Is Pikachu special or Ash's hat? Of course not, the special thing is Ash!
If Pikachu hadn't met Ash, it would probably just be an ordinary Pikachu. Their encounter caused a chemical reaction, giving Pikachu power and potential far exceeding that of a normal Pikachu.
And Ash's hat is the same. Why is this form called Partner Form? It's because this power relies on the bond between them; the hat is merely the medium.
Therefore, all the amazing things happening now are due to Ash.
"That's true. If it weren't for Ash, these strange things wouldn't have happened. Ash... he's really amazing!" Serena said with a look of admiration and wonder.
This isn't just about how good Ash is; it's about—amazing!
Only these two words can summarize what has happened to Ash.
The deeper you understand Ash, the more incredible his achievements as a trainer seem. What normal trainers can do, Ash can do too; what normal trainers can't do, Ash can do!
The longer they travel, the deeper Serena's admiration for Ash grows, and the deeper her admiration deepens.
At the same time, she feels herself growing further and further away from Ash, because admiration is the furthest distance from understanding.
Just as Serena was lost in thought, Ash launched another attack!
"Pikachu, Zippy Zap!"With Ash's command, Pikachu, which had been slightly curled up due to the recoil from the high-voltage shock, suddenly stretched out its body, which was once again covered in a layer of electricity.
Suicune, on the other hand, had already stood up again. Legendary Pokémon, aside from other aspects, are undoubtedly among the most durable in the world. Regardless of the type, they all share one common characteristic: an incredibly high HP bar!
If it were an ordinary Water-type Champion-level Pokémon, that high-voltage shock would, if not incapacitate it, definitely cause serious damage. But Suicune, apart from the visible injuries, seemed basically unharmed.
Her immense stamina allows her to do whatever she wants!
As Pikachu's body flashed with golden light..."
A flash of colored lightning illuminated the attack, and Suicune's expression grew even more serious. This attack looked very similar to the previous one, but its power was much weaker. What should Suicune do? Should it use Whirlpool again to block it?
If it were only sensing the surface power, Whirlpool could definitely block this one. The previous high-voltage electric shock was only one level stronger than Whirlpool, and this attack would absolutely not be able to penetrate Whirlpool.
But Suicune had a feeling that this attack wasn't as simple as it seemed. So, after thinking for less than a fraction of a second, Suicune decided—not to defend!
"Whoa!!" A clear whooshing sound rang out, and a faint blue light shone from Suicune's body. An invisible force rushed towards Pikachu—Psychic Power!
Psychic Power is a psychic ability. If it hits an opponent, it can directly control them and use psychic powers to corrupt their body, causing a double blow to their mind and body.
Although this wasn't Suicune's signature move, it was one he used far more often than his own signature moves. Psychic moves were often very convenient, especially for a legendary Pokémon like himself; they were practically essential for displaying his power in front of humans.
From their first encounter, Suicune realized this Pikachu was incredibly fast!
Even with that mysterious power boosting its level, theoretically it was still significantly lower than Suicune. Yet, Pikachu's speed was not only on par with a speed-type Champion Pokémon, but its attack power was also ridiculously strong.
So Suicune decided to first use Psychic to control its opponent, then use Hydro Pump to damage it!
This combo should have completely overwhelmed Pikachu!
However, the plan was far from reality. Psychic reached Pikachu in less than a second, but the invisible force simply passed right through it!
Suicune froze for a moment, then suddenly realized that it was just an afterimage left by Pikachu; the real Pikachu was already…
"Pika Pika!!" A cute cry sent chills down Suicune's spine!
"Swoosh!!" Pikachu struck Suicune in the back from above with a powerful electric attack. Suicune's body instantly arched forward, and for a fleeting moment, Suicune even felt as if his spine had been broken.
The attack's power wasn't particularly strong, but it hit Suicune squarely in a vital spot. Every Pokémon, even the most powerful legendary Pokémon, has vital points, and not just in one place.
The higher the Pokémon's level, the fewer vital points it has. Legendary Pokémon probably only have two or three vital points left, making it extremely difficult to land a hit.
If a critical hit occurs, the damage from the move is multiplied, and all defensive buffs are nullified. Besides luck, there are moves that increase the chance of a critical hit, drawing the attacker towards the opponent's vitals.
Champion-level opponents rarely have critical hits, and Suicune hadn't expected its second attack to strike.
In an instant, Suicune understood the effect of Pikachu's move—speed, and the increased chance of a critical hit.
Without increased speed, it wouldn't leave such a realistic afterimage; without an increased chance of a critical hit, there was no reason it could strike its vitals in one blow.
After these thoughts flashed through its mind, Suicune's body slammed to the ground, creating a crater several meters deep and tens of meters in diameter!
The entire area covered by Mewtwo's barrier was transformed into a massive crater!
If it weren't for Mewtwo's limitations, the destructive power would probably be even greater! This is the impact of Champion-level battles on the field, which is why the League always prepares a top-tier Aegislash as a defensive measure whenever there's a Champion-level battle.
With the League's current technology, they're still a bit short of creating a defensive barrier that can withstand top-tier Champion-level combat, so they have to rely on the barrier created by Aegislash.
After knocking Suicune down with one attack, Pikachu used the recoil to bounce into the air, spinning 1080 degrees before straightening its body.
"Thunderbolt!" "Strike while the iron is hot!" Ash didn't hesitate to let Pikachu continue the attack. Their time was limited; they had to finish the battle quickly!
