Three days later, as the preparations for the competition venue were completed, the tournament, which had attracted attention from countless spectators since its announcement, finally held its opening ceremony.
As the organizers of the event, the heads of various major families in the Unova region made appearances at the opening ceremony, offering words of encouragement to the young trainers.
Watching the middle-aged man on stage delivering a speech, Caleb remarked, "It seems like more than just the seventeen families are attending this event."
Judging by the situation below, it appeared that nearly every major and minor family in Unova had arrived.
Caitlin wasn't surprised by this. She had also spotted members of her own family in the crowd.
"This isn't just a simple tournament anymore," she said, pointing toward a specific section of the stadium and asked, "See those people over there?"
Caleb followed her gaze and noticed a group of meticulously dressed individuals in a corner.
"Those are the lowest-ranking families in Unova. They came here hoping to curry favor with the top-tier clans," Caitlin explained calmly.
"Bootlickers," Caleb commented.
The term hadn't yet appeared in this world, so it took Caitlin a moment to grasp its meaning.
She chuckled and said, "Even canine Pokémon aren't this eager to please."
Caleb acknowledged her remark with a nod and shifted the conversation back to the event.
By now, the spectator stands of the venue were completely filled.
"It's time to make our move," Caitlin said, "Once the opening ceremony ends, they'll start leaving."
Caleb hummed in agreement. Then, he took the Team Plasma uniform from Officer Jenny, put it on, and zipped it up.
Just as he was about to issue some instructions, he caught sight of a boy with a Pikachu rushing in through the entrance.
'Is that Ash?'
Behind him were a dark-skinned girl with twin tails and a green-haired young man dressed in a shirt and uniform.
They were Ash's travel companions in the Unova region: Iris and Cilan.
Noticing Caleb's slightly odd expression, Caitlin asked, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Caleb shook his head.
He just hoped that Ash wouldn't immediately turn into a well-intentioned obstacle and attack him once he began his operation.
Though Ash's strength now lagged far behind Caleb's, his personality meant he'd likely charge in without hesitation.
This wasn't the anime. Before arriving here, Ash had already journeyed through Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh. If Pikachu's power hadn't been reset, it could be terrifyingly strong by now.
After a moment's thought, to avoid unnecessary trouble and accidentally harming Ash, Caleb turned to the Officer Jenny beside him, "See those three over there?"
Officer Jenny stepped forward with a serious expression.
"Yes, them. Take them backstage," Caleb instructed.
Officer Jenny glanced at Ash and the other two. Though puzzled, she didn't question the order. Instead, she gave a solemn salute and went to carry out the task.
Caitlin had also noticed Ash and the others. She was curious about Caleb's actions, "Is there something wrong with those three?"
If she remembered correctly, the green-haired guy was one of the Striaton City Gym Leaders.
"Wait!" Caitlin's eyes sharpened. She looked at Ash again and, after a moment, exclaimed, "Isn't that boy the champion of the last Sinnoh League tournament? Why is he here?"
Caleb was taken aback, "What did you say?"
Caitlin blinked and repeated, "The champion of the Sinnoh region. Ash... Yes, that's his name. I watched that tournament. It was truly spectacular!"
Caleb sighed, 'It seems the plot has shifted once again.'
If he remembered correctly, in the Anime, Ash lost to Tobias and his Darkrai in the Sinnoh League.
But now wasn't the time to dwell on that. The opening ceremony was wrapping up. Caleb glanced down, nodded at Caitlin, and tossed two Poké Balls.
In the next second, his figure vanished from the room...
...
~Castelia City Stadium~
The opening ceremony had officially concluded.
Joden Mori, the representative of the leading families, had just handed the microphone back to the host and was preparing to leave when the weather above suddenly changed.
The clear, cloudless sky was instantly covered by dark, ominous clouds that seemed to appear out of nowhere.
A strong wind began to blow across the venue, and a storm brewed within the clouds.
Joden frowned and opened his mouth to speak, only for him to be engulfed by a flash of white light and lose consciousness.
The sudden incident immediately drew everyone's attention.
Since the tournament hadn't officially begun, the participating trainers were still standing outside, listening to the speeches. They witnessed firsthand how the group of family heads on stage suddenly vanished.
That Pokémon emanating a blue glow… It was Mewtwo!
For a moment, everyone was frozen in place, staring in shock at the sight.
A few quick-thinking Trainers sensed danger and swiftly threw out their Poké Balls, releasing all their Pokémon.
The long-brewing storm finally broke overhead. Like judgment itself, the wind howled across the arena.
On the now empty platform, amidst the howling wind and pouring rain, Mewtwo coldly scanned the crowd below before stepping slightly aside.
The crowd was bewildered, but before they could process what was happening, a man wearing a Team Plasma uniform emerged from behind Mewtwo, walking forward slowly.
Wherever he passed, the rain parted, not a single drop touching him.
"Team Plasma!" someone shouted, their voice echoing through the downpour.
The cry jolted the stunned crowd out of their daze. Recognizing the danger, they quickly reached for their Poké Balls, ready to confront the enemy.
But the next moment, an even more astonishing scene unfolded. The Poké Balls in their hands seemed to gain a life of their own, breaking free and rising into the sky through the rain.
In the midst of the storm, another figure slowly materialized.
At that moment, all eyes were fixed on it. The spectators who hadn't yet left, the production crew watching from backstage monitors, and the elite trainers in the center of the arena... all of them stared wide-eyed, their faces etched with sheer disbelief:
"That's a second Mewtwo!"
"H-how… How is this possible?"
*Snap!*
With a crisp snap of fingers, the fierce wind abruptly ceased, and the falling raindrops hung motionless mid-air.
An overwhelmingly powerful wave of psychic force erupted from the Mewtwo above, sweeping across the entire battlefield.
The world fell into silence.
The Pokémon released by the noble trainers instantly lost their ability to battle.
It was a show of absolute domination!
Watching the scene below, Caleb suddenly felt that he had a real knack for playing the villain...