"Stop them!" a Team Rocket sub-leader roared. This was a chance to claim credit, and Vicious was known to be very generous.
More Pokémon were released by the Team Rocket members, surging forward like a tide, intending to completely block the path of Ash and his two companions.
Arbok's Poison Sting, Weezing's Sludge attack, and countless poisonous gases struck from all directions, forming a net of certain death. Ash, Misty, and Brock, while running, found themselves hemmed in on one side by the dense barrage of attacks.
"Damn it... how did it come to this!" Misty, unwilling to give up, even released her Horsea.
"Let's give it a try." Brock touched the other Poké Balls at his waist. He decided that once they got out of here, he would have the Gym transfer two more main-force Pokémon to carry on him... just one was indeed somewhat insufficient.
Although he had other non-Gym Leader level Pokémon on him, there was no need to rush to release them all. Brock knew very well that he wanted to see Ash gain experience... In this aspect, he was different from Misty; he was the safety net, and unless necessary, he wouldn't go all out.
Pikachu stood by Ash's feet, panting heavily. Its golden fur looked somewhat dim due to excessive energy consumption. Yet, it still stared stubbornly at the enemies, the faint sparks on its electrical sacs displaying its unyielding will.
Ash lowered his head, his gaze meeting Pikachu's in mid-air. In that moment, no words were needed. From the start of their journey in Pallet Town, the wind and rain they weathered together, the laughter, the victories, and the setbacks—all the bonds and trust surged and resonated in their hearts like boiling magma in this life-or-death instant, reaching an unprecedented peak... This was the Bond!
It was now.
A trace of determination flashed in Ash's eyes as the System interface emerged in his vision... Although this cheat didn't have much presence usually, it was still very useful. Now was the time.
—System, use Item Enhancement on the Light Ball held by Pikachu!
In the item column, [Item Enhancement] was dragged onto the [Light Ball LV30] on Pikachu. In the System interface, it looked like just two icons being dragged together, seemingly nothing special. But in reality...
Hum—!
Pikachu's body trembled violently. An unprecedented, vast ocean of electricity, like an awakening ancient behemoth, exploded within Pikachu's petite body!
Pikachu was currently Level 35. At the beginning, he had the lowest level, but now he had the highest. However, Pikachu was usually puzzled: why had his strength improvement slowed down? He had even asked Alakazam about it at the time.
—Alakazam: "The improvement of strength will become slower and slower; this is a normal situation."
—Pikachu: "I see, I believe the smart one!"
Neither Pikachu nor Alakazam could quantify levels, so in their view, it was normal for progress to slow down. But now, this strength that had been improving slower than before exploded in an instant.
[Light Ball LV30 → LV60]
Although the level cap had increased to LV60, the current bonus of the Light Ball could only be utilized to the extent of LV35. After all, Pikachu's level was only LV5... Laugh.
"Pika..." Pikachu felt the terrifying power suddenly surging within its body. It looked up at Ash.
—Pikachu: What is this power?
Ash was also looking at it, his eyes filled with absolute trust.
—Ash: This is the symbol of our friendship.
—Pikachu: I see.
—Ash: Let's go!
The practice of Psychic powers allowed Ash and Pikachu to achieve a connection of minds. This was eye contact!
—Ash & Pikachu: This is our blood-boiling combination technique!
[Super Thunderbolt!]
"...Chuuuu!!!!!"
In the next instant, the power accumulated to the extreme could no longer be suppressed. Pikachu used every ounce of its strength to let out the loudest, most sky-shaking roar of its life!
Boom—!!!
What appeared was a gigantic pillar of electric light, over a meter in diameter and solid as if cast from gold. Centered on Pikachu, it erupted and expanded crazily in all directions like a devastating energy storm! The scattered electricity turned into countless slender lightning snakes. That was the wrath of thunder, pure to the extreme.
This was not just the extra enhancement given by the System's power. This was also Pikachu's fearless heart under the bond.
Pikachu remembered Alakazam's words—
[Alakazam: "...Then think with your heart, and constantly strengthen this intention."]
[Alakazam: "Belief will guide you to create miracles."]
The moment this memory appeared, Pikachu felt that he understood!
