Pikachu's stamina was already heavily drained.
After unleashing Thunderbolts and Thunders in succession, he had almost nothing left to give.
In Latios' next furious dive, Pikachu finally lost his grip.
His tiny paws slipped—he plummeted from the sky!
"Latios, turn back! End this with Luster Purge!"
Tobias was certain—this blow would decide the match.
Latios, streaking toward the ground, twisted with frightening speed.
In his mouth, pink energy gathered in a radiant sphere.
And then—
BOOM!!
A blinding pillar of light tore through the air, its sheer heat and force warping the space around it.
Everyone's hearts clenched.
Pikachu… was this the end?
Dangling helpless in midair, with no way to dodge—
even Leon himself had no answer to such a situation.
Thunderbolt? No—the weakened Pikachu's power could never overcome Luster Purge head-on.
The Champions found no solution.
But Ash did.
"Pikachu—High-Voltage Strike! Go!!"
"Pika! Pika! Pika!! Pikaaaa!!!"
The panic in Pikachu's eyes melted away at Ash's command.
He tucked into a midair somersault, flipping his body upright.
Electricity roared across his fur, coating him in blazing golden light.
The battlefield sky itself lit up with his thunder!
[Volkner: It's here! This feeling—it's even stronger than when he fought Regice!]
[Gardenia: Yes! That brilliance! This is the true Pikachu!]
[Lt. Surge: Unbelievable… that tiny rookie I once battled has grown this far?]
Before the gaze of millions, Pikachu's High-Voltage Strike clashed with Latios' Luster Purge.
The solid pink beam splintered the instant it touched Pikachu's lightning—
shattered into fragments, scattering like broken glass.
Pikachu's limbs paddled midair, as though treading solid ground itself.
With a fierce roar, he forced his way forward.
"If I'm going down—I'm taking you with me!!"
The unspoken cry burned inside him. His golden electricity swelled again, voltage surging even higher!
CRACK-BOOM!!!
The High-Voltage Strike tore straight through Luster Purge, smashing directly into Latios' head!
The impact drove the legendary Pokémon into the arena floor, gouging out a massive crater.
"Now! Pikachu, Iron Tail!"
"Pika—CHU!!"
The golden lightning flickered away. Pikachu spun, tail gleaming with steel.
With crushing force, it smashed down upon Latios' skull!
The entire battlefield shook, the stone floor splintering into deep cracks.
Pikachu collapsed to the ground, panting.
Latios, eyes swirling, had fainted.
Pikachu—god-slayer for the second time!!
(Author's note: yes, I tweaked the original anime. I know it was supposed to end in a double KO—but hey, this is fanfiction. Let me brag a little about Pikachu the Godslayer! Tobias is too overpowered, so take that—one small shock from Pikachu!)
The broadcast ended with a final shot:
Tobias frozen in disbelief, sweat dripping down his forehead.
Ash, fists clenched, jumped for joy.
[Dragon Master Lance: I don't get it—what kind of move was that?! Is this really Pikachu??]
[Diantha: I don't understand either. What breed of Pikachu is this? Surely this is the Thunder God wearing a Pikachu costume!]
[Cynthia: Ash and Pikachu have once again shattered their own limits. Two "god-slaying" moments in these inventories—Pikachu has claimed both!]
[Gardenia: Professor Oak, where did you find this Pikachu? I want one too—it's dazzling!!]
[Professor Oak: I encountered him in the wild, shortly before Ash came to claim his starter. Perhaps… this is fate. Only Ash and Pikachu together could awaken such power!]
[Alder: Hahaha! I knew it! Ash wouldn't disappoint me!]
[Leon: Heh—don't get too jealous, everyone. I only made a humble six thousand points in bets. Nothing special.]
At Team Rocket HQ, Giovanni nearly crushed his chair armrest.
That Pikachu… had beaten a legendary once again!
So Regice hadn't been a fluke after all?!
"Damn it! My six hundred points!"
Apollo and the others dared not speak, though their losses stung just as badly.
But with the boss seething, none of them wanted to add fuel to the fire.
"Well done, Ash! That's the first decent thing you've managed in years!"
Gary slammed the table in delight.
He had bet on Ash—and won ten thousand points!
It wasn't enough to buy anything major, but the sheer thrill of victory left him grinning ear to ear.
His faith in Ash and Pikachu's potential had paid off!
The world erupted.
Viewers everywhere had only one reaction—shock.
Many had written off Pikachu from the start.
But Ash's refusal to quit, and Pikachu's indomitable will, had drawn them in.
Before they knew it, they had cheered for Ash. They had cheered for Pikachu.
Now that it was over, some sat back in disbelief, muttering:
"Damn… is this what they mean by, 'lose the bet, but win the joy'?"
"Think of it this way: if Ash lost, I'd take my points with tears. But if Ash won, even if I lost the bet, I'd still be happy!"
"Honestly? Can't we have both? I bet on Ash, won my points and my pride!"
Because of this Heavenly Record broadcast, people around the world began gathering in groups to watch.
It was more fun together—like watching a movie or drama.
And since only a tiny fraction could send live comments, most viewers vented their thoughts aloud with friends.
Thus, the same chatter echoed everywhere: some thrilled to have won on Ash, others satisfied even while losing bets.
Only hardened gamblers, Pokémon-haters, and poachers obsessed over their lost points.
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