As the previous footage faded, the world erupted in discussion.
By now, nearly everyone had forgotten what the Heavenly Tally originally promised to show…
But the screen flickered again.
A new scene appeared—
a massive, awe-inspiring golden pyramid.
The moment it appeared, the camera zoomed in sharply,
and the scene shifted into a battle arena atop the structure.
Standing inside that arena was Ash—once again appearing before the world.
But this Ash was older, more mature.
His clothes, his hat—everything about him looked different from before.
Opposite him stood a rugged middle-aged man dressed in mountaineering gear.
If Ash's fame had just spread worldwide thanks to the earlier footage,
then this man was someone whose name had already shaken the world long before—
Brandon, the Frontier Brain of the Battle Pyramid.
[Lance: Oh? Brandon? Then… is this Ash versus Brandon?]
[Professor Oak: Brandon, when did you ever battle Ash? Why don't I know about this?]
[Cynthia: Ash looks older here. He must've been journeying for a while already.]
[Brandon: I've never battled the boy. I have no idea what this scene is.]
[Ash: Yeah, yeah! I've never met that Brandon guy before!]
"Manners! It's Mr. Brandon!"
Misty scolded instantly.
Every time Ash sent a message, he'd blurt out whatever came to mind,
without giving her a chance to correct anything.
Brock and Misty could also type in the message stream,
but only Ash was bold—or reckless—enough to interrupt Champions mid-discussion.
Even Gary Oak was staying unusually quiet.
"Okay, okay, Misty! I get it!"
For once, Misty didn't smack him—
His previous complaints about her hitting him must've worked.
Ash resolved to think before typing from now on.
At least… think a little.
[Cynthia: Could this be… footage of the future?]
[Steven Stone: Intriguing… "future," you say?]
[Cynthia: In Sinnoh, there's Dialga—a Legendary Pokémon that controls time.]
[Cynthia: If such power exists, maybe the Heavenly Tally is showing us glimpses of what's to come.]
[Alder: Time manipulation?! Your region has such absurd power?!]
[Lorelei: Enough talk. The screen changed!]
The new image drew everyone's attention.
A bold headline filled the screen:
"Fierce Clash at the Battle Pyramid—
A Divine Showdown!
Ice vs. Thunder!
Who Will Triumph?"
"Matchup: Ash & Pikachu VS Brandon's Regice!"
A divine… battle?
Right. The Heavenly Tally had said it would showcase
mortals who stood against gods.
But this?
Pikachu versus Regice?!
Many viewers didn't even know what Regice was.
But if Pikachu represented the "mortal" side…
Then Regice must be the "god."
Pikachu fighting a Legendary Pokémon?
This had to be a joke.
A ridiculous one.
An insulting one.
[Lance: Regice, huh… Brandon even managed to capture it? Impressive.]
[Cynthia: I've heard the rumors. Brandon has already captured two of the Regi trio, correct?]
[Cynthia: And judging from this title, he'll eventually obtain Regice too. Completing all three… what a terrifying man.]
[Alder: Hold on—what are the "Regi trio"? Are they your region's Legendaries? Someone explain!]
[Bruno: Explanation +1! I don't know them either!]
[Steven Stone: I'll do it. I've studied them extensively.]
Steven—Champion of Hoenn,
primary job: studying rocks.
Secondary job: being Champion.
Naturally, he had a deep interest in Regirock
and thus had studied the other two Regis as well.
[Steven Stone: Regice is an Ice-type Legendary Pokémon. Its body is made entirely of ice from the Ice Age—so cold even fire can't melt it.]
[Steven Stone: According to records, Regice can generate temperatures as low as -200°C. Among Ice-types, it stands at the absolute pinnacle.]
His explanation stunned audiences across the globe.
The more he explained, the worse it sounded.
This was what Pikachu was supposed to beat?!
The Heavenly Tally wasn't showing evenly matched battles.
It was simply showing anything that counted as mortals confronting gods.
Even if the mortal was instantly obliterated.
If this was the Heavenly Tally's idea of "mortals vs. gods,"
Then what a disappointment.
People had half expected some ordinary Pokémon to defy a Legendary—
not get vaporized by one.
The screen shifted again, but the battle still hadn't started.
This time—
A prediction game began.
Points appeared before everyone—
"Wager Points" is the initial pool each person was given.
Anyone with over 100,000 points
would be able to speak in the message stream even without being "selected."
Points could also be exchanged for items from Tally's mysterious shop.
Everyone opened the shop—
And gasped.
Dozens of items.
Rare, mythical, powerful—
Even the Champions were stunned.
The prices were enormous…
but for someone who could create a world-spanning display,
Could the items really be fake?
Impossible.
[Lance: So? Who are you betting on?]
[Diantha: You shouldn't ask that out loud. Ash is watching.]
[Bruno: Cough… As much as I want Ash as my disciple, he still needs polishing!]
[Cynthia: Ash has potential. Lots of it.]
[Brandon: I look forward to the boy's growth.]
[Leon: I believe that, in ten years, that boy might even be able to scratch Regice.]
In other words—
Not a single Champion bet on Ash.
Even if his odds were sky-high,
no one was foolish enough to choose him.
Betting on Ash wasn't gambling.
Betting on Ash was stupidity.