"Trust Ash. Ash just blocked Dragonite's claw and was unharmed."
"If we stay here any longer, we'll only hold him back!"
As the saying goes, excessive worry leads to confusion.
Misty and Serena cared about Ash so deeply that they momentarily forgot—
Ash had just stood before them and stopped Dragonite's full-force attack with his own hands.
When Professor Bill reminded them, realization struck like lightning.
If they continued to stay here, they would definitely become a burden to Ash.
The two girls looked at each other, their eyes filled with helplessness and guilt.
Facing a powerful opponent, they couldn't help him.
They could only watch, powerless.
This feeling of weakness burned in their hearts stronger than ever before.
"We understand, Ash. Please be careful!"
"Ash… come back safe. We'll be waiting for you!"
Ash turned and smiled. "Don't worry. You know me—I never do anything I'm not ready for. Get ready, Pikachu!"
"Pika!!"
Pikachu had already been waiting impatiently, sparks flickering from its cheeks.
Ever since this journey began, it hadn't found a true opponent worth fighting.
Now, finally, one had appeared—a Pokémon so powerful it made his blood boil.
Judging by sheer presence, Dragonite was stronger than him.
But Pikachu had something Dragonite didn't have—his Trainer.
That bond was his greatest strength.
This would be his first real battle against a high-level opponent.
And Pikachu intended to win.
Professor Bill, who was hurrying away, couldn't resist turning back to look.
Was Ash seriously going to send that small Pikachu to fight against that gigantic Dragonite?
That was insane!
Bill had seen enough of Ash's strange power to believe he could survive Dragonite's attacks himself.
But this? Letting Pikachu face something a hundred times its size?
That seemed impossible!
Yet, while Bill doubted, the giant Dragonite had already finished dealing with the bazooka-wielding Team Rocket.
The three fools were sent flying into the sky again, their voices echoing as they disappeared.
Dragonite then turned her eyes toward Ash.
In her heart, she already regarded Ash as part of that same group of attackers.
Moments ago, they had been communicating peacefully.
Now, after being struck by a rocket, she thought she had been deceived!
The one she trusted had betrayed her!
Her fury erupted like a storm.
"Rooaaar!!"
A mighty roar split the air as Dragonite opened her enormous jaws.
A terrifying light began to condense inside her mouth—energy powerful enough to erase everything before her.
Ash's expression hardened the instant he sensed the energy.
If that blast hit, the entire Bill Lighthouse would be annihilated.
Even Misty and the others would be caught in the explosion.
"Pikachu! Stop her! Use Thunder!!"
"Pikaaaaaa!!"
Electric sparks danced across Pikachu's body before bursting into a massive surge of golden lightning that pierced the clouds.
The ancient Dragonite paused mid-charge, stunned by the power.
This… energy!
It wasn't much weaker than her own!
How could a Pokémon so small contain such tremendous force?
The golden thunder seemed to vanish into the dark sky—
But that was merely the silence before the storm.
Moments later, lightning coiled within the clouds, flashing wildly.
Then came the eruption.
A blinding bolt of thunder tore across the heavens, splitting the night apart!
Misty, Serena, and Bill, who had barely made it downstairs, turned around instinctively.
And what they saw made their hearts stop.
Thunder rolled across the blackened sky like the wrath of the gods, illuminating the world in brilliant gold.
The falling lightning collided head-on with the massive destructive beam from Dragonite's mouth.
In an instant, the world trembled violently.
The shockwaves alone shattered glass, sent stones flying, and made the ground quake beneath their feet.
Misty and Serena almost fell from the stairs, their bodies trembling from the force.
They could hardly believe what they were witnessing.
Was that really Pikachu's power?
The same Pikachu that usually sat quietly on Ash's shoulder?
Now it looked like a creature capable of splitting heaven and earth apart.
No wonder Ash rarely let Pikachu fight in normal battles.
He was simply too strong.
Even during their travels, Pikachu rarely stepped in.
Most of the time, it was Frogadier, Bulbasaur, or Charmander who handled wild Pokémon.
They had assumed Pikachu was just Ash's partner—
But now, it was clear.
This small Pokémon possessed terrifying, world-shaking strength hidden behind that adorable appearance.
Though it sounded unbelievable, seeing it in person left no room for doubt.
Pikachu's thunder crashed against Dragonite's energy beam again and again, each collision creating shockwaves strong enough to shake the lighthouse's foundations.
The upper portion of Bill's Lighthouse had already been reduced to rubble from the backlash.
Ash stood on the cliff's edge, surrounded by flying debris, his eyes fixed firmly on Dragonite.
The power of Pikachu's Thunder—amplified by his "Thunder God" entry—was overwhelming, far beyond a normal Elite-level Pokémon's strength.
Still, even that might not be enough to overpower a being at the peak of Elite rank.
The reason Pikachu's thunder could match Dragonite's beam was because Ash had activated the full extent of his waveguide.
His aura merged with Pikachu's, forming a powerful fusion state.
Together, Trainer and Pokémon fought as one.
With their strength combined, they managed to suppress the destructive beam.
The air shook. Energy crackled like stars colliding.
Ancient Pokémon were truly terrifying—
Their power surpassed even the limits of modern species!
"Push her back, Pikachu!"
"Pikaaaaaa!!!"
Ash's command rang through their shared link.
Pikachu roared, its body flaring with electricity as it forced Dragonite's attack backward.
Then came a final explosion.
Lightning and the beam met in a brilliant burst of light that consumed the entire sky.
"Boom!!!"
The thunderclap that followed echoed for miles, sending waves crashing violently below.
Thick smoke billowed through the air, covering the entire battlefield.
Ash narrowed his eyes, sensing through the aura.
Dragonite's presence was still strong.
The attack had only slightly weakened her energy.
As the smoke cleared, the colossal Dragonite emerged—her scales scorched but her body still steady.
She wasn't defeated. Not even close.
Her strength and endurance were proof of what it meant to be a super ancient Pokémon.
Even after taking Pikachu's lightning head-on while standing in seawater, she remained unharmed.
Ash's grip tightened as he stared up at the sky.
This battle was far from over.
(End of Chapter 41)