"Top 10 Peak Battles of the Pokémon World?"
"Huh? That sounds pretty exciting."
"The number one battle must be the final clash between Mr. Lance and Mr. Leon, right? That's an easy guess! Hahaha."
"I agree. Lance was this year's runner-up in the World Championships, and Leon—well, he's the champion again! That match has to be on the list!"
"No doubt. And it'll probably be ranked number one. But now I'm curious—what are the other nine battles?"
"Maybe battles involving Miss Cynthia, the Sinnoh Champion? Or Steven Stone, the handsome steel master from Hoenn? They're both elite-level Trainers and definitely worthy contenders."
"Totally! I wouldn't be surprised to see Diantha or even Alder on the list too!"
The audience within Wyndon Stadium—also known as Palace Gate Arena—was buzzing with speculation and excitement. Despite the mysterious green screen that had suddenly appeared in the middle of the stadium, no one was panicking. In fact, it had only fueled the crowd's enthusiasm.
The Champions seated in the audience also exchanged curious looks. Even Giovanni, leader of Team Rocket, had leaned forward slightly in his private viewing room at headquarters, intrigued.
"Top ten peak battles, huh?" Giovanni muttered, fingers tapping his desk. "This might be worth watching…"
Because only the most legendary, most intense, and most iconic fights between top-tier Trainers could be considered "peak battles."
Naturally, the entire world was now watching—waiting to see which Trainers, Pokémon, and rivalries would be immortalized in this list.
Suddenly, the strange voice returned, echoing from the stadium's sound system with an emotionless tone:
[As the countdown proceeds, there will be corresponding interactive prediction activities.]
[Viewers who correctly predict featured Trainers will receive virtual rewards. Trainers who appear on the list will also receive corresponding honors and gifts.]
[Now, let the broadcast begin: The Top 10 Greatest Battles in Pokémon History—commencing edit and playback now!]
The audience gasped and turned their full attention to the massive green screen as the display shimmered to life.
On the screen appeared a young boy wearing a red-and-white Poké Ball cap, walking with a small yellow Pokémon at his side—a Saffron-colored Electric Mouse.
Gasps and murmurs spread through the stadium.
"Wait a minute... is that Pikachu?!"
"It is! I'd recognize those red cheeks anywhere!"
"Yeah, but… who's the Trainer?"
Even among all the global audience members, nearly everyone instantly recognized the Pokémon. After all, Pikachu was one of the most iconic and beloved Pokémon in the world.
But the boy?
He didn't look familiar to most.
He didn't carry the aura of a Champion. He had no cape, no elaborate team. His clothes were plain, and he looked more like a rookie than a legendary Trainer.
Could this boy really be the protagonist of a top 10 battle?
Team Rocket Headquarters, Kanto Region
Executive Archer scoffed as he watched the feed.
"Pikachu? That useless little mouse? What a joke."
Executive Ariana smirked beside him. "They're as common as Pidgey in the forest. Weak, disobedient, and hard to control. I can't believe one made it into this highlight reel."
The Rockets had long dismissed Pikachu as a low-tier Pokémon. They had even released hundreds of captured Pikachu in the past, deeming them too annoying to store or train. Between their unpredictable Thunder Shocks and soft personalities, Pikachu were never seen as "Team Rocket material."
They preferred Pokémon like Zubat, Ekans, or Koffing—Pokémon that inspired fear in others and were easy to mass deploy.
But in this moment, the world disagreed.
Palace Gate Stadium
Everyone knew Pikachu.
But the boy? Still a mystery to most.
Could it be that this unknown Rookie Trainer was the main character of the first battle shown?
"No way!" a spectator whispered. "That kid doesn't look like he's ever battled seriously before!"
"Yeah! Look at him—he can't even keep Pikachu in line!"
Just then, Professor Oak suddenly stood up from the Champion's row, eyes wide with recognition.
"Wait a minute—that's Ash!"
The others turned to him in surprise.
"Ash? Who's that?" asked Chairman Damalan.
"He's a new Trainer from Pallet Town," Oak explained. "This year was his first journey. He overslept on the day of registration and missed out on the usual starter Pokémon from the Kanto region. I felt sorry for him and gave him my most stubborn, temperamental Pikachu instead."
Oak narrowed his eyes at the screen. "Looks like this footage is from the outskirts of Pallet Town. If I'm right, this was Day 1 of Ash's journey."
Chairman Charles Goodshow stroked his long white beard. "Missing the starter ceremony? That doesn't sound like someone who takes Pokémon seriously…"
"Maybe he was just too excited and couldn't sleep the night before," said Cynthia with a kind smile. "And if he ended up meeting Pikachu because of it, maybe that was fate."
Chairman Damalan nodded thoughtfully. "True. We shouldn't be too quick to judge a young Trainer by one mistake."
The stadium fell quiet again as everyone focused on the video.
On screen, the boy—Ash Ketchum—was shown enthusiastically trying to catch a Pidgey.
But instead of Pikachu helping, the little yellow Pokémon just sat atop a tree branch, watching lazily and even chuckling at Ash's failed attempts.
The audience laughed at the sight.
"This kid… is kind of a dork."
"Definitely not Champion material. Look at that throw!"
Back on screen, Ash grew frustrated. With Pikachu refusing to help, he tried a desperate tactic—he threw a rock at Pidgey.
But the rock missed… and hit a Spearow instead.
Uh oh.
"That's not good," muttered Steven.
As predicted, the Spearow let out a screech of rage and called in its entire flock.
What happened next was legendary.
Swarms of Spearow surrounded Ash and Pikachu. Pikachu still wouldn't help. Ash grabbed Pikachu in his arms and began to run for their lives through the woods and across the open fields.
Despite Pikachu's stubbornness, Ash refused to abandon him.
Finally, with the Spearow horde closing in, Ash turned and shielded Pikachu with his body.
"If you want to hurt Pikachu," he cried, "you'll have to go through me first!"
Then something incredible happened.
Pikachu, moved by Ash's courage, leapt into action.
The sky crackled.
And a massive Thunderbolt shot down from the heavens, scattering the Spearow in all directions.
The screen froze at that moment—the moment their bond was born.
The entire stadium was stunned.
No one spoke for a few seconds.
Then, Diantha smiled. "So that's how they became partners."
"Interesting start," said Lance, folding his arms. "Reckless, but brave."
"A pure-hearted kid," Alder added. "The kind that makes a great Trainer one day."
Professor Oak beamed. "That moment marked the beginning of Ash and Pikachu's unbreakable bond."
The mysterious announcer's voice returned—
[That moment, that battle, marked the true start of Ash and Pikachu's journey.]
[Though it was not a traditional battle, the bond formed that day would become the foundation for all their future victories.]
[This was the beginning of a legend.]
The crowd was silent—deeply moved.
In every journey, there's a first step.
For Ash and Pikachu, that step was forged through fear, loyalty, and a bolt of lightning.
And this was only the first of the Top 10 Peak Battles.
What else awaited the world?