Bang! Bang!
In the arena, Eevee leapt out of the ground, preparing to attack with Shadow Ball just as Lt. Surge gave the order. In an instant, Electrode unleashed a blinding light with Self-Destruct.
A powerful burst of energy erupted, sending a massive shockwave that collided with Eevee's Shadow Ball. The two forces clashed, resulting in an intense explosion.
The deafening blast made Brock and Misty cover their ears, while Ash instinctively raised his hands to shield himself from the shockwave. As the explosion subsided, a thick cloud of smoke spread across the battlefield.
"He... He actually used that move!" Misty exclaimed, lowering her hands and staring at the smoky arena with wide eyes, her voice filled with shock.
Self-Destruct was Electrode's signature move, but it came with a heavy price—damaging both the opponent and itself. Most Trainers, who cared for their Pokémon, hesitated to use such a drastic measure.
Ash frowned. Lt. Surge had clearly planned this from the start, baiting him into using Dig for a close-range attack, only to unleash Self-Destruct at the critical moment.
"How do you like that, kid? This is real battle strategy, not the kiddie stuff you're used to!" Lt. Surge boasted as the smoke began to clear, a smug grin on his face.
"Ugh, this guy's so annoying!" Misty muttered angrily, while Ash remained silent, focused on the battlefield.
As the smoke fully dissipated, the arena was left in ruins. The ground was torn apart by the blast, and Electrode's charred, unmoving body was the first thing to appear—it had clearly fainted.
Everyone's eyes scanned the wreckage, searching for Eevee.
"Hmph! That explosion was too much. Your Eevee must have been blown to pieces, right?" Lt. Surge sneered, confident in his victory.
"Is that so?" Ash smirked, tilting his hat slightly.
"voy! voy! voy!" Eevee's cry echoed as the cracked ground shifted once more. Eevee burst out from the earth, panting but still standing, much to everyone's amazement.
"What...?" Lt. Surge was left speechless, his eyes wide in disbelief. "There's no way! Self-Destruct should have worked!"
"Baby, During the explosion, my Eevee used Shadow Ball to block part of the blast. Then, it was knocked away by the shockwave, giving it enough time to Dig underground and avoid the worst of the explosion," Ash explained, his grin widening as he saw Lt. Surge's stunned reaction.
"Wha—!" Lt. Surge couldn't believe what he was hearing. He hadn't expected Ash to stay calm enough to make such a smart play under pressure.
When Ash called him a baby, Lt. Surge became even more furious. He could only gnash his teeth in frustration, but there was nothing he could do. It was clear, however, that Ash wasn't someone who would back down easily.
"Pfft, hee hee!"
Misty couldn't help but laugh when she heard Ash call Lt. Surge a baby. It was funnier hearing Ash turn the insult around. How could there be such a big baby?
"Uh... Electrode is unable to battle! Eevee wins!"
The gym referees were stunned. Lt. Surge had never been in such an embarrassing situation before. Realizing they needed to react, they quickly announced the result of the first round.
"Come back, Electrode!" Lt. Surge recalled his fainted Electrode, clearly unhappy. He hadn't expected the young Trainer in front of him to be this tough, but this only made him more serious.
Ash didn't seem fazed. He knew that if Lt. Surge didn't get serious, the match wouldn't be meaningful.
"You've got some skill, kid, but now it's time to see my real power! Let's go!" Lt. Surge shouted as he threw out his next Poké Ball.
Boom!
A Pokémon with dark orange fur and brown patterns on its back appeared. Its long tail, resembling a wire, ended in a lightning bolt-shaped tip. It had yellow electric sacs on its cheeks, brown hands and feet, and curled ears. The Pokémon stood strong and confident.
"That's... Raichu?!"
Misty and Brock stared in surprise. They knew Raichu was the evolved form of Pikachu, and after evolving, its power increased significantly. Even Raichu's Thunder Shock was as strong as Thunderbolt. Despite its height of just 80 centimeters, Raichu could easily handle opponents much larger than itself.
"That's right! This is my ace, Raichu! A real powerhouse, unlike your little pet Pokémon." Lt. Surge grinned, his confidence restored.
Raichu glared at Eevee and Ash, its body crackling with electricity, its demeanor mirroring Lt. Surge's aggressive nature. Even Brock was concerned. "This Raichu looks tough. I hope Ash can handle it."
"Thanks, Eevee. You did great. Take a rest!" Ash called out, returning his panting Eevee to its Poké Ball. Though Eevee had cleverly avoided the worst of the explosion, the earlier clash between Shadow Ball and Self-Destruct had still taken a toll. Eevee was exhausted, and Ash didn't want to push it any further.
While Eevee could continue battling in the gym's typical one-on-one format, Ash decided it was best to let it rest and recover.
"Your turn, Pikachu!" Ash called out, looking down at his trusted partner by his feet.
In this fateful duel, Ash sent Pikachu into the battle, marking the beginning of the legendary rivalry between Pikachu and Raichu. At this stage in their journey, Pikachu hadn't yet earned its reputation as a powerhouse. In fact, Pikachu had struggled against many opponents, and seeing such a strong Raichu was undoubtedly intimidating.
But this was where it all started...