Ash and Pikachu's fiery determination set the entire world ablaze with excitement.
"If only they'd shown this clip before the betting—I definitely would've backed Ash!"
"Same here! Win or lose, this deserves support!"
"Ugh… I bet on Tobias to win, but honestly, I want Ash to take it."
"Don't panic! Listen, I'm infamous for losing bets—whichever side I pick always loses! This time I went all in on Tobias!"
"…Bro, can you tell me who you're betting on next time? I'll just bet the opposite!"
…
[Alder: Ash, well done! No matter the hardship, no matter the hopeless odds—you never give up. That spirit is your greatest weapon!]
[Leon: Win or lose today, the Ash of the future will stand at the same height as me.]
The chat exploded.
The same height… as Leon?
Leon—the undefeated Champion of Galar.
Since his debut, he had never tasted defeat.
Ranked No. 1 among the Masters Eight.
The man everyone expected to take the title at Worlds.
And now, he claimed that a mere boy in his teens would one day reach the same level?!
[Lance: Whoa! I never thought you'd give Ash such high praise!]
[Cynthia: I agree. Ash has the potential to become a Champion-tier trainer in the future.]
[Ash: Hehe… you guys are giving me too much credit.]
[Gary: Ugh, I can't take it anymore. All the Champions are talking about your future! Why are you butting in now? You're just some kid who can barely qualify for the Indigo Plateau Conference!]
"Gary, you jerk!! Don't hold me back, I'm gonna roast him!!"
Misty and Brock physically stopped Ash's hand from hitting the reply button.
"Calm down, Ash! Just let it slide—no need to take the bait."
"Yeah! It's Gary, for crying out loud. You should know him by now!"
"The match is starting again!"
Brock's words instantly pulled Ash's focus back.
He clenched his fists—he'd settle things with Gary after the battle.
…
On screen—
"Pikachu, Quick Attack!"
"Pika!!"
Light gathered around Pikachu as its small legs pushed off the ground.
It shot forward like an arrow loose from a bow!
"Dodge it!"
"Wooooh!"
Latios twisted its sleek body, slipping past with the slightest sidestep.
"It's not over! Pikachu—Volt Tackle!"
This was Pikachu's ultimate move—the same attack that had destroyed Regice in a single strike.
The audience roared.
"That's the move! The one that one-shotted Regice!"
"If it worked on a Legendary once, maybe it can work again!"
Pikachu spun, lightning exploding around its body, golden arcs wrapping it in a furious storm.
It launched forward like a thunder god descending from the heavens!
"Giga Impact!!"
Tobias's calm command rang out.
Latios rotated mid-air, a vortex of violet energy swirling around its streamlined form.
Gold collided with purple.
The world held its breath—
—and then Pikachu was blasted back, tumbling through the air!
Only the cushioning force of its own lightning kept it from being completely crushed.
Even so, when Pikachu landed, scrapes and bruises already marked its body.
"This… this is insane! The Volt Tackle that obliterated Regice didn't even scratch Latios's Giga Impact!"
"Could it be that Brandon's Regice was just… weak?"
"Maybe! Latios feels way stronger—the speed, the power, everything! It's not like that slow, bulky Regice at all!"
"Seriously… how can a Legendary look this cool?!"
If Brandon had heard the peanut gallery, he'd have pulled out his other Regis on the spot to prove them wrong.
His Regi-trio was not weak!
…
[Lance: It seems… the gap in power is even greater than we thought.]
[Diantha: Pikachu might not stand a chance. Latios's advantages are overwhelming.]
[Caitlin: Agreed. With Psychic typing and aerial supremacy, Latios is completely out of Pikachu's league.]
[Leon: Is it though? I don't see a shred of surrender in Ash's eyes.]
Indeed, Ash's fighting spirit burned undimmed.
But just then, the camera panned away—
—to the audience.
Two humans and a Meowth suddenly appeared on screen.
The world blinked.
Why the sudden cut to… them?
…
In the stadium near Indigo Plateau, three familiar figures gawked at the giant screen.
"Hey hey hey! Isn't that us? We're on camera!!"
"Of course, meow! Where there's Pikachu, there's Team Rocket!"
"Wait a second… are we… selling stuff in that shot?!"
…
Meanwhile, at Team Rocket HQ, Giovanni had already returned.
Even there, the global broadcast was streaming across every screen.
When the familiar trio popped up, Giovanni froze mid-thought.
"…Why are those three idiots there?"
…
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