Chapter 119: Thunder Badge

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Come on, Raichu!" Zhora gritted his teeth in frustration. He couldn't understand why Ash's Pikachu was so strong. Shouldn't an evolved Pokémon like Raichu be more powerful? After all, by all logic, it should have the advantage over Pikachu. Why then was his own Raichu repeatedly being outperformed by Pikachu?

Raichu pushed itself off the ground with its hands, its body aching, and looked at Pikachu. There was a strange sensation in Raichu's heart—this Pikachu was different from the others. The feeling it had before the battle had been right; this Pikachu was no ordinary opponent.

"Charge forward and use a million-ton punch!" Zhora decided to change his strategy, hoping Raichu's powerful move would turn the tide.

The million-ton punch was a formidable attack. Zhora was confident that if Raichu could land it, even if it didn't knock Pikachu out, it would at least weaken it enough to make victory achievable.

"Thunder!" Raichu rushed forward at high speed. Its agility was impressive, and as it ran, it focused its energy into its right fist, forming a translucent, glowing energy fist.

"Quick Attack, then Thunderbolt!" Ash immediately countered, giving Pikachu the advantage. Raichu's speed was impressive, but Pikachu's Quick Attack would make sure to keep the distance.

"Pikachu—!" Pikachu launched itself forward with Quick Attack, moving at lightning speed. The distance between it and Raichu grew, preventing the two from closing the gap.

"Dammit!" Zhora muttered under his breath. His Raichu had evolved too early, lacking essential moves like Quick Attack or Agility. Now, he was starting to realize that evolving his Pokémon prematurely wasn't the best choice.

Before Raichu could close the distance, Pikachu took full advantage and launched a Thunderbolt, sending a bolt of lightning crashing into Raichu.

"Thunder!" Raichu cried out in pain as the electric currents paralyzed its body, freezing it in place while the Thunderbolt continued to strike.

The power of the attack overwhelmed Raichu, and when the electricity dissipated, the Pokémon fell to the ground, struggling to stay conscious. Raichu was clearly exhausted, barely able to stand.

"Get up, Raichu!" Zhora yelled, his voice filled with desperation. He clenched his fists, urging Raichu to push through its exhaustion.

Not giving Raichu a moment's respite, Ash ordered Pikachu to follow up. "Don't give it a chance! Use Thunder Shock!"

Pikachu immediately released a small yet powerful Thunder Shock, sending a burst of electricity toward Raichu. The attack wasn't as powerful as Thunderbolt, but it was enough to finish off the weakened Raichu.

Raichu collapsed to the ground, unable to continue the battle. "Raichu is unable to fight, Pikachu wins!" the referee announced.

"Since Gym Leader Zhora has lost all three of his Pokémon, the challenger Ash wins this gym challenge!"

"Great job, Ash!" Misty cheered from the stands, jumping up with excitement. Though it was expected that Ash would win, seeing him do so in such a commanding fashion was thrilling.

Brock smiled too, though he remained calm. He was proud of Ash and his Pokémon's performance.

The audience erupted in cheers. It was the first time they'd witnessed a challenger defeat Zhora so decisively. The crowd couldn't believe what they'd just seen.

"That was amazing!" one student exclaimed. It was the first time they'd seen a challenger defeat Zhora in such a one-sided battle. Zhora was known to be a strong Gym Leader, but this was something else. Even though other challengers like Gary had managed to beat him before, none had done so with such a crushing victory.

"Great job, Pikachu!" Ash called out as Pikachu ran back to him. Pikachu jumped into Ash's arms, then quickly climbed onto his shoulders. Ash's heart swelled with pride for his loyal partner.

Pikachu, though happy, felt a slight sense of dissatisfaction. It felt as though the battle had ended too quickly, that it hadn't had a chance to fully unleash its power.

"Come back, Raichu…" Zhora sighed, recalling his Pokémon. He stood up, walked toward Ash, and exhaled deeply, preparing to give Ash the Thunder Badge.

When Zhora finally stood in front of Ash, the young trainer finished his celebration and turned toward him. Zhora was much taller, towering over Ash, whose height only reached Zhora's waist.

"You… you're very good…" Zhora admitted, giving Ash and Pikachu a long, thoughtful look. He took the Badge from a staff member beside him and handed it to Ash.

The Thunder Badge was a symbol of Ash's victory. The badge was shaped like an eight-pointed star, with an orange gemstone in the center surrounded by a yellow ring, resembling the sun.

"Thank you!" Ash accepted the badge, placing it carefully in the box he had prepared. Now, with three badges in hand, he had five more to collect before he could participate in the Indigo Plateau Conference.

"Honestly, even though you defeated me, I still believe that if your Pokémon had evolved, this battle would have been much easier for you," Zhora said thoughtfully. Despite losing, he still held on to his belief that evolved Pokémon were inherently stronger.

"I think so too," Ash replied with a smile. He nodded to Zhora before turning and heading for the exit.

Zhora blinked in surprise, watching Ash's back as he left the battle hall. Slowly, a smile spread across Zhora's face, widening more and more. Just before Ash exited, he heard a loud voice shout from behind.

"You kid, your name is Ash, right? I'll remember you! If I have the chance, I'll definitely challenge you again!" Zhora called out.

Ash didn't turn around, but he paused for a moment, then waved back at Zhora as he continued on his way out of the Gym.

"Interesting guy…" Zhora mused, no longer seeing Ash as just a child. He had earned Zhora's respect. Ash's strength had truly impressed him.

"But next time… I won't lose!" Zhora vowed, clenching his fists with determination. He turned back to his seat, ready to face the next challenger with the same grin. The Vermilion Gym would remain a tough place to beat!

And as for Zhora… he was lightning tough!

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