Chapter 23: Satoshi: I’m Going to Get Big-Headed!
Veil City.
The moment he saw Regirock fall.
Kojiro was so shocked he couldn’t speak.
Speak?
What could he say?
Facing a Pikachu that had defeated Mr. Genshi and a legendary Pokémon.
What else could he say?
Regirock, that was one of the pillars alongside Registeel and Regice!
Kojiro remembered the time he lost to Registeel and Regice.
Then he looked at Pikachu’s god-slaying feat of one-shotting a full-health Regirock...
Ridiculous!
Utterly ridiculous!
Ridiculously absurd to the point of being unbelievable!
He almost had to pinch himself hard to make sure he wasn’t dreaming. He was on the verge of fainting from breathlessness.
This result…
It was simply too hard to believe!
Next to Kojiro, Shigeru, who had been silent all along, saw Pikachu one-shot Regirock.
His eyes lit up completely.
This guy… looks so weak.
So he’s actually this strong?
“Satoshi and Pikachu, huh… good! I’ve remembered your names!”
“When I become a Trainer, I’ll definitely find you and challenge you!”
“I’ll use my strength to prove that I, Shigeru, am the strongest Trainer!”
Shigeru's expression was calm, but there was a blazing fire in his eyes.
He had thought.
His only rivals were champions and elite four.
Until this moment.
Shigeru realized what it meant to be a man outside the world, a sky outside the sky.
He needed to defeat even more opponents!
But even so, he would never give up!
…
The Cerulean Gym.
Seeing Pikachu one-shot Regirock.
Giovanni sat on his throne, speechless for a long time.
The hand that was stroking Persian's fur trembled.
“The weak, uncontrollable, numerous Pikachu… defeated the legendary Pokémon Regirock?”
“Is… is this real?”
After a long time, Giovanni came to his senses.
His eyes looking at the screen.
Still full of disbelief and incredulity.
No.
For this kind of result.
If Giovanni hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he would have thought someone was pulling his leg.
One is Pikachu.
The other is Regirock.
Pikachu one-shotting a full-health Regirock?
Listen, listen, listen!
What are you saying!
If there wasn’t a screen.
Upon hearing such news.
Giovanni would have yelled "Absurd!"
Even lies have to have some basic logic, alright!
But Giovanni saw it with his own eyes.
So he was even more incredulous.
“Pikachu can one-shot a full-health Regirock?”
“Is this Pikachu really not a legendary?”
“Like Zapdos or Zeraora, a legendary being?”
“No no no!”
“Even Arceus and Zeraora couldn’t do it in one shot!”
“Can Mewtwo?”
“Hmm… suddenly I’m not so sure.”
Giovanni stared intently at the screen, comparing the Pokémon in his memory with Regirock one by one.
Winning, maybe it’s possible to win.
One-shotting…
Not so sure.
So that means—
Ordinary Pokémon can also have strength comparable to, or even surpassing, legendary Pokémon, right?
For a moment.
Giovanni’s long-held beliefs seemed to waver.
Quickly.
Giovanni calmed down.
His expression returned to its usual seriousness.
No.
Not all ordinary Pokémon can achieve this.
Satoshi is special.
Satoshi’s Pikachu is also special.
If it were anyone else.
To get this far, the best option.
Is still to have a legendary Pokémon!
…
“I… I I I… I really won?”
When Satoshi saw Pikachu defeat Regirock on the screen.
His eyes were blank.
His voice was full of excitement and disbelief.
Won… won?
He won against the supposedly super powerful, legendary Pokémon Regirock?
“Yes, Satoshi, you won.”
Takeshi was also very surprised, but he still nodded and said slowly.
Satoshi, finally coming to his senses, excitedly hugged Pikachu and began spinning in circles.
“Ahhhh!”
“Pikachu!”
“We won!”
“Look, look! We won against that super awesome, legendary guy!”
“I knew it! We’re the best!”
“Pika! Pika pika!”
Pikachu also excitedly waved its little arms, its cheeks flushed, echoing Satoshi’s words.
That's right!
They are the best!
“That’s Satoshi in the future!”
“What are you excited about now?”
“Can you use your brain a little? You're a rookie who relies on others to give you badges right now!”