Pokemon: I am a God-level Player

"You're quite clever for a kid. Not just quick to react, but knowledgeable too, despite your youth," Lt. Surge remarked.

Having noticed the growing crowd of spectators, Lt. Surge reluctantly waved his hand, signaling the dozens of Magnemites behind him to retreat to the warehouse below.

Just as Eddie had predicted, as long as Team Rocket needed to maintain the facade of legitimate Gym connections, Lt. Surge couldn't risk exposure. His sneak attacks and mob tactics would have to be abandoned.

Seeing this, Eddie silently congratulated himself on his strategy. He had effectively eliminated most of Lt. Surge's combat potential with a single move. While the Magnemites weren't individually powerful, their sheer numbers would have overwhelmed Eddie and Ash. With Lt. Surge's main fighters still targeting them, the situation had been exceedingly unfavorable.

Now, though still facing a difficult battle, their chances of victory had significantly improved.

"Boy! Even without these Magnemites, I'm still the Vermilion City Gym Leader!" Lt. Surge shouted. "I assume you came to Vermilion City to challenge my Gym anyway! Let's have that Gym battle right here and now!"

"You two can challenge me together—there are no rules for this match! I'll use my full strength, and you can fight with everything you've got! Life or death, it makes no difference to me!"

Lt. Surge laughed grimly as his Raichu and Electabuzz surged forward, their bodies crackling with electricity as they charged toward Eddie and Ash.

His battle declaration was clearly meant for the onlookers who had gathered, providing a plausible explanation for their life-or-death struggle. Whether anyone believed it or not was irrelevant to Lt. Surge—he had given his reason.

Though Lt. Surge had only released two Pokémon, their strength far exceeded what Eddie and Ash could muster. The battle raged with all Pokémon fighting simultaneously, yet Eddie and Ash's combined seven Pokémon were still being overwhelmed by Lt. Surge's two.

Raichu and Electabuzz's electrical attacks illuminated the night sky. Charizard's flames, Riolu's physical attacks, and Grovyle's Leaf Blade all struggled against Electabuzz's Thunder Punch and Discharge.

Pikachu's Thunderbolt clashed with Raichu's own, but at this stage of development, Ash's Pikachu was no match for Lt. Surge's Raichu. Fortunately, Ivysaur provided support with Razor Leaf and Quick Attack.

The Water-type Pokémon faced the most challenging situation. Both Frogadier and Poliwhirl were completely at a disadvantage against Electric types, and the lightning radiating from Raichu and Electabuzz's bodies made it impossible for them to get close.

Eddie's Frogadier managed somewhat better thanks to its versatility. By avoiding Water-type moves and relying on Quick Attack, Smack Down, and even Round, it could harass the opponents and create openings for its teammates.

Ash's Poliwhirl, however, was in a pitiful state. Unable to use Water moves effectively, it could only contribute with Ice Beam to assist the other Pokémon.

The chaotic melee captivated everyone aboard the S.S. Anne. Thunder and fire, claws and punches, leaves and ice—all flew across the cruise ship's deck in a spectacular display of Pokémon power.

Though spacious and sturdy, the deck couldn't withstand such punishment. Many guardrails and sections of the deck were already damaged, but the combatants had no time to worry about collateral damage.

"That's Lt. Surge, the Vermilion City Gym Leader," one spectator said in disbelief. "But this kind of battle... is this really a Gym challenge?"

The wealthy executives and privileged young Trainers watched in shock. This all-out combat between Pokémon and Trainers, with no courtesy or restraint, was unlike anything they had witnessed before.

More experienced Trainers were less surprised. Such intense situations were common when training in the wilderness, where wild Pokémon never announced themselves before attacking. Dark-type or particularly intelligent Pokémon would often target Trainers directly, making wilderness adventures particularly dangerous.

Still, these veteran Trainers wondered why the Vermilion City Gym Leader would engage in such a brutal battle with two obviously young Trainers in the middle of the night. Despite Lt. Surge's explanation that this was a no-rules Gym match, his ferocity seemed excessive. Perhaps there was some grudge between them?

Regardless of their confusion, no one suspected that Lt. Surge was actually the third executive of Team Rocket, or that Eddie and Ash had discovered this secret and were now fighting for their lives.

This was precisely why Lt. Surge had made his loud explanation—a simple justification was enough to let everyone form their own conclusions, as long as his Team Rocket affiliation remained hidden.

"Is this what he meant by 'unsafe' earlier?" Professor Birch muttered with a solemn expression from within the crowd. "Lt. Surge seems to have some... issues. I'll need to report this when we return."

He had already released his own Pokémon for protection, standing guard over himself and Sapphire.

As for retreating to their cabin? Not a chance. This battle was too exciting to miss.

"Ash and Morning Sun? They're the Pokédex owners—that's amazing! I want one too. If I'd known about this device earlier, I would have acquired one myself," a girl whispered from the shadows, her voice tinged with envy as she observed Ash and Eddie.

Life-or-death battles were nothing new to her, but this one was particularly intense.

"Hahahaha, you're quite strong!" Lt. Surge called out, still laughing with apparent ease. "Even though you're using multiple Pokémon against just my Raichu and Electabuzz, you've managed to hold your ground despite the massive gap in strength. It's only temporary, but I must give you credit."

Although everyone had sustained injuries from the battle, Lt. Surge's were noticeably less severe than those of Eddie and Ash.

"Damn it, Morning Sun," Ash growled through gritted teeth. "This isn't working. If we keep defending, we'll always be vulnerable. We need to break through!"

Ash had suffered the worst injuries, being the least experienced fighter among the three. Even with quick reflexes, he couldn't outpace lightning.

This was the most dangerous situation he'd faced since beginning his journey, and for once, his usual quick thinking failed him.

"Ash, stay calm," Eddie replied, his voice steady despite the chaos. "Attacking blindly will only create bigger openings. Don't worry—Lt. Surge is more desperate than we are."

Eddie maintained his composure. Though his expression was serious, he had already formulated a strategy to defeat their opponent. Executing it would require perfect timing and Ash's cooperation.

"Finished with your final words?" Lt. Surge sneered. "Time to end this!"

"Raichu! Quick Attack, then Wild Charge!"

Lt. Surge's patience had worn thin. Using his second-tier main force against two rookie Trainers yet still finding himself in a stalemate was embarrassing, regardless of their skill.

Seeing an opportunity while Eddie and Ash were communicating, he launched a fierce attack.

His Raichu vanished like a phantom, moving with blinding speed. In the next instant, countless lightning flashes appeared from all directions.

Unlike Thunderbolt, which concentrated electrical energy into a single strike, Wild Charge was a wide-area attack. Though less powerful, its range was extensive.

Facing the omnipresent electrical discharge, Eddie knew that neither he nor Ash could dodge in time. But this was precisely the opportunity he had been waiting for.