"Hello? Fuji?"
Blaine's tone was low and serious. As the primary lead on the Mewtwo Project and his long-time comrade, he naturally had a way to contact Dr. Fuji.
"Blaine? What's going on?"
On the other end of the call, Dr. Fuji frowned. He could immediately tell something was wrong—Blaine didn't sound like his usual self.
Normally, Blaine was full of energy and passion, with a spirited voice. But now, he sounded listless and burdened, clearly troubled.
"Team Rocket found me."
"…Because of me, right?" Upon hearing this, Dr. Fuji instantly understood.
When he left the lab, he took all of the Mewtwo research data with him—this must be the reason.
"Looks like something has happened that's put you in a very difficult position."
Fuji spoke softly. He knew Blaine too well. Unless the matter was extremely serious, Blaine would never reach out to him like this.
They had known each other since youth, friends for decades. They knew each other inside and out.
"It was a Team Rocket executive I've never seen before. He's very powerful—I stood no chance against him."
Blaine closed his eyes. He wasn't a young man anymore. He had his own principles and ways of handling things, and he knew exactly what choice to make in a situation like this.
"He threatened me with Cinnabar Volcano, Fuji… I had no other choice."
Blaine spoke with exhaustion in his voice. Precisely because Fuji was his closest friend, he knew what needed to be done—and trusted Fuji to understand.
"Tch… Team Rocket really lives up to its name."
Fuji went silent for a few moments, then sneered. These underhanded tactics—how very Team Rocket.
"I'm currently on the way back to Lavender Town. But with how things are… I won't be returning to my Pokémon Nursery."
Fuji paused in thought. He had originally planned to return to his Pokémon shelter in Lavender Town. But since Team Rocket had already targeted him, he could no longer risk bringing trouble there.
"Fuji… you really should give up on that idea. Amber is already gone—can't you let her rest?"
Blaine hesitated for a moment, then sighed, trying to persuade him.
Fuji was different from him. In his youth, Fuji had been ambitious and full of potential—a true genius researcher.
But after a tragic accident that claimed his daughter's life, Fuji was never the same. Unable to cope with the loss, he left Cinnabar Island behind and disappeared from the public eye.
"No, Blaine… it can be done! Mewtwo's creation has already proven that cloning technology can artificially create life!"
"But Mewtwo also proved your failure, Fuji! Get a grip! Amber is already dead!"
Blaine snapped. Yes, the reason Fuji had joined the Mewtwo Project in the first place was because of that mad hope.
It was also because Fuji had pleaded with him so desperately, as a friend, that Blaine agreed to participate.
Mewtwo was indeed created—but the experiment was ultimately a failure.
Now, because of Mewtwo, they had both ended up in this dire situation. And yet, Fuji still refused to let go of that dangerous dream.
"I understand. I've always been clear-headed. I know exactly what I'm doing."
"Blaine, I'll send you my location shortly. Since they're looking for me, let them come."
Fuji's voice was low and resolute. And before Blaine could say anything more, he ended the call.
Blaine stared at his phone for a long time. His face was full of complex emotion, which eventually dissolved into a tired sigh.
Fuji…
When a person becomes obsessed with an unattainable fantasy and pursues it relentlessly, the line between reason and madness becomes razor-thin.
Mewtwo was already our greatest mistake… Fuji, how far are you willing to go?
Blaine slowly stood up, looking out toward the horizon where the sun had nearly set. A misty glint flickered in his clouded eyes.
Fuji, you're standing one step away from the abyss. I just hope you… wake up in time.
--------------------------------------------
Night had fallen.
On a quiet coastline, Lucas and Marnie stood side by side, gazing at the crashing waves.
"She's here—Sabrina."
Hearing footsteps, Lucas turned to look. Approaching them was a tall woman with long black hair.
She wore a form-fitting dark crimson bodysuit that perfectly outlined her curvaceous figure. Black stockings hugged her legs.
Her presence was icy and aloof, exuding a chilling aura that made her seem unapproachable.
"Mr. Lucas," Sabrina greeted with a faint nod. Her tone was indifferent.
Lucas wasn't surprised. Sabrina acted this way toward everyone.
"Have you confirmed the location of the Articuno on Seafoam Island?" he asked.
"Yes. It's deep within the Seafoam Cavern. Our operatives are in position. We're ready to begin the capture operation at any time."
Despite her refined appearance, Sabrina's face was emotionless—like a perfectly crafted doll.
Marnie, who was usually expressionless herself, couldn't help but notice how different Sabrina's aura felt.
While Marnie gave off a quiet calmness, Sabrina's presence felt distant and cold.
"That's Sabrina from the Saffron Gym…"
Marnie's gaze flickered. Though the outfit was different, it was clear—this icy woman was the famed psychic prodigy of Saffron City.
Marnie had studied the Gym Leaders of the Kanto Region. Their profiles were all publicly documented.
The third Gym Leader from Team Rocket...
Marnie couldn't help but mentally complain. Just how deeply has Team Rocket infiltrated Kanto?
Out of the eight official Gyms, this was already the third one.
