"Tsk, tsk… what a ruthless move."
From within another tall building, Lucas clicked his tongue as he watched the scene unfold, a faint sigh escaping his lips.
"How could he do such a thing? Isn't he supposed to be the Champion of the Kanto Elite Four?"
Marnie, however, could not comprehend it at all, her delicate brows knitted tightly. Yes, the ones being attacked were Team Rocket members—but even so, the League had always forbidden lethal force during operations. That was one of their core principles. And this wasn't even some extraordinary crisis—yet Lance had used Hyper Beam directly on them.
"He aimed his attack at the Game Corner itself, so technically he's exploiting a loophole in League rules."
Green's expression wasn't pleasant either. Back on the S.S. Anne, after meeting Lorelei, she had already started to suspect that there was something wrong with how the Kanto Elite Four handled matters involving Team Rocket. But now, witnessing Lance's actions with her own eyes, she felt her suspicions solidify into undeniable truth.
"..."
In a quiet corner, Caitlin gazed at the collapsing ruins of the Game Corner, her refined lips pressed into a tight line, as though she was lost in heavy thoughts.
-------------------------------
Meanwhile, inside the underground base beneath the Game Corner—
"Damn it! That guy Lance!"
Ariana's face had turned exceedingly grim. The secret escape tunnels were now completely buried beneath rubble. Could it be that Lance actually intended to entomb them alive down here? Such cruelty!
"His strike was indeed merciless. Truly worthy of being called the Kanto Champion."
Even Karen raised a brow, though she already knew from Lucas that Lance loathed Team Rocket, the sheer viciousness of his method still exceeded her expectations.
"Houndoom, Fire Blast!"
But staying buried here was no different from waiting for death. Karen hurled out a Poké Ball, and the black, hellhound-like creature emerged with a menacing growl.
Everyone immediately retreated a distance. They had to blast open an escape path!
From Houndoom's maw erupted blazing flames, coalescing into a massive kanji-shaped inferno, detonating against the blocked exit.
--------------------
"Hm?"
High above, Lance stood on the rooftop, arms folded, calmly observing the ruins of the Game Corner. His eyes narrowed slightly as he noticed something stirring beneath.
Suddenly—searing flames erupted upward, piercing through the rubble, scorching the air until the sky itself seemed painted crimson.
"Looks like I've netted a big catch."
The corners of Lance's mouth curved into a dangerous grin. For someone to wield a Fire Blast of this caliber… it could only mean a high-ranking officer of Team Rocket had been cornered.
Sure enough, with the explosion cleared, scores of Rocket grunts began pouring out of the underground exit.
And finally—emerging last—were Archer, Karen, and the others.
"Old acquaintances, huh? Well then, let me give you a proper welcome gift."
Lance's cold eyes fixed sharply on Archer and Ariana. These two Rocket executives—he knew them all too well.
"Dragonair, Dragon Pulse!"
Both of his Dragonair raised their sleek heads, twin waves of pure draconic light lancing straight toward the Rocket officers.
Karen's eyes flickered. She was just about to command Houndoom to retaliate—
"Dragonair, Dragon Pulse!"
—but at that instant, another figure soared forth. An oddly colored Dragonair unleashed its own Dragon Pulse, intercepting the twin blasts head-on.
BOOM!
The colliding waves of dragon energy exploded, shockwaves tearing violently across the ruins.
At that very moment, Lance's cold, lifeless gaze suddenly lit up with fiery intensity. His expression twisted into one of exhilaration—yet it was accompanied by a hideous grin that was almost grotesque in its madness.
"Lucas!"
Lance's scarlet eyes locked tightly onto Lucas. To him, Lucas was the most special person within Team Rocket.
Whether he wanted to admit it or not, the truth was undeniable: they shared the same bloodline. Within them both flowed the same Power of the Dragon. They bore the same surname.
Lucas Blackthorn—he was the very one Lance most longed to confront!
