Originally, Kingler held a slight advantage on the water field. However, Exeggutor's Psychic and Grass typing made handling a relatively slow Water-type far easier, especially when both Pokémon were nearly the same level.
And yet, Exeggutor still fell.
It quite literally "died on the battlefield" because of a single mistake.
Guillotine was a One-Hit Knockout move, but landing it was notoriously difficult. Under normal circumstances, Exeggutor would never have been hit by such an attack. Unfortunately, Exeggutor itself created the opening, turning Kingler's low-probability strike into an unavoidable execution.
In other words, it had walked straight into its own death.
Exeggutor could not even be blamed.
Who could have imagined that after pouring its full strength into controlling the water flow and forming a massive whirlpool, it would fail to trap Kingler, or even move it an inch?
Water-type Pokémon were indeed adept in water, but even they should have been dragged by a vortex of that scale unless they had undergone extremely specialized training.
Regardless of the reason, the outcome was already set. Exeggutor was instantly defeated.
Jamie absolutely refused to believe this meant Kingler was stronger than Exeggutor. In his mind, the loss stemmed purely from a commanding error that allowed a One-Hit Knockout move to connect.
If he had been just a little more cautious, he never would have fallen for such a setup.
But the die was already cast.
No amount of regret or post-match analysis could change the result.
Jamie exhaled slowly, recalled Exeggutor, and drew his second Poké Ball.
"What an utterly unexpected result!" the host exclaimed at just the right moment. "Originally, the audience, myself included, believed this would be a fierce battle between evenly matched Pokémon, yet it ended in such a shocking fashion!"
"Ash truly deserves the title of Super Rookie. Not only is his Pokémon training outstanding, his command timing is exceptionally sharp. Jamie made only a small mistake, and Ash seized it instantly for a One-Hit Knockout!"
"I wonder if Jamie's next Pokémon can turn the tide!"
Though the host was not a powerful Trainer, his observational skills were impeccable. Without that, he would never have earned his position.
A qualified host had to see clearly, explain clearly, and ensure even casual viewers understood the battle's flow.
As the commentary ended, Jamie threw his second Poké Ball.
A flash of light erupted, and a powerful Pokémon emerged onto the water field. Its body resembled a seahorse, yet carried the majesty of a dragon.
Horsea's final evolution.
Kingdra.
While water fields generally favored Grass-types, it was impossible to build an entire team around that assumption. Betting that every opponent would send out Water-types was unrealistic.
More importantly, Jamie did not possess Mid-level Grass Pokémon.
Kingdra, however, was different.
As a Water and Dragon-type, it not only excelled in aquatic environments, but also possessed quadruple resistance to Water-type attacks. Against Water Pokémon, it was a natural counter.
Compared to Exeggutor, it lacked Grass-type advantage, but its durability and resistance were far superior. Its level was also higher.
This matchup was secure.
Or so Jamie believed.
Ash studied Kingdra's data for a brief moment, then calmly took out a Poké Ball.
"Return, Kingler."
Against Kingdra's typing and higher level, Kingler's only realistic path to victory without Aura Power would be gambling on Guillotine again. That was unnecessary.
Ash had better options.
"I choose you, Pikachu."
The audience collectively froze.
Misty and the others stared in disbelief.
Sending out Pikachu as the second Pokémon?
That was merciless.
This was not leaving the opponent a way out. This was closing the coffin.
When the small yellow figure landed on the floating platform, Jamie's face went completely dark.
Pikachu was one of the most common Pokémon in Kanto. Yet Ash's Pikachu was impossible to mistake.
Putting everything else aside, Ash's most recognized signature Pokémon was this Pikachu.
Not merely because of its explosive strength, but because Ash had trained a Pokémon like Pikachu to a level no one else had ever reached.
Charizard and Venusaur had stronger counterparts in the world. Even Ash's versions, despite their rapid growth, had not yet reached Elite level.
But Pikachu was different.
Aside from Ash, no one in the world had raised a Pikachu to this degree.
It was unique.
It was Ash's benchmark.
And before every battle, it wore a hat, a detail so natural it looked like part of its body. That alone set it apart from every other Pikachu.
Countless Trainers had tried to replicate Ash's methods.
At best, they reached Mid- low level.
When Jamie truly understood who stood before him, his face drained of color.
What the hell?
Didn't you say the first match was for training?
Why did you immediately send out your main force?
And not just any main force. This was Ash's ace.
Who am I that you need Pikachu to deal with me?
