia blinked. "Chidori? That technique sounds intense. And the noise—it's like the chirping of a thousand birds!"
"Chidori is one of Ash's signature techniques," Brock explained. "It concentrates electrical energy into a linear, high-speed thrust. Once accelerated, it becomes a blade of pure lightning. In terms of power, it's easily a double-S rank move!"
In the Naruto world, even Kakashi gained his nickname—the Copy Ninja—by mastering the advanced version of this move.
Cynthia raised an eyebrow. "Sounds powerful, but that noise… Wouldn't that make it too easy to anticipate in a battle?"
"You're right—the biggest drawback of Chidori is how loud it is. But don't forget, Ash's Pikachu is currently in a state of Cell Activation. At this level, even other Pokémon in the same class can't match its speed!"
Just as Brock finished speaking, Pikachu surged forward—lightning trailing behind him in a straight line. In a flash, he was already in front of Magneton, left paw extended, Chidori blazing.
"Damn, too fast! And I don't even know what these custom skills do—I can't prepare for them!"
Lt. Surge clenched his fists in frustration. If it were a standard move, he could at least brace himself. But with something like this, even the level gap didn't matter!
BOOM!!
CRASH!!
"Wooo~!!"
Magneton was struck squarely by Pikachu's Chidori, flung across the battlefield, and slammed into the wall. Smoke filled the arena. When it cleared, cracks could be seen running across Magneton's metallic body—its mineral structure fractured by the piercing force of the attack.
"The Magneton is unable to battle! Pikachu wins the second round! Gym Leader, please send out your next Pokémon!"
Referee Blitz raised the flag and declared the result.
"I've never seen my dad lose like this before… Just how strong is that guy?!"
Watching Lt. Surge lose two rounds in a row, March stood frozen in disbelief.
"Pika!"
Victorious, Pikachu grinned and gave a thumbs-up to Ash—clearly pleased with himself.
Ash chuckled. That signature pose. Pikachu had been with him since the beginning, for more than a decade now. Their bond, their synergy—unmatched.
"Hmph... finally time to get serious. Go—Electivire!"
After recalling Magneton, Lt. Surge tossed out another Poké Ball. With a burst of red light, a yellow-and-black striped Electivire appeared on the battlefield, glaring at Pikachu with crackling tension.
DING—!
Name: Electivire
Level: Prospective Champion
Ability: Static
Type: Electric
Potential: A-
"Huh? So it's just on the cusp of Champion-level…" Ash muttered, narrowing his eyes as he checked the data.
The potential reading showed A-. If it had been a full A, that would mean it had broken through into full Champion-tier. But the minus meant it was still just short—a powerful threat, but not yet fully evolved in combat maturity.
"Ash, you'd better be careful. My Electivire is on the cusp of Champion level—and it's got a nasty temper!"
Lt. Surge warned after Electivire entered the battlefield.
Generally speaking, a Pokémon like Electivire, whose strength was nearing Champion tier, wouldn't obey a trainer of lower rank.
Fortunately, Surge had always treated his Pokémon well, and Electivire, despite being a bit headstrong, still respected him enough to follow orders.
"Hmm, Electivire is definitely a Pokémon worth training..."
Ash couldn't help feeling a bit tempted as he stared at the massive Electric-type.
"But since I already have Pikachu, raising an Electivire too would be a bit redundant."
"Rooaar!"
Electivire let out a deep, tiger-like growl. The sound was powerful and imposing.
Far from being distracted by Pikachu's cute appearance, it locked eyes on its opponent—burning with the desire to battle.
"Electivire, Thunder Punch!"
Electricity crackled across Electivire's right arm as it lunged forward, launching a punch charged with raw voltage—aimed straight at Pikachu's face.
"Pika~!"
Even without Ash's command, Pikachu flipped backward and narrowly avoided the incoming attack.
The Thunder Punch landed with a sharp crackle, and from the lingering sparks, it was clear the move carried at least B+ level power.
"Now, Electro Ball!"
Ash gave his order the moment Pikachu landed.
With a flick of his tail, Pikachu gathered a swirling orb of yellow lightning at the tip, condensed with thunderous energy. He spun and hurled the ball toward Electivire at high speed.
"Electivire, Light Screen!"
Seeing the attack coming, Lt. Surge responded swiftly.
Electivire raised both arms, generating a shimmering white wall of energy in front of it—just as the Electro Ball struck.
BOOM!!
"Kaahh!!"
The explosion burst against the barrier. Light Screen held for a moment, absorbing most of the attack—but cracks quickly spidered across its surface. Within seconds, the wall shattered completely under the force.
"Pikachu, now—move!"
Ash's eyes narrowed as he saw the shield break. The shattered fragments briefly obscured Electivire's view.
Perfect.
Electric sparks danced around Pikachu's body as he darted forward, hugging the ground like a lightning bolt.
In a blur, he shot beneath Electivire and unleashed a searing blast of electricity from point-blank range—no less than 100,000 volts!
"ROOAARRR!!!"
Electivire let out a thunderous cry, pain surging through its body as the current ripped through it.
If it weren't an Electric-type itself, the damage would've been devastating. Even so, the attack clearly left its mark.