Pikachu: I see!
Pikachu: So this is what it means to be powerful!
Although he was a bit uneducated, the highest realm for a Trainer was indeed the oneness of heart between Pokémon and Trainer, and mutual trust. Belief and will transcending reality—that is what top-tier Trainers and Pokémon do. A lucky hit? That was probably it.
This was something Vicious, who used Dark Balls, could never understand and never achieve... He would forever be a third-rate Trainer.
The golden lightning swallowed everything! The air was ionized, emitting crackling explosions. The ground was plowed open, scorched marks spreading everywhere. The Pokémon charging at the front fell like dumplings, their bodies twitching as they lost their fighting capability.
Fortunately, because the lightning was too dispersed, death was unlikely. If this lightning had been completely concentrated, it probably could have evaporated all the targets in front. But the current goal was to escape. So, as long as it stopped the opponent's movement, the more dispersed the power, the better.
Moreover, if the power were too concentrated, Pikachu was also worried about hurting Ash, Brock, and Misty. It could be said that the environmental conditions restricted them; Pikachu had to scatter the lightning. After all, Pikachu couldn't guarantee that he could control the target perfectly when going all out. And by scattering the lightning, even if it accidentally affected Ash's trio, it would at most paralyze them a bit and wouldn't cause any serious injuries.
This is the most troublesome point of realistic battles. There is no way to turn off friendly fire. Large-scale attacks and high-power attacks are restricted because of this. In this regard, whether it is Team Rocket or Ash, all three were the same... especially Brock, who had his hands tied.
The entire square in front of Silph Co. seemed to be descended upon by a golden sun. The blinding electric light caused everyone to go temporarily blind, and the deafening thunder drowned out all sound. And this release of terrifying power also attracted everyone's attention. Including Vicious.
"How is this possible?" Vicious subconsciously took a half-step back, his face under the mask written with shock. This power... had exceeded his estimation!
"What is impossible about it?" Malamar's mocking voice appeared in his ear. "This is the Hero of Ho-Oh's Rainbow Trial. It's a good thing you didn't plan to kill him earlier, otherwise, if he exploded with potential right next to us... I would have had to step in to protect you."
Malamar could estimate the total amount of lightning Pikachu just released... If that thing hit with full force, even it might not be able to take it. The energy intensity of this lightning was too high... it reminded it of Lt. Surge.
"But once my existence is exposed..."
"Jie jie jie..."
Malamar's laughter was full of malice as it glanced at Alakazam, whose expression wasn't very friendly... The old fox had been watching them the whole time. And enjoying Vicious's misfortune was also part of its fun.
Although the two of them were allies, their relationship couldn't be described as good. The so-called bond and connection of minds would never appear between them. This also meant they could never step onto the world's highest peak or become top-tier powerhouses... reaching the level of the Elite Four was impossible for them. Mutual calculation and entrapment between members of a villainous organization could be said to be a necessary experience of the villain faction. You've joined the villain faction; if you don't try this, haven't you joined for nothing? Ridiculous.
The electric light lasted for several seconds before slowly dissipating. Centered on Pikachu, a huge scorched circular area appeared on the ground. Within the range, all Team Rocket members and Pokémon lay askew, a complete mess.
And after releasing this earth-shattering strike, Pikachu seemed to be drained of all strength, his body going soft as he fell toward the ground. The power of the heart can indeed create miracles. But likewise, a miracle is always just a miracle; miracles are not free of cost. If you feel a miracle has no cost, then the cost must have been paid by someone else. If stamina is the price for a miracle... that is truly too cheap.
Ash was quick-eyed and deft-handed, catching the exhausted Pikachu tightly in his arms. They had to go to the Pokémon Center for treatment quickly. Just like humans using strength beyond their body's limits causes muscle damage, Pokémon are the same. That is why the enhancement style in the Pokémon world hasn't crushed all other styles. Enhancement-style Pokémon are prone to injuring themselves. One must know how to enhance, but one cannot enhance beyond limits at will.
