Satoshi and Ash were running out of options as Lt. Surge's Raichu and Electabuzz continued their relentless assault, their electric attacks lighting up the entire deck of the S.S. Anne.
The absence of the Magnemites gave them some breathing room, but they were still facing an opponent far beyond their level. Lt. Surge stood tall, his grin widening as he watched the younger trainers struggle against his power.
"Boy, even without those Magnemites, I'm still the Gym Leader of Vermilion City! Let's have a gym challenge right here, right now! No rules! No restrictions! No matter life or death!" His voice boomed across the deck, making sure that the gathered onlookers understood the situation.
Satoshi had to admit it was a smart move. By framing the battle as a no-holds-barred gym match, Lt. Surge had created a justification for going all out. The spectators—wealthy socialites, businessmen, and even a few Alliance officials—watched in awe, some murmuring in confusion.
Why would a Gym Leader engage in such a reckless battle with two young trainers? Was there a personal grudge? Was it really just a gym challenge? Whatever the case, no one dared interfere. Satoshi silently praised himself.
Forcing the fight into public view had removed the threat of an ambush, but now he had to deal with a direct confrontation against an elite-level opponent.
Raichu and Electabuzz were relentless. The battlefield was chaos. Charizard's fire clashed against Raichu's Thunderbolt, Grovyle's Leaf Blade barely held back Electabuzz's Thunder Punch, and Riolu's rapid strikes met fierce resistance against Electabuzz's powerful limbs. Pikachu fought against Raichu, but the power gap was too wide—every Thunderbolt exchange pushed Pikachu closer to exhaustion.
Ivysaur tried to provide support with Razor Leaf and Vine Whip, but it was barely making a dent in Lt. Surge's monstrous Pokémon.
Frogadier and Froakie, being Water-types, were at the biggest disadvantage. They had to rely on speed and non-Water moves like Quick Attack and Smack Down to harass their opponents from a distance, but one misstep could mean disaster.
The deck of the S.S. Anne groaned under the intensity of the battle. Sparks and flames flickered across the wooden planks, leaving scorch marks and splinters.
Some of the ship's railings were already broken from stray attacks, but neither side could afford to hold back.
The spectators were mesmerized by the display of power, but some of them, particularly veteran trainers, began to frown. This wasn't a normal gym battle. This was a real fight—one where survival mattered more than victory.
Professor Birch stood among the crowd, watching with a grave expression. He had been wary of Lt. Surge before, but now, seeing him in action, it was obvious—something about him wasn't right. "So this is what he meant by unsafe," Birch muttered. He tightened his grip on Sapphire's shoulder, silently ensuring her safety.
He would have to report this battle to the Alliance. Even if Lt. Surge had an explanation, something was definitely wrong.
Meanwhile, in the shadows, another figure observed the battle with interest. A girl with a confident smirk and piercing eyes whispered to herself, "Ash and Satoshi… so they're Pokédex holders. Interesting. If I had known about this earlier, I would've taken one for myself."
Lt. Surge let out a booming laugh. "You two ain't half bad! Even outnumbered, my Raichu and Electabuzz are still dominating, but you're holding out longer than I expected! You got guts, I'll give you that!" He was right. Even though Satoshi and Ash were clearly at a disadvantage, they weren't losing outright.
Their Pokémon were battered, bruised, and exhausted, but they kept standing. The problem was, how long could they keep this up? Ash gritted his teeth, his fists clenched in frustration. "Satoshi! This isn't working! If we keep defending, we're just gonna get worn down! We need to break through!" His voice was desperate, but Satoshi remained calm. "No, attacking blindly will just create openings. Be patient. Lt. Surge is getting impatient. He wants this over fast, and that's where we turn it around."
Just as Satoshi predicted, Lt. Surge's expression darkened. He was done playing. "Enough talk! Time to end this! Raichu! High-Speed Movement! Wild Charge!" The orange rodent's body crackled with electricity as it vanished in a blur of motion.
A second later, bolts of lightning erupted from all directions, covering the entire battlefield in a deadly storm of energy. Unlike Thunderbolt, which concentrated power into a single blast, Wild Charge spread out its energy, turning the whole area into a death trap. There was no escape.
Satoshi's eyes sharpened. "This is it."
The opportunity he had been waiting for had finally come.
End of the Chapter.
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