The moment Ash saw the system prompt, a flash of realization crossed his eyes.
He had finally figured out how the system's plundering worked—the more decisive and overwhelming the victory, the better the rewards he could steal!
With that in mind, Ash didn't hesitate.
"The rules are made by people," he said. "If you want to finish this full match…"
He paused, his tone suddenly rising, carrying an undeniable force of will.
"Fine! I accept! Send out your remaining two Pokémon!"
The crowd, which had been roaring just moments ago, fell silent again.
Every gaze locked onto the boy in the cap standing in the center of the field.
Today, he had already given them countless shocks.
And now, it seemed he was about to extend this legend even further.
"Ash!"
In the crowd, Leaf couldn't help but call out, "But you don't even have three Pokémon right now!"
By now, no one was doubting whether Ash could defeat Paul.
They were all focused on the key problem Leaf had just pointed out.
Surely they couldn't be saying that a Novice trainer like Ash would only use two Pokémon, while an Elite-tier Paul could use three?
A 2-vs-3? That would be ridiculous.
"That's simple."
Ash didn't say something as arrogant as using only two Pokémon.
Instead, he extended a hand toward Leaf.
"Lend me your Squirtle for a bit."
Hearing the boy's words, Leaf froze for a moment before realizing what he meant.
A faint blush swept across her fair cheeks.
Right—between certain trainers with a close enough bond, borrowing each other's Pokémon wasn't unusual.
The only condition was that the borrower had to be of a high enough trainer rank.
Normally, a Novice trainer could only command Entry-Level Pokémon.
If they tried to command something stronger… mistakes could happen, or the Pokémon might refuse to listen.
Of course, Ash couldn't be measured by Novice standards.
If he were truly just a Novice, the nine people Paul had beaten earlier would be crying in the bathroom by now.
"My Squirtle is Entry-Level, just like your Pikachu…"
To Leaf, Ash borrowing her Pokémon meant he saw her as a trusted companion.
She quickly stepped forward and took a Poké Ball from her belt.
But then she paused and added, "No, it's not the same as your Pikachu."
"Mine's genuinely Entry-Level—it can't fight a Gym-level Drapion like your Pikachu can…"
Everyone had seen Pikachu's performance earlier—its attack power and speed had nothing to do with the so-called Entry-Level.
If someone claimed it was the ace of a Gym Leader, plenty of people would believe it.
"It's fine."
Ash accepted the Poké Ball from Leaf with a serious nod.
He hadn't actually planned to use Squirtle—it was just to meet the three-Pokémon requirement.
In truth, Pikachu's stats right now were similar to Leaf's Squirtle—except Pikachu had the bonus from Ash's [Battle Legend] trait.
Once the [Thunder God] trait awakened, that would be the real turning point.
Punching Champions, kicking Legendary Pokémon—he could even zap an Arceus or two.
"...Then, the battle continues!"
With Squirtle borrowed from Leaf, the referee in the center of the arena raised his megaphone again.
He was just as eager as everyone else to see what other surprises Ash might bring.
The other spectators held their breath, waiting.
"I won't underestimate you again."
Not far away, Paul had regained his composure.
He pulled out an Ultra Ball—inside was another one of his ace Pokémon.
"I admit, you've got some talent," he said. "Earlier I lost my Drapion only because I let my guard down."
He bit down on the words "let my guard down" as if to convince himself.
"Next, I'll use this Pokémon to defeat your entire team!!"
Paul threw the Ultra Ball with force.
It spun twice in the air before opening with a crisp snap.
A massive, powerful figure landed with a heavy thud.
It had a strong, yellow-and-black body, arms as thick as tree trunks, and two signature tails shaped like high-voltage cables.
"Rooaaaar!"
Electivire roared with excitement the moment it appeared.
It had just watched Pikachu's fight with Drapion from inside its Poké Ball, and the thrilling clash of electricity had fired it up.
It couldn't wait to battle Pikachu itself.
"Another Gym-level?!"
Seeing the intimidating Electric-type, several trainers gulped.
For an average Elite-tier trainer, raising even one Gym-level Pokémon often meant being unmatched among their peers.
Yet this Sinnoh Elite-tier trainer could field two.
"This guy does have some skill," someone murmured.
But with Ash's overwhelming presence, they had nearly forgotten Paul was also a prodigy.
"Too bad for him he's facing Ash."
In the center of the field—
"Pika-pi~"
Pikachu faced an opponent three tiers above itself, yet showed no fear.
Instead, sparks crackled over its body in eager anticipation.
The battle between two Electric-type powerhouses was about to begin—
[End of Chapter]