As one of the Johto region's starter Pokémon, the pure Grass-type Bayleef was completely countered, both offensively and defensively, by the Bug/Steel-type Scizor.
And in this battle, although Ash was skilled at fighting against type disadvantages, this time against Natsui, he couldn't create any miracles.
Whether it was Razor Leaf or Magical Leaf, they barely scratched Scizor. Even Normal-type moves like Tackle and Body Slam only dealt half damage when they hit.
Scizor, on the other hand, relentlessly pursued Bayleef. Utilizing its slightly superior speed and small wings, its massive pincers continuously swung towards Bayleef.
Bayleef was helpless. It couldn't win a direct fight, nor could it shake Scizor off.
Ash had no choice but to recall Bayleef before it was knocked out.
Now, he was down to his very last Pokémon. He looked down at his feet, and the yellow mouse, Pikachu, immediately understood. It scurried to the center of the field.
"Huh?" The announcer, unfamiliar with it, sounded surprised. "At the last moment, competitor Ash sends out a Pikachu? I don't understand. Compared to Charizard or his other Pokémon, this Pikachu looks ordinary and is so small. Why save it for last? Does it have some special ability?"
But that was just an outsider's impression of Pikachu.
Those who knew Ash understood that Pikachu was his most trusted and strongest partner!
However, Pikachu's performance was notoriously inconsistent. Known for matching its opponent's level, it could defeat legendary Pokémon but also lose to rookie starters. No one, including Ash, could predict how it would perform.
Pikachu ran to the center of the field and chirped twice at Natsui, confidence radiating from its face.
Its expression was exactly like Ash's usual look!
Spending so much time with humans really makes Pokémon adopt their trainer's style...
Looking at it, Natsui rubbed his chin.
Knowing Pikachu well, Natsui didn't dare casually send out a Pokémon with a type advantage. Doing so might trigger Ash's passive ability to win against the odds. To be safe, he decided to let Scizor continue battling and observe the situation first.
"Scizor, I'm counting on you for this match. Be careful!"
Although Scizor was Bug/Steel, it surprisingly wasn't weak to Electric-types. Aside from its Steel-type moves dealing half damage to Pikachu, there wasn't much impact.
Hearing Natsui's words, Scizor nodded at him, then moved in front of Pikachu, looking down at it intently.
Pikachu, not to be outdone, crouched on all fours, its tail held high, instantly entering battle mode!
Seeing the match begin, the announcer raised his voice. "Regardless, competitor Ash is already on the edge of the cliff! If this Pikachu falls, he'll only have a weakened Bayleef left. Since he chose to trust Pikachu, let's cheer him on and look forward to an exciting performance!"
When the battle started, both Pokémon charged at each other almost simultaneously.
Scizor raised one massive pincer and snapped it towards Pikachu. But Pikachu, using its agility, jumped onto Scizor's arm, spun around, and swung its tail towards Scizor's face!
They say don't hit the face, yet Pikachu uses such a move right off the bat.
However, Scizor remained calm. Its other pincer blocked its head. With a dull 'CLANG,' Pikachu's Iron Tail struck Scizor's steel claw, producing the muffled sound of metal hitting metal!
This exchange caught the announcer's eye.
"Oh? This Pikachu seems different from others of its kind! Not only does it display agile footwork, but it also possesses considerable power. Truly remarkable!"
After the initial clash, the two Pokémon separated again.
"Pikachu, use Thundershock!"
Natsui calmly commanded, "Scizor, use Double Team!"
The instant Pikachu unleashed its electricity, Scizor created five illusory copies. Including the real one, six identical Scizor stood before Pikachu, making it impossible to tell which was the real one.
Pikachu's eyes darted around. It finally chose the Scizor standing in the same spot as before the Double Team. Yellow electricity shot from its body towards that Scizor. Unfortunately, it guessed wrong. It was just an illusion. The current passed straight through it and hit the rocks behind.
At the same time, the other Scizor illusions charged towards Pikachu. They all raised their right pincers and swung down simultaneously.
"Pikachu, dodge it quick!"
Pikachu looked left and right, desperately trying to discern the real Scizor. But it only found out when a steel pincer struck its body, knocking it aside.
Pikachu tumbled onto the rubble. As soon as it landed, it nimbly leaped back up, its tail held high, tipped with a massive ball of electricity, which it hurled towards Scizor.
From his position, Natsui could see Pikachu was fully focused in this battle, its eyes determined, showing no signs of holding back. It was truly giving its all.
On the field, Pikachu's Electro Ball attack didn't connect. As it threw the electric ball, Scizor used Agility to escape the attack range, rendering Pikachu's counterattack useless.
This exchange was just a snapshot of the battle. Both Pokémon possessed high battle awareness and continued to clash fiercely, until both were covered in wounds and panting heavily.
It could only be said that the weaker the opponent, the weaker Pikachu became, and the stronger the opponent, the stronger Pikachu became!
Amidst this intense battle, finally, both Pokémon used Quick Attack simultaneously, charging at each other. A moment later, as their bodies crossed paths, they both collapsed!
The referee walked forward a few steps. Confirming both Pokémon were unable to battle, he crossed his flags in front of his chest.
"Scizor and Pikachu are both unable to battle! This round is a draw!"
Hearing this, the audience erupted in huge cheers. Both Pokémon had performed outstandingly in this truly exciting match, providing great entertainment.
And the final draw was even more unexpected, maximizing the suspense!
