Inside the Viridian Gym, Ash and Giovanni were sealed within a dome of golden light that completely cut them off from the outside world. Even Pikachu's full-power Thunderbolt didn't leave so much as a ripple on the barrier.
Ash pressed his hand against the surface, testing its resilience. After a moment he withdrew it, eyes narrowing.
"You really went all out. This thing has to be a priceless artifact, and you're using it on me?"
Even with his current power, already approaching the God Realm, he doubted he could shatter this barrier. Its strength was on an entirely different level.
Giovanni had explained the basics: the contract judged the stakes, accepted only wagers of similar weight, and once established, not even gods could interfere until the duel concluded. For Giovanni, the initiator, the contract allowed his own wager to be slightly smaller, but even so, he had offered half of Team Rocket.
Just to obtain him.
"You really value me that highly?" Ash asked.
Giovanni smiled. "Your potential surpasses anything I've ever seen. Even the world Champion, Leon, the man touted as unmatched in history, won't be able to compare to you once you grow. So yes, securing you is worth any price."
"And if I win? All that effort of yours evaporates."
Giovanni burst out laughing. "Then beat me! What does it matter if I disband half of Team Rocket? You think you can?"
From Giovanni's perspective, Ash's displayed strength barely brushed Champion. Against Giovanni's true main force, Ash didn't stand a chance. Even a six-on-one would be hopeless. The two-on-two "half Gym Leader, half Rocket Boss" setup was a trap, one Giovanni believed Ash had stepped into perfectly.
"Ash, pick the low Pesk first!" Gary yelled from outside. "If you beat Giovanni's first Pokémon quickly, you can two-on-one his second! Otherwise, if he sends out anything above early Champion, it's impossible!"
Gary had recovered from his panic. He knew Giovanni's vindictive nature all too well. Since Giovanni had offered a seemingly generous wager, he had to be planning something.
Ash only gave Gary a small smile. "Don't worry. I know what I'm doing. Also, his shield blocks all battle fallout, so none of you will get hurt."
Giovanni raised an eyebrow. "Still worrying about your companions? You don't actually believe you can defeat me, do you?"
"Of course I'll win. And I'll win cleanly. But if you get knocked out by the aftershock of the battle, that counts as my victory, right?"
The golden shield kept the outside world safe, but inside, both Ash and Giovanni were completely exposed. If Giovanni were hit by even a stray shockwave, he'd lose immediately.
"So that's your plan? I've accounted for that." Giovanni lifted a hand.
A shimmering blue barrier formed around him, dense, overwhelming Psychic power. Ash instantly recognized it: Mewtwo's energy, shaped into a protective shield. Even a Champion-level full-force hit wouldn't break it.
Giovanni smirked. "Now then, let's choose the fate of the first round. Will you listen to the professor's grandson and pick the weakest level? Even if you do, two-on-one won't save you."
"No need." Ash stepped forward, voice steady. "I told you, I'm not losing. I'll chose High level Pokemon."
He had no intention of cutting corners. He trusted his power, and the power of the parallel self he could draw upon.
Giovanni blinked, then chuckled. "High level? Perfect. I happen to have only one High Pokémon… and it's a high-level one."
He tossed a Poké Ball. A massive shape materialized, Rhyperior.
A mountain of armor plates and stone muscle, radiating brutal power. Its presence alone felt like a battlefield hazard.
Rock/Ground.
High-level.
Instantly eliminating Pikachu and Charizard as viable options. Against an opponent like this, type disadvantage wasn't a hurdle, it was a death sentence.
Giovanni had clearly studied Ash's team in detail. He knew exactly which two Pokémon were Ash's strongest, and by forcing a matchup that completely countered Pikachu and Charizard, he'd effectively cut off Ash's two biggest weapons.
Outside the barrier, Misty and Brock both looked tense. Gary didn't know Ash's exact current strength, but based on his understanding of Ash, if things were truly hopeless, Ash absolutely wouldn't be wearing that confident look on his face.
"I prepared something special for you, transferred straight from Professor Oak's lab! I choose you, Venusaur!"
The Poké Ball burst open mid-air. A massive silhouette landed with a heavy thud, shaking the entire arena. Thick legs, a huge blooming bud, Ash's Venusaur had arrived.
Ever since catching Bulbasaur, Ash had rarely used it in Gym battles. Aside from that one extraordinary fight against Koga, it had been quietly training back at Oak's ranch. And despite not appearing often, Venusaur's growth had never lagged behind Charizard's.
"Venusaur… so that really is the same Bulbasaur from before," Giovanni mused. "It's grown, but has its strength grown with its size? Can you still recreate the miracle you pulled against Koga, Ash?"
Giovanni showed no concern at all. Even with a quadruple type advantage, a low-level Venusaur shouldn't be able to touch a high-level Rhyperior, and his Rhyperior was even stronger than it appeared.
Unless Ash used the same mysterious power as before, Venusaur wouldn't stand a chance.
Ash's response was simple:
"No need for Victini's blessing… Go, Venusaur, MEGA EVOLVE!"
He raised his right hand. The Key Stone on his wrist erupted with color, and the Mega Stone embedded in Venusaur's body responded instantly. A blaze of rainbow light connected them, then wrapped around Venusaur's entire body.
In less than a second, the transformation ended. A sturdier frame. Larger petals. A blooming pink flower atop its head. The massive back flower spreading into a broad canopy.
This was Mega Venusaur.
Giovanni's confident smile shattered. His pupils trembled violently as he stared at the transformed Pokémon.
"W-What… WHAT is that?!"
Misty, Brock, and Gary all gasped, covering their mouths in shock. They knew about Mega Evolution in theory, of course, but they had no idea Ash possessed Venusaur's Mega Stone or a Key Stone.
"This kid, always giving people heart attacks!"
"He really saved that one for last…"
"With Mega Evolution and a four-times advantage… maybe he really can win this!"
Compared to the battle against Lorelei's Glaceon, where Ash's Charizard had to fight far above its natural level, this matchup seemed almost favorable. A Mega-Evolved Venusaur versus a high-level Rhyperior? This was probably the best setup Ash had gotten in a long time.
Outside the gym, Agatha and Lorelei were stunned. The camera angle didn't capture the Key Stone on Ash's hand, but they clearly heard him shout:
"MEGA EVOLUTION!"
This wasn't some accidental burst of power. From the tone of Ash's command, from the certainty in his gaze, it was clear, this evolution already had a name. Meaning Ash had discovered it long before this battle.
"Venusaur can evolve again? What kind of evolution is this?" Agatha muttered, eyes narrowing. "Lorelei, you traveled with that boy for a while. You mean to tell me you didn't notice anything like this?"
Lorelei let out a helpless sigh, rubbing her temples, an expression of pure resignation on her face.
"I spent, what, a week with him? And most of that was training sessions at dawn. How was I supposed to notice something this outrageous?"
Judging by how naturally Ash triggered the evolution, this wasn't a random phenomenon. It was deliberate, a form he could invoke at will, one meant purely for battle. Knowing Ash, he definitely wouldn't let his Pokémon transform like this just for fun on a regular morning walk.
"It looks like… something similar to Gigantamax," Lorelei continued thoughtfully. "A special battle transformation. Gigantamax returns to normal after three turns or when the battle ends. Maybe this 'Mega Evolution' also has a limited duration… if it can revert at all."
Lorelei exhaled slowly, unable to hide the wonder on her face.
"If this evolution really can revert after battle… this would shake the entire Pokémon world. A controlled, repeatable evolution? The impact would be even bigger than Gigantamax."