To defeat him!
A dragon's pride never allowed another dragon to stand above it. For Lance, the rival he desired to crush more than anyone else was this very man—his cousin, Lucas, a Dragon trainer just like himself!
And especially after learning that this cousin of his had gone to Unova and obtained the recognition of the legendary dragon, Reshiram—
—Lance's emotions burned all the fiercer.
Lucas gave Lance a single glance before ordering his Dragonair to land. He stepped lightly onto the rubble-strewn battlefield.
"You're all unharmed, yes?"
He addressed Archer, Karen, and the others calmly.
"No major injuries… though once again, we'll be troubling you, Mr. Lucas."
Archer's expression was heavy as he looked around at the tightening ring of League officers. Today, there would be no peaceful outcome.
"No need for politeness—we're comrades of the same organization, after all. You focus on breaking through and escaping. Leave Lance to me."
With a light chuckle, Lucas clapped Archer's shoulder in reassurance.
"Yes!"
Archer answered firmly. He immediately barked orders for the grunts to scatter, while he, Karen, and the others split up as well. Each of them carried backup copies of the genetic fusion research. As long as even one escaped, the mission would still be a success.
Then, Lucas turned his eyes back upon Lance. A broad smile spread across his lips.
"Cousin Lance—it's truly been a long time, hasn't it~?"
His voice was warm, almost as though he were greeting a family member after years apart.
"Lucas… I've been yearning for you quite a lot lately." (TN: Lmao, sounds so wrong)
Lance's voice was guttural, his face twisting with even greater ferocity. His feelings toward this cousin were more complicated than he could put into words.
"For someone like me—dedicated to eradicating evil—it is an unbearable disgrace to have a cousin who joined Team Rocket. From the moment I confirmed this truth, Lucas, I have never stopped thinking about you."
Raising a hand, Lance released his Aerodactyl, mounting it as he took to the sky, looming high above Lucas.
"To defeat you! To bring you back to your senses—to make you realize just how deeply you've fallen!"
Wind howled around him, whipping his crimson hair against his pale face. His sharp, handsome features twisted by that eerie grin created an unsettling, almost grotesque visage—at once aloof and sinister.
The malice and oppressive might pouring from him made Lance seem, in the eyes of any bystander, more like a terrifying villain than a righteous champion.
"Fallen, am I? So that's how you see me in your heart, Cousin Lance? How very hurtful."
Lucas smirked, his words carrying an almost mocking gentleness, as though Lance's accusations meant nothing at all.
"Hmph! Enough of your hollow pretenses. This time, you won't escape me."
Lance's proud eyes burned with merciless resolve.
"My dear cousin~"
As he spoke, his twin Dragonair coiled together in the sky, their voices merging into a resounding, majestic draconic chorus.
"Hm?"
Lucas narrowed his eyes, noting the unusual sight of the two Dragonair twining around one another.
"Lucas—you were born of the Blackthorn Clan. Surely you recognize this technique, do you not?"
Lance's grin widened further, the crushing aura around him intensifying to a suffocating degree.
"This is the Blackthorn clan's secret art—Dual Dragon Combat Technique!"
"Allow me to show you, betrayer of Blackthorn honor—taste it for yourself!"
With his proud declaration, the Dragonair's orbs gleamed brilliantly.
The morning sun was swiftly blotted out by thick black clouds. Torrential rain poured down in sheets, engulfing all of Celadon City.
"Dual Dragon Hurricane!"
"Roooar~!"
The two Dragonair's melodic cries reverberated through the storm, summoning a colossal tornado that tore upward from the ground, surging toward Lucas.
"Well, well, cousin. Your luck is impressive indeed—so you've even mastered the Dual Dragon Combat Technique."
Lucas's eyes gleamed as he looked upon the sky-splitting tornado. He was sincerely impressed.
The Dual Dragon Combat Technique was one of the Blackthorn clan's treasured dragon techniques.
