Ash now has two Z-Crystals, Marshadium Z and Mewnium Z, but these are exclusive Z-Crystals, meaning only Marshadow and Mew can use them to unleash Z-Moves.
Z-Crystals are divided into two types: Attribute Z-Crystals and Exclusive Z-Crystals. Marshadium Z and Mewnium Z are Exclusive Z-Crystals.
Attribute Z-Crystals, on the other hand, can be used by any Pokémon that has mastered a move of the same type as the Z-Crystal.
In the game, not all moves of the same type can be transformed into Z-Moves. If a Pokémon masters status moves like Tail Whip or Sword Dance, using a Z-Crystal won't result in a Z-Move, but rather a Z-Power.
The effects of Z-Powers vary but can generally be categorized as resetting stat modifiers, boosting all six stats, or healing the user.
In the real world, however, these limitations don't exist. As long as a Pokémon has mastered a move and a Z-Crystal is activated, it can use the corresponding Z-Move.
After dinner, Ash returned to his bedroom, where Pikachu was already asleep on his pillow.
"I hope I can get a Z-Crystal..." Ash thought. Although he didn't want to rely too much on the system to become stronger, he now had a Z-Ring but lacked a compatible Z-Crystal.
Bringing up the lottery interface, Ash took a deep breath. This was the first time he was so eager to see the lottery result.
He pressed the lottery button, and the interface spun rapidly, displaying various prize names. He pressed the stop button, and after a few seconds, the gradually slowing interface finally came to a halt.
"It's really a Z-Crystal?!" Ash was astonished. Although he was thrilled to obtain a Z-Crystal, he hadn't expected to win one in this lottery. It felt surreal.
Normalium Z: The Normal-type Z-Crystal, when used with a Z-Ring and a full-power pose, allows a Pokémon that has mastered a Normal-type move to unleash the Z-Move "Breakneck Blitz."
Although it was just Normalium Z, it was the most suitable Z-Crystal for Ash at the moment. Almost every Pokémon he owned knew a Normal-type move, so any of them could use this Normalium Z to launch the Z-Move.
Breakneck Blitz is the Normal-type Z-Move. If the base move used for the Z-Move is a physical attack, the Z-Move's damage is calculated based on the user's Attack stat. If the base move is a special attack, the damage is calculated based on the user's Special Attack stat.
"With this, the Indigo Plateau Conference is definitely within reach!" Ash thought. It wasn't arrogance; the League competitions in this world were different from those in the anime.
The anime's League competitions often featured unpredictable opponents, like Tobias, the Sinnoh League Trainer who used Legendary Pokémon.
Ash couldn't guarantee that such unexpected challenges wouldn't arise at the Indigo Plateau Conference. Although he was confident in his current strength, having the Z-Move as a trump card provided an extra layer of security.
The next morning, Ash woke up early without disturbing the others and left the house alone with his Pokémon, heading to a secluded spot.
It was too late the previous night to test the Z-Move, but now, at dawn, he couldn't wait to experience its power.
"Pika-pika?" Pikachu, who had followed Ash to the remote location, looked at him curiously, wondering why they were there.
"Pikachu, I got something new!" Ash showed Pikachu the Z-Ring on his left wrist, now equipped with the Normalium Z.
"Pika...?" Pikachu tilted its head, recalling the incident on New Island where Ash had commanded Marshadow and Mew to use those powerful moves. Its eyes sparkled with excitement.
But then, Pikachu's expression turned to worry. Remembering the aftermath of those moves, it quickly climbed onto Ash's shoulder, "Pika! Pika! Pika!"
"Don't worry, Mewtwo and Mew warned me!" Ash, sensing Pikachu's concern, smiled and explained, "Z-Moves cannot be used consecutively in a short period..."
Ash relayed what he had learned from Mew: his Z-Ring was special, lacking the limitations of ordinary Z-Rings.
As long as his physical condition allowed, he could use it multiple times in a short period. However, if his physical fitness wasn't up to par, using it twice in a row would drain him, as it had on New Island.
He is also very afraid of this. He is not afraid of death, but it doesn't mean he is willing to die.
If it weren't for a critical moment, Ash would never use Z-moves twice in an hour, a warning Mew had given him.
"Let's try the Z-move." Ash asked Pikachu to come down and looked at a large rock nearby. The rock was about two meters high, one meter wide, and one meter thick, and it looked very sturdy.
"Pika—!" Pikachu was still a little worried after Ash explained, but he also knew that Mew wouldn't lie. So, he decided to try this Z-move with Ash.
"Boom!"
A moment later, a massive shockwave reverberated through the sky of Pallet Town, waking many people who hadn't yet risen. They came out of their homes, wanting to see what had happened.
The culprit behind this had already fled the scene. Although Ash knew the Z-move would be powerful, it still exceeded his expectations. When he saw the five-meter-diameter crater that had appeared, he immediately grabbed Pikachu and escaped.
"The power of the Z-move is truly overwhelming. It's indeed a move that can turn the tide of battle. In the future, I must go to the Alola Region to collect all the Attribute Z-Crystals!"
Witnessing the damage Pikachu had just caused, Ash realized the true power of the Z-move.
Pikachu was also taken aback by the destruction he had wrought. It wasn't impossible for him to achieve this level of damage, but it would be far more difficult without the Z-move, unless he used Thunderbolt.
"Well... Pikachu's case should be considered an exception. After all, he has the effect of the Light Ball, and Pikachu also has inheritance. His physique has changed, and his strength is comparable to that of a quasi-legendary Pokémon."
Ash stood in front of his house, having just remembered that Pikachu was still carrying the Light Ball.
"Let's try again later with other Pokémon and see how they harness the power of this Z-move." Ash opened the door and went back home.
_______________________
Join my Patreon for more advance chapters