"So... Ash, how much of a chance do you really have against an Elite Four?"
Dawn's blue eyes were inches from Ash's face, sparkling with a mixture of curiosity and unshakeable faith. To her, Ash was already a force of nature. She had seen the "Behemoth Blade" of Pikachu's Iron Tail, the overwhelming dominance of Mega Scizor, and the legendary conquest of Suicune by Mega Sceptile. In her heart, Ash was unfathomable, but her rational mind—the part that had just watched an Elite Four member sweep a Champion—needed to hear it from him.
"Lucian's strength is immense," Ash replied, his voice calm. He looked at the girl's intent expression and couldn't resist a bit of a tease.
"Oh..." Dawn pouted, her shoulders slumping slightly as if she expected him to say it would be a breeze.
"But," Ash continued, his eyes glinting, "if I were to face him right now... the result would, of course, be ten-zero."
"No, Mr. Ash, you are far too modest. You shouldn't underestimate yourself so much!"
The voice was cool, intellectual, and carried a weight of absolute authority. The trio turned to see a man in a sharp red suit, his blue, wavy hair framing a face adorned with light blue glasses. He held a book in his hand, looking every bit the scholar.
"Wait! You're... you're Lucian!" Dawn gasped, her gaze darting between the man and the TV screen.
"To think we'd run into an Elite Four member here in the cafeteria!" Brock exclaimed, his respect for the hierarchy of trainers overriding his hunger.
"You're far too kind, Mr. Lucian," Ash responded, his expression turning slightly "strange."
He realized Lucian had overheard the "ten-zero" comment and assumed Ash was being self-deprecating. In reality, Ash's internal calculation was that he would be the ten, and Lucian the zero—or at least, that was the goal his "Wild King" training was aimed toward. But he wasn't about to correct a member of the Elite Four on his own arrogance.
"I apologize for eavesdropping," Lucian said with a polite bow. "But Roark, the Oreburgh Gym Leader, spoke very highly of a trainer named Ash. Seeing you here, I couldn't help but introduce myself."
"Ash, are you interested in a one-on-one battle?" Lucian proposed, his eyes sharpening behind his glasses. "I'd like to see the strength that impressed Roark firsthand."
"I'd be honored. Please, guide me," Ash said, a fire igniting in his eyes. He had wanted this challenge, but he hadn't expected the "Final Boss" to offer it so freely.
The Bronze Bell and the Lightning Bolt
The group moved to the Pokémon Center's battle arena, with Brock taking his place as the referee. Lucian wasted no time, releasing his first partner.
"Go, Bronzong!"
The massive bronze bell manifested, its ancient patterns etched into its steel hide. Its red eyes glowed with a cold, psychic light from beneath its rim.
Ash hesitated for a split second. He could send out the Elite-tier Sceptile and trigger a Mega Evolution to secure a win, but he wanted to push his limits. He looked at the yellow mouse on his shoulder.
"Pikachu, I choose you!"
Pikachu leaped into the arena, sparks dancing on his cheeks. He wasn't at the Elite tier yet, but his raw power and "Main Character" spirit were at their peak.
"You may have the first move, Ash," Lucian offered.
"Thunderbolt!"
A jagged lance of golden electricity tore through the air toward Bronzong.
"Psychic."
A shimmering blue aura enveloped the bell. The moment the lightning touched Bronzong's hide, it didn't just stop—it was redirected. The Thunderbolt looped back toward Pikachu with doubled intensity.
"Volt Tackle!"
Pikachu didn't dodge. He charged. His body became a ball of blinding white light and crackling gold, absorbing the redirected Thunderbolt into his own momentum. He became a living meteor of electricity, whistling toward Bronzong's center.
"Iron Defense!"
Bronzong's body took on a high-gloss metallic sheen, reinforcing its molecules.
"Psychic!"
As Pikachu slammed into the bell, Lucian commanded a point-blank Psychic distortion to cushion the blow. The collision shook the stadium, a massive explosion of blue and gold light obscuring the field.
When the smoke cleared, Bronzong let out a low, metallic groan of pain. Despite the double protection of Iron Defense and Psychic, a jagged black scorch mark marred its side.
"Impressive," Lucian noted, a genuine smile appearing on his face. "Roark didn't exaggerate. That Pikachu's output is extraordinary."
"Don't slow down! Agility into Iron Tail!"
Pikachu became a blur of speed, weaving through the arena to strike from a blind spot.
"Confuse Ray."
Bronzong's eyes emitted a kaleidoscopic, swirling light. The mesmerizing patterns caught Pikachu's eyes mid-dash, causing him to stumble as his world began to spin. His speed dropped instantly as he fought against the dizziness.