The Gigantamax phenomenon relies on concentrated energy, creating a massive energy body that boosts a Pokémon's physical might and converts its techniques into powerful G-Max moves.
Ordinary evolution, meanwhile, increases a Pokémon's base potential and helps it rise in level.
If this MEGA Evolution Ash just revealed carries the same fundamental effects as a normal evolution while remaining temporary and controllable, then this new system isn't just comparable to Gigantamax, it might surpass it entirely.
Gigantamax may be strong, but its limits are severe: it can only be used once per battle, and only within the Galar region. MEGA Evolution, on the other hand, can be triggered here in Kanto, likely in other regions too.
If MEGA Evolution is a system usable anywhere in the world, then its strategic value far exceeds that of Gigantamax.
And that's exactly why the situation has become dangerous.
If Ash loses this battle, he'll be forced into Team Rocket under the contract's terms. And with Ash under Giovanni's control, the secrets of MEGA Evolution would be at Team Rocket's fingertips. They'd be the first to acquire the stones, the first to study the method, and the first to weaponize it.
So the conclusion is brutally clear: Ash absolutely cannot lose.
Were it not for Arceus's Contract, Lorelei and Agatha would already have stormed the Viridian Gym to drag Ash out of there. But the contract's divine enforcement makes interference impossible.
Ash's value at this moment already eclipses that of a Champion.
Why didn't he tell them he possessed something like this?!Had they known, there is no universe in which they would have let him walk into a confrontation with the leader of Team Rocket.
But regret meant nothing now. All they could do was pray he would unleash the overwhelming force he displayed against Koga, and defeat Giovanni outright.
Inside the sealed battlefield, Mega Venusaur's power surged. With its MEGA Evolution complete, its overall strength vaulted past mid tier high tier. A brilliant blue aura flowed between Ash and Venusaur, synchronizing their energy, and Venusaur's presence nearly matched Rhyperior's.
Giovanni's eyelid twitched violently. A jump from mid to high level combat ability in a single moment? Ash's mysterious enhancement abilities were far more absurd than he'd expected.
Even so, Giovanni remained unfazed. To him, this first battle was irrelevant. He had anticipated Ash choosing a lower difficulty. Choosing High difficulty simply made Ash easier to crush.
Ash was still treating this like a normal Gym challenge. But the moment the Arceus Contract formed, the battle became one that determined both of their futures.
Giovanni had already decided: on the second round, he would unleash his strongest Pokémon, end the match instantly, and claim Ash for Team Rocket.
He had already baited Ash into the trap; now he only needed to close it.
But what he hadn't predicted… was that Venusaur could evolve again. Bulbasaur's final form evolving once more defied every piece of knowledge he had.
His questions went unanswered, Ash had no reason to disclose anything now. They were enemies, locked in a fight where even breathing wrong might cost everything.
Giovanni forcibly calmed himself. It didn't matter how this evolution worked. If he defeated Ash, every one of Ash's secrets, his abilities, his strange powers, his Mega Evolution, would all become Team Rocket property.
"All right then, Mega Venusaur, show me your strength. Frenzy Plant!"
Ash's command rang out sharply.
"Venaa!!"
Mega Venusaur slammed its forelegs into the ground, and the entire arena rumbled as enormous thorned roots tore upward like living spears.
"Rhyperior, Stone Edge."
Rhyperior stomped down, and jagged pillars of rock erupted in response.
BOOM!!
Roots and stone collided in a violent cascade of explosions, debris flying as the two forces crushed into each other with overwhelming power.
A faint light flickered in Mega Venusaur's eyes. More of its powerful vitality surged into the ground, and even more thorn-covered vines erupted from beneath the Gym floor, twisting like giant pythons as they lunged to entangle Rhyperior.
"Rhyperior, Hammer Arm," Giovanni commanded coolly.
Rhyperior didn't hesitate. It slammed its massive arms through the tangle of vines, each swing whipping up a sharp gust of wind. The roots shattered on impact, reduced to splinters that scattered across the floor. In just a few strikes, Rhyperior had carved out a clean zone around itself.
With Frenzy Plant momentarily halted, Giovanni seized his chance.
"Rhyperior-Earthquake."
"Rrrroaar!!"
Rhyperior stomped down with all its weight. The entire Viridian Gym trembled. A violent shockwave rippled outward, and the brunt of the attack surged straight toward Venusaur.
With Frenzy Plant's recoil still locking its movement, there was no way Mega Venusaur could dodge. And given the overwhelming area of effect, even if it could move, there was nowhere to go.
