Chapter 164: 164. Raichu
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Boom!!!
Raichu crashed to the ground with a loud thud, sending vibrations through the battlefield. Its attack missed as Pikachu vanished in a blur.
"Raichu, don't let it escape! Use Mega Punch!"
Realizing that Body Slam had failed, Lt. Surge was relentless. Raichu got to its feet, clenching its fists as an orange glow enveloped them. It charged at Pikachu with full force.
Pikachu darted around with Agility, its body flickering from place to place. Every time Raichu threw a punch, it seemed to connect, but Pikachu's form would vanish, reappearing elsewhere.
After several missed attempts, Raichu was left panting, exhausted from the chase.
"How could this be?!" Lt. Surge exclaimed in disbelief. His Raichu was usually unstoppable, overwhelming opponents with brute strength, but Ash's Pikachu was proving to be a different challenge.
"Just because a Pokémon evolves doesn't mean it's stronger in every way. Your Raichu has lost the speed that Pikachu still has. Pikachu, use Iron Tail!"
Ash's expression remained calm, spotting Raichu's fatigue. His Pikachu seized the moment.
"Pikaaa!"
At Ash's command, Pikachu dashed forward, its tail gleaming with a metallic shine as it raced towards Raichu.
Raichu tried to retaliate, but its movements were sluggish due to exhaustion. Pikachu easily dodged its attack, using its small size to its advantage. In one swift motion, Pikachu crouched low to evade and then whipped its tail upward with tremendous force, striking Raichu squarely in the abdomen.
Thud!!!
The impact sent Raichu flying backwards, its body skidding across the ground until it finally stopped.
Panting heavily, Raichu clutched its stomach, sweat trickling down its face. Lt. Surge gritted his teeth in frustration, fists clenched as he watched.
"Your Raichu can't keep up with my Pikachu," Ash said calmly, his eyes locked on Lt. Surge.
"Then I'll make sure you have no way to escape! Raichu, use your strongest Thunderbolt!"
Lt. Surge knew that close combat wasn't an option anymore. He would have to rely on Raichu's superior Electric-type attacks. Despite Pikachu's resistance to electricity, Lt. Surge was confident that Raichu's immense power would decide the battle.
"Rai~~~da!!!"
Raichu raised its hands, and the electric sacs on its cheeks flared with a brilliant surge of lightning. Gold-colored electricity enveloped its body, and an astonishing amount of energy erupted in an instant.
*Bang!!!*
Raichu's Thunder Shock alone packed enough power to rival a full Thunderbolt. When it unleashed Thunderbolt, the voltage soared to a million volts, all of it crackling in the air like a storm.
Thunder roared across the battlefield, and the once-spacious arena now felt claustrophobic as Raichu's immense electric power expanded outward, covering every inch of the field. The lightning surged across the ground, leaving Pikachu with no room to maneuver, trapping it in a deadly storm of electricity.
"The electricity is so strong!" Misty exclaimed, her voice full of concern. Brock stood by her side, equally stunned by the raw power Raichu was displaying. "Even if Pikachu gets hit once, it could be really bad!"
*Boom! Boom! Boom!*
Raichu's Thunderbolt ravaged the battlefield, striking the ground with explosive force and sending up thick clouds of smoke, obscuring everyone's view of what was happening. But Lt. Surge wasn't worried—he was confident. With such a wide-range attack, Pikachu wouldn't be able to dodge.
"Pikachu, use Iron Tail!" Ash's voice rang out through the chaos.
"Impossible!" Lt. Surge scoffed. "No way Iron Tail can stop a Thunderbolt this powerful!" He had absolute faith in Raichu's electric-type prowess.
*Boom! Boom! Hoo! Hoo!*
The smoke from the explosion billowed out, whipped by the strong winds. Ash stood firm on his side of the field, his hat casting a shadow over his eyes as his jacket flapped in the breeze. The battlefield was a wreck—scorch marks everywhere from the immense electrical attack.
*Shhh~~~Zzz~~T~~T!!*
Raichu was panting heavily, clearly drained from exerting so much energy. The battlefield looked disastrous, with smoke and ash rising from the ground. To Lt. Surge and his gym assistants, it seemed like Pikachu had no chance of surviving such a powerful attack.
"How's that?! Your Pikachu must be finished by now!" Lt. Surge boasted confidently. But...
Ash, his head still slightly lowered, suddenly smirked. Slowly, he lifted his gaze. Lt. Surge's cocky grin faltered when he saw Ash's expression.
As the smoke cleared, everyone stared at the field in disbelief. There, hanging in the air... was Pikachu! But no—it wasn't floating. As the dust settled, they realized Pikachu's metallic tail was firmly embedded in the ground, holding its body aloft.
"What... this is...!" Brock gasped, stepping forward in shock.
Pikachu had used its Iron Tail to pierce the ground, bracing itself against Raichu's Thunderbolt. The cracks in the ground around the point where its tail struck outspread like spiderwebs, showing the sheer force of the impact. Yet Pikachu remained unharmed, a confident smile on its face.
"What?! How is that possible?!" Lt. Surge exclaimed, his jaw practically hitting the floor.
"What's going on?!" Misty asked, utterly confused. "With that much power, Pikachu should've been knocked out!"
But Pikachu had withstood it all, stronger than ever.
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