"Go!" Brock and Misty recovered from the shock, immediately realizing this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Brock supported Misdreavus, who had overconsumed her stamina, while Misty vigilantly watched Team Rocket, who had fallen into brief chaos due to this sudden strike. The three hesitated no longer, bursting out with their fastest speed to rush through the area temporarily emptied by the lightning strike, fleeing the Silph Co. campus.
Vicious watched the direction where the three disappeared, then looked at the messy scene in the field and the destruction caused by that Pikachu. His face under the mask was gloomy and uncertain. He did not order a pursuit again, simply silently recalling the Tyranitar, which had also been deterred by the shockwave of the lightning just now and was somewhat restless.
"Roar—" x2
Gyarados and Onix exchanged a glance. Onix began to use Dig toward the ground. Gyarados flew into the sky. They chose to flee separately.
"Hmph... Interesting." Vicious muttered to himself in a low voice, his gaze sweeping over Cross, whose expression was twisted due to Marshadow's influence, and then looking toward the depths of the Silph building. "However, the game has only just begun."
Theoretically speaking, he could have used Sandstorm to cover a large range to stop Gyarados from leaving, or used Earthquake to stop Onix. But neither move could be used in the city center of Saffron City. Once Sandstorm was used in the Saffron City center... what would be the result of a super first-tier economically developed city being attacked by a sandstorm? The economic damage caused would directly lead to his certain death. The entire League would issue a kill order.
Similarly, Earthquake couldn't be used for the same reason. It would be hilarious—what if the Silph Co. headquarters building collapsed from the tremors? The shares and interests behind a super-large enterprise like Silph Co. were distributed among many people. Among them was the Saffron Gym.
In short, for Team Rocket—robbing is fine, but murder and arson are not. This is also considered a relatively abstract point. Team Rocket's goal is to conquer the world and make money. If you ruin everything, what's the use of conquering it? If you ruin everything, how will you make money? The Team Rocket led by Giovanni wants a complete League, not a League in ruins.
Among all villainous organizations, only Team Rocket is bound by rules. If you switched to Team Magma, Team Aqua, Team Galactic, Team Plasma, or Team Flare... those guys wouldn't care about causing destruction to the city or affecting the economy.
"Hehehe—"
"Hahaha—"
"Interesting, too interesting!"
Vicious laughed maniacally. More Team Rocket members poured out from the Silph Co. building, surrounding Vicious, carrying many things in their hands.
"Take everyone away!" Vicious issued commands to the remaining members.
"Yes! Lord Vicious!" The Team Rocket members began to administer aid to their teammates.
"I let them go; are you satisfied now?" Vicious looked at Alakazam beside him.
This old fox had been here for a long time. Not only had he been restricting him with Psychic powers, but he also shielded light and sound through Telekinesis, so almost no one could see him. Besides Vicious, who was communicating with Alakazam, only Malamar could see Alakazam.
The high-end battlefield had actually been in a state of confrontation the whole time; Alakazam was also preventing Vicious from doing anything out of line in passing. It was impossible to really have 100% confidence in members of an evil organization, right? What if these guys had a brain malfunction?
"That is my disciple~ What satisfaction or dissatisfaction could there be~~" Alakazam was very satisfied with the performance of Ash and Pikachu. He could also see Malamar and Marshadow, but so what? This was not only a death order from Sabrina, but more importantly, Ash could be considered his disciple... wanting to expel him from the mentorship or whatever, that could be discussed next time. So, it was impossible to let the trio meet with any accident in Saffron City...
In fact, this operation was agreed upon by both sides... mainly because this blame had to be actively taken by Team Rocket; it couldn't land on the Saffron Gym's head. Ash's trio running over here counted as an expected accident?
And on the other side.
"It looks like their strength is just so-so," Cassidy said to Cross.
"Next, we will arrange traps and plans according to this level." A tinge of black dyed Butch's eyes.
"...We can gather a portion of other members to act together," Cross thought to himself.
"..." Marshadow looked in the direction where Vicious was.
It felt that the stinky octopus and the stinky fox had better not come. Behind the stinky octopus was a group of stinky octopuses. Behind the stinky fox was a woman powerful to a degree difficult to understand. Anyway, Marshadow prepared to tear up the reached agreement once they were far enough away.
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