Silph Co., 39th Floor.
"Miss Cynthia, Miss Geeta."
'Dylan' finally arrived, a little late. His gaze froze when he saw Cynthia and Geeta—especially the elegant qipaos they were wearing.
Damn! These two had such long legs!!
Lillie bit her lip, eyes gleaming with envy. The tall, graceful figures of these two champions made her feel very self-conscious.
"Dylan!"
A pitiful voice rang out, and a familiar figure rushed up to 'Dylan.'
"Blue? What happened to you?"
'Dylan' was startled, staring at Blue's pale, furious face.
"That guy! That man's a monster!!" Blue grit his teeth, fists trembling.
"Uh?!"
"Dylan, we're bros, right?"
"Of course."
'Dylan' raised an eyebrow, confused by Blue's emotional state.
"Then please… you have to avenge me! That guy humiliated me—he ruined my name, my dignity!!"
Blue's grief overflowed—he'd been blackmailed into taking more than a few "embarrassing" photos!
"Emmm… what exactly happened?" 'Dylan' grew increasingly curious.
He remembered Blue—arrogant, proud, full of swagger. How did he end up like this?
'Dylan' glanced toward Cynthia and Geeta—only to find both champions had quietly looked away, wearing blank, stoic expressions.
Well, they didn't know exactly what had happened… but after all those loud cries from inside the private room, they could guess Blue had probably gone through the worst experience of his life.
"Dylan, please! Beat Aizen for me! This is my life's one request!" Blue bowed deeply before 'Dylan.'
Just like when he first challenged Dylan's Gym long ago.
"Uh…" 'Dylan' blinked.
"So… what did Aizen actually do to you?"
"I…"
Blue's eyes darkened, filled with the hollow gaze of someone who'd seen things.
"I went through hell!"
Yeah. If those photos got out, his life was basically over.
He'd have no reason left to care about anything.
…
"What did you do to them?"
Agatha's eyes narrowed. "Punishment" for losing? What kind of punishment? She immediately imagined the worst.
Aizen was an extremely dangerous criminal—who knew what sick things he was capable of?
Red's expression also darkened. Blue!
They may have clashed constantly, but Blue was still his childhood friend. Red cared.
"Don't worry, Agatha. I didn't harm their bodies."
Aizen adjusted his glasses calmly. And technically, he wasn't lying—Cynthia and the others were physically fine. Not a single scratch.
Agatha's eyes narrowed further, but she still ordered people to check the 39th floor. Truth be told, she had sent Blue there on purpose… for certain reasons.
But she hadn't expected Blue to actually get wrecked like that. And Cynthia and Geeta were champions from other regions. If something serious had happened…
Aizen said no physical harm, but that didn't mean no mental damage. Agatha caught the wordplay instantly.
"Another damn rat."
Lance's cold gaze locked onto Aizen. In his eyes, anyone tied to Team Rocket was trash.
"Aizen, you've got no way out. Your underlings have all been captured. Only you few remain."
Agatha's gravelly voice cut in, trying to shake their morale.
"Futile resistance means nothing. If you surrender now, there's still a chance at redemption."
Her words lingered in the air.
Giovanni gave a faint, bitter smile. After all this time, he knew deep down how this would end—but hearing it still stirred something.
The Team Rocket he built from the ground up… was done.
"Nicely said. But Agatha, you haven't defeated us yet," Aizen replied, voice magnetic and smooth.
"Oh?"
Agatha's wrinkled face revealed no expression.
"Looks like we'll keep fighting. Sigh… young people these days are so stubborn."
She sighed again. At her age, she wasn't eager to battle. Her original plan had been to either go out in a blaze of glory—or retire quietly.
But now…
She opened another Poké Ball. A massive purple cobra appeared before her—her Arbok.
"Stubborn? Not really."
Aizen's white coat fluttered in the wind as he looked past Agatha and Red—eyes settling on Lance.
That smile curved at the edges.
"I'm just saying—the three of you aren't enough."
Cocky.
Agatha gave a dry chuckle. Red remained silent. Lance grinned slowly.
"Hahaha… interesting. Very interesting!"
Lance laughed, but his eyes were devoid of warmth. They were cold. Deadly.
"I'd love to see what you've got."
First that one, then this one—both arrogant to the extreme. Team Rocket trash, all of them.
"Dragonite, Draco Meteor!"
Lance's red hair flared in the wind, his presence sharp and intense.
The massive Dragonite took flight with a roar, charging up pure Dragon energy.
An enormous meteor-shaped blast roared downward—Draco Meteor!
"All Out Offensive."
Aizen didn't blink.
Koraidon roared and leapt skyward, wings outstretched, forming a spiraling wheel of blazing energy—All-Out Offensive.
BOOM!!
The two moves clashed mid-air, the impact sending shockwaves in every direction.
A feral dragon's energy howled silently, trying to devour the spinning blaze.
But it couldn't.
