Elite Four Beginner against Elite Four Peak. Both sides were the same species and using the same type of move. The outcome of a clash like this was obvious. As long as there was no external interference, the higher tier would definitely win. But if it were Ash's Pokémon on the field, then the outcome became a real question.
Ash was different. That was the unanimous opinion of anyone who had traveled with him for a long time. Whenever faced with what looked like an impossible situation, Ash could always use unusual methods to break the deadlock, and this time was no different.
Even if Ash were to use Aura fusion, this level of disadvantage could be reversed in an instant. However, in this battle, Ash likely wouldn't use Aura fusion. He'd chosen this challenge specifically to put Lucario into a place of desperation, which was why he'd deliberately picked a fight above his level.
Whether he broke through under pressure or suffered defeat under pressure, for Ash, winning or losing wasn't the most important thing here. On the contrary, since the Shalour Gym Badge had already been secured, winning or losing this second match wouldn't matter much. Whether Lucario could improve through this battle was the real point.
On the field, Ash watched intently as the two Lucarios clashed, silently praying. Come on, Lucario. As long as you can fully unleash your Aura, even with a three-tier gap, your opponent won't be able to beat you.
A second later, both sides simultaneously unleashed their condensed Aura Spheres. The two spheres tore through the air, screaming, and collided in the center of the Gym.
The two Aura Spheres met with a deafening detonation. In an instant, a violent shockwave of energy spread out in every direction like a raging sea. The rubble on the ground was instantly blown away, and the hard arena floor, centered on the point of impact, cracked into countless pieces, the fissures spreading like a spider's web.
Misty and the others instinctively raised their hands to shield themselves, only to find that the shockwave, powerful enough to tear through steel, was firmly blocked by a translucent, pale blue shield at its edge. Mewtwo. After the very first wave of the battle's aftershocks had spread, it had used its psychic power to completely isolate the arena from the outside world.
Inside the shield, fierce winds raged, and rubble flew everywhere, as if the end of the world had arrived. Outside the shield, silence. Not even a ripple of air current could be felt.
Korrina's eyes widened, filled with shock. On one hand, she didn't understand why the terrifying aftermath of the battle hadn't spread beyond a certain boundary at all. On the other hand, facing the terrifying scene unfolding in front of her, she felt an inexplicable emotion.
Was this a peak-level battle between Elite Fours? Just the aftershocks alone were enough to raze the entire Gym to the ground. She was still far from reaching this level.
Now in the arena, the two Lucarios were locked in fierce battle through their Aura Spheres. At first, Ash's Lucario was clearly at a disadvantage. The opponent's Aura Sphere was blazing brighter, its size was also larger, and it was pushing forward inch by inch, slowly suppressing Ash's Lucario.
"See, I told you Grandpa would win!" Korrina said with a "told you so" expression, her voice carrying disbelief that Misty and the others hadn't seen it coming. She acknowledged that Ash was very strong, but strength was strength. No matter what, you still had to abide by the basic principles of the world. You relied on skill, you relied on special abilities, you got an Elite Four Beginner to greet an Elite Four Peak, and to some degree that was understandable.
But now they'd entered the stage of a head-on, straight-up clash. Regardless of stamina, energy, or level, Ash was completely outmatched. How could he possibly win? Just use cheats?
Misty pursed her lips and said nothing, only tightening her grip on Togepi. Serena's beautiful eyes also showed a hint of worry. Given the circumstances, she couldn't be optimistic about Ash. Even Brock was somewhat uncertain.
But Pikachu, standing at everyone's feet, remained full of confidence.
"Pika pi!" Your trust in Ash isn't strong enough yet. Although he's bit of a bad Trainer, this guy is a monster. Ash won't lose.
On the field, Ash's Lucario gritted his teeth, his limbs firmly planted on the ground. His feet plowed two deep trenches into the shattered arena. The Aura Sphere he was unleashing was being constantly compressed, its light growing dimmer, as if it would collapse at any moment.
