“You really are impressive, Ash.”
Jackson stared seriously across the battlefield.
If losing Kecleon had been due to carelessness…
Then losing Sneasel proved something else entirely.
Ash Ketchum had changed.
And dramatically so.
Jackson could no longer treat him as an inexperienced Trainer relying solely on passion and improvisation.
This Ash was calm.
Calculated.
Dangerous.
Jackson exhaled slowly before throwing his next Poké Ball.
“The next battle is yours… Hypno!”
A flash of light burst onto the battlefield.
Hypno appeared holding its pendulum, its eyes glowing faintly beneath the stadium lights.
“Jackson has lost two Pokémon in a row and is now sending out Hypno!” the commentator shouted excitedly.
“Can this Psychic-type Pokémon finally stop Ash’s momentum?!”
Ash narrowed his eyes slightly.
Hypno.
A troublesome opponent.
Especially against Pokémon vulnerable to sleep-inducing techniques.
Still
Ash already had a plan.
“Come back, Totodile!”
Totodile happily returned to its Poké Ball.
Then Ash reached for another one.
“I’m counting on you, Snorlax!”
A massive figure materialized on the battlefield with a heavy thud.
Snorlax appeared
and immediately sat down.
Then lay back.
Then started snoring.
The audience froze.
The commentator blinked in confusion.
“Ash’s Snorlax… appears to have fallen asleep immediately after entering battle!”
In the waiting area, Misty nearly choked.
“H-He’s sleeping already?!”
Brock’s expression stiffened.
“This could be bad…”
Jackson’s eyes immediately sharpened.
“Hypno, use Dream Eater!”
Hypno’s eyes glowed crimson.
Dark psychic waves enveloped Snorlax’s sleeping body as streams of energy began draining away.
“Dream Eater directly absorbs stamina from sleeping opponents!” the commentator explained rapidly.
“If this continues, Snorlax will be overwhelmed without even attacking!”
In the stands, Misty clenched her fists nervously.
“Ash, do something!”
Even Brock frowned.
Dream Eater was dangerous specifically because it punished sleeping Pokémon while simultaneously restoring the user’s strength.
Normally, allowing Snorlax to remain asleep here would be a disastrous mistake.
But Ash remained calm.
Too calm.
Jackson noticed immediately.
Something was wrong.
The psychic energy surrounding Snorlax finally faded.
Hypno prepared to launch another attack
Then suddenly
A gigantic shadow rose over it.
Hypno slowly looked up.
And met Snorlax’s furious glare.
Its eyes snapped open.
Its face twisted with unmistakable irritation.
Disturbing Snorlax’s sleep…
Had made it genuinely angry.
“Hyp !”
Even Hypno instinctively stepped backward.
Ash smiled faintly beneath the brim of his cap.
“Interrupting someone’s nap is a terrible idea.”
“Snorlax Hyper Beam!”
Jackson’s eyes widened instantly.
“Hypno, dodge!”
But Snorlax’s mouth had already begun gathering blazing orange energy.
BOOOOOOM!
A massive Hyper Beam erupted across the battlefield.
The blast swallowed Hypno completely.
The explosion shook the entire Grass Field.
When the smoke cleared
Hypno collapsed immediately.
Unable to continue battling.
“Hypno is unable to battle!” the referee announced loudly.
“Snorlax wins!”
The stadium erupted.
“What incredible power!” the commentator shouted.
“Snorlax endured Hypno’s Dream Eater and retaliated instantly with an overwhelming Hyper Beam!”
In the audience, Professor Oak adjusted his glasses in surprise.
“That timing…” he murmured.
“Ash intentionally used Snorlax’s sleeping habits against Hypno.”
Misty blinked repeatedly.
“So Ash planned that from the beginning?!”
Brock nodded slowly.
“He trusted Snorlax to withstand the attack long enough to counter.”
On the battlefield, Jackson quietly recalled Hypno.
“You did well.”
Then he looked toward Ash again.
“So that was your strategy.”
Ash simply smiled.
The truth was
He had already remembered how terrifying Snorlax truly was during the Orange Islands and Johto journeys.
In raw endurance alone, Snorlax was arguably one of Ash’s strongest Pokémon.
Even now.
And unlike before, Ash intended to use that strength properly.
Soon, the halftime break for the six-on-six battle began.
