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After what seemed like ages, the massive wave finally dissipated, and Pikachu landed safely on the ground. Flareon lay defeated on the water-soaked battlefield, which was now completely drenched.
Flareon's fur was soaked through, but more noticeably, several parts of its body were scorched black from the electrical current that had surged through the water.
"Flareon!" Pyro cried out in shock. He quickly rushed onto the field, scooped up his fallen Pokémon, and stared at Pikachu, who maintained a confident smile despite the intense battle.
The Electric-type looked harmless at first glance, yet possessed such tremendous power.
"It's okay, Pyro. Come back! I'll handle this now," Rainer, the second eldest brother, called out as he stepped forward. After witnessing Ash's strength firsthand, they could no longer afford to be overconfident. Once Pyro retreated from the field, Rainer took his place.
"Vaporeon, I'm counting on you! Be careful!" Rainer said as he released his Water-type Pokémon to face Pikachu. Having observed Pikachu's strength and considering the type disadvantage, Rainer knew this wouldn't be an easy battle.
Nevertheless, he had no choice but to proceed. Vaporeon entered the battlefield cautiously. Although the wet terrain would typically benefit a Water-type, Rainer realized that against Pikachu, being surrounded by water would actually put Vaporeon at a greater disadvantage.
Vaporeon could blend into water with its special ability, but that didn't make it invisible. On the contrary, if it fully merged with the water, it would only make itself more vulnerable to Pikachu's Electric-type attacks.
"Pikachu, Quick Attack!" Ash commanded without hesitation, taking the initiative while Rainer was still formulating his strategy.
With incredible speed, Pikachu dashed forward, his body transforming into a silver blur as he charged toward Vaporeon.
"Vaporeon, use Sand Attack!"
Aware of his type disadvantage, Rainer opted for a tactical approach rather than a direct offensive. Hearing its trainer's command, Vaporeon slapped its tail against the ground—much like a mermaid's fin—sending streams of sand flying forward.
As Pikachu rushed ahead, he suddenly found himself enveloped in the cloud of sand kicked up by Vaporeon, his vision completely obscured.
When he finally burst through the sand cloud, Pikachu leaped into the air, only to discover that Vaporeon had vanished. Surprised, Pikachu halted and glanced around anxiously.
Pikachu was bewildered to find no trace of Vaporeon anywhere on the field. Even Ash scanned the area with confusion.
"Vaporeon, use Water Pulse!" Rainer called out confidently.
Suddenly, from a small puddle beside Pikachu, a shadow emerged. The water gradually took shape, revealing itself to be Vaporeon. Water energy condensed in its mouth and before Pikachu could react, Vaporeon released a concentrated ball of water directly at him.
SPLASH!
The Water Pulse struck Pikachu squarely, the tremendous force sending him flying backward. The water ball exploded on impact, scattering water droplets across the field and making the entire arena even more sodden.
"That's the power of Vaporeon, Mikey! See for yourself!" Rainer proclaimed proudly, taking the opportunity to showcase his Water-type to his youngest brother.
However, as the water spray settled and the dust cleared, Pikachu landed on his feet. Ash remained silent as Pikachu suddenly opened his eyes. Rainer's expression instantly changed from confidence to concern.
"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"
"Pikaaaa-CHUUUU!"
Without hesitation, Pikachu leaped into the air. Massive amounts of electricity erupted from his body, thunder and lightning exploding with incredible force and spreading throughout the entire battlefield.
The arena was bathed in golden light as electricity arced in all directions like an Electroweb. Thanks to the previous Splishy Splash having soaked the field, there was no need to aim specifically. The lightning simply fell and conducted instantly through all the surrounding water.
Vaporeon let out a painful cry from its hiding place in the water. The devastating power of Thunderbolt enveloped its entire body, leaving it paralyzed and vulnerable.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Explosions erupted in all the puddles across the field, including the one where Vaporeon had concealed itself. The entire battlefield was shrouded in thick smoke. Everyone watched intensely, with Mikey nervously clutching his Eevee close to his chest.
Ash observed the field with a calm expression. He knew that while Eevee would indeed become stronger after evolving into Vaporeon, evolution alone wasn't enough. The evolved form still required proper training and practice to stabilize and master its new powers.
Pikachu had been with Ash through the most rigorous training regimens, and couldn't be defeated so easily. As the smoke gradually cleared, the outcome of the battle became apparent to everyone.
Vaporeon lay defeated in the crater-filled battlefield. The power of Thunderbolt had created numerous deep pits across the entire arena, and the Water-type couldn't withstand the super-effective Electric attack.
"Vaporeon!"
Rainer called out in dismay as he rushed onto the field to retrieve his fallen Pokémon. He frowned as he looked at Ash, whose expression remained unchanged despite winning two consecutive battles.
Sparky, the eldest brother, furrowed his brow as he observed the scene. He noted that despite fighting for two rounds straight, Pikachu showed no signs of fatigue whatsoever.
He thought to himself that this defied logic. Although Pikachu was known for its speed, it shouldn't possess such incredible endurance and physical strength in its unevolved form. This Pikachu seemed even more formidable than a Raichu.
Sparky glanced at his youngest brother Mikey, who was gazing at Ash with undisguised admiration.
At that moment, Sparky realized that after his two younger brothers had been defeated in succession, their position had been proven wrong. Ash was right—they hadn't considered Mikey's feelings at all; they had merely been competing with each other.
Even if he entered the battlefield now and somehow managed to defeat Ash, they had already lost in principle.
The three brothers had taken turns to battle, while Ash had used the same Pokémon throughout. Even if they ultimately won the third battle, they couldn't rightfully claim victory.
Such a win would be too dishonorable for them to acknowledge. Yet, as older brothers, they still found it difficult to admit defeat in front of their younger sibling. Slowly, Sparky stepped forward.
"Rainer, let me take over now!"