As Giovanni’s command fell, the Nidoqueen that had been standing motionless on the spot finally began to move.
This time, it did not wait for Pikachu to attack again.
Instead, it took the initiative, stepping forward with heavy strides as it charged straight toward Pikachu’s position.
Watching that massive figure rapidly closing in, Ash instinctively wanted to order Pikachu to dodge using Quick Attack.
But just as the words reached his lips, a completely unfamiliar command slipped out instead.
“Pikachu! Iron Tail!”
“?!”
Before Pikachu on the battlefield could even feel confused by Ash’s command, Misty, standing to the side, was the first to have question marks pop up in her mind.
She did not even know when Pikachu had learned Iron Tail.
If it could really use it now, then why had Ash been relying on Quick Attack the whole time earlier?
Misty could not understand it at all.
Not only Misty, even Giovanni on the high platform was momentarily stunned by this command.
However, before they could recover from their shock, Pikachu on the field made a move the instant it heard Ash’s voice, one that completely defied everyone’s expectations.
There was not the slightest hesitation in Pikachu regarding the Iron Tail command.
Almost at the exact moment Ash finished speaking, Pikachu sprang into action, as if it had practiced this countless times in secret.
Its small body leaped high into the air in one swift motion.
While airborne, Pikachu began to spin at high speed.
As the rotation accelerated, its lightning-shaped tail actually began to shine with a cold, metallic luster.
“Pikaaa!”
With a sharp, resounding cry, Pikachu traced a perfect arc through the air, its tail gleaming with metallic brilliance as it slashed straight down toward the Nidoqueen below, whose horn glowed with a purple light.
The calm expression on Giovanni’s face finally disappeared.
He had never expected that Ash would truly be hiding such a trump card.
Boom!
The purple glow and the metallic sheen collided violently.
This time, the clash of power did not result in the one-sided outcome seen before.
Nidoqueen failed to send Pikachu flying.
Instead, Pikachu’s small body erupted with an unimaginable force upon colliding with Nidoqueen’s horn.
A muffled groan escaped from Nidoqueen as the immense impact from Iron Tail caused its massive body to lose balance.
Its sturdy horn failed to withstand the heavy strike, and its entire body was forced down, pressed flat against the ground by sheer force.
With a thunderous crash, its heavy body slammed into the ground, sending a loud rumble through the arena and causing the entire gym to tremble slightly.
The sudden turn of events left both Giovanni and Misty frozen in place.
Misty’s mouth hung slightly open as she stared in disbelief at Pikachu, which had landed calmly back on the field.
That really was Iron Tail…
Pikachu had actually mastered Iron Tail at this moment?
This was completely different from what she remembered.
No, that was not right.
Judging by Pikachu’s earlier display, it did not look like it had just learned the move at all.
Could it be that Ash had really been hiding this move until now?
Misty’s heart was filled with confusion.
On the other side, Giovanni was also surprised, but what shocked him was not the fact that Pikachu had learned Iron Tail, but rather Pikachu’s strength.
In Giovanni’s view, even if Pikachu had mastered Iron Tail in a critical moment, it still should not have been able to overpower his Nidoqueen in a pure contest of strength.
Although this Nidoqueen was not his main Pokémon, it was certainly not something just anyone could challenge.
Yet the reality before him struck him hard across the face.
Moreover…
Giovanni’s gaze settled on Pikachu, which had steadied itself on the battlefield once again.
He could clearly feel that the aura emanating from Pikachu had not weakened after that clash.
On the contrary, it was gradually growing stronger at a pace visible to the naked eye.
Something was not right.
The disdain and indifference that had once been on Giovanni’s face completely vanished.
Looking at Ash below, who was intently focused on the battle, Giovanni’s lips suddenly curved into a faint smile.
“It seems I underestimated you.”
As his words fell, Giovanni’s entire presence changed.
The long-dormant fighting spirit within him reignited at that moment, and even his eyes became sharp once more.