The trainers temporarily returned to their respective waiting areas.
The moment Ash sat down, Misty rushed over holding a bottle of water.
“Ash, that was amazing!”
“When Snorlax fell asleep, I thought you were finished!”
Brock nodded in agreement.
“You stayed calm the entire time.
And your timing was perfect.”
He glanced toward the battlefield seriously.
“Jackson only has three Pokémon remaining now.
You’ve gained a huge advantage.”
Ash accepted the water with a grin.
“Thanks, Brock.
Thanks, Misty.”
Truthfully, his strategy so far had remained mostly faithful to the original battle.
But unlike before, he was now controlling the pace carefully.
Reducing unnecessary damage.
Preserving stamina.
Maximizing favorable matchups.
That was the biggest difference between the old Ash…
And the current one.
Especially with Snorlax.
Ash quietly glanced toward the Poké Ball at his waist.
Snorlax was still one of the strongest members of his Johto roster.
Its incredible durability, combined with moves like Rest and Hyper Beam, made it terrifying in prolonged battles.
Even Jackson’s experienced Hypno had been unable to handle it directly.
Of course
Ash also understood Snorlax’s limits.
Using Hyper Beam consumed enormous stamina.
And after enduring Dream Eater, Snorlax was already exhausted.
The second half of the battle would become much harder from here onward.
Soon
The halftime break ended.
Both Trainers returned to the battlefield.
“This Silver Conference quarterfinal match is now entering its second half!” the commentator shouted excitedly.
Jackson immediately threw another Poké Ball.
“Go, Blaziken!”
A towering figure emerged in a burst of flames.
Blaziken landed powerfully on the battlefield, fire swirling around its wrists.
The atmosphere changed instantly.
Even the audience could feel the pressure.
Ash narrowed his eyes slightly.
Jackson’s ace had finally appeared.
Unlike his previous Pokémon, Blaziken possessed overwhelming offensive power combined with tremendous speed.
This was the Pokémon that carried Jackson through the Silver Conference.
And one of the strongest opponents Ash had faced so far.
Jackson’s expression hardened.
“I’m not holding back anymore.”
Ash adjusted his cap.
“Neither am I.”
Without hesitation, he pointed forward.
“Snorlax, I’m counting on you one more time!”
The crowd stirred immediately.
“Snorlax is staying in?!”
“Against Blaziken?!”
Even Gary Oak, watching from the entrance tunnel, frowned slightly.
“That’s risky…”
The referee dropped his flags.
“Battle begin!”
“Hyper Beam!” Ash commanded instantly.
The audience exploded in confusion.
“What?!
Another Hyper Beam immediately?!”
Gary’s eyes widened.
“That’s reckless!”
After using Hyper Beam, Pokémon temporarily lost mobility.
Using it against a fast opponent like Blaziken was incredibly dangerous.
But Ash had already anticipated Jackson’s response.
“Blaziken, jump and dodge it!”
Blaziken launched skyward effortlessly.
The Hyper Beam tore through the battlefield beneath it.
“Now, Flamethrower!”
A massive torrent of fire crashed directly into Snorlax.
“Snor LAX!”
Snorlax winced in pain as flames exploded across its body.
“Keep pushing!” Jackson shouted.
“Use Blaze Kick!”
Blaziken descended like a meteor wrapped in fire.
At that exact moment
“Use Protect!”
A translucent green barrier appeared around Snorlax.
BOOM!
Blaziken’s flaming kick slammed directly into the barrier.
The impact shook the battlefield.
Ash’s eyes sharpened instantly.
“Now!
Body Slam!”
Snorlax lunged forward using its massive body weight.
Jackson’s expression changed.
“Blaziken, get back!”
But the close-range exchange had already succeeded.
WHAM!
Snorlax crashed directly into Blaziken and sent it skidding backward across the field.
The audience roared.
“Amazing counterattack from Ash!”
However
Snorlax itself was breathing heavily now.
The accumulated damage from Dream Eater, Flamethrower, and repeated Hyper Beams was finally catching up.
Jackson noticed immediately.
“So your goal wasn’t damage alone,” he realized aloud.
“You wanted to force Blaziken into close combat and wear it down.”
Ash nodded calmly.
“Your Blaziken is too fast otherwise.”
Jackson smiled faintly.
