[Bruno: The craziest answer is usually the right one. The last option's so long—it has to be that!]
And so, Bruno trusted his instincts.
[Cynthia: Pick A. Pikachu's most used move is Thunderbolt.]
[Lance: I don't know why, but I suddenly feel like Bruno's right. I'm choosing D.]
[Flint: Easy deduction—it can't be wrong. Since Pikachu already Gigantamaxed, the answer has to be B.]
Reasonable. Convincing.
[Aaron: That's my bro Flint! Always reliable.]
Not just Aaron, almost everyone was persuaded.
[2]
[1]
[Quiz Start]
As the countdown ended, everyone fired off their chosen answers.
Hoping, this time, to be the lucky one!
The chat was flooded with ABCDs, until the system finally responded:
[Congratulations: Lance, Denji, Flint, and Aaron have successfully buzzed in.]
[Denji and Aaron chose B, Flint and Lance chose D.]
[Since duplicate answers exist, options will be reassigned.]
[Final assignment: Denji—A, Aaron—B, Flint—C, Lance—D.]
With the answers locked, silence fell.
[Ash: What a shame, I couldn't buzz in…]
[Ash: Huh? Why's nobody talking?]
[Ash: Did it freeze?]
[Cynthia: No, Ash. It's fine. Just be quiet for a moment—I have something to say to Flint.]
[Aaron: Wait WHAT?! Flint, you told us to pick B, but you secretly went with D?! You tricked me, your own brother!]
[Flint: Heh. With your IQ, explaining would be a waste.]
[Denji: Relax. Flint's not the one in trouble. Look at what Cynthia just wrote.]
[Bruno: Nice one, Flint! But you're doomed.]
[Lance: Which means… Am I the real winner? Bruno, you're not so dumb after all! If anyone calls you stupid again, I'll defend you with Dragonite's fist!]
[Bruno: Heh-heh, that's what bros are for!]
[Lorelei: Bruno… there's no saving you.]
And then, the correct answer was revealed.
[Congratulations: Lance answered correctly. Reward: Flying-type Mastery.]
Flying-type Mastery – When using Flying-type Pokémon in battle, your Pokémon's Flying-type moves gain a 20% power boost thanks to your aura.
Just as Bruno predicted, the answer really was D.
And the one who picked D—Lance—had answered correctly.
But the reward was… a little too on the nose.
Everyone knew it.
Though Lance called himself a Dragon-type Master, his real specialty was Flying-types.
His ace, Dragonite. His Gyarados that fought Leon.
All Flying-types—or at least part-Flying.
(And Gyarados wasn't even a dragon—just had "-dos" in the name!)
So what was Lance, really?
A Dragon-type Champion?
Or a Flying-type Champion?
Before, no one knew for sure.
But now, the livestream has nailed it down.
[Bruno: Don't worry, Lance. You've always had my back. I'd never laugh at you.]
[Bruno: HAHAHA!]
[Bruno: Oops… my hand slipped.]
[Prima: Normally I wouldn't laugh. Unless I couldn't help it. Hahaha!]
[Lance: If anyone else laughs, I'll pay them a personal visit. Let's see if you can withstand Dragonite's fists.]
[Cynthia: …Am I allowed to laugh?]
[Lance: …]
Lance: If you ask, then no. But… since you actually typed that, fine. You can laugh.
I can't beat you anyway.
[Steven: If Cynthia can laugh, then I should be allowed too.]
[Diantha: And me!]
[Lance: Diantha, YOU can't!]
[Diantha: Lance, did you forget my Mega Gardevoir's Moonblast?]
[Lance: …Fine. You can laugh too.]
So it was.
Those Lance could beat stayed silent.
Those he couldn't beat laughed freely.
After all, Lance wasn't just a Kanto Elite Four member—
He was the League's Chief Investigator.
Cross him, and you might find Looker knocking at your door.
With the rewards handed out, the glowing text faded.
The screen resumed.
On screen—
Leon, recovering from his daze at seeing Gigantamax Pikachu, immediately had his Charizard Gigantamax as well.
He hadn't forgotten the purpose of this battle.
It was to let Ash experience Dynamax's power firsthand—
and teach him how to wield it properly.
With Leon's strength, he could've beaten Pikachu easily through sheer experience.
But that wasn't his way.
Only a Dynamax could defeat a Dynamax.
That was Leon's creed!
With both sides transformed, the clash between the current strongest and the future strongest had reached its peak.
Two colossal titans stood in the Wyndon Stadium.
The defense system, detecting the massive Dynamax energy, instantly raised to maximum.
A purple barrier enveloped the battlefield.
"Ash! Come at me with everything you've got!" Leon's eyes blazed.
In some ways, Leon and Ash were mirrors.
Both loved battles. Both loved Pokémon.
Both had dreams worth risking everything for.
But Ash was purer.
Since day one, his dream had never changed.
To become the world's greatest Pokémon Master.
Leon was different.
He was Galar's pillar.
On his shoulders rested not only dreams, but also the burden of an entire region.
In that sense… Ash had the edge.
Inside the arena—
Ash, hearing Leon's words, only grew more fired up.
Battles like this made his blood boil.
"Let's go, Pikachu!"
"Piiiikaaa!!"
With its massive form, Pikachu's cry echoed through the stadium.
"Excellent! Charizard, G-Max Airstream!" Leon thrust his left hand forward.
"We're ready too! Pikachu, G-Max Steel Spike!"
Pikachu charged, tail gleaming metallic, feet pounding against the ground.
Charizard's blazing wings whipped up a storm, razor winds lashing Pikachu from every angle.
The gale slowed Pikachu's steps, tearing into its body.
As newcomers to Gigantamax battles, neither Ash nor Pikachu had mastery yet.
Before Pikachu could even unleash Steel Spike, Charizard's Airstream scattered the energy.
BOOM!
The giant Pikachu slammed into the arena floor with a quake.
Here the downside of Dynamax showed—
The bigger the body, the heavier the fall.
Even a simple knockdown inflicted massive damage.
"Get up, Pikachu! We still have a chance! We haven't lost yet!"
Despite the crushing Airstream, Pikachu hadn't fainted.
Groggy, but hearing Ash's voice, it forced itself up again.
For its Trainer.
"Piiii… KAAA… CHU!!"
There it was—
Ash's most famous technique.
Explanation.
Ash's Alola championship was… controversial.
At first, its credibility was low.
No Island Kahunas participated. The finals were just a 3v3.
That kind of champion? Many dismissed it.
Alola had no prestige.
The only full 6v6 battle was Ash vs. Professor Kukui afterward.
Defeating Kukui—that was what made Ash a true Alola Champion.
But the outside world only recognized the official tournament win.
So people called him the "least legitimate Champion."
This was all due to an information gap.
Ash's true strength—beating Tapu Koko head-on—was absolutely legit.
But outside Alola, few knew.
Even in the anime's finale, only Oak and Ash's mom were shown watching.
Everyone else was local.
So it wasn't widely recognized.
And remember—the livestream's audience existed in Ash's Johto era.
Of course they knew nothing about Alola yet.
That's why they misunderstood.
Not because Ash lacked strength—
but because the world lacked the full story.
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