In the real world, the global audience was in a state of collective shock.
The sheer visual impact of Riolu standing on that beach, eyes cold and void of emotion while wreathed in flickering blue flames, was unforgettable.
[Lance: This state! It's incredible! He looks like a deity that has surpassed the need for feelings!]
[Korrina: Obviously handsome! Beyond handsome! Seeing a Riolu project that much raw Aura... It's a dream come true!]
[Cynthia: Hmm~ I didn't expect Riolu, who usually acts like a spirited child, to possess such a majestic aura. It's a complete transformation.]
[Red: I always feel a taste of Green (Blue) in that expression... that cold, calculated confidence.]
[Brandon: It's worthy of you, Red. You can smell the 'Green' through a digital screen. But you're right; the discipline is remarkable.]
The sight of a small Riolu knocking a fully evolved Samurott to the ground with a single, unconventional Aura Sphere had flipped the script.
Just moments ago, Cameron had patronizingly suggested Ash withdraw his "weak" Pokémon. Now, the world was thinking the opposite: Cameron, you'd better take back your Samurott before he gets hurt!
In the Footage—
Samurott struggled to its feet under Cameron's worried gaze. The armor-plated shells on its forelimbs—the very pride of its species—were webbed with cracks.
These shells, known as "Seamitars," were legendary for their hardness, used as both sword and shield. To see them shattered by a Riolu's attack was a psychological blow to the Unova trainer.
'If that Aura Sphere had hit the main body directly instead of the shield,' Dr. Kukui noted internally, 'this Samurott would be in the Pokémon Center right now.'
Riolu didn't wait. He gave a defiant, single-pawed beckon toward the sea beast. Enraged, Samurott let out a roar, drawing its Foot Blades from their scabbards.
"That's it! Don't let him charge another one! Use Razor Shell!" Cameron yelled.
Samurott's blades glowed with a crushing blue water energy. He charged, aiming to end the match with raw power before Riolu could gather more Aura.
"We won't lose in close combat!" Ash's voice rang out, clear and commanding. "Riolu, Vacuum Wave into Bullet Punch!"
Cameron's brain stalled. Vacuum Wave AND Bullet Punch? That's an illegal move-set for a Riolu that young! But logic had no place here. Riolu moved faster than the eye could follow, a blue blur that intercepted Samurott mid-charge.
A barrage of metallic fists struck Samurott like a violent storm. The heavy sea beast was sent flying backward at the same speed it had charged, crashing into the sand with a wet thud.
"Don't give up, Samurott! Use Hydro Pump from below!"
As Riolu landed, the very ground beneath him began to vibrate. His heightened senses screamed a warning.
He leaped into the air just as a massive pillar of water erupted from beneath the sand, covering half the battlefield.
Riolu was clipped by the spray, but the height of his jump saved him from the brunt of the impact.
However, the water was a distraction. Hidden within the rising pillar was Samurott!
Clang!
The sound of metal clashing rang out within the curtain of water. As the spray cleared, the audience saw Riolu suspended in mid-air, his hands glowing with a cold, metallic sheen. He was blocking Samurott's Razor Shell with his bare paws!
Metal Claw!
Cameron was numb. Aura Sphere, Vacuum Wave, Bullet Punch, and now Metal Claw? Is this a Riolu or a Swiss Army Knife?
"LEO!"
In mid-air, Riolu twisted his body, throwing off the Razor Shell blades. He brought his paws together in a calyx shape—the classic stance. His entire body's Aura gushed out, forming a dark blue ball of energy at point-blank range.
"Defend with the shells!" Cameron screamed in desperation.
Samurott crossed its blades in a final defensive X. The Aura Sphere slammed into the center of the block. The force was like a meteor strike.
BOOM!
The spectators scrambled back as sand and spray rained down. When the dust finally settled, Samurott was buried waist-deep in the beach, its eyes replaced by dizzying spirals. Its Shell Blades were shattered beyond immediate repair.
"Samurott is unable to battle! Riolu wins!" the Rotom Pokedex announced.
Cameron's Lucario rushed over with a Poke Ball, handing it to his stunned trainer so he could withdraw his fallen partner.
Riolu stood on the sand, his "Super Saiyan" blue flames fading as he panted heavily. Releasing two high-output Aura Spheres in quick succession had drained his stamina significantly. He was down to less than fifty percent.
"What a set, Ash!" Cameron called out, trying to regain his composure. "You're truly the man who fought me to a standstill! But the match is just beginning!"
"Pikachu wasn't at his best back then, and my command was sloppy," Ash replied, looking at his Riolu with pride. "This time, I won't make the same mistakes."
[Lance: 'Pikachu wasn't at his best'... the show finally begins! The official confirmation of the 'Acting' theory!]
[Professor Oak: Pikachu's performance in Unova was indeed suspicious. During the battle against that Snivy, he didn't even have ten percent of his strength. He hadn't fully recovered by the time of the Vertress Conference.]
[Brandon: I agree. In high-stakes matches—against my Regice, against Tobias's Latios, or against Kukui's Tapu Koko—Pikachu is a god. If he failed to stand up in Unova, it's because his 'reset' was too severe.]
[Sabrina: Is there a possibility that the stronger Ash and Pikachu are shown to be now, the better the Elite Four feel about their past losses to him? It's a way to save face.]
[Brandon: !! Don't talk nonsense! I have no such thoughts!]
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