“You really have changed.”
Then his gaze sharpened again.
“But Blaziken won’t fall that easily.”
“Flamethrower!”
Another torrent of fire engulfed Snorlax completely.
This time
The giant Pokémon finally collapsed.
“Snorlax is unable to battle!” the referee declared.
“Blaziken wins!”
The audience applauded loudly as Ash recalled Snorlax.
“You did great.
Get some rest.”
Even in defeat, Snorlax had successfully weakened Jackson’s strongest Pokémon.
And now
It was time for the next phase of Ash’s strategy.
Ash looked toward his shoulder.
“You’re up, Pikachu.”
“Pika!”
Pikachu leaped onto the battlefield immediately, electricity sparking from its cheeks.
The crowd erupted again.
“It’s Pikachu!”
“Ash is challenging Blaziken with Pikachu?!”
At first glance, the matchup looked unfavorable.
Blaziken possessed superior raw power, longer reach, and devastating Fire-type attacks.
But Brock immediately understood Ash’s reasoning.
“The Grass Field favors Pikachu’s mobility,” he explained quietly to Misty.
“Its smaller size lets it maneuver more freely.”
Misty smiled nervously.
“That sounds exactly like something Ash would think of.”
The battle resumed instantly.
“Blaziken, Quick Attack!”
Blaziken burst forward at incredible speed.
“Into the grass, Pikachu!”
Pikachu vanished into the tall grass moments before impact.
“Jump and use Fire Spin!” Jackson ordered immediately.
Blaziken leaped high before unleashing spiraling flames across the battlefield.
The grass ignited rapidly.
Burn marks spread across the arena.
But Pikachu was nowhere to be seen.
Jackson’s eyes narrowed.
“Where did it ”
“Now, Pikachu!
Thunderbolt!”
Electricity exploded from directly behind Blaziken.
BOOM!
The Thunderbolt struck cleanly.
The crowd gasped.
“Amazing!” the commentator shouted.
“Pikachu used the terrain to circle behind Blaziken before launching a surprise attack!”
Misty stared in disbelief.
“Ash never even gave Pikachu detailed instructions…”
Brock smiled slightly.
“They planned this beforehand.”
On the battlefield, Ash’s eyes glowed faintly blue for only a brief instant.
Aura.
The mysterious power connected to all living things.
Ever since arriving in this world, Ash had gradually begun awakening traces of it.
Right now, it remained weak.
Barely enough to sharpen his perception during battle.
But even that small advantage allowed him to read Pikachu’s movements more clearly.
Jackson clenched his fist.
“Blaziken!
Full-power Flamethrower!”
Blaziken roared.
An enormous stream of fire surged toward Pikachu, burning so intensely that parts of the battlefield glowed red.
There was no room to dodge.
Ash realized it instantly.
Then his expression sharpened.
“Pikachu!
Full speed ahead Thunderbolt!”
“PIKA-CHUUUU!”
Electricity erupted wildly around Pikachu’s body as it sprinted directly into the flames.
The audience gasped collectively.
Pikachu accelerated faster.
And faster.
Lightning wrapped around its entire body.
Until finally
Ash’s eyes widened.
“That’s…!”
A sphere of golden lightning exploded around Pikachu.
The electrical energy condensed violently as Pikachu pierced directly through the Flamethrower.
The commentator nearly lost his voice.
“Incredible!
Pikachu has learned Volt Tackle!”
The stadium erupted.
Volt Tackle
One of Pikachu’s strongest attacks.
A devastating combination of speed and electricity wrapped into a single overwhelming charge.
Jackson’s eyes burned with excitement.
“Blaziken!
Meet it head-on!”
“Ash!” Misty shouted anxiously.
Ash clenched his fist tightly.
“Go, Pikachu!”
Fire and lightning collided violently at the center of the battlefield.
BOOOOOOM!
The explosion shook the entire stadium.
Smoke swallowed both Pokémon completely.
Several seconds later
The smoke finally cleared.
Blaziken remained standing
Barely.
Pikachu collapsed to the ground first.
“Pikachu is unable to battle!” the referee declared.
“Blaziken wins!”
The audience exploded into applause.
Even in defeat
Pikachu’s performance had stunned everyone watching.
And now the Silver Conference quarterfinals had reached its most intense stage yet.