The preliminary rounds were Three-on-Three, and Pokémon selection was locked in before the match began. There was no switching rosters mid-battle.
Which meant Ash had registered Pikachu from the start.
Yes, he intended to train.
But that never meant gambling with the outcome.
If he lost unexpectedly because he held back too much, all that would remain were tears.
To avoid an unexpected loss, Ash had prepared a main Pokémon.
And not just any main Pokémon.
His strongest.
Among all his Pokémon, excluding Gengar, Pikachu remained the strongest.
Even Aerodactyl could not compare.
"I don't care!" Jamie shouted, forcing himself to steady his nerves. "So what if it's Pikachu? Victory isn't decided by level alone! I was tricked earlier, but I won't fall for it again. This time, it's Kingdra who has the field advantage!"
"Kingdra, Dragon Pulse!"
Jamie roared the command.
No matter who stood opposite him, he could not surrender. He had fought too hard to reach this stage. Even a sliver of hope was worth grasping.
Under the command, Kingdra unleashed a wave of emerald-green Dragon-type energy, roaring forward across the water field.
Pikachu did not dodge.
Just before the Dragon Pulse struck, Pikachu leaped upward. Its tail flared with metallic light and chopped downward with brutal precision.
Boom!!
A violent shockwave erupted across the water field. Waves surged skyward, spray exploded outward, and the entire arena trembled.
And then the audience saw it clearly.
Pikachu's Iron Tail had split the Dragon Pulse in half.
The attack dissipated into nothingness.
Pikachu landed lightly, expression calm, almost bored.
The gap between the two sides was laid bare.
"Pikachu, Quick Attack."
Ash's counterattack command was simple. Almost casual.
"Kingdra, use…"
Bang!!
Jamie never finished speaking.
A golden streak flashed across the water. In the blink of an eye, Pikachu appeared directly in front of Kingdra and slammed into it with terrifying force.
A dull explosion echoed.
Kingdra was sent flying backward, launched cleanly out of the water.
Before it could even react, Pikachu appeared above it.
No Iron Tail.
Just a casual tail swing.
That single strike smashed into Kingdra like a meteor.
Bang!!
The impact detonated downward, forcibly evacuating the water beneath it and creating a temporary vacuum at the center of the pool.
Kingdra plummeted straight into the exposed pool floor, cracking the surface in a spiderweb pattern.
The water did not cushion the fall.
The force had pushed it away.
The stadium fell into absolute silence.
As the water slowly rushed back in, Kingdra floated to the surface, eyes spiraling, completely unconscious.
One move.
Instant defeat.
Quick Attack was one of the most ordinary moves imaginable. A Normal-type technique with low power and no special effects beyond speed.
And yet it had crushed a Mid-High level Pokémon in a single blow, even reshaping the battlefield itself.
The visual impact was overwhelming.
This was something rarely seen even on television. Now it unfolded right before their eyes.
Jamie stood frozen, his face drained of color.
It felt as though the one who had been knocked unconscious was not Kingdra.
But himself.
What was the point of fighting?
Kingdra was far stronger than Exeggutor, yet its defeat had been even more absolute.
Exeggutor had fallen to a One-Hit Knockout move.
Kingdra had fallen to Quick Attack.
The disparity was horrifying.
The audience erupted.
"Is this really Ash's Pikachu? That thing is terrifying!"
"I finally saw it in person! This isn't a Pikachu anymore, it's a completely different species!"
"Quick Attack created a vacuum in the pool. Is that an a Elite Four level?"
"Something feels off. This Pikachu looks even stronger than it did on TV."
"You think this still isn't its full strength?"
"That's Ash we're talking about. I wouldn't rule it out."
The discussion spread like wildfire.
Most had expected Ash to win, but not like this.
If Ash used his main Pokémon, no one in the Indigo Plateau Conference stood a chance.
The only way to beat him would be to pray he grew careless, held back, or lost through arrogance.
Otherwise, there was no scenario left.
The idea that Ash had merely burst temporarily against Koga and Lorelei was now laughable.
This was real power.
And it was still rising.
In the special viewing area, a woman with long blonde hair, dressed in black, her bangs covering one eye, watched Pikachu with keen interest.
"Ash's Pikachu is far stronger than it was during the Koga match."
As the Sinnoh Champion, she could see it instantly.
Back then, Pikachu had relied on layered power boosts.
Now, without any enhancement at all, it could already rival Elite Four level opponents head-on.