Chapter 89: One-to-One Victory

"You don't seriously expect to send Pikachu, a Pokémon better suited as a pet for girls, into battle?" Giselle sneered as she eyed Pikachu, her words dripping with sarcasm.

"Look down on Pikachu, huh?" Ash responded with a strange look. Even in the original timeline, Pikachu had already bested the Pokémon under Giselle's command, and now,

Ash's Pikachu had the power of Osiris's soaring dragon inheritance. Giselle had no idea how badly she was underestimating Pikachu.

"Pika! Pika Pikachu!" Pikachu was visibly angry, glaring at Giselle. Being mocked by a human like this was something he wouldn't tolerate.

"I'll even let you make the first move," Giselle said with a light chuckle as she tossed a Poké Ball.

"Think of it as a freebie. Go, Cubone!"

In a flash of white light, Cubone appeared on the battlefield, clutching its Bone Club. 

[Cubone] 

- Type: Ground 

- Category: Lonely Pokémon 

- Ability: Hardhead or Lightning Rod;

-Hidden Ability: Battle Armor 

- Strength: Bronze 

Cubone, with its short stature, bone mask, and fierce little weapon, looked ready for battle. Ash realized that Cubone, being a Ground-type, had a clear advantage.

Electric-type attacks wouldn't work against Ground-types, and Giselle was obviously counting on that.

"So that's why she taunted me into sending Pikachu," Ash thought. Giselle wasn't just strong, she was clever. By mocking Pikachu, she had hoped to lure Ash into an unfavorable type matchup.

Despite this, Ash smirked. He glanced at Pikachu. He wouldn't allow Giselle to insult his trusted partner. Pikachu had faced tougher challenges.

Ash raised his hand confidently. "You're up, Pikachu!"

"Pika——!" Pikachu's eyes gleamed with determination. He leaped forward, landing in the middle of the battlefield in a fighting stance.

Misty and Brock exchanged worried looks.

"Is this really a good idea?" Misty asked, knowing full well that Pikachu was at a disadvantage against Cubone.

Even the school principal and his assistant, who were watching, seemed disappointed.

They had expected more from Ash, but it seemed he had been easily provoked, sending out Pikachu when it was clearly the wrong choice.

Giselle smirked. Everything was going according to her plan. "This is just too easy. You're either overly confident or simply foolish. Go ahead and make your move."

Unfazed, Ash calmly issued his command. "Pikachu, Quick Attack!"

"Pikapika——!" Pikachu shot forward, his body glowing with white energy as he closed the distance between himself and Cubone in a flash.

Giselle looked unimpressed. "Cubone, use Bone Club!"

Cubone swung its weapon with precision, its Ground-type energy empowering the attack. However, just as the Bone Club was about to strike, Pikachu disappeared like a blur, leaving Cubone swinging at thin air.

*Bang!* Pikachu reappeared at Cubone's side, using the momentum of his speed to slam into Cubone's waist, sending the small Pokémon flying several meters.

"What?!" Giselle gasped, taken aback by Pikachu's sheer speed. Cubone had excellent defense, and while the hit didn't deal much damage, it clearly angered the Pokémon.

Cubone growled, furious that it had missed Pikachu and taken a blow in return.

"Just because the type gives you an advantage doesn't mean everything," Ash said confidently, clenching his fist. "Pikachu, use Quick Attack again!"

"Pika!" Pikachu sprinted forward, moving at lightning speed once more.

Before Cubone could react, Pikachu had already appeared behind it, ramming into Cubone with another Quick Attack and sending it tumbling forward.

"Cubone!" The small Ground-type cried out, struggling to keep up with Pikachu's blinding speed. The distance between them was so short that Cubone couldn't even track Pikachu's movements.

Giselle frowned in frustration. "This isn't how it was supposed to go... Ground-types should easily overpower Electric-types!"

Her carefully laid plans were unraveling before her eyes. The students, too, were in shock. Giselle was supposed to be the strongest among them, yet she was losing ground in the battle.

Misty couldn't help but chime in with a sarcastic comment. "So this is the best the number one student of the Pokémon Research School has to offer? I expected more."

Giselle quickly regained her composure, knowing the battle wasn't over yet. "Cubone, get up and use Bonemerang!" 

Cubone steadied itself, gripping its Bone Club tightly.

With a flick of its wrist, it launched the bone in a boomerang-like arc, sending it hurtling toward Pikachu. Giselle was determined to turn the tide of the battle with this one decisive move.

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Adios