It was not an inherently invincible move—but its requirements were notoriously harsh.
Dragon-type Pokémon already possessed superb natural gifts: stamina, strength, resilience. But to fully unleash their true power, they had to reach their ultimate forms.
Yet, Dragonair had a unique advantage—superior energy control, especially over the weather itself. The essence of the Dual Dragon Combat Technique was two dragons attacking in perfect harmony, fusing their power to create an effect greater than the sum of its parts.
However, such precision was nearly impossible for Dragonite due to their volatile energy. Only Dragonair could truly achieve it. Even then, it demanded near-perfect synchronization—something exceedingly rare.
But Lance had managed it—with twin siblings of extraordinary talent.
"Dragonair, Hyper Beam."
Lucas's eyes narrowed slightly as he commanded calmly.
His Dragonair lifted its head, gathering devastating black energy into its maw.
In the next instant, a tremendous beam of destructive force lanced forward, colliding head-on with the tornado.
BOOM!
The massive black cyclone was torn apart, shattered by the Hyper Beam's cataclysmic force.
"Cousin Lance—it seems your Dual Dragon Combat Technique isn't all that remarkable after all."
Lucas shrugged casually, mocking in tone.
While the technique could amplify power beyond a simple sum, overwhelming disparities in strength made it far less impressive.
"Hmph! That was merely a greeting."
Lance smirked coldly, unfazed by the failure. After all, his cousin was still a Blackthorn. If he couldn't even deal with that move, Lance would have been the one disappointed.
"When it comes to putting on airs, Cousin Lance—I must admit, you truly are the strongest."
Lucas lifted a thumb, giving a half-teasing compliment.
And indeed—Lance's natural aura of haughty pride, paired with his sharp, handsome features, gave him a flair for dramatic presence that even Lucas couldn't help but acknowledge.
"Enough flattery. Lucas, playtime is over."
Lance's brows furrowed, his voice cutting with frost.
"Dragonite!"
Without hesitation, he sent out his ace—the mighty Dragonite.
His Dragonair pair were powerful, especially with the Dual Dragon Combat Technique, but they were best suited to long-range barrages. For direct combat, his Dragonite was unmatched.
"Dragonite, huh…"
Lucas's lips curved faintly as his fingers brushed against a Poké Ball at his side.
"You obtained Reshiram's recognition in Unova, didn't you? Then show me—let me witness the true power of the legendary dragon."
Lance's eyes burned with feverish intensity. He could sense it—Lucas's draconic aura had grown stronger, far stronger than before.
"So, you know…"
Lucas raised a brow, mildly surprised. Then he realized—likely the Unovan League had recorded footage during that battle.
"Well then, since you know I've been recognized by Reshiram—yet you still came at me so eagerly, cousin… are you that desperate to be defeated by me?"
Lucas teased, amused by Lance's obsession.
"Defeated? Hahaha!"
At those words, Lance froze for a moment—then broke into uproarious laughter, as though he had just heard the greatest joke in the world.
So, his cousin caught one Reshiram, and already he was getting arrogant?
But then, just as suddenly, his laughter died.
His gaze snapped back to Lucas, icy sharp and burning with madness.
"What a joke, Lucas. My Dragon Legion is invincible! No matter who the opponent may be!"
He stood tall, rain plastering his crimson hair against his face. His proud, handsome visage twisted with menace, exuding such terrifying arrogance that it was almost monstrous.
"Even Reshiram cannot prevail against them!"
Such self-assured, almost deranged arrogance…
Lucas only chuckled lightly, offering no rebuttal. Truly, his cousin was a man whose pride bordered on delusion. But in that case—
"That only makes it all the more worth defeating you."
With a flick of his wrist, Lucas hurled his Poké Ball high into the air.
"Now then—let Cousin Lance experience your might for himself. Reshiram!"
(End of Chapter)