"Thunderbolt!"
Ash decided to stake everything on Thunderbolt.
In a direct collision, this was the only move that still had a chance, no matter how slim that chance might be.
Pikachu charged toward Togekiss. At first, only faint sparks danced across his body, but in the next instant, the electricity surged more than tenfold.
His entire body was engulfed in blazing golden lightning, the color deepening as terrifying power radiated outward, causing the surrounding air itself to tremble.
Boom!!
The deep-blue Brave Bird collided head-on with the golden Thunderbolt, unleashing a deafening explosion. The entire battlefield shook violently as blinding light and shockwaves burst outward.
All of that destructive force was forcibly contained by the psychic barrier erected by Mewtwo. Otherwise, everything in the surrounding area would have been obliterated by the aftershocks alone.
The shockwaves roared like a ferocious beast, slamming repeatedly into the barrier, but not even a ripple appeared.
Cynthia's beautiful eyes flickered with an unusual light.
'God –level power really is extraordinary…'
Even the League's top-tier barriers would have trembled under such an impact, possibly even cracking. Though those barriers could regenerate instantly as long as they weren't shattered in a single strike, their instantaneous defense was far inferior.
Compared to Mewtwo's barrier, they were like comparing a novice mage to a true master.
The sturdiness before her eyes was simply inconceivable, perhaps not even a Champion Peak strike could shake it.
Ash, of course, had no idea what Cynthia was focusing on.
At the moment of collision, he was experiencing something else entirely.
Pain.
Terrifying pain.
Both physical and mental.
It was the first time he had endured damage of this magnitude.
Even during his confrontation with Mewtwo in the past, he hadn't suffered like this, because back then, Mewtwo had never truly broken through his defenses.
But now, the damage he was taking had nothing to do with his own defense.
It depended entirely on Pikachu's.
In a sense, it was like true damage. His own defensive abilities were almost meaningless. The only thing resisting the impact was his stamina, his body itself.
Without Aura Power reinforcement, Ash was not truly God–level. While his physical strength was impressive, it was still far from a body capable of withstanding God Domain forces.
And so, this damage was incredibly difficult for him to endure.
'Even so… I have to hold on!'
If Ash fell first, Pikachu's situation would be even worse.
As long as he remained conscious, there was still a chance, however small, for Pikachu.
The violent aftershocks continued for dozens of seconds before the intertwined lights finally dissipated.
The battlefield was left in ruins.
The once-flat ground was now cracked and uneven, deep craters dotting the field, damage caused purely by the collision between Pikachu and Togekiss. Arcing lightning and scattered Flying-type energy carved destruction across the terrain.
Brock and Misty stared at the battlefield, barely breathing, desperate to see the outcome.
As the last dust settled, the result became clear.
Togekiss hovered above the ground, her body bearing several injuries, but still airborne.
Pikachu lay motionless on the ground.
The outcome was obvious.
Cynthia had won.
Ash collapsed onto the ground, the faint glow of Aura Power around his body finally fading.
He had endured the pressure of Brave Bird.
Pikachu had not.
Even though Thunderbolt had absorbed much of the impact, and Brave Bird only inflicted one-third recoil damage, the level gap was simply too great.
Once Pikachu's defense shattered, even residual damage from a Champion opponent was fatal.
And Pikachu was only at Mid-Peak.
"Alright, that's enough."
Cynthia clapped her hands lightly, officially ending the battle.
"Mewtwo, please open the barrier."
Mewtwo nodded and complied, but felt strangely unsettled.
Seeing Ash lose left an unexpected emptiness in her chest.
This was the most logical outcome, one she had anticipated from the very beginning.
With her God level strength, it was effortless to gauge Togekiss's true power.
Champion Advanced versus a Mid-Peak Pikachu.
Unless Pikachu could replicate the kind of miracle Lucario once achieved against her, victory was impossible.
Ash and Pikachu had pushed themselves to their absolute limits, barely touching Champion-level power, but it was only a superficial Champion state.
They had Champion-tier energy, but their bodies couldn't keep up.
Against an evenly matched opponent, that might be enough.
But against overwhelming strength?
The moment their energy faltered and the opponent's power struck their bodies directly, defeat was inevitable.
Just like now.
Still…
For Pikachu to last this long had already exceeded Mewtwo's expectations.
Using Mid-Peak strength to fight a Champion Advanced opponent to this extent, for anyone else, this battle would already be considered legendary.
But he was Ash.
Only then did Mewtwo realize it, she didn't like seeing Ash lose.
This was the first time she had ever witnessed Ash's defeat, and it was precisely because of that moment that she discovered this unfamiliar feeling rising quietly in her heart.
After Mewtwo released the barrier, Ash braced himself and stood up, then jogged over to Pikachu and gently lifted him into his arms.
"Pika… pika…"
Pikachu weakly opened his eyes, murmuring softly after being picked up.