Is this how it ends? A momentary wave of confusion swept through Lucario's mind. Facing a head-on Aura confrontation, he had no chance of winning. If he'd been allowed to rely on Aura sensing to predict the opponent's attacks and strategize accordingly, he might have won.
But using Aura Sphere to clash with the opponent was his Trainer's order. Up until now, Ash had helped him defeat countless higher-level opponents. He didn't believe Ash would be wrong. But under these circumstances, how could he win? Why would his Trainer give such an order?
He couldn't stop thinking. There had to be a reason his Trainer had given this order.
Lucario, do you know? Ordinary Pokémon, no matter how rigorously trained, can only unleash 80% of their own power. But you are different. You can sense and control the Aura within your body.
Why is it that after combining with my Aura, you can directly unleash power exceeding an entire major tier? Aside from the boost of my Aura Power
That's because I manipulated the Aura, unleashing 100% of your internal power. If you can unleash 100% of your power on your own, then even if your level is far lower than your opponent's, you can still put up a fight. 100% and 80% are two completely different concepts.
Ash's words, spoken during a training session, suddenly echoed in Lucario's mind. Lucario, struggling to hold on, was stunned for a moment, then slowly closed his eyes.
Gurkinn narrowed his eyes. Was Ash's Lucario giving up? No, it couldn't be that simple. Under the current circumstances, being continuously pushed back while trying to hold his own Aura Sphere together, the situation looked hopeless.
Lucario's consciousness sank deep into his own body. He saw the untapped power inside him. It was power restrained by his body's protective mechanism, a limited force locked down to prevent excessive depletion and self-harm. Releasing it in a short time wouldn't be a problem, but almost no Pokémon could overcome this self-restraint on their own and release that internal power, unless they faced the threat of death.
But, as Ash had said, he was different. As long as he could control the Aura more skillfully, he could release this power. He could do it. Because with Ash's help, this power had already been released countless times. This time, he had to rely on himself to unleash it.
"Roar!" Lucario let out a long, piercing roar.
In the blink of an eye, Ash's Aura Sphere, which had been about to be crushed and overwhelmed by the opposing Aura, suddenly emitted an incredibly profound, deep blue light. The color was so deep it almost seemed to condense into a tangible substance, as if a compressed spiritual energy was flickering on the field.
"What?" Gurkinn's pupils suddenly contracted.
Completely overwhelmed in every aspect, and yet Lucario could still summon this kind of resistance. It simply defied the natural order.
Boom!
The originally suppressed Aura Sphere surged instantly. The deep blue light lashed forward like a raging tide, counterattacking. The situation reversed in an instant, and the Aura Sphere released by Gurkinn's Lucario was completely suppressed, the blue light dimming under the increasingly dazzling light coming from Ash's side.
"No, it's impossible!" Korrina screamed.
Gurkinn's Lucario's pupils widened, but he could only watch helplessly as that dark blue ball of light, containing terrifying Aura, slammed into him like a meteor.
Boom!
A deafening explosion resounded. The violent Aura power transformed into a towering column of light, completely engulfing Gurkinn's Lucario. Dust and the aftershocks of the impact completely covered the entire arena, the dark blue light raging like a tide within Mewtwo's barrier, completely obscuring everyone's vision.
"Lucario!" Korrina clenched her hands nervously, her deep blue eyes staring intently at the chaotic scene, even forgetting to breathe.
She had never seen her grandfather's Lucario pushed to this extent, nor had she ever imagined that a young man roughly her age could accomplish something like this. This battle had completely exceeded her expectations.
Although the outcome was still unknown, Misty had been right. Ash and his Pokémon truly couldn't be judged by ordinary standards. Even in a situation this dire, they could somehow reverse things.
Misty and the others held their breath. The scattered light and dust from the explosion completely obscured their vision, preventing them from seeing inside the arena. Who would win this match?
