"...Gyarados, kill her."
With Sabrina's crisp and cold voice as the command, the Alakazam beside her tightened its grip on the spoon in its hand. Its long mustache began to float as one of its hands raised, directing its power toward the raging Gyarados.
The enormous, chaotic Gyarados suddenly paused in place. Just moments ago it had been recklessly destroying everything, but now, those wild, frenzied eyes locked onto Misty—and from its maw erupted a powerful Hydro Pump.
CRACKKK!
The high-pressure water beam tore straight through a thick stone pillar, shattering it with ease. The splintered rock crashed to the floor with a sharp rattle, leaving the cavern in an even more chaotic state. Misty barely managed to dodge the blast by leaping to the side, escaping being cleaved in half by the water. Blood trickled from her palm and knee where she scraped them in the fall.
Unleashed and untamed, the Gyarados continued to rampage, roaring as it summoned a tidal wave—yes, it literally conjured waves inside the cave with a move! The roaring tsunami smashed against the stone, pulverizing everything in its path. The flood surged directly toward Misty, filling the cave rapidly until the water was knee-deep.
This Gyarados... it truly lived up to being a Gym Leader's Pokémon. Its power was overwhelming. If Team Rocket hadn't been filled with monsters of their own, it would've been impossible to even subdue a creature like this, let alone perform experiments on it.
'Idiot...'
Logan threw a glance at Misty. Because her opponent was her own Pokémon, she couldn't bring herself to fight seriously. She ordered Starmie to defend and heal over and over, refusing to go on the offensive or send out other Pokémon.
As much as Logan wanted to rush to her aid and finish off the frenzied Gyarados himself, he couldn't. Sabrina was keeping him locked down with an unrelenting stare, giving him no room to move. Her wariness toward him was even stronger than it was toward Misty, despite Misty being a fellow Gym Leader. Logan understood why—Sabrina feared Mewtwo.
"A mind lost to rage... Gyarados won't listen to anyone anymore. But that makes it easier for Alakazam to control it with its psychic power. Looks like you did your homework on Misty, huh? You knew the source of her hatred for Team Rocket, and that she'd never bring herself to strike down her own Pokémon. Just one Gyarados... and you've completely tied her down. This was all part of your plan, wasn't it, Miss Sabrina?"
Logan narrowed his eyes, standing ankle-deep in rising water. He remained wary of the woman before him. She was powerful. Stunningly beautiful. But above all, she had a terrifying tactical mind.
"...Time's up."
Sabrina ignored Logan's words and gave a small nod to her Alakazam. The next instant, both Misty and the Gyarados vanished from the cave. If not for the swirling water and shattered rocks, one might think nothing had happened at all.
"Reverse Teleport. She sent Misty and Gyarados away. So your real target... was me all along."
Logan's expression darkened. He wasn't too worried about Misty. Despite being battered and exhausted, her strength was real. Even if she could only play defense, she wouldn't go down easily.
But now... he was alone.
Alone, facing the strongest Psychic-type expert in all of Kanto. Perhaps even the entire world.
Her mastery of psychic power was unparalleled. Even Mewtwo's raw strength might not be enough if her techniques could nullify it.
"...You destroyed a plan Giovanni spent twenty years building. The moment I foresaw your arrival, I made all necessary preparations."
Sabrina stood sideways atop the water, her body weightless and graceful. Her cold profile was like a poisonous poppy flower draped in the white purity of a snow lotus.
Her features were breathtaking—exquisitely sculpted like an unparalleled work of art. The kind one might gaze at for hours, lost in admiration.
"...You can't escape, Logan."
Her words floated like a lover's whisper—tender, yet suffocating. Logan's mind spun. One second he was staring at her in the flooded cavern, the next... he found himself in a peaceful-looking town.
Rolling hills, sparkling rivers, sunshine, tidy streets, and countless Japanese-style homes lined up in perfect rows.
But not a soul in sight.
It was silent. Deathly silent. No movement. No life. Just him... and Gabite, who had also somehow arrived.
"Gabite?"
Logan whispered, and the dragon Pokémon nodded at him. Seeing Gabite still by his side, Logan exhaled in relief. As long as his Pokémon were with him, there was still a chance—even if things looked grim.
[Mewtwo? Can you hear me?]
He reached out telepathically—but no response.
Logan looked down at his chest. The Master Ball he always wore around his neck was gone. He touched his belt—Dratini's Poké Ball was missing too. But he didn't panic. His mind raced, and quickly, he figured it out.
"The Poké Balls are gone, but Gabite and I are both here. Which means... this isn't the same as that 'Reverse Teleport' she used on Misty. We haven't left the cave. Most likely... this is Sabrina's mental world."
It wasn't surprising. A powerful psychic like Sabrina, in sync with her Pokémon, could easily create her own mental dimension. She must've set the trap beforehand—dragging Logan into this world, away from Mewtwo, so she could kill him without resistance.
This wasn't reality being rewritten like a Reality Marble, but it was still a manifestation of her mind—a Mental World.
"Sabrina, I know you can hear me. This world is yours. You can manipulate its rules within limits. So how about a deal? I've got no interest in your mental landscape. But if you're willing to turn this place into an eroge world and let me be the protagonist... I surrender right now. Deal?"
Logan's tone was flippant. He waited. No reply.
"No? What a shame. I wasn't even asking for your body, just your mind. No need to be so cold-hearted."
He muttered playfully. But just then—he tensed.
Something shifted.
He whipped around—and there she was. A small, doll-like girl, standing silently behind him.
She was pale. Her features eerily similar to Sabrina's, only younger. Much younger.
It was her. Sabrina, as a child.
The little girl smiled sweetly. Innocent. Pure. Deceptively so.
"Big brother... will you play a game with me?"
"If it's an adult game you want, little sister, I'm all in!"
Logan quipped—but even as he joked, he leapt onto Gabite's shoulder, watching the girl with full wariness.
To be continued...
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