"Lambda's greatest strength lies in scheming," Lance said in a low voice. "Whenever he faces someone stronger than himself, he shifts his target to the people around you, your friends, your family. He's despicable. Even I've suffered quite a few losses because of him."
Having dealt with Team Rocket for years, Lance understood their Four Executives very well. As a Champion-level Trainer, commanding powerful Dragon-type Pokémon and possessing Aura abilities, he had clashed with them countless times.
Whenever Team Rocket encountered him, they usually had to dispatch at least two Elite-level operatives just to stall him. It was a long-standing rivalry.
"He won't get the chance this time," Ash replied coldly. "Not a single member of Team Rocket will escape."
He brought his hands together, chakra surging through his body.
"Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu."
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
In an instant, thousands of Ash's shadow clones filled the surroundings, creating an overwhelming and spectacular scene.
Lance and Sabrina were both stunned.
Each clone possessed roughly thirty percent of Ash's strength, but retained all of his memories and combat experience. Even setting aside raw power, every single clone could be considered a Champion-level Trainer in terms of skill and knowledge.
If they were each given enough Pokémon, the force Ash commanded would be terrifying beyond measure.
And these clones were absolutely loyal. Their life and death were entirely under Ash's control.
"…Unbelievable," Lance muttered, unable to find better words.
Even Sabrina, who was already familiar with Ash's abilities, couldn't help but feel shaken seeing it firsthand on this scale.
Ash looked at his clones, his gaze sharp and commanding.
"Seal off the entire mountain. Before dawn, no one is allowed to leave… not even a Pokémon."
"OOOH!!!"
Thousands of clones responded in unison, their voices echoing like thunder. Sharing Ash's mind, they fully understood his intent.
In the next moment, they scattered in all directions, rushing into the forest. The massive movement was impossible to hide, and the Team Rocket base nearby quickly became aware of it.
But Ash didn't care.
He had already decided… no one would survive.
After the clones departed, Ash released all of his Pokémon.
"Pikachu, I'm leaving this place to you. Protect Sabrina. No one is allowed to harm her."
"Pika!"
As Ash's oldest and most trusted partner, Pikachu stepped forward, taking command. The others quickly fell in line behind him.
Sabrina gently held Gardevoir in her arms, though in truth, it felt more like Gardevoir was the one supporting her. With her elegant and queen-like presence, Gardevoir stood slightly taller, radiating calm strength.
Lance glanced at Ash's team and shook his head with a wry smile.
"I knew it already, but your Pokémon's growth is just ridiculous."
For most Trainers, breaking through limits required immense effort and time. Yet for Ash, it seemed almost effortless.
"That's my advantage," Ash said. "The vitality I possess allows my Pokémon to undergo extreme training without worrying about lasting injuries. Combined with the techniques I've developed…"
He didn't need to finish.
Lance could already imagine it. Behind that strength was brutal, relentless training.
In the Pokémon world, strength meant everything.
That was why Ash's Pokémon trusted and admired him so deeply. To them, following Ash wasn't just loyalty, it was pride.
Among them, Pikachu stood at the very top.
Not because of seniority, but because of undeniable strength.
The others all knew that Pikachu still had an unrevealed evolutionary path, and that only pushed them to train harder. Every one of them wanted to become part of Ash's true core team.
But that position wasn't easy to obtain.
Even Gardevoir, despite her strength, wasn't guaranteed a spot.
After all, Ash's earliest Pokémon had learned custom techniques through memory discs, mastering abilities far beyond ordinary limits. Compared to them, later additions still had a long way to go.
Take Ash's Charizard as an example. On the surface, it seemed to be only at the Champion level, but even a Pokémon at the peak of the third stage of a Legendary Pokémon might not necessarily defeat it.
That was the terrifying advantage brought by the memory disc.
"Please, I'm counting on you," Ash said with a faint smile after seeing Pikachu's firm response.
Then his expression abruptly turned cold.
He looked toward Lance, and as the Team Rocket base drew closer and closer, the chill in his eyes deepened.
Team Rocket Temporary Base
"Damn it… which bastard leaked our location? That guy actually found us," Lambda cursed angrily as he stared at the screen filled with countless shadow clones.
The surrounding grunts didn't even dare to breathe too loudly.
"At this point, there's no use complaining," a voice said calmly from the side. "According to the report from Group C, both Groups A and B have already been wiped out. We should evacuate immediately. I'm not interested in dying here."
Only Ariana, who was cooperating with Lambda, would dare to speak to him like this.
Although she was unwilling to admit it, she knew their plan had failed again.
"…Damn it," Lambda muttered through gritted teeth.
Then his expression hardened, and he turned to the surrounding subordinates.
"What are you all standing around for? Move the equipment now. Take whatever data you can. If you can't take it, destroy it immediately."
Seeing the cold, ruthless look in his eyes, the grunts didn't dare hesitate any longer. They quickly began preparing for evacuation, scrambling to transfer equipment and erase any remaining traces.