Within Mewtwo's shield, the swirling dust and the sound of falling debris were exceptionally clear in the silence. One second, two seconds, three seconds. Time seemed to stretch on indefinitely.
Finally, the dust began to slowly dissipate, and two blurry figures gradually emerged. One kneeling on one knee. The other standing upright.
Everyone's eyes locked on the figure still standing.
Korrina's face lit up with joy, while Misty and the others' hearts suddenly sank. The figure standing was none other than Gurkinn's Lucario.
Although both Lucarios had undergone Mega Evolution, their sizes were still slightly different, so everyone could tell at a glance that this wasn't Ash's Lucario.
"Ah, I didn't expect it to end like this." Gurkinn sighed.
Before Korrina could ask why her grandfather was sighing, the Lucario standing straight on the field suddenly tilted slightly backward. A flash of light appeared on his body before dissipating. The Mega Evolution state had ended.
As for Ash's Lucario, although he was panting heavily and couldn't even stand straight, he hadn't lost consciousness. Therefore, the winner of this battle was Ash.
Korrina's eyes widened in disbelief, her face filled with astonishment. She couldn't comprehend how Ash's Lucario had actually won, and in such an utterly impossible way.
"You worked so hard."
"Lucario, you did really well!" Ash ran over to the shattered arena and helped Lucario, who was kneeling on one knee, to his feet.
"Roar." Lucario's Mega Evolution dissipated, and he tilted his head to look at Ash, letting out a soft cry. Even those who didn't understand Pokémon speech could clearly grasp the meaning. I didn't let you down, did I?
"Of course not. I've always believed you'd never lose. This battle helped you a huge amount going forward. Congratulations, you've cleared a major hurdle." Ash smiled at Lucario.
This battle hadn't only let Lucario unleash his full power, it had elevated his level too. Lucario was now Mid Elite Four, something Ash hadn't anticipated. If it weren't for the level increase bringing along a small recovery of stamina, Lucario would probably have fallen by now, and the battle would have ended in a draw.
However, winning or losing wasn't really that important. Winning was best, but not winning didn't matter either, as long as Lucario was in good shape. The harvest was plentiful.
"Thank you, old friend. Wait a moment, I'll take you to the Pokémon Center." Meanwhile, Gurkinn also recalled his Lucario into his Poké Ball. He looked at Ash, his expression a mixture of admiration and suspicion as he asked, "Ash, can you tell me why your Lucario was able to unleash such extraordinary energy? I can feel that Lucario's level didn't increase further mid-clash, so where did that sudden burst of energy come from?"
His level hadn't changed, his Aura signature hadn't sharpened, and yet Lucario had unleashed power far exceeding his own capabilities. Gurkinn had seen Ash's special method of enhancing his Pokémon's strength on TV, but this time it seemed different.
Although there was no clear way to explain how Ash typically upgraded his Pokémon mid-battle, in that final moment Ash absolutely hadn't exerted any effort. It had been Lucario's own strength. Which was what made it even more incomprehensible to Gurkinn. How could an Elite Four Beginner Pokémon, after undergoing Mega Evolution to reach Mid Elite Four, unleash power comparable to a Champion-level Pokémon?
"Actually, this is also related to Aura control." Ash didn't hide it.
The fact that Pokémon unleashing 100% of their power would produce a qualitative jump wasn't really a secret. The problem was that no Pokémon could actually achieve this. Perhaps only those reaching god level could.
Conversely, from the very beginning, when Ash and his Pokémon began Aura fusion, he was able to channel his own Aura through them and unearth all of the Pokémon's hidden power. This was why his Pokémon, regardless of their level, could always outperform a major tier in battle.
"So Aura control can also do things like that! I want to send Lucario to your place for training!" After listening to Ash's explanation, Korrina inwardly marveled. A Lucario that could freely control its Aura and a Lucario that couldn't freely control its Aura were completely two different kinds of Pokémon.