In Veilstone City—
The moment Regice fell, Reggie was so shocked he couldn't say a word.
Speak?
What was there even to say?
Faced with a Pikachu that had defeated Brandon—defeated a Legendary Pokémon—
What could he possibly say?
Regice was one of the Legendary Titans, just like Regirock and Registeel!
Reggie recalled the past, when he had lost to Regirock and Registeel.
Then he looked at Pikachu's god-slaying feat—one-shotting a fully healthy Regice…
Absurd!
Beyond absurd!
So absurd it had gone completely off the rails!
He was just short of pinching his philtrum and passing out from not being able to catch his breath!
This result…
Was simply too unbelievable!
Beside him, Paul—who had remained silent the whole time—saw Pikachu one-shot Regice, and his eyes lit up completely.
That guy… looked weak and unimpressive.
So it was actually this strong?
"Ash and Pikachu, huh… good. I'll remember those names!"
"When I become a Trainer, I'll definitely find you and battle you!"
"I'll prove with my own strength that I, Paul, am the strongest Trainer!"
Paul's expression remained calm, but in his eyes burned a blazing fire.
He had originally thought his only opponents were Champions and Elite Four members.
Only now did he realize what it meant when there was always someone stronger.
The number of opponents he needed to defeat had grown again!
But even so, he would never admit defeat!
…
At the Viridian Gym—
When Giovanni saw Pikachu one-shot Regice, he sat on his throne for a long time without saying a single word.
Even the hand stroking Persian's fur was trembling.
"A weak Pokémon… one that can't properly control its own power… one so common that no one even pays it any attention… Pikachu actually defeated the Legendary Pokémon Regice?"
"This… this is real?"
Only after quite a while did Giovanni finally come back to himself.
His eyes, fixed on the screen, were still filled with disbelief and shock.
No—
With a result like this, if he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he would have thought someone was feeding him complete nonsense.
One was Pikachu.
The other was Regice.
Pikachu one-shotting a full-health Regice?
Just listen to that!
If there were no screen—
If Giovanni had merely heard such a report—
He would only have barked out one word:
"Absurd!"
Even lies needed some basic logic behind them!
But Giovanni had seen it with his own eyes.
That only made it harder to believe.
"A Pikachu can one-shot a full-health Regice?"
"That Pikachu really isn't some kind of Legendary Pokémon?"
"Like Zapdos… or maybe Zeraora…"
"No, that's not right!"
"Even Zapdos or Zeraora shouldn't be able to one-shot it!"
"What about Mewtwo?"
"…Hm. Suddenly, I'm not so sure anymore."
Giovanni stared fixedly at the screen, pulling Pokémon from his memory one after another and comparing them to Regice.
Winning… perhaps they could win.
But one-shotting it…
That was hard to say.
So that meant—
Ordinary Pokémon really could possess power capable of matching and rivaling Legendary Pokémon?
For a brief moment—
The convictions Giovanni had held for years seemed to waver.
Very soon, however, he calmed down again.
His expression returned to its usual stern seriousness.
No.
It was not that every ordinary Pokémon could reach this level.
Ash was special.
Ash's Pikachu was also special.
For anyone else—
If they wanted to reach that level, the best choice was still—
To have a Legendary Pokémon of their own.
…
"I… I-I-I… I really won?"
When Ash saw Pikachu defeat Regice on the screen, his eyes were dazed.
His voice was full of excitement and disbelief.
Won… won?
They had beaten that supposedly super-powerful Legendary Pokémon Regice?
"Yes, Ash, you won."
Brock was extremely surprised as well, but he still nodded and said it slowly.
Finally reacting, Ash excitedly grabbed Pikachu and started spinning around in circles.
"Ahhh!"
"Pikachu!"
"We won!"
"Did you see that?! We beat that super-powerful Legendary guy!"
"I knew it! We're the strongest!"
"Pika! Pika pika!"
Pikachu waved its little paws excitedly, cheeks flushed red as it enthusiastically agreed with Ash.
That's right!
They were the strongest!
"That was future Ash!"
"Why are you getting so excited right now?!"
"Could you at least use your brain a little? The current you is still a rookie who has to get badges handed to him!"