He was no longer the aloof Gym Leader toying with challengers, but a true Trainer who had fully immersed himself in this battle.
“Nidoqueen, use Earthquake!”
Giovanni’s voice turned deep and powerful.
It quickly pushed itself up from the ground, raising its massive right leg high, preparing to stomp down with devastating force.
However, Ash reacted even faster.
“Quick Attack, stop it!”
Almost at the same moment Giovanni gave his command, Ash’s order followed without the slightest hesitation.
Nidoqueen’s right leg had just been lifted halfway into the air when a streak of white light came rushing in, slamming heavily into its raised ankle.
Bang!
This time, it was completely different from the earlier ineffective collisions.
Pikachu’s Quick Attack actually managed to shake Nidoqueen’s heavy body.
Caught off balance, Nidoqueen lost its footing once again and crashed heavily to the ground, while Pikachu slid back slightly from the recoil of the impact.
“Roar!” Nidoqueen let out another pained cry as it lay on the ground.
Ash seized this opportunity the moment Nidoqueen fell, launching a new round of offense.
“Now’s the time!”
His command rang out once more.
“Use Iron Tail!”
“Pika!”
With a loud cry, Pikachu did not pause for even a moment.
Its hind legs pushed off the ground powerfully as its small body leaped into the air once again.
Pikachu’s body spun several times in midair, and borrowing the force from that rotation, its tail, gleaming with a metallic sheen, slashed fiercely downward toward the fallen Nidoqueen.
Faced with Pikachu’s relentless pursuit, Giovanni showed no trace of panic.
He simply spoke in a calm, steady voice, “Use Earth Power.”
The Nidoqueen lying on the ground slightly lifted its gaze, and a faint white glow suddenly began to emanate from its thick, powerful arms.
At the very instant Pikachu’s Iron Tail was about to land, the ground around Nidoqueen began to tremble violently.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
Several enormous rocks, each radiating the same pale white light, suddenly burst upward from the ground and shot straight toward Pikachu in midair.
“Smash them!”
Seeing its attack path obstructed, Ash immediately adjusted his strategy without hesitation.
Pikachu reacted just as quickly.
Twisting its body forcefully in midair, it faced the incoming boulders and continuously swung its tail, which had become extraordinarily hard under the enhancement of Iron Tail, striking left and right.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
One massive rock after another was shattered completely under Pikachu’s Iron Tail.
Seeing this, Giovanni immediately commanded a counterattack.
“Use Superpower.”
Amid the scattering fragments of broken stone, Nidoqueen had already risen to its feet and regained its balance.
Its thick right arm was enveloped in a dazzling white light before it swung heavily toward Pikachu’s position.
At that moment, Pikachu in midair happened to step onto a fragment of rock it had just shattered, using it as leverage to propel itself again.
Under Ash’s command, Pikachu unleashed Iron Tail once more, charging straight toward Nidoqueen’s heavy and powerful strike.
Boom!
The two completely different attacks collided violently, producing a deafening crash.
The entire Viridian Gym shook intensely under the force of the impact.
The white glow and the metallic sheen clashed in midair for a brief moment, locked in a stalemate.
Then both sides withdrew their strength.
Nidoqueen’s massive body stepped back slightly, barely managing to stabilize itself.
Pikachu, on the other hand, used the recoil to execute a graceful backflip in midair before landing once again on the ground, standing firmly in front of Ash.
“Interesting.”
At this point, whether it was Ash’s near flawless command or Pikachu’s skilled offensive execution, both made the smile at the corner of Giovanni’s mouth grow more pronounced.
As he watched the two below who seemed to have achieved complete unity in mind and action, he could not help but take a deep breath, clearly having become fully immersed in the battle.
However, just as Giovanni was about to fight with his full strength, an abrupt ringing sound broke the moment.
Ring!
Ring!
Ring!
The phone in Giovanni’s pocket began to ring.
The intense atmosphere of the battle was instantly shattered by the sound.
A look of displeasure immediately appeared on Giovanni’s face. This chapter is updated first at g.com.
