"Tch. Has Team Rocket lost it? They're launching a region-wide assault? Where'd they even get that many troops?!"
On the way to Cianwood City, Mark looked at the newly refreshed updates on his phone and couldn't help but shout.
Will glanced at Mark and calmly explained, "A mole leaked the League's plan to purge the underground organizations. Team Rocket is striking first."
Mark froze. A storm of emotions surged in his heart.
"The League… had this all planned out?"
"Yeah. That's why they were able to deploy manpower and resources so quickly." Will spoke as he finalized their travel route. "Get ready. This battle won't end anytime soon."
Mark swallowed hard. His tension eased slightly and was quickly replaced with excitement.
A war… that meant tons of opportunities to make a name for himself!
Second in line for Elite Four candidate… Mark had long grown tired of that position!
Watching Mark grin like a Sunflora, Will shivered slightly, suddenly feeling concerned about this support mission…
---◓---
Violet City, top floor of the Flying Gym's tower.
Miyamoto leaned lazily on the railing, watching the fires of war spread across Violet City with boredom.
Though she was one of Team Rocket's "Twin Empresses", she had little interest in world domination.
Most of the time, Miyamoto was focused solely on searching for the mythical Pokémon, Mew.
But this time, with Team Rocket's survival at stake, she couldn't just sit back.
She pulled a photo from her belt pouch. It showed a little girl with wine-red hair, cheerful and bright, smiling radiantly.
Miyamoto couldn't help but smile, but then quickly tucked the photo away again.
"Lady Miyamoto, the Deputy Leader is requesting your presence."
"On my way."
Miyamoto turned and walked into the tower expressionlessly, heading straight for the underground base where the Deputy Leader -Giovanni's mother- was waiting.
When Miyamoto entered the room, Ariana and Kaiser were already standing respectfully off to the side. When they saw her enter, they both nodded in greeting.
Miyamoto ignored them. Instead, she leapt forward and clung onto Giovanni's mother.
"Oneesama~ My mission is complete!"
The cold sternness on Giovanni's mother's face instantly cracked. She glared at Miyamoto in frustration but pretended nothing had happened.
"According to the latest intel, the Elite Four Trainers sent to support Violet City are all current members…"
The other three showed no reaction.
"They are Lance… and Yuga Sato, just officially confirmed from Shadownight City."
Immediately, Miyamoto, Ariana, and Kaiser's expressions changed.
Giovanni's mother raised one of her brows. "…You all know them?"
"Met him once. There's a Breeder with him who makes amazing Pokémon food. My normal Ninetales loves it~"
Giovanni's mother -Madame Boss-: ???
Ariana: ???
Kaiser: ???
"Be… serious…" Giovanni's mother glared at Miyamoto again. But it had no effect. Miyamoto's cheeks just turned red.
Ariana and Kaiser kept their eyes straight ahead, but both wondered if they'd be silenced after this mission…
"Lance and Sato are the youngest two Elite Four in years. Both extremely promising. Killing them would enrage the League, but their Pokémon… that's another story. Eliminate them all!"
Giovanni's mother said it casually, then turned to Miyamoto.
"You'll act in this one too. Finish it quickly."
"Sure thing~ Whatever you say… Fufufu~" Miyamoto spread her hands, her eyes never leaving Giovanni's mother.
"..."
---◓---
Meanwhile, Lance and Sato finally arrived at Violet City. Watching the smoke rise above the city, both of them felt their hearts grow heavier.
"Stick to the plan," Lance said as he turned, then flew directly toward Violet Gym without hiding his movements.
Sato didn't waste any time either. He leapt from Honchkrow's back, recalled it, and disappeared midair.
Gengar's Spatial Barrier connected seamlessly, Sato wasn't in any danger.
"Gardevoir, Cacturne! Locate all imprisoned personnel and mark them. Do not act rashly."
"Garde~"
"Cact!"
In the next instant, Gardevoir's invisible psychic waves began rapidly spreading out. Concealed so perfectly that no one noticed a thing.
At the same time, Cacturne released microscopic Cotton Spores that floated like fine dust, silently dispersing throughout Violet City.
"Gengar, use Spatial Barrier to protect them!"
"Gen~"
Gengar emerged from the shadows and, using the intel provided by Gardevoir and Cacturne, silently constructed Spatial Fortresses one after another.
Another red flash appeared. Hydreigon materialized beside Sato.
"Come find me when you're done." Sato gave a final instruction, then flew toward the Violet Gym tower atop Hydreigon without bothering to hide.
The battle there… had already begun!
---◓---
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOOOM…
Explosions roared nonstop. A blue and a yellow figure darted through the smoke in desperation.
Lance wiped the blood from his face, anxiously waiting for Sato's arrival.
Facing three opponents at once, and without revealing his strongest power, even Lance could only dodge like a cornered Mareep for now.
But rescuing the hostages was the priority. Only by securing their safety could they focus on defeating the enemy.
At the top of the tower, Miyamoto, Ariana, and Kaiser stood side by side, watching Lance fleeing through the sky, their hearts full of shock!
Ariana's Alakazam and Slowbro…
Kaiser's Nidoking and Fearow…
Miyamoto's Alolan Ninetales and Pidgeot…
Six Elite Four level Pokémon had surrounded Lance, and yet they still couldn't take him down.
Dragonite's speed was unmatched. With maxed-out agility and terrifying battle instincts, it found every narrow escape route again and again. Pure survival instinct!
Then there was the slender-bodied Dragonair. With Protect, Safeguard, and Mist all used masterfully, it intercepted nearly every disruptive move.
The two Pokémon moved in perfect harmony. Though Lance was walking a tightrope of death… he refused to fall.
"…Why is it only Lance? Where's the other one, Sato?"
Kaiser frowned. It was unclear if he was frustrated their side hadn't secured victory yet, or if he was worried Sato had something else planned.
"Being separated is better. Take him out first. The other one will be easy," Miyamoto said nonchalantly, arms folded.
"Sato's here!"
Athena, who had been silent all this time, suddenly looked to the two o'clock position. A dark figure was rapidly approaching.
"Heh. I'm going all out!" Kaiser's brows relaxed as he grinned wickedly and took out two Dark Balls.
Ariana and Miyamoto each sent out one more Pokémon. Four more appeared in total.
Lance used the distraction to send out a Charizard.
On the other side, Sato saw the sheer number of Pokémon on the field and instantly released Zoroark and Tyranitar, afraid of being overwhelmed in a surprise attack.
But even with Sato and Lance combined, they had only deployed six Pokémon.
The opposing side… had ten!