"Let me tell you something," Ash said calmly. "Pikachu is my first partner. His raw stats may not match some of the Pokémon I caught later, but Pikachu is absolutely one of my main team members, and he ranks firmly in the middle of that lineup."
"What!?"
"His Pikachu… is part of his main team!?"
"How is that possible? Pikachu's potential should be limited…"
Everyone froze at Ash's words. Most trainers assumed Pikachu wasn't part of his main roster—because Ash often showcased Pokémon with overwhelming offense or defense. Pikachu, to them, was just a small Electric-type. No outstanding traits. No exceptional physique.
They were about to learn otherwise.
"Since you've said that, then we won't hold back. Hitmonlee—Flying Kick!"
Emiya Shirō didn't hesitate. If Ash insisted Pikachu was a main Pokémon, then he would give everything he had. Hitmonlee leapt sharply, rising nearly five meters before diving down like a launched missile.
"Shave."
Ash spoke lightly.
Pikachu vanished in a golden blur, sliding out of the way with almost contemptuous ease.
"Bang!"
Hitmonlee struck the ground where Pikachu once stood, the floor splitting beneath the impact.
"What incredible speed…"
Carlos's pupils contracted. Pikachu's movement was too fast—borderline untrackable.
The technique wasn't even originally meant for Pokémon without feet, but Ash had Pikachu train in tandem with Scyther and later Scizor. Although Pikachu still couldn't match them in raw speed, he had far surpassed the level of moves like Agility or common high-speed movement.
"Hitmonlee! On the rebound—use High Jump Kick!"
Hitmonlee's left leg ignited with bright white energy as he twisted mid-air, sending another forceful strike toward Pikachu.
"Chidori."
A fierce crackling of lightning erupted. Pikachu's entire body surged with a dense golden current—not wild, but rotating, controlled. To anyone sensitive to chakra or Aura, it became clear that the "leakage" wasn't leakage at all—it was lightning rotating around Pikachu at high speed.
"Boom!"
"Zzzzzz!"
"Pika!"
Hitmonlee's High Jump Kick struck Pikachu dead-on.
And did nothing.
Instead, Hitmonlee recoiled violently as if he had kicked into a wall of electricity—because he had. A flash of powerful voltage pushed him back, the doubling damage interaction between Fighting and Electric making the shock even worse.
The kick did little to injure him, but the paralysis crawling through his muscles forced him to retreat instinctively.
"Shirō," Ash said, stepping forward, "I'll let you see it. Pikachu's taijutsu."
"What!? Pikachu has taijutsu!?"
Mira, Shirō, and even Carlos stared in disbelief.
Pikachu didn't look like a Pokémon suited for close combat. Small limbs. Light weight. No obvious melee advantage. By all logic, he shouldn't excel at hitting things physically.
They were about to be proven wrong again.
"Raijin Mode."
The moment Ash called it, a powerful layer of golden lightning wrapped Pikachu's body—tight, stable, controlled. It clung to him like armor.
"Pika."
Pikachu grinned, confident and eager.
Ever since mastering Raijin Mode, Pikachu's melee ability had skyrocketed—far surpassing many of his own elemental moves. This was one of the biggest reasons Pikachu ranked so highly within Ash's main team.
"Impossible… That level of current—how can it stay so stable? The electric sacs in Pikachu's cheeks shouldn't be able to maintain that amount of charge!"
Shirō's voice trembled. What he was seeing surpassed any known limit of Pikachu's species.
"My Pikachu," Ash replied, "is a Champion-level Pokémon. One of the clearest differences between pseudo-Champions and true Champions is the speed of elemental absorption. It's a terrifying passive ability… something you won't understand until you reach that level yourself."
The sparks crackled louder.
Pikachu stood firm.
The real battle was only just beginning.
After hearing Emiya Shirō's words, Ash gave a brief explanation. Both Shirō and Master Carlos nodded, committing it to memory. It was valuable guidance coming from a true Champion.
"Hitmonlee—use Chain Kicks!"
With Shirō's command, Hitmonlee launched forward, its rapid barrage of flying kicks creating overlapping afterimages—like a flurry of Shadowless Kicks.
"Snap—Heavy Current Burst."
Ash snapped his fingers.
Pikachu vanished instantly—not even leaving behind golden sparks this time. Shirō, his Hitmonlee, and everyone watching couldn't even begin to track Pikachu's movement. He simply disappeared… then reappeared directly above Hitmonlee.
"Pika!"
Lightning surged into Pikachu's small hands, compressing into a dense, hammer-like mass of golden electricity. Unlike Chidori, which functioned like a piercing thrust, Heavy Current Burst was a raw, explosive blow—designed to crush rather than puncture.
One for penetration.
One for impact.
"Boom!!"
"Crack—!"
Hitmonlee didn't even have time to react.
Pikachu slammed the electrically charged hammerfist downward, striking directly onto Hitmonlee's head. The force was overwhelming. Hitmonlee's body was driven straight into the ground, the impact tearing open the earth and blasting debris in all directions.
"Hitmonlee!"
Shirō shouted in shock. He had never imagined Pikachu's first strike would be this powerful. The difference between Champion-level and King-level strength wasn't just large—it was like comparing the sea to a pond.
And he had just tasted the gap firsthand.
(End of Chapter)
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