"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Ash's voice rang out, perfectly in sync with Pikachu's will.
Before Ash's command had even finished, Pikachu's electricity burst forth like a thunder serpent, lashing toward the Pidgeot soaring above.
Pikachu's level was not low—by now, it had already reached the peak of the Senior tier, even stronger than Ash's mainstays, Squirtle and Bulbasaur.
However, compared to Pidgeot, the gap was still immense. Whether in raw strength or in speed, Pikachu was far inferior.
"Pidgeot, use Aerial Ace!"
Facing Pikachu's lightning, Pidgeot did not retreat. Instead, it dove with incredible speed, weaving through the air. One after another, Pikachu's Thunderbolts missed, and in the blink of an eye, Pidgeot slammed down like a hurricane crashing from the heavens.
Boom! Smoke and dust billowed up, and from within the haze came Pikachu's pained cry. Blasted clear out of the smoke, Pikachu crashed to the ground with a dull thud, eyes shut tight in agony as it fell unconscious.
"Pikachu is unable to battle!" Brock declared. Ash rushed forward in alarm, gathering Pikachu into his arms with trembling hands.
Once he confirmed Pikachu was merely exhausted and not seriously injured, Ash finally let out a relieved sigh and passed Pikachu over to Misty's care.
Zero for four.
The battlefield erupted with noise. All around, Trainers were in awe, voices rising in amazement at Yozora's overwhelming strength.
Ash, however, felt crushed beneath a mountain of pressure.
He had thought that since he had collected more Badges, his strength would naturally surpass Yozora's. But now, it was clear—that assumption couldn't have been more wrong.
Brock and Misty, on the other hand, wore matching "just as expected" expressions.
In their eyes, Yozora was precisely that kind of legendary prodigy. How could Ash possibly get ahead of someone like him?
As for the matter of Gym Badges… clearly Yozora had poured all his effort into raising his Pokémon, not into Badge collecting.
Besides, the Indigo Conference opening was still five months away. There was plenty of time—no need to rush.
"Yozora still has all six Pokémon, while I'm down to my last two… but I won't give up!" Ash bit down hard, his unwillingness burning in his eyes. He threw his fifth Poké Ball. "Pidgeotto, I choose you!"
[Pidgeotto]: Senior Mid-tier, Lord-tier potential.
Ash's Pidgeotto had developed decently, its level and potential middling—nothing outstanding.
In the original story, Ash's Pidgeotto wasn't even strong enough to rule over a flock in the wild. Only after evolving into Pidgeot did it finally rise to become leader of its group.
Yozora's Pidgeotto, on the other hand, had once been the ruler of the Pidgey flock in Viridian Forest. Its talent and potential dwarfed Ash's Pidgeotto from the start.
Now, having evolved into Pidgeot, the difference was even greater.
Two great birds faced one another in the skies.
Under Pidgeot's sharp, commanding gaze, Pidgeotto's expression grew stiff. This was the oppressive aura of a flock's true king. Though Pidgeotto, as a Senior-level Pokémon, could resist to some extent, its body still trembled faintly.
"Don't be afraid, Pidgeotto! So what if it's an evolved form? I believe in you—you can beat it!" Ash, as an Aura Guardian, faintly sensed Pidgeotto's shiver and quickly shouted encouragement.
Pidgeotto broke into a cold sweat at those words. It honestly thought Ash was spouting nonsense.
But, gentle in nature as it was, it chose to believe him anyway.
"Charge, Pidgeotto—use Quick Attack!"
At Ash's order, Pidgeotto tucked its wings and streaked forward like a flash of light.
Its Quick Attack was fast—but Pidgeot was faster. Harnessing the wind itself, Pidgeot created a gust barrier in front of it, halting Pidgeotto's advance.
Then its talons gleamed white. With a powerful kick, it struck Pidgeotto hard, sending it hurtling across the battlefield.
In recent months, Pidgeot had trained daily by dragging Graveler through the skies. That relentless regimen had forged greater stamina, endurance, and strength. Its talons, in particular, had grown astonishingly strong—enough that a single kick could send Pidgeotto flying.
"What terrifying power! These two Pokémon aren't even in the same league—Pidgeot is way too strong!" gasped a spectator.
Ash's face grew grave, but before he could react, Pidgeot unleashed two consecutive Air Slashes, striking Pidgeotto from the sky.
"Pidgeotto is unable to battle! Pidgeot wins!" Brock declared.
The entire field fell into stunned silence.
Zero for five.
Yozora was unstoppable—five straight victories in a row.
"The gap is just too wide…" Misty sighed softly, a flicker of pity in her eyes as she glanced at Ash.
Over the past half year, she had watched Ash grow. Slowly but surely, he had risen into the ranks of a Senior Trainer.
But compared to Yozora, the difference was like heaven and earth.
In Misty's eyes, Yozora was a true prodigy. Though technically still a rookie Trainer of less than a year, his strength already surpassed that of many who had trained for several years.
Right now, Yozora was already crushing Ash completely.
And yet Misty knew—Yozora hadn't even shown his full strength. His trump cards, Charmander and Psyduck, hadn't even taken the field.
Little did she know, Yozora's Charmander and Psyduck had long since evolved into Charmeleon and Golduck.
At this moment, though the crowd had lost all faith in Ash, Ash himself had not surrendered.
Pulling his cap brim back, eyes blazing with resolve, Ash hurled his final Poké Ball. "Charmander, I choose you!"
"Rooaaar!" Ash's ace burst forth, bellowing as it landed. Its cry carried a fierce, fiery presence.
At this stage, Ash and Charmander were perfectly in sync, their bond unshaken by power.
Charmander could faintly feel Ash's heart—it knew Ash did not want to lose. And so, it too ignited with unyielding fighting spirit.
Suddenly, without warning, the flame on Charmander's tail flared—tripling in size in an instant!
"Full health Blaze? So it really can be done…" Yozora's lips twitched. Even his own Charmeleon had never triggered Blaze while uninjured.
But now, he finally understood.
In this world, it wasn't low health that triggered Blaze. The true core was fighting spirit.
When that spirit erupted, Blaze activated naturally.
It just so happened that most Charmander and Charmeleon only drew out such fighting spirit when pushed to their limits.
[Pokémon]: Charmander
[Type]: Fire
[Level]: Commander-tier (Initial)
[Potential]: Pseudo-legendary
[Description]: A proud, highly gifted Charmander with extraordinary potential.
…
…
(End of Chapter)