In an open area not far from the Science Museum's gates, the Pokémon battle between Aomori and Ash continued.
Meanwhile, perched in a nearby tree, the main protagonist trio, though late to the party, were spying on the scene with binoculars.
"Isn't that the handsome guy from last time?" Jessie immediately recognized Aomori.
"Yes, and his Pokémon are really something," James said, still clearly remembering Absol.
"We gotta catch that Absol and give it to the boss, Meowth! Think about it, Meowth! After a long, tiring day of work, the boss's body and mind are exhausted. Then, Absol appears, lets out a soft cry, nuzzles up to the boss, and lets him stroke its fluffy body—the boss's fatigue will just melt away, Meowth! Then the boss will say,"
Meowth imitated Giovanni's voice, saying, "Meowth and the others brought me such a wonderful Pokémon! I'm giving them a big promotion and a raise, Meowth!"
"And then we'll become regional department heads and reach the peak of our lives!" Jessie and James fantasized about the scene, their faces alight with longing.
"But that guy is super powerful. We couldn't catch anything last time," James pointed out.
"No worries, Meowth! This time, I've come up with a brilliant plan, Meowth!" Meowth extended a paw and gave an ominous grin.
Jessie and James played along, acting like they were bowing in reverence, and then the three of them burst into a low, sleazy laugh together.
…
Back to Aomori's side, after Absol defeated Poliwag, Aomori suddenly turned his head and casually glanced behind him. Then, he gently stomped his foot. The shadow behind him twitched, then lay completely still again.
At this moment, Brock said, "Ash, you need to send out another Pokémon."
"I know." Ash slowly retreated to his original spot.
"Pika Pi! Pikachu!" Pikachu immediately jumped in front of Ash, looking at him seriously. It wanted to battle, too.
"Sorry, Pikachu, not this time. I want my other Pokémon to have a chance to battle Aomori too."
"Pika..." Pikachu's mood dropped, its long ears drooping down.
"Next time. I promise I'll let you fight next time." After comforting Pikachu, Ash thought for a moment and threw out another Poké Ball. "I'm counting on you this time!"
A beam of red light shot out of the Poké Ball, transforming into a large bird with a tuft of red feathers on its head.
"Pidgeotto? Ash, you idiot! Pidgeotto won't stand up to Thunderbolt either! Why didn't you send out Pikachu?" Misty watched from the side, getting anxious.
"Oh, it's a Pidgeotto. In that case, Absol, you come back and take a rest." Seeing the look of disgust on Absol's face as it stood in the mud, Aomori recalled it and then sent out his own Pidgeotto.
"Ah, Aomori sent out a Pidgeotto, too?"
"And this Pidgeotto... its eyes are sharp, its feathers are glossy, and it's well-built and sturdy. It's truly been raised well," Brock assessed from a professional standpoint.
Aomori's Pidgeotto was valorous and battle-ready; it was fighting a storm when they first met. Later, in the Sword Art Online Dungeon, it constantly slayed monsters alongside Aomori. Plus, food was never a concern. Whether in One-Punch Man's world or the Dungeon, Aomori was always generous with food, ensuring Pidgeotto had a feast of fish and meat at every meal.
As a result, Aomori's Pidgeotto had developed incredibly well. Just by size, it was twice as big as Ash's. Standing side-by-side, the difference was stark.
Sensing the "Alpha" Pidgeotto's malevolent gaze, the "Novice" Pidgeotto trembled with fear. If not for its inherently pure nature and reluctance to let down its young master, it would have fled the battleground long ago.
Ash also felt the odds were low, but he couldn't lose his fighting spirit. "Don't be afraid, Pidgeotto! What does a big size matter? We can't lose just like that!"
The Novice Pidgeotto: "..."
You try it, then!
Regardless, the battle had to continue.
Since Aomori had switched his Pokémon, Ash still got the first move.
"Pidgeotto, use Gust!"
"Pidgeotto, you use Gust, too!" Aomori chose the exact same move.
The two Pidgeotto flapped their wings, and a strong gale immediately swept across the field. Misty held her head and shouted, "Ugh, my hair is going to be a mess!"
The power of the Gust unleashed by the Novice Pidgeotto was clearly no match for the Alpha Pidgeotto's. It was overpowered after two seconds and its body was blown high up into the air.
"Pidgeotto, use the wind to fly high, then hit the enemy with Quick Attack!" Ash yelled up at the Pidgeotto soaring far above. Miraculously, Pidgeotto heard him.
"Pidgeotto, use Quick Attack immediately."
The two Pidgeotto—one ascending, one descending—engaged in another head-on clash. Just as they were about to connect, Aomori suddenly said, "Dodge, then use Gust!"
Aomori's Pidgeotto tilted its body just as they were about to crash, narrowly avoiding Ash's Pidgeotto. Then, it blasted the downward-charging bird with Gust.
"Ah, Pidgeotto, stop right now!" Ash cried out in a panic.
But with the added force of the gale, the Novice Pidgeotto couldn't control its body at all. It plummeted straight into the ground, its eyes spinning in confusion.
"Pidgeotto is unable to battle. Ash, you need to send out your last Pokémon," Brock stated.
"Ash is such a big idiot. He just started his journey, how could he possibly beat Aomori?" Misty covered her eyes, unable to watch any further.
"Pidgeotto, you did really well." Ash recalled Pidgeotto and felt for his last Poké Ball. "I'm counting on you for this last one!"
He sent out his final Pokémon. The red light faded, leaving a green, worm-like Pokémon on the field.
Misty truly couldn't watch now: "That idiot Ash! Using Caterpie against Pidgeotto! Is he trying to lose on purpose?"
"A Caterpie? It hasn't evolved yet?" Aomori was slightly surprised, watching the Caterpie arch its body and hop in front of him. Its large eyes were wide and round.
"Hmm, you look a little familiar." He rubbed his chin, searching his memory. "I've defeated countless Caterpie, but only one is the most special. It was the first Pokémon I met there, and it guided the way for me. I'm very grateful to it. You must be the one."
"Eee-eee!" Tears welled up in Caterpie's eyes as it nodded frantically. Then, it shook away its tears and looked at Aomori with burning intensity.
"You want to defeat me?" Aomori smiled. "Your opponent isn't me, though. It's him."
The Alpha Pidgeotto spread its wings, hovering high above Caterpie, completely engulfing it in its shadow. It let out a loud cry: "Pidgeo!"
How dare a mere food source act so presumptuous?!
Caterpie's gaze sharpened. It stared back at Pidgeotto, utterly unafraid, and faint sparks of fighting spirit flickered between the two.
"What's going on?" Ash and his friends were clueless about the exchange.
"Nothing. Let's continue the battle," Aomori said casually, giving Caterpie a knowing look.
Caterpie nodded and returned to Ash's side, its fighting energy surging.
"I don't know what happened, but we have spirit, and that's what matters!" Ash, who knew no such word as "defeat," clenched his fist, threw his arm up, and shouted, "Go, Caterpie! Use Tackle!"
"Then you go, too, Pidgeotto! Use Quick Attack!"
The great battle was about to begin!
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You can read the ahead chapter on Patr if you're interested: p-atre-on.c-om/Overgod [Just remove the hyphen to access normally]