Ash also snapped out of the immersive state he had been in.
Looking up at Giovanni on the high platform, he hesitated for a moment before speaking, “Gym Leader Giovanni, maybe you should answer the call first?”
Giovanni nodded, then took the phone out of his pocket and answered it.
As soon as the call connected, Giovanni spoke in an impatient tone, “What is it? Didn’t I say I’m taking a week off? Why are you contacting me now?”
Ash and Misty had no idea what the person on the other end was saying.
All they could see was that Giovanni’s expression grew increasingly gloomy as the conversation went on.
After a moment, Giovanni hung up the phone.
The expression on his face returned to its usual indifference.
Looking down at Ash, he spoke slowly, “Sorry, Ash. It seems today’s battle can only end here.”
“Huh?”
Ash was startled and was about to say something.
But Giovanni had already taken out a Poké Ball.
With a flash of red light, he recalled Nidoqueen, clearly showing no intention of continuing the battle.
“No matter what, to be able to fight my Nidoqueen to a standstill just after beginning your journey, I acknowledge your strength. Impressive.”
As he finished speaking, Giovanni took out a badge from his pocket and casually tossed it toward Ash.
Ash instinctively reached out and caught it.
Giovanni’s voice continued to echo from above.
“This is the symbol of defeating the Viridian Gym, the Earth Badge.”
Ash lowered his head and looked at the exquisite badge in his hand.
There was not much joy on his face.
Instead, he looked rather serious.
He remained silent for a moment, then raised his head again to look at Giovanni on the platform.
Under the gazes of Giovanni and Misty, Ash slowly walked to the side of the field and gently placed the Earth Badge onto an empty chair.
After doing all this, Ash looked up again at Giovanni and spoke word by word,
“I didn’t win today, so I can’t accept this badge.”
“When I come back to Viridian City next time, I will definitely win this unfinished battle fair and square.”
“When that time comes, I will take this badge with my own hands. Just wait for me.”
The boy’s voice echoed through the spacious gym, filled with unwavering determination.
Hearing this, Giovanni chuckled softly.
He did not refute Ash’s words.
Instead, he spoke with a hint of approval, “If that is truly how you feel, then that is fine.”
After saying that, Giovanni turned around and walked into the darkness behind him.
Just as he was about to disappear completely into the shadows, he suddenly glanced back slightly and spoke one final sentence to Ash.
“If I am still here at that time, I will accept your challenge, no matter what happens.”
With that, Giovanni left, completely merging into the darkness.
Only Ash and Misty remained in the brightly lit gym, looking at each other in confusion.
Misty walked to Ash’s side, glanced in the direction Giovanni had left, then looked at Ash, her face full of puzzlement.
What did Giovanni mean by that last sentence?
Neither Ash nor Misty understood.
Meanwhile, in the office of the Viridian Gym, Giovanni revealed a sinister smile.
“I was planning to keep the identity of Gym Leader for a while longer, but it seems that was just wishful thinking.”
Giovanni pulled open the curtains, letting sunlight flood every corner of the office.
Looking down from above at the bustling crowd of Viridian City, he could not help but recall the contents of the phone call from earlier.
…
“Boss Giovanni! It seems someone has discovered your identity and has already reported it to the League. Recently, the League will send special personnel to investigate you. Please be extremely careful.”
“We are still investigating who exposed your identity, but we have no results for now. We only know that the other party is likely someone with status in the Kanto region. The report seems to have been made directly to Lance of the Elite Four, and the investigator sent by the League may also be him.”
…
Someone chose this moment to report him?
Who could it be?
Even Giovanni himself did not know.
But the current situation was completely different from what he remembered.
If this was not some so called parallel world, then there was only one possibility.
“Someone else who returned through time, it seems I am not the only one.”
Giovanni smiled again, but this time the smile was no longer sinister.
Instead, it was filled with interest.
“If you think this alone is enough to bring down Team Rocket and defeat me, then go ahead and try.”
(End of Chapter)