[Bruno: It really is a Dragonite!]
[Lance: I told you, as long as it's a Dragonite, I can recognize it no matter how it looks!]
[Cynthia: Is Black World Ash seriously going to challenge that enormous Dragonite? With just Pikachu?]
[Volkner: What other choice does he have? Pikachu's the only one he can truly rely on. After all, Pikachu's been training for years, even before Black World Ash set off on his journey. He's the strongest member of Ash's team right now.]
[Aaron: To be honest though, I don't really see much potential in Pikachu. Sure, he's Ash's strongest for now—but long-term? The species just doesn't have much of a ceiling. If Ash wants Pikachu to stay his ace, he should at least evolve him.]
Pikachu was, after all, the most common Pokémon around—
You could find them in nearly any forest in Kanto.
And because of their adorable appearance, almost everyone in the world knew Pikachu.
Cute—but weak.
Not meant as an insult, but as a simple fact of biology.
Even evolved into Raichu, the species was only decent at best.
That was why Aaron said that if Ash wanted to make a Pikachu his ace,
then evolution was practically mandatory.
But after all these years of training, Black World Ash still hadn't let Pikachu evolve.
His intentions were obvious.
He never planned to let Pikachu evolve at all.
[Ash: My Pikachu doesn't like to evolve. And it's not just Pikachu—many of my Pokémon don't like evolving. They believe that even without evolution, they can still become strong!]
[Ash: If that's what they want, I won't force them to evolve… The one who's wrong isn't them—it's me.]
[Ash: I knew they didn't want to depend on evolution for power, but instead of training them harder, I just let them grow on their own. I'm such an idiot!]
Ever since seeing what his counterpart from the other world had done,
Ash had been wracked with guilt.
If not for the live broadcast still running,
he would've already started training his Pokémon right then and there!
This time, though, it wasn't just a fleeting burst of enthusiasm.
He had made up his mind.
He would truly dedicate himself to training his Pokémon properly.
He wouldn't fail them again.
In the Black World—
Ash told Bill, Misty, and Brock to stand back.
He was going to challenge that massive Pokémon.
The three of them were worried, of course,
but in the end, they chose to trust him.
"Yoshi! Let's go all out, Pikachu!"
"Pika!"
"First off… I choose you, Pidgeotto!"
"Pika?!"
Pikachu, who was crackling with electricity, nearly fell over at those words.
Wait—what?
Didn't you just say it was my turn?!
Ash just grinned.
"Don't worry, not yet. We can't fight what we can't see. Pidgeotto—use Defog!"
It was the perfect time to use what Pidgeotto had learned back in Viridian Forest.
Despite the heavy burden on its wings, Pidgeotto flapped hard,
sending out a fierce gust that blew away the thick mist—
—and revealed the mysterious Pokémon's true form.
Dragonite.
Just as Ash's Aura had sensed.
But this Dragonite was unlike any normal one—
black markings ran across its massive body like scars,
radiating an unsettling aura.
"It really is a Dragonite… but something's off about it!"
"Whatever. Dragonite! I challenge you to a battle!"
Cupping his hands like a megaphone, Ash shouted his challenge into the air.
The huge, yet oddly gentle-looking Dragonite tilted its head.
"Grooo?"
A battle?
"That's right! A battle! Fight my partner!"
"Pika pika!"
Pikachu sparked with determination, shouting up at the giant.
Dragonite looked at the tiny Pokémon, then slowly shook its head.
"Groooh~"
I don't want to bully the weak. He can't win.
"Hey, Pikachu—he says you're weak. Show him what you can do! Use Thunder with everything you've got!"
It wasn't surprising that something as small and cute as Pikachu would be underestimated.
But that was all the more reason to prove himself.
"Pikaaaaa—CHUUUU!!!"
Electricity erupted from Pikachu's body—
then a golden lightning bolt as thick as a tree trunk burst upward into the clouds!
For a moment, Dragonite's eyes widened in surprise.
It hadn't expected that such a tiny creature could unleash so much power.
The lightning vanished into the sky, silent for a heartbeat—
—the calm before the storm.
Then the heavens roared.
Thunderclouds rolled and churned,
and from them, multiple colossal bolts of golden lightning fell like meteors!
Dragonite didn't dodge. It took the full brunt of the attack.
The lightning struck the sea beneath it,
turning the entire surface around Bill's Lighthouse into a blazing web of light.
Ash's eyes went wide.
"The water—! It's in the water! That means the damage is boosted by at least fifty percent!"
But when the thunder faded and the light finally dimmed—
Dragonite merely shook its head, droplets scattering from its horns.
It was completely unharmed.
"Pi… pika pi…"
Pikachu's ears drooped, his confidence shattered.
His strongest attack—his pride—hadn't even made the giant flinch.
But Ash didn't look disappointed at all.
"It's okay, Pikachu. I knew this would happen. The gap between you two is huge, and with that massive body, its stamina must be insane. This was just to test your strongest move."
"After all, since you learned Thunder, you've never really used it to its fullest, right?"
"Pika…"
Pikachu nodded reluctantly, frustrated but accepting.
So this was his limit—for now.
"Groooh~"
Dragonite gave two low calls, then slowly turned to leave.
Through Aura, Ash caught the intent behind its cry:
'I take back what I said earlier. You're not weak. That lightning was impressive.'
'I look forward to meeting you again when you're stronger.'
Ash's eyes glowed with a faint blue light as he etched Dragonite's Aura into his memory.
"There'll be a next time. When I'm strong enough to beat you… I'll make you my partner, Dragonite!"
P.S.: If you spot any typos, feel free to leave a note—I'll fix them!
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