The announcer also highly praised Pikachu. "Incredible! Competitor Ash's Pikachu is not as harmless as it looks! It managed to take down competitor Natsui's Scizor! Although it's a draw, achieving such a result is still impressive!"
However...
Remembering that Ash only had one Pokémon left, which was not in good condition, many spectators felt disappointed again.
Throughout this conference, Ash's unpredictable and versatile style had won over a large number of fans. They generally believed his skill level was at least Top 4 worthy. Seeing his elimination by Natsui now seemed inevitable, they couldn't help but feel regretful for him.
If his opponent had been someone else, perhaps his results could have been even better?
On the field, Ash walked over and cradled the completely immobile Pikachu in his arms.
"Pika..."
Forcing its eyes open, Pikachu looked at Ash and weakly opened its mouth.
"I know," Ash said with a gentle smile. "You did great defeating Natsui's Scizor. Now, just rest well."
He wasn't wrong. Not only had Ash broken Natsui's undefeated streak, but he had also knocked out two of his Pokémon (well, tied with one). This was an achievement beyond the reach of most trainers. Even if eliminated, Ash was content!
Walking over to the friends-and-family section, he handed Pikachu to Misty. Then, returning to his trainer position, he turned his cap backward, took out Bayleef's Poké Ball with a determined look.
In fact, not just the audience or others, even he himself knew that the injured Bayleef stood no chance against Natsui's remaining four Pokémon.
But he wasn't the type to surrender. As long as his Pokémon had breath left, he would fight alongside them until the very end!
"Go, Bayleef!"
He threw the Poké Ball far out. With a flash of blue light, Bayleef reappeared on the field. In response, Natsui first gave Ash an affirming smile, then slowly took out a Poké Ball.
"If nothing unexpected happens, this should be our last battle in this conference," he said to Ash encouragingly. "To acknowledge your growth, and to thank you for bringing me such an exciting battle, I've decided to defeat you with my full strength!"
When Natsui threw his Poké Ball, and Ash saw which Pokémon emerged, he couldn't help but let out a wry chuckle.
So it's Natsui's Gardevoir...
Seriously, using a Pokémon like that even now? He really shows no mercy!
...
"Let's congratulate competitor Natsui for defeating competitor Ash and successfully advancing to the next round of the tournament!"
Amidst the announcer's congratulations, Natsui recalled Gardevoir. Acknowledging the audience's cheers, he walked over and shook hands with Ash.
"Natsui, you're just too strong. I lost again."
Contrary to what some might expect, Ash wasn't disheartened by the loss. He scratched his cheek and smiled sheepishly.
"You're already very strong," Natsui also smiled. "Didn't you defeat my Dragonite and Scizor? Keep it up. I believe you'll become even stronger by the time we reach the next region!"
During their previous chats, Ash had learned that Natsui planned to travel to Hoenn after the Silver Conference. Naturally, Ash couldn't resist and had already made plans to follow. He was very much looking forward to meeting again in the next region.
"I will!" Ash clenched his fist. "Next time, I'll definitely be stronger and challenge you again!"
Leaving through the competitor's passage, Natsui returned to the waiting room and was greeted by Erika's radiant smile.
"Congratulations! You made it to the Top 4!"
Now, with only his woman before him, Natsui could no longer contain his smile. He pulled her into his arms for a long, passionate French kiss in celebration.
Although he felt a bit bad for Ash, a win was a win, and he was genuinely happy.
Two matches were scheduled for today. Besides his match with Ash, the afternoon would feature Kenta versus Harrison.
The winner between them would be his opponent the day after tomorrow.
Leaving the stadium, the two returned to the Pokémon Center on the first floor of the dormitory building (Athlete's Village building). Natsui first handed his injured Pokémon over to Nurse Joy, and then they had lunch at the restaurant.
At that time, Ash's group, along with Delia and Professor Oak, also entered the lobby.
With Ash eliminated, Delia had no reason to stay longer. She had originally wanted to take Ash back to Pallet Town with her, but Ash refused.
Having come all this way, Ash naturally wanted to stay until the end of the conference, especially to see Natsui win the championship. Unable to persuade him, Delia could only pack her bags and return to Kanto with the Professor.
After seeing the two off, the remaining group gathered. They waited until 1 PM. Not only were Natsui's and Ash's Pokémon fully healed, but Kenta and Harrison's battle also happened to start at that time.
"Who do you think will win?" Misty asked, looking at the screen.
It was only then that Natsui learned that Ash's group had also visited the Ho-Oh-In Temple before arriving in Silver Town and had met Harrison there. So, they could also be considered friends.
And Harrison, surprisingly, was a trainer from the Hoenn region, just like Natsui and the others, who had come specifically to challenge the Silver Conference!
"Probably Harrison," Natsui said, leaning back on the soft sofa. Although he didn't know Harrison well, he gave his opinion. "Kenta is still a bit too young. Compared to him, Harrison's style is more mature, and his Pokémon are stronger."
Hearing Natsui's assessment, the others nodded in agreement. From their perspective, Kenta did seem somewhat inexperienced and likely wouldn't be a match for Harrison.
They ate their dessert while watching the match. And indeed, just as they predicted, Kenta was at a disadvantage from the beginning.
Compared to his battle against Marina, Kenta started this match in top form right away.
However, although it looked like a back-and-forth battle, Kenta's Pokémon, in terms of overall strength, were not as well-rounded as Harrison's. Especially when he brought out his ace Pokémon, Typhlosion, it faced Harrison's Blaziken. Faced with this Pokémon from the Hoenn region, which he had never seen before, Kenta was completely bewildered!
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