"It's okay," Ash said quietly. "It's just one loss. We'll win it back next time. I'll heal you first."
As he spoke, Ash channeled Tokiwa Power into Pikachu's body, soothing his injuries.
"Come back, Togekiss. Thank you for your hard work."
Cynthia recalled Togekiss and then walked over with her usual calm elegance.
Pikachu, still weak, looked up at her.
Cynthia knelt down and gently placed her slender hand on Pikachu's head, softly stroking his fur.
"You did very well," she said. "Far better than I expected. With your help, your Trainer will stand at the top of the world one day. It's just that… both of you are still a little immature right now."
Being comforted by the opponent after a defeat, this was the first time Ash and Pikachu had ever experienced something like this.
Since their debut, they had never lost a single battle.
This was their first defeat.
And it was an overwhelmingly crushing one.
Throughout his journey, Ash had encountered setbacks, but he had never lost while battling with Pikachu.
From strength to tactics, Cynthia had completely suppressed him in every possible way.
Ash was only a Trainer who had debuted half a year ago. To reach this level already meant he had surpassed countless peers, something worth being proud of.
But neither Ash nor Pikachu could accept it.
This wasn't a narrow defeat like Charizard versus Glaceon.
This was absolute suppression.
For the first time since his debut, Ash felt what it meant to be completely outclassed as a Trainer. Every one of his moves had been seen through, while he couldn't read a single one of Cynthia's intentions.
More often than not, he had relied on Aura Power to predict her actions in advance. But even when he knew what was coming, he still couldn't avoid it.
The gap was simply too large.
Cynthia's comfort eased their emotions slightly, but the unwillingness remained.
Especially Pikachu.
He desperately wanted to become stronger, because in his heart, he felt that he was the one who had held Ash back.
If he had been stronger, Ash wouldn't have been pushed into such a desperate state.
But that was the future.
For now, a loss was still a loss.
Without using Mewtwo or Gengar, Ash had no way of defeating Cynthia. This outcome had been decided from the very beginning.
Ash had tried to use their bond to shatter the level gap.
But bonds weren't omnipotent.
A large level gap was still a large level gap.
And beyond that, Ash had also been completely outmatched in Trainer skill.
He was still too young.
"Should we go to the Pokémon Center first?" Cynthia asked softly, noticing Pikachu's weakened state.
"No need," Ash shook his head. "He'll recover soon."
Cynthia froze slightly.
Ash wasn't the kind of Trainer who would ignore his Pokémon's injuries, yet Pikachu was clearly hurt. Did he have another method?
"Don't worry, Miss Cynthia," Brock said directly. "Ash has Tokiwa Power. He can heal Pokémon."
Tokiwa Power wasn't something normally revealed, but Cynthia was different. As a Champion, she posed no threat.
"Tokiwa Power…" Cynthia murmured, astonished. "I've heard of it. A power said to be bestowed upon specific humans by the Viridian Forest itself. It's always been considered a legend… because no confirmed wielder has ever appeared."
She looked at Ash with newfound curiosity.
Aura Power.
Tokiwa Power.
Just how many secrets did this boy possess?
Ash was like a bottomless abyss, no matter how deeply one tried to probe, its depths remained unclear.
A few minutes later, Pikachu's injuries had completely vanished.
He jumped out of Ash's arms, stretched his limbs, and cried out energetically, clearly back to full strength.
"So fast?" Cynthia said softly. "That's even quicker than a Pokémon Center."
For perhaps the first time, the usually composed Champion felt repeatedly shaken.
"This is because Pikachu's level isn't that high," Ash explained. "The stronger the Pokémon, the longer recovery takes. If you don't mind, Miss Cynthia, you can release Togekiss. Her injuries shouldn't be light either."
Ash stood up, brushed the dust from his knees, and looked at her calmly.
"Alright. I'll trouble you, then."
Cynthia released Togekiss.
Ash's Tokiwa Power flowed into Togekiss's body. The effect was slower than with Pikachu, but her injuries were lighter to begin with. Within minutes, she was fully restored.
A strange light flickered in Cynthia's eyes.
She recalled Togekiss once more.
"I have something I want to discuss with you, Ash."
"Huh?"
"Let's talk inside."
In the living room, Ash, Misty, and Brock sat upright on the sofa. Cynthia sat across from them, her expression uncharacteristically serious.
From the moment she spoke, all three sensed it, this was not a trivial matter.
"I'll be direct," Cynthia said. "Ash, I want you to protect a Pokémon."
"Protect a Pokémon?" Ash asked. "Which one?"
"The god of the sea, Lugia."
Ash, Misty, and Brock: ???
Their expressions instantly collapsed.
What Cynthia had just said was so absurd that their minds froze.
Protect… Lugia?
Did the god of the sea even need protection?!