Under Red's command, Zapdos' combat strength had noticeably improved.
However, after several fierce exchanges, Zapdos was still defeated.
But this time—it was different.
Zapdos had actually injured Mewtwo.
Earlier, Blue had said that almost none of his attacks could harm that monster at all.
The reason was simple: Mewtwo's psychic barrier had blocked nearly everything.
Yet Zapdos' overwhelming firepower had forcefully pierced that barrier.
Which meant one thing—
Mewtwo was not invincible.
Zapdos' defeat did not shake Red's confidence.
On the contrary, it lit a spark of hope.
Next, Red released Moltres and Articuno.
But even the remaining two Legendary Birds only managed to deal minor damage
before being decisively crushed.
In the end—
All three Legendary Pokémon had fallen.
Red now had only two Pokémon left.
"Red's done for! Only two left—how does he fight now?!"
"Charizard and Pikachu are his strongest, sure, but that thing is a high-tier legend—Mewtwo!"
"If Pikachu goes down, too, Red should run immediately. Let Charizard carry him out!"
"Yeah! If all his Pokémon fall, how does he even escape?!"
The world had already begun planning Red's retreat.
Charizard and Pikachu were undeniably terrifying.
But against a first-tier god, the gap still felt insurmountable.
If Charizard fell here…
Who would save Red?
Wait for Blue to recover and come die again?
[Lance]: Red's going to lose—but he'll fight to the very end before escaping.
[Diantha]: Bets are open! Let's see if Lance's curse beats a first-tier god.
[Lance]: I… I can't curse a god, right?!
[Leon]: Everyone's forgetting something—Red has Mega Stones. If Charizard Mega Evolves, maybe—
[Diantha]: Too unlikely. Without understanding Mega Evolution, triggering it is extremely difficult.
[Cynthia]: Still… Red's bond with Charizard might create a miracle.
[Alder]: He's sending Pikachu next.
Pikachu Enters the Battle
Red released his fifth Pokémon.
Pikachu.
Red's round-faced Pikachu had long since broken free of racial limits,
reaching heights no Pikachu should ever reach.
If there was another Pikachu comparable to Red's—
Only one name came to mind.
Ash.
The difference was—
For Red, Pikachu was the second ace.
For Ash, Pikachu was his first and strongest partner.
Perhaps that was the subtle difference between the two.
"Pikachu—Thunderbolt!"
"Pika—CHUU!!"
Golden lightning tore through the cavern, illuminating every face watching.
Mewtwo instinctively crossed its arms, dense psychic energy forming a barrier.
BOOM!
A massive explosion shook the cave.
For the first time in this battle—
Mewtwo defended.
The Thunderbolt failed to break through, but—
Red noticed something.
The madness in Mewtwo's eyes… had faded slightly.
Shock replaced rage.
Pikachu's Thunderbolt had nearly knocked Mewtwo back to clarity.
Hope surged in Red's chest.
If it were Pikachu and Charizard—
Maybe…
"Pikachu—Quick Attack!"
Pikachu vanished into golden streaks, circling Mewtwo at blinding speed.
Afterimages filled the battlefield.
"Now—Thunder!"
Pikachu appeared behind Mewtwo.
The air screamed.
A pillar of lightning descended from the heavens like a divine blade.
Mewtwo barely managed to shift part of its barrier upward—
BOOM!
The cavern shook violently.
This was no longer a battle of Pokémon.
This was a clash of gods.
"He can win! Pikachu's speed is insane!"
"GO! GO!"
"Slay the god!"
When the smoke cleared—
Mewtwo's body was covered in wounds.
Thunder had severely injured it.
But then—
Mewtwo raised its head.
Its eyes were cold.
The madness was gone.
A voice echoed directly in Red's mind.
"Human… do you wish to control me too?"
Telepathy.
Mewtwo's intellect had reached terrifying heights.
"I don't want to control you—"
But Mewtwo had no interest in listening.
Psychic energy surged.
"Pikachu—Quick Attack!"
Too late.
Purple waves engulfed Pikachu, locking him in place.
"Psychic… Pikachu, break free with Thunderbolt!"
Electricity erupted—
But Mewtwo increased its power.
The lightning was crushed inward.
BOOM!
The compressed energy exploded.
Pikachu was hit by its own Thunderbolt.
Mewtwo flung him skyward.
Psychic energy condensed into a massive purple sphere.
This attack was on an entirely different level.
"RETURN, PIKACHU!"
The Poké Ball's red light barely caught him—
But the attack grazed him.
Pikachu's life force plummeted.
The remaining energy slammed into the cave ceiling.
The entire Cerulean Cave shook violently.
Rockfalls cascaded.
The world collapsed.
At that moment—
Red's final Poké Ball burst open.
Charizard appeared, wings spread wide, shielding Red beneath them.
Stone after stone slammed into Charizard's body—
But to him, it was nothing.
"ROAR!!"
Charizard glared at Mewtwo.
If he hadn't come out—
His Trainer would be dead.
Unforgivable.
"Charizard's out!"
"What's the point now?! Pikachu got crushed!"
"He should've run earlier!"
The forums exploded.
For the first time, Red had truly been pushed to the brink.
The haters emerged in force.
Against a god, Red's efforts meant nothing to them.
Only one thing mattered—
He was losing.
[Lance]: Red has to retreat! The cave's collapsing!
[Leon]: I agree… It's too dangerous.
[Ash]: No! Red, don't run—defeat it!
[Alder]: Ash?! Red could die!
[Ash]: That Pokémon can't control its power! If it isn't stopped or taken somewhere safe, it and Cerulean City are both in danger!
Silence.
While everyone worried about Red—
Ash worried about everyone else.
[Red]: Well said, Ash. We should talk someday.
Red agreed.
Which meant—
He would not retreat.
The Champion's Resolve
Charizard and Mewtwo locked eyes.
The madness in Mewtwo began to rise again.
Red realized—
Mewtwo couldn't fully control its power.
That power warped its mind.
"Mewtwo… I know you were created from Mew—"
Clear Cliff—
Mewtwo facepalmed internally.
Wow. He really chose those words.
"SHUT UP! I AM THE REAL ONE!"
Perfectly stepped on the landmine.
The truth Mewtwo hated most.
Rage consumed it again.
Green light enveloped its body.
Its wounds rapidly healed.
Recover.
"No—don't let it heal!"
"Charizard—Blast Burn!"
Flames shaped like a blazing '大' tore through the cave.
Mewtwo crossed its arms.
A green barrier formed.
Protect.
The flames vanished.
Recovery was interrupted—but not completed.
"Against Psychic types… Charizard has no advantage."
Red's eyes sharpened.
"Mewtwo's stamina isn't endless. Two more Thunders could cripple it."
"But its defense… is airtight."
After a moment—
"Charizard—Sunny Day!"
Light exploded outward.
A miniature sun rose inside the cave.
"Blast Burn!"
Under the blazing sunlight—
Charizard's flames surged to their peak.
And the decisive clash began.
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