Chapter 105 Advance to the Quarterfinals
"Yeah, Raichu is really strong, Ash, you have to be careful!" Ritchie had strong confidence in his Pokémon.
"Pikachu, do you want to play?" Ash asked, looking down.
"Pika?" (Can I?)
Pikachu looked at Ash in surprise; he had thought Ash wouldn't let him participate until the finals.
"Come back, Annihilape!" Ash took out a Poké Ball and recalled Annihilape.
"Pikachu, go!"
"Pika!"
Pikachu excitedly jumped onto the field.
"It's here! Pikachu vs. Pikachu! Let's see if Ash's Pikachu is stronger, or if Ritchie's Pikachu has the upper hand!" The commentator shouted excitedly.
Battles between the same type of Pokémon are very rare in competitions.
After all, battles are meant to be won. Most Trainers, when they know their opponent's details, will choose a battle that favors their type. Even if they don't have a Pokémon with a type advantage, they will try to avoid a type disadvantage.
And letting the same Pokémon battle is a test of mental fortitude. There's no harm without comparison. To win a battle between the same Pokémon tests both the Pokémon's training and the Trainer's ability.
"Raichu, Agility!" Before knowing the characteristics of Ash's Pikachu, Ritchie did not rashly let his Pikachu use Electric-type moves.
Ash watched Raichu rapidly approaching, a smile playing on his lips, and slowly said, "Pikachu, Grass Knot!"
Grass Knot deals damage based on weight, and Pikachu's species typically weighs around 6 kg, so this move isn't about raw power; it's about extreme humiliation.
Before Raichu even got close, it was tripped by the Grass Knot unleashed by Pikachu.
"Ash, your Pokémon training is really strange!"
If he hadn't considered that this was a competition, Ritchie would have really wanted to ask Ash why his heart was so dark.
"Just so-so. Pikachu, Rain Dance!"
"???"
Ritchie found Ash's command to change the weather very strange.
The next second, he seemed to realize something. "Ash, your Pikachu's ability wouldn't be..."
"That's right, but Ritchie, it's too late if you want to stop it now!"
Ash had specifically trained Pikachu to master Rain Dance and Surf, so in just a few seconds, it started raining on the field.
"Raichu, Double Team!" Ritchie decided to gamble that Ash would use Thunderbolt or Thunder, so he planned to use Double Team to confuse Ash. His Pikachu quickly ran around, creating ten clones to cover its body.
"Ritchie, Double Team is useless against us. Pikachu, Thunderbolt the third one from the left!"
"Oh no!"
Hearing Ash's command, Ritchie immediately felt a sense of dread.
As expected, after Pikachu's lightning strike, Raichu's Double Team clones dispersed, and the main body was left in a paralyzed state.
"It happened again! Ash's eyesight is too sharp! He once again accurately found the main body among the opponent's Double Team!" The commentator was greatly astonished.
In less than three seconds, he found the main body from eleven targets. This was much harder than finding one from three targets in the previous round. How abnormal must his eyesight be to do this?
Those who had advanced to the top eight and those waiting to advance silently labeled Ash as a "Double Team Killer."
"Psychic is too cheap!" In the Trainer preparation room, Gary, the only one in the know, kicked the corner of the wall in anger.
Meanwhile, Giselle, who had already advanced to the top eight, looked at Ash's confident expression from the audience seats, momentarily lost in thought.
"Pikachu, it's time to end the battle. Agility, then Iron Tail."
"Raichu, go all out with Thunder!" Facing the rapidly approaching Pikachu, Ritchie chose to go all in.
However, Ash's Pikachu's ability was Lightning Rod, so Ritchie's choice did not harm Pikachu. Pikachu, enduring the lightning, delivered a powerful Giant Beast Slash to Raichu.
"Ritchie's Pikachu is unable to battle," the referee announced.
Charmander and Pikachu had both lost, but Ritchie's Butterfree still had the ability to battle, so the referee didn't rush to announce the result.
"I forfeit."
Ritchie also knew that there was no chance of winning with a weakened Butterfree.
The match ended, and both parties shook hands amicably.
Ritchie said, "I lost, Ash. You are truly strong. I will continue to work hard until I defeat you."
"Ritchie, I won't be standing still waiting for you, you know," Ash said.
"Anyway, the next time we meet, I will definitely defeat you!"
"I look forward to that day!"
In a corner of the audience.
The Team Rocket Trio watched the match results, and Meowth said gloomily, "Ash won."
"He won, and we contributed to that, right? We helped that monkey evolve!" James said with a smile.
Annihilape evolved because of them, and Annihilape defeated two Pokémon, so by extension, they also defeated Ritchie's two Pokémon.
Yes, this was the optimistic spirit of the Team Rocket Trio.
After the match, Ash and the others didn't rush to leave because Gary's battle hadn't started yet.
They waited another hour before Gary finally took the stage.
Gary's opponent was a Rookie Trainer from Cinnabar Island, specializing in Fire-types. His main Pokémon was a Gym Intermediate Charizard, while his other two Pokémon were somewhat disappointing. One Ninetales had evolved too early; although its level was Gym Beginner, it could only display Excellent-level strength. The other was a direct Excellent High-level Rhyhorn.
Gary sent out Scizor and Umbreon and completely defeated this Trainer.
"Ash, look, Giselle also advanced to the top eight!" Misty said, looking at the match status.
"With Giselle's strength, as long as she's not careless, getting into the top eight is very easy, but getting into the top four might be a bit difficult."
As soon as Ash finished speaking, he heard Giselle's resentful questioning voice: "Difficult? Ash, are you looking down on me?"
"Just speaking the truth. Theoretical knowledge can't beat practical experience, after all. Can you truly unleash the full power of your Pokémon?" Ash said indifferently.
Giselle gritted her teeth: "Why can't I unleash it?"
"Hmm... let's say you can for now, but that's just a Trainer's basic skill. For excellent Trainers, battling with type disadvantages and fighting above their level are the norm."
"Hmph!" Giselle ran off quickly, her eyes red.
Looking at Giselle's retreating back, Misty felt a little sorry. "Ash, you spoke too harshly!"
Ash waved his hand and said, "It's fine. This little setback will be motivation for her."
Indeed, from what he knew of Giselle, these words wouldn't hurt her feelings but would instead become a goal for her to reflect upon.
Giselle, who had run out of the arena, also recalled that when she had specifically gone to Sinnoh to seek guidance from her cousin, Cynthia had said similar things.
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