And this is supposed to be the strongest region?
"Let's move out at dawn. The capture must succeed the first time—we can't afford any mistakes."
Lucas spoke seriously, though he didn't expect any problems.
Although Sabrina wasn't a top-tier powerhouse, her psychic abilities paired with her Elite Four-level strength made defeating a wild Articuno relatively easy.
Besides, she hadn't come alone—she had brought a full team of elite Rocket operatives equipped with specialized tech to ensure success.
"Understood."
"You're still the same as always—like a robot. Sabrina, if you really want to impress Boss Giovanni, you'll need more feminine charm."
Lucas smirked, clicking his tongue in amusement. Truth be told, he didn't really care about the Legendary Birds.
Unless the Pokémon League intervened, there was unlikely to be any trouble. In the original timeline, the three executives captured the birds without issue.
Despite being called legends, the power gap between different legendary Pokémon was massive.
Top-tier legendaries could take on entire champion teams, while mid-tier ones matched elite trainers. But lower-tier ones, like the Legendary Birds and Beasts, varied wildly in strength.
Especially the Legendary Birds. The trio near the Orange Islands were strong due to their role in maintaining ocean currents. Others? Not so much.
Some Articuno were so weak they couldn't even defeat a recently-returned Ash from Hoenn.
That Articuno, in fact, was commanded by Frontier Brain Noland—not even a wild one.
So instead of worrying about the Articuno, Lucas found Sabrina far more interesting.
"Please don't joke like that, Mr. Lucas," Sabrina replied, her tone somehow colder.
"I admire the boss's brilliance. I have no such intentions."
Everyone in Team Rocket knew of Sabrina's admiration for Giovanni.
But it wasn't romantic. She respected his talent. He had discovered her, mentored her, and offered her a place when others treated her like a monster.
"I know. But still… looks like you're not completely robotic, huh?"
Lucas's smirk widened as he teased her. He knew her loyalty was professional—but that didn't stop him from trying to crack her stoic façade for fun.
"Mr. Lucas, that was a highly inappropriate thing to say to a lady."
Sabrina's eyelid twitched slightly as she responded coolly.
"If you have no other orders, I'll be taking my leave."
She bowed politely, then teleported away with her Alakazam—vanishing in an instant.
"Still so stiff," Lucas chuckled, shrugging as if nothing happened.
Technically, he and Sabrina were equals in Team Rocket's hierarchy.
But as Giovanni's trusted subordinate, Sabrina understood how dangerous Lucas could be. Her deference stemmed from respect for his strength.
"That was the Gym Leader from Saffron, right?" Marnie blinked and asked.
"Yep. You've probably seen her photo online."
Lucas looked at her, wondering why she even had to ask.
"So… just how badly has Team Rocket infiltrated Kanto?"
Marnie couldn't help but click her tongue. In Galar, there were no evil organizations like this.
She couldn't fathom how the Pokémon League's headquarters region—Kanto—had become so compromised.
Three Gyms already?
"Don't be so surprised. Why do you think I value Team Rocket so highly?"
Lucas chuckled and gently took Marnie's soft hand, strolling along the beach.
The cool ocean breeze carried a faint salty scent, and a crescent moon reflected off the sea—an incredibly beautiful scene.
"Just like humans can rot from within, no matter how powerful an organization is, corruption is inevitable. It's not an accident—it's a certainty."
Lucas said calmly. That's how the world works.
The Pokémon League had ruled the world for too long. Under such immense power, rot at the top was all but guaranteed.
Sure, there were still those who sincerely worked for peace and justice. But some of the higher-ups had long been consumed by greed.
"So… it's not just the three Gyms, is it?"
Marnie's eyes sparkled as she looked at Lucas's handsome profile.
"Of course not. Including Blaine, who's already defected, Team Rocket controls five out of eight Gyms in Kanto."
Lucas raised his right hand and spread his fingers.
Marnie's eyes widened in disbelief—five fingers.
Five Gyms?!
Out of eight official Gyms, five were under Team Rocket's control?
This was beyond infiltration—this was practically a hostile takeover!
"Sabrina from Saffron, Koga from Fuchsia, Lt. Surge from Vermilion—those are the three Rocket executives."
"And even among the Indigo Council, many have already been bought off. If Team Rocket ever makes a move, the entire region will descend into chaos."
Lucas's smirk deepened. Of course, there were still good people in the League.
Like the current League President, Logi. He wasn't a trainer but a master of politics, respected and beloved like Chairman Rose once was.
But unlike Galar, where Rose had absolute power, Indigo hadn't yet split into Kanto and Johto—it was massive and hard to govern.
Even someone like Logi struggled to balance the power between councilors, Gym Leaders, and the Elite Four.
Despite his efforts, Kanto had already rotted from within.
Team Rocket loomed from the shadows, while internal strife between the Council and the Elite Four was growing worse every day.
Logi was almost at his limit.
"This is truly hard to believe…"
Marnie pursed her lips, staring out at the vast, peaceful ocean.
She could already see it—Kanto wouldn't remain quiet much longer.
(End of Chapter)