"It's over," Giovanni said calmly, confidence curling across his lips.
Mega Venusaur may have boosted it power, but Giovanni wasn't fooled. That wasn't true growth, it was borrowed strength. Rhyperior's Earthquake, boosted by STAB and by a higher natural level, should absolutely flatten it. Even if Venusaur survived, it would be in no condition to continue.
The shockwave hit directly.
In Giovanni's eyes, and Misty's too, Venusaur took the full brunt of Earthquake. Its massive body trembled violently from the impact.
Giovanni threw his head back, laughing.
"Hahahahaha! Now this is what a real battle looks...hm?"
His laughter cut off abruptly.
On the battlefield, Mega Venusaur wasn't grimacing in pain nor struggling to stand. Instead… its expression looked oddly relaxed. Almost like it had enjoyed the attack.
Enjoyed it.
Giovanni's pupils shook.
'Impossible. No Pokémon enjoyed taking an Earthquake.'
Before he could process it, Ash's calm voice rang out:
"Venusaur, Frenzy Plant!"
"Vena!!"
This time, the eruption of vines was even more overwhelming. Countless roots burst upward, thicker, faster, and brimming with even denser life force than before.
'It got stronger? After taking Earthquake? How?!'
Panic flashed across Giovanni's face, but he reacted instantly:
"Rhyperior, Protect!"
A shimmering green barrier snapped into place around Rhyperior just in time. The violent storm of roots slammed into it, rippling the surface like water under a downpour. But Protect held strong, as long as the opponent wasn't far above the user in level, it was nearly unbreakable.
Eventually, Frenzy Plant's vines recoiled and vanished back underground.
The attack was blocked, but Giovanni was left genuinely rattled.Why had Venusaur taken zero damage? Why had it gotten stronger?
Outside the shield, Gary could only stare.
"What was that? Earthquake hit dead-on, everyone saw it! How did Venusaur not take a single point of damage?"
To him, Venusaur had become completely incomprehensible. Since when could Venusaur ignore a Ground-type attack from a high-level Elite?
Brock narrowed his eyes, mind racing.
"This has to be connected to that power Ash used," he murmured.
"Hm, yes… it should be that power Venusaur obtained there."
Gary: "???"
"Hey, hey, what are you two even talking about? What power? Why am I the only one who has no idea what's going on?!" Gary asked, completely confused.
"We can't explain right now, walls have ears," Misty whispered, putting a finger to her lips.
Only then did Gary notice Giovanni subtly angling his head, clearly trying to catch even the slightest leak of information. During a high-level battle like this, any bit of intel was fatal. If Giovanni figured out Venusaur's secret, their current advantage would vanish instantly.
Realizing this, Gary clamped his mouth shut and forced himself not to ask more questions.
"Venusaur, continue! Chain it! Frenzy Plant again!"
Giovanni smirked. "Still forcing it? Frenzy Plant causes massive recoil and leaves the user unable to move. Don't you even understand basic move mechanics, Ash?"
But his smile froze halfway.
Because Venusaur roared, and, impossibly, countless vines and roots erupted from the ground again, even denser and more violent than before.
Frenzy Plant with no cooldown. Impossible. Illegal. Absolutely cheating.
Giovanni's mind went blank.
On the sidelines, Ash couldn't help smiling. Venusaur's growth had exceeded every expectation.
As expected of the power inherited from Xerneas, the God of Life. Its effect was no less miraculous than Ho-Oh's Rainbow Feather.
The reason Venusaur took zero damage from Earthquake was because of Xerneas's other title: The God of the Earth.
Venusaur's entire power-up system now revolved around absorbing the life energy within the soil and plants. That was why he had advanced so quickly at Oak's Laboratory.
Rhyperior's Earthquake wasn't physical force, it was pure ground energy. Venusaur simply absorbed it and converted it into vitality. For him, Ground-type energy was nourishment.
Venusaur, inheritor of Xerneas's blessing, had become a true Earth deity, with natural immunity to Ground-type attacks.
As for using Frenzy Plant repeatedly?
That was because Venusaur was no longer launching a second Frenzy Plant.
The first one simply never ended.
He had learned to retract and extend the roots at will, just like the older, Champion-tier Ash in the future. Those vines were still alive under the arena floor, silently gathering power.
The moment Protect faded, the vines burst out again, resuming their attack.
From the instant Ash chose Venusaur, Giovanni had already lost.
"BOOOOM!!!"
The entire battlefield shook as Frenzy Plant swallowed Rhyperior whole. A violent detonation thundered across the Gym, and thick smoke billowed out, completely engulfing the Pokémon.