"A Meowth that speaks human language?!" Nurse Joy was almost in disbelief. Throughout her years as a nurse, she had never encountered a Pokémon capable of human speech, not even hearing of such a possibility in her family's teachings.

Misty, while also surprised, was more shocked by the origins of this group—the notorious Team Rocket from the Kanto region!

Ash remained calm. Although James, Jessie, and Meowth were part of Team Rocket, they were considered the lowest tier within the organization. If not for James's family background and Jessie's connections through her mother, they might have been expelled from Team Rocket long ago.

James came from a distinguished family with significant influence in the Johto region, and although Giovanni did not fear James's family, he also preferred not to provoke them unnecessarily.

Jessie's background was no less interesting. Though she grew up in a poor household, that was merely the family that adopted her. Her biological parent was a former leader of Team Rocket and a close aide to Giovanni's mother, the founder of Team Rocket—Miyamoto.

It was this connection that spared Jessie and James from punishment despite their numerous blunders. Giovanni sometimes even entrusted them with important missions.

"Is it so surprising that Meowth can speak? We are Team Rocket, after all!" Meowth was annoyed. They were surprised not by their Team Rocket identity but by his ability to speak, which seemed to him like missing the point!

They were a fierce and notorious criminal organization that roamed the regions of Kanto and Johto—an identity he took pride in.

"Don't waste time talking; what matters now is getting those Pokémon back!" Ash stepped forward, his eyes on the bulging sack behind the Team Rocket trio, its uneven surface clearly stuffed with Poké Balls.

"Yo-ho, this kid's got a big mouth, thinking he can take back these Pokémon right from under Team Rocket?" Jessie eyed Ash disdainfully. How could such a young kid dare to speak so boldly?

"Thinking you can defeat us is pure fantasy." James elegantly gestured with his rose, also dismissing Ash. From their perspective, Ash was just a ten-year-old kid, a novice trainer barely starting out.

"Meowth will show you what Team Rocket is all about!" Meowth unsheathed its sharp claws, a wild grin spreading across its face. A Nurse Joy and two kids—could they really stand a chance against them?

Nurse Joy's face fell slightly. She was not adept at battling, and she now looked to Ash and Misty, hoping against hope that they could prevail against the notorious Team Rocket.

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"Ash..." Misty turned to Ash, her nerves apparent. She didn't know the true strength of Team Rocket's trio, but she knew their reputation as a formidable evil organization was well-earned.

"Don't worry, trust me!" Ash nodded firmly to Misty to reassure her, then commanded Pikachu, "Pikachu, I need you, use Thunder Shock!"

"You think sending out such a cute Pokémon will kill us with cuteness?" Jessie scoffed, underestimating Pikachu completely.

"Pika—!" However, Pikachu leaped from Ash's shoulder, and before even touching the ground, it had already charged up its electrical energy. Mid-air, it launched a Thunder Shock, illuminating the dim corridor with a burst of lightning.

Though not fully recovered, Pikachu, having been well-rested and fed, had regained much of its strength. Its afternoon battle had helped it integrate further with its innate capabilities, enhancing its power significantly. This Pikachu was not the same one that had fought earlier!

The speed of the electric attack was incredible. Jessie, James, and Meowth were caught off guard; by the time they realized what was happening, it was too late to react.

"Zzzzzzz—!" Electricity enveloped the figures, crackling intensely. They screamed as they were bathed in the shocking energy.

"It got stronger?" Misty was astounded by Pikachu's performance. Compared to the afternoon, Pikachu had not just improved slightly—it was substantially more powerful!

Even after a major battle, such a rapid increase in strength seemed improbable. Misty felt that Pikachu was on the verge of moving beyond its initial stage to something more advanced.

Moments later, the electricity dissipated. Team Rocket's trio, along with Arbok, collapsed to the ground, mouths billowing smoke. They hadn't anticipated facing such a formidable Pikachu.

"That's amazing..." Nurse Joy's eyes sparkled with admiration. She could recognize Pikachu's strength, but she hadn't expected that a basic-level Pikachu could unleash such tremendous power and single-handedly defeat Team Rocket.

Despite the immediate threat being neutralized, Ash's brow furrowed with concern; he felt something was amiss. After a brief moment of contemplation, his expression shifted—Team Rocket's trio was missing one Pokémon, James's... Koffing!

"Pikachu, watch out!" Sensing a strong gust from behind, Ash quickly grabbed Misty and pulled Nurse Joy to the side. Just as they dove out of the way, a spherical figure hurtled towards where they had been, aiming directly at Pikachu.

Had Ash and the others not moved, they would have been struck by this sphere, which would likely have caused significant injury even if not life-threatening.

Thanks to Ash's warning, Pikachu, though unsure of the reason, swiftly dodged to the side. The sphere smashed into the ground where Pikachu had just been, leaving a noticeable dent, demonstrating the force of the impact.

"What? They dodged it?!" James showed a look of disbelief. He had just seen his Koffing floating up from behind without giving any command; he trusted Koffing knew what to do.

Koffing had lived up to his expectations, quietly approaching and then striking in an attempt to ambush Ash and the others, aiming to harm them and attack Pikachu.

But in a crucial moment, that kid, Ash, had reacted, not only dodging the attack himself but also ensuring Pikachu avoided it.

"Pikachu, Thunder Shock!" Still on the ground, Ash didn't hesitate to issue the command, urging Pikachu to neutralize Koffing. Only by incapacitating Koffing could they truly be safe.

"Pika, Pika—!" Pikachu unleashed another Thunder Shock, a powerful strike that immediately disabled Koffing. With this, Team Rocket's entire combat capability was defeated, and their defeat was sealed.