"Pikachu!!" Golden lightning flashed across the sky, filling the arena with golden light, almost blinding Misty and the others.
Thunderbolt hurtled towards Suicune with overwhelming force. Suicune tried to stand up and dodge, but even the most resilient legendary Pokémon couldn't withstand two super-effective attacks in quick succession—one a powerful Electric-type move, the other hitting its vitals.
These two attacks significantly weakened Suicune, rendering it unable to move.
"Boom!!" Thunderbolt struck Suicune, causing a massive explosion. Smoke billowed across the arena, obscuring the view.
However, the next second, a jet of water pierced through the smoke, aimed directly at Pikachu in the air!
"Floaty Fall!" Before the water jet even appeared, Ash's voice had already reached Pikachu's ears. Without Ash even speaking, Pikachu already knew his intentions.
An invisible force propelled Pikachu upwards from its descent, and the wingless Pikachu floated in mid-air. The water jet, predicting Pikachu's landing point, naturally missed and struck the surrounding barrier.
Ripples spread across the barrier; the Water Cannon attack, as expected, failed to break through. The smoke swirling around the arena dissipated due to the Water Cannon, revealing Suicune standing firmly on the ground.
"How could this be? Didn't the Thunderbolt work?" Serena couldn't help but exclaim.
Even if Suicune is a legendary Pokémon, Pikachu's strength is in no way inferior. How could a super effective move hit without causing any damage? If Suicune were truly that powerful, it wouldn't have been hit by the Electric Shock and Electric Speed Boost.
"It must have used Protect. Legendary Pokémon like Suicune know a wide variety of moves, and it can learn basic defensive moves like Protect. In that situation, it probably had no other option but to use Protect."
"It can withstand Thunderbolt!" Brock analyzed seriously, stroking his chin.
"It's practically impossible for Suicune to withstand Pikachu's Thunderbolt without any damage. The only explanation is that Suicune blocked the attack. But given Suicune's state, using an offensive move to counter it wouldn't be feasible. Therefore, there's only one conclusion: Suicune used the invincible absolute defense move, Protect."
"I see. Using Protect does allow you to counterattack immediately while defending against Pikachu's attack. This Suicune has a very high battle intelligence!" Misty nodded in agreement with Brock's assessment.
In that situation, even a trainer in command would struggle to think of a way to block Thunderbolt unless they had extensive experience, but Suicune reacted perfectly.
Suicune's battle intelligence is on par with some experienced trainers!
"But Ash and Pikachu reacted quickly too. Ash had Pikachu dodge before the Hydro Pump emerged from the mist. But... what is Pikachu doing? Is it flying?" Serena blinked, puzzled, looking at Pikachu floating in the sky.
Pikachu was now floating in the air, almost like it was flying. Its limbs were outstretched, and its entire body floated like a kite without any sign of falling.
Is this something Pikachu can do? It doesn't even have wings!
"Hehe, this is Ash's Pikachu!" Brock chuckled. Ash's Pikachu possessed all sorts of amazing abilities, from flying and burrowing to even surfing.
"Pikachu!!" Pikachu, still in mid-air, abruptly retracted its body and plummeted like a shooting star. Suicune was still completely bewildered by Pikachu's flight; when did Pikachu become a bird?
Before he could react, Pikachu had already crashed to the ground, its small body carrying an immense force, creating a whistling sound in the air.
"Bang—!!!"
Pikachu's body, imbued with immense force, slammed into Suicune's back like a falling meteor.
A terrifying roar echoed across the arena, and a violent gust of wind swept outwards from the point of impact, sending rubble flying several meters, and even the rock walls around the crater crumbling. Suicune let out a piercing scream.
While Flying-type moves have no super weakness against Suicune, the relentless attacks have already inflicted considerable damage. Even legendary Pokémon don't have inexhaustible stamina.
Feeling the impact on its back, Suicune prepared to make a desperate last stand with its Giga Impact, but suddenly realized it couldn't muster any strength. It was as if all its power was cowering inside its body, refusing to emerge.
This is… Cowardice?!
What move has a Cowardice effect?
"Now! Pikachu, use Thunderbolt after landing!" Ash's voice flashed with a sharp glint in his eyes. He precisely seized the moment when Suicune cowered and, without hesitation, commanded Pikachu to unleash the final attack!
Pikachu used the recoil from its descent to bounce lightly into the air, its small body performing a nimble flip before landing steadily on all fours.
The moment his feet touched the ground, he arched his body sharply, the golden electricity around him surging violently. Energy from a high-voltage shock, more intense than ever before, surged wildly across his skin. This attack was a gamble!
The tense atmosphere on the field spread to the sidelines. Serena held her breath, afraid to even exhale, lest she deflate Pikachu. Brock frowned, his expression grave as he watched the arena: "It looks like Suicune is backing down. If we can hit it before it recovers, then even if it is Suicune, that's the end of it."
"But conversely, if this attack fails to defeat Suicune, then Pikachu's stamina will be a concern," Misty added at this moment.
Although Pikachu's combat strength was comparable to Suicune's, Misty and Brock, as Ash's close associates, knew very well that the biggest problem with Pikachu in this state was its inability to sustain it.
Don't be fooled by the fact that Pikachu barely got a hit from Suicune; Pikachu's stamina is actually running low. If this Electric Shock attack doesn't finish off Suicune, the recoil from the Electric Shock alone will be enough to give Pikachu a run for its money!
So—we have to win!