After chatting for a while, the group returned to the outskirts of Lacunosa Town and boarded a helicopter heading back toward Vertress City.
"Lucas, now that you've reached fifth place on the Master Rankings, are you planning to continue challenging upward?" Iris asked curiously inside the helicopter.
Even though they were no longer enemies, to them, Lucas was still a very mysterious person. What exactly he was thinking, none of them could understand.
"Of course I will. Since I've already decided to participate in the World Championship, naturally I'm aiming straight for first place."
Lucas answered without even lifting his head, carefully wiping down his Poké Ball with a clean handkerchief.
If he hadn't participated, that would have been one thing but since he'd chosen to take part, then of course his goal would be the strongest.
"Then that means you'll be challenging Champion Lance?" Iris asked.
"Mm. I'm sure Cousin Lance is waiting for my challenge." Lucas's movements paused for a second before the corners of his lips curved into a faint smile.
Both of them were cousins of the Blackthorn clan. Their relationship was naturally far more complicated than outsiders imagined. Once Lance learned that Lucas had entered the ranking battles, he would definitely be waiting.
"Lance's strength is far beyond what most people assume. And from what I know, he's currently searching for a Mega Stone, a Garchomp's Mega Stone."
Alder stroked his beard as he suddenly spoke up.
Although Alder wasn't among the strongest of the regional champions anymore, he had served longer than any current Elite or Champion. His network was the widest among them.
"Garchomp? Champion Lance has a Garchomp?" Leon and the others looked surprised. Green blinked her clear eyes in confusion.
That didn't sound right. They had never heard of Lance having a Garchomp.
"No—or rather, just because he hasn't used it doesn't mean he doesn't have it. Lance's foundations are extremely deep."
Leon frowned, thinking hard, then shook his head.
Everyone assumed that when he fought Lance back then, Lance had gone all out. After all, a Mega Gyarados and three Dragonites were already overwhelming enough.
But Leon knew the truth—Lance still had cards he had never revealed.
For example…
The ancient and enourmous Dragonite exposed only recently in Saffron City. Its power was definitely not inferior to Lance's ace Dragonite. In fact, aside from lacking agility due to its enormous size, every aspect of the ancient Dragonite surpassed Lance's ace.
"Lance possesses the Dragon Force, and he has the full support of both the Indigo Champion's authority and the Blackthorn clan. It's perfectly normal that his foundation is so deep."
Lucas spoke lightly as he gazed out the window, eyes flickering.
What was there to be surprised about? A single Garchomp was nothing.
In the HeartGold & SoulSilver rematches, Lance's team replaced two of his Dragonites with a Garchomp and a Salamence. And in the manga, Lance even had a Tyranitar.
A single Garchomp was hardly shocking. As for why he'd never revealed it before—he was probably raising it in secret.
"Looks like I'll have to work even harder then."
Leon looked at the Poké Ball of his Xurkitree, eyes glowing brighter. Once he finished training Xurkitree, his strength would also increase.
"And recently, there are two people rapidly climbing the upper ranks." After a short silence, Steven spoke.
"If even Champion Steven is paying attention to them, they must be extraordinary," Green commented.
"Red and Blue?" Leon asked.
"No." Steven shook his head and then turned to glance at Lucas with a strange look in his eyes.
"It's N and Zinnia."
Steven didn't bother building suspense.
The Black Dragon Trainer, N!
And Zinnia, one of the Draconid people!
When Steven saw their names suddenly appear on the Ultra Class Trainer Rankings, he was truly shocked. But after the surprise, it also felt reasonable—after all, the World Championship had become immensely popular. It wasn't strange for talents like N and Zinnia to join.
But Steven also remembered—Zinnia had fought alongside Lucas during the Hoenn Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogrecrisis.
And N…
Cynthia had later informed him that to convince Lucas to intervene against Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre, N had agreed to Lucas's conditions to become his subordinate for three years.
"These two… you'd all better be careful," Lucas said with a raised brow, completely ignoring Steven's probing gaze. A light smile curved on his lips.
"They might challenge the Master Class Ranking members sooner than you think."
…
Cianwood City
This was an island city near the Whirl Islands. Its most famous landmark was the ancient Cianwood City Pharmacy—one of the oldest and most trusted apothecaries in all of Indigo.
This afternoon, two men in black hats stepped out of that pharmacy.
One wore a black robe and a round black hat. His demeanor was mature, steady—like a refined, successful gentleman.
It was Giovanni.
"Boss… about your health…" Archer, who had disguised himself slightly, looked worriedly at the medicine bag in his hand. He never expected Giovanni to be suffering from a serious illness.
"Don't worry. There will be a way. Archer—you are my most trusted subordinate. You must not let this leak. Understand?"
Giovanni spoke in a low, magnetic voice.
Originally, he hadn't planned to tell any of his subordinates about his condition. He knew full well that if they discovered he was dying, their morale would crumble.
But now that Lucas had already devised a plan with him, Giovanni finally allowed himself to breathe. Archer was his most loyal executive so he chose not to hide it from him.
"Yes, sir. I understand." Archer pressed his lips together, eyes filled with both emotion and determination.
