The old man told Su Bai that the Thunder Z was a marvel born of heaven and earth, and encountering it was a matter of his own destiny. As long as Su Bai used its power for good, he had no need for any of those flashy extras.
Su Bai nodded at that.
"Pikachu! Let's pursue even greater power together!"
"Pika, pika!"
Pikachu's eyes shone, and a smile mirrored Su Bai's. As electricity built up, every strand of yellow fur began standing on end.
"Pikachu! This is our Z-Move! The power of the Thunder Z! Ultimate Tribulation: Violet Firmament Thunder!"
Su Bai had no idea why he had given his Z-Move that name. He simply felt that was what it should be called.
The Thunder Z activated, radiating a strange gold-and-purple light that poured entirely into Pikachu. Pikachu's energy began to rise.
As more and more energy accumulated, Pikachu grew restless.
"Not yet!"
As the user, Su Bai could sense that this Z-Move's power could still rise further.
"Pika, pika!"
"Not yet!"
Pikachu gritted those little white teeth and kept absorbing more Electric-type energy.
The immense power transformed the sky. Thunderclouds slowly gathered high above Pikachu, thunder booming like drums and lightning flashing like dragons.
"Now!"
"Pi-ka-chu!"
All the Electric-type energy Pikachu had accumulated turned into Thunder, released in an instant into the thunderclouds.
The thunderclouds stirred. After a deafening boom, a bolt of lightning a meter across crashed down.
Then came a second, and a third...
Only after five bolts had struck did the thunderclouds slowly disperse.
In countless legends and tales of the Dragon Nation, this was the heavenly punishment that petty villains and wicked schemers feared most.
Five Thunders Strike the Crown!
Pikachu went limp and collapsed onto the ground, drenched in sweat.
"Pikachu!"
Su Bai hurried