Instead, the spinning blaze grew even more intense.
Under Lance's grim expression, Koraidon's roar overwhelmed Dragonite's attack—sending it hurtling backward.
Even that giant Dragonite couldn't match it in a straight-up clash.
Insane.
Red's red eyes flickered beneath his cap. Lance's giant Dragonite was incredibly strong.
Yet even it got overpowered by that Koraidon in head-to-head combat.
"Heh… classic Aizen," Giovanni said with a faint smile. His eyes turned to the red-eyed boy walking calmly toward them.
"Without Lance, you're no match for me, kid," Giovanni said lowly.
Mewtwo descended from the sky, glowing with psychic energy, massive spoon in hand, watching Red carefully.
"Your talent surprised even me. You're not stupid."
"Rather than waste it fighting me, why not help Lance double-team Aizen?"
Giovanni glanced sideways at Agatha—he was certain she was about to try some sneak attack again.
Red remained silent, eyes fixed on Team Rocket's leader.
"Why experiment on Pokémon genes?"
Giovanni's gaze flickered slightly, then answered calmly, "To create the strongest Pokémon. With the strongest Pokémon, I could gain power—and through that, the world."
That had always been his dream.
"Pokémon are raised, not manufactured. That's wrong!" Red said firmly.
"Only kids talk about 'right' and 'wrong.'" Giovanni chuckled. Naive brat.
"And if you want to prove me wrong… beat me first."
Hands in his pockets, posture slightly hunched, shadows deepening under his black hat—Giovanni looked every bit the villain.
"This world is cruel, kid. Without power, you're nothing."
"…Then I'll defeat you!" Red said, eyes blazing under his cap.
Lance glared at Giovanni coldly. He'd heard everything. That rat deserved to die ten thousand times over.
He glanced briefly at Red, eyes filled with approval—another worthy junior.
"Heh… fine. I'll humor you."
Giovanni laughed softly. He'd been watching Red and Blue closely.
Despite their opposition, he genuinely respected Red.
That raw talent, that unshakable spirit—that love for battle… things Giovanni no longer had.
"Come. I'll give you a proper challenge."
He recalled Mewtwo, and let Mega Beedrill float forward.
"This was my first partner. Let's see if you're worthy of your ideals."
Red said nothing—but his eyes burned with battle-lust.
Meanwhile…
"Dragon Claw!"
Aizen turned to Agatha.
Her Arbok lunged at Koraidon, fangs bared.
Koraidon raised a glowing claw—Dragon Claw—and slashed downward.
BANG!
The two collided in a burst of energy.
"Hmm? Death Makeup?"
Aizen raised a brow. Arbok had briefly resisted the blow—likely powered up by Death Makeup.
"But it's not enough."
"Koraidon."
Koraidon roared, tossing Arbok back. Its powerful tail lit up blue and slammed into the ground.
Dragon move—Breaking Swipe!
The impact shook the floor. A shadow flickered—Gengar screamed and retreated in pain.
"Agatha, no more cheap tricks. Koraidon's senses are very sharp."
Aizen smiled.
"Is that so…" Agatha narrowed her eyes.
No wonder Dylan took this guy seriously. He hadn't even used Rayquaza yet and he was still this powerful.
Terrifying.
"Dragon Pulse!"
Lance's voice rang out—sharp and cold.
His two Dragonair twisted in the air and fired a beam of Dragon energy.
Koraidon raised its head, eyes glowing, and slashed the beam apart with its claws.
"Extreme Speed!"
An orange blur streaked in—Lance's Dragonite, using Extreme Speed!
BANG!
It slammed into Koraidon's chest. Koraidon flinched—then let out a furious roar and slashed back.
Dragonite retreated, but Koraidon changed tactics, launching a flurry of glowing blue scales.
Scale Shot!
"Dragonite!"
Lance's eyes sharpened.
Dragonite accelerated again, trying to escape—but a few scales still struck, exploding on impact.
Dragonite winced, then shot skyward again, escaping the attack range.
"This guy…"
Lance's face darkened, and his gaze grew colder. This enemy was strong.
"I told you—you're no match for me."
Aizen smiled coolly, graceful and confident.
But to Lance and Agatha—it was just unbearable arrogance.
"So proud of yourself, aren't you, Aizen?"
"Hmm?"
Aizen turned.
A celestial dragon's cry echoed—a majestic white dragon landed heavily, bearing 'Dylan' and Lillie on its back.
Cynthia, Geeta, and Blue also arrived.
Seeing 'Dylan,' Lance and Agatha's expressions eased.
Finally—Dylan was here!
"It's been a while, Dylan."
Aizen smiled at 'Dylan.' Of course. No way he wouldn't show up eventually—it had been too long.
"Dylan! That's him!!"
Blue grit his teeth, eyes locked on Aizen. He whispered to 'Dylan.'
"As long as you beat that monster, I'll do anything you ask!"
'Dylan' gave him a very strange look.