"And… about Silver. Have you found anything?" Giovanni asked softly after a moment of hesitation.
He had sent Archer to secretly investigate Silver's whereabouts.
"I'm very sorry, Boss. There is still no trace of the young master." Archer lowered his head in shame.
It was only a few days ago that he learned Giovanni had a missing child.
"No need to rush. Take your time. It's already been ten years…"
Giovanni shook his head helplessly, his gaze turning distant.
Silver…
"Please rest assured, Boss. I will definitely find him!" Archer promised fiercely.
Giovanni smiled faintly. "I understand your intentions. But some things… must depend on fate. What about Kalos?"
"We still haven't uncovered anything. I'll continue sending more people." Archer frowned.
He had already dispatched a squad toward Dahara City in Kalos, but there was still no information about the Valley of Creation.
"This matter is extremely important. Make sure it is completed."
"Yes, Boss!"
…
Indigo Plateau – Elite Four Office
"Oh? You finally found that rat's trail?"
Lance stood up with a cold smile after taking a phone call, icy light shining in his eyes.
Ever since the Saffron City incident, he had been searching relentlessly for Giovanni's movements—and finally, there was a lead.
"He left Cianwood City? Heading east? …I see."
Hanging up, Lance unfolded a map of Johto.
Cianwood City lay southwest of Olivine. Traveling east, the route passed Olivine, Ecruteak, then Mahogany Town, Blackthorn City, and beyond.
His gaze swept across each major city.
It was also possible Giovanni didn't continue east. After all, Goldenrod City lay directly south of Ecruteak.
But—
Lance's eyes locked onto Mahogany Town.
If he remembered correctly, there had once been a report: Rocket activity detected north of Mahogany, near the Lake of Rage—conducting some kind of experiment.
"That rat bastard—let's see where you run this time."
His lips twisted into a sinister smirk. Folding the map, he strode out of the Champion office.
He would personally go to Johto—and end Giovanni.
As long as Team Rocket remained, Lance would never rest.
"Lance, heading out again?"
Before he could leave, the office door opened. Agatha entered, leaning on her cane. Seeing Lance's movements, she frowned.
"Mm. They found Giovanni's trail."
"You intend to go alone?" Agatha's brows knitted even harder.
"Lance, you know Giovanni's strength. And recently, the Council members have been very displeased with us…"
Her voice carried both concern and admonishment.
Giovanni's personal power had already shown itself during the battle at Saffron City. She doubted Lance could defeat him alone.
And although the Saffron conflict ended in victory, Giovanni's escape along with the escape of the three Rocket executives gave the politicians plenty of excuses to attack the Elite Four.
Indigo's crisis was over, and those useless council members wasted no time digging up old grievances—criticizing both Lance and Lorelei.
Lance was too proud. Lorelei was too cold. Neither had good relationships within the League.
Even Loki supported them only reluctantly, and even he couldn't fully protect them from political backlash.
And now, in such a sensitive time, Lance wanted to go alone to capture Giovanni. If he failed…
Those politicians would tear him apart.
"Hmph. I should care what those trash think?"
Lance snorted coldly. If they pushed him too far, he would simply abandon the Champion title.
He had long been fed up with those incompetent parasites who only knew how to bark.
As for whether he could defeat Giovanni—Lance refused to believe he would lose to that sewer rat.
Impossible.
Agatha watched his departing figure and sighed helplessly. Lance's pride was too fierce. She couldn't stop him.
"It seems…"
She lowered herself onto the sofa and pulled an ancient book from her robes, along with a small box.
Inside the box—
Eight Gym Badges.
These were the very ones recovered after the battle in Saffron.
According to the reports, the Executive and now ex gym leader, Sabrina had used the energy of the eight badges combined with an amplifier to forcibly fuse the legendary trio Moltres, Zapdos, and Articuno—into a single being, the "Tri-Bird Unity."
Its power was terrifying. Even Red had struggled to bring it down.
"Cobalt Island is a natural energy amplifier. If all eight badges were placed there…"
Agatha flipped through the ancient records, sinking into deep contemplation.
"To summon… a legendary bird Pokémon? But which one?"
She murmured to herself. "The Kanto region is the birthplace of the Pokémon League, and the eight initial badges here are the most special."
The eight Kanto badges were unique, forged from mysterious, energy-rich materials. Team Rocket had used a mechanical amplifier plus the badges to produce the Tri-Bird Unity.
But if one used the massive natural energy of Cobalt Island combined with the badges—
One could summon an actual legendary bird Pokémon.
"No matter whether Lance succeeds or not, those idiotic councilmen will seize this chance to attack him."
"Lance and Lorelei have offended too many politicians over the years. And if Lance happens to lose…"
"With Lance's extreme personality…"
Her eyes flickered darkly.
She knew Lance too well. Lorelei had been her protégé. Lance, too, was someone she had guided since youth—fierce, proud, uncompromising.
If Lance were to fail against Giovanni… with his obsessive hatred of evil and his twisted pride…
He might mentally break.
And if, at that moment, those fool councilmen dared provoke him—
Then…
Lance might truly slaughter them all.