"Pikachu!!"
Ash's cry echoed not only through the battle arena—
but across the entire world.
"Come on, Pikachu! You're not the kind of Pokémon who gives up from something like this!"
"Your stubbornness—your spirit—has helped me win every battle we've ever fought!"
"Whenever I'm discouraged or losing hope, you always shock me back to my senses with your strongest move!"
"Everything we've gone through together—
We're not ending it here!!"
"Please hear me, Pikachu—use Thunderbolt!!"
His voice was so powerful it seemed to shake the planet.
But in the footage, Pikachu remained frozen and motionless.
The world had to admit it:
Ash's words were heartfelt, stirring, passionate—
But defeat was still defeat.
If speeches could win battles, there would be no losers in this world.
Ash… had lost.
On screen, the referee raised the flag, ready to declare the match over—
When—
CRACK.
The sound was tiny, almost inaudible—
But in the silence, it struck like thunder.
Ash, eyes squeezed shut from desperation, froze.
Slowly, he turned his gaze toward the ice-bound Pikachu.
CRACK.
Not a hallucination.
The ice was splitting.
Brandon's brows drew together.
This was… not good.
"Pi… Pi… PIKACHUUUU!!!"
BOOM!!!
The icy prison exploded, shards scattering like glass—
Blazing golden electricity erupted from Pikachu's body,
surging upward in a storm of light—
And struck Regice dead-on before it could react!
This Thunderbolt was far stronger than the previous ones.
Regice's entire body crackled with golden sparks—
Its movements stiffen.
Paralysis.
Not only had the attack dealt real damage—
It had inflicted status as well.
"What an unbelievable Pikachu! The boy's words… they've ignited my heart too!"
Brandon swept his arm forward.
"Regice! Focus Punch!"
"Regi—!!"
Despite the paralysis, Regice slid forward across its ice field—
appearing in front of Pikachu instantly,
Its glowing fist unleashed with brutal force.
Pikachu reacted on instinct.
Iron Tail!
"BANG!"
Just like before, Pikachu—lacking a stable footing—
was swatted away like a rubber ball.
It crashed into the ice pillars created earlier—
ricocheting off them like a pinball.
But appearances were deceiving.
Pikachu was not badly hurt.
In fact, it had used the pillars to cushion the impact.
Ash's eyes lit up.
"Pikachu! Use the rebound—then Iron Tail!"
"Pika!!"
Only Ash could think this way—
and only his Pokémon could execute it.
Pikachu bounced off the final wall—
pressed its tiny legs against it—
and launched like a missile.
It arced through the air,
its tail glowing metallic silver—
And struck Regice once more!
BOOM!!!
Another huge crack split across Regice's icy body—
a wound even deeper than the first.
"Again!"
"Pi! Ka!! CHU!!"
Due to paralysis, Regice was unable to react.
Pikachu twisted in midair—
and smashed a second Iron Tail
into the same spot.
The damage multiplied—
Regice's icy armor is turning dull and fractured.
The Titan was severely wounded.
The world fell into stunned silence.
Was this really happening?
Could Pikachu… actually win?
Far away, in Veilstone City—
Reggie watched the scene with mixed emotions.
He had once challenged Brandon's Battle Pyramid.
Brandon had defeated him without even using a single Regi.
Under Brandon's guidance, he eventually gave up battling entirely.
His younger brother had always mocked him for it.
Now, watching this young boy push Brandon this far—
push Regice this far—
Reggie felt nothing but respect.
Ash…
might actually win.
A rookie.
A Pikachu.
Against Brandon and the Ice Titan.
Inconceivable.
"Regice—Ice Beam!"
Brandon remained unshaken—
not a hint of panic.
"Dodge it!"
Ash shouted his signature miracle command.
Pikachu used its tail as leverage,
springing out of the attack range—
But Regice immediately repeated its earlier tactic.
Ice Beam carved new pillars around Pikachu,
locking it in a cage of frozen spires.
Brandon smirked.
"Rest."
[Lance: 666! This is the strongest Trainer of the Battle Frontier? I am enlightened.]
[Steven Stone: Mr. Brandon… isn't this a bit much…?]
[Alder: Dirty! Too dirty!!
A Legendary Pokémon against a Pikachu—and you STILL use this kind of scummy tactic?!
Have you no shame?!]
[Brandon: Rewind the footage and read my words.
No matter who I battle, I give my full power.
This is a legitimate strategy.
Your complaint is shallow.]
Even Brandon felt a touch of embarrassment.
Using Rest—twice—
against a boy and a Pikachu…
It looked bad.
But losing would look even worse.
If he was going to win, he would win decisively.
Honorably or not.
Most onlookers couldn't bear to watch.
"A pity… Against a wild Legendary, Pikachu might've truly slain a god."
"Yeah… but with someone like Brandon commanding Regice…
It's hopeless."
"Don't give up, Pikachu!!
Iron Tail to break the ice—then High-Voltage Thunder!!"
"Pikachu!!"
Pikachu shattered the frozen cage—
landed lightly—
And then it moved.
Faster.
Brighter.
Stronger.
"Pika! Pika! Pikapi—KA!!!"
Electricity burst across its fur—
coating its body in a storm of gold.
The Ice Field beneath it cracked—
Then it shattered completely as Pikachu blasted across it.
Its movements blurred—
its silhouette distorted—
It's very aura transformed.
At that moment—
Pikachu no longer looked like a small yellow mouse.
It looked like—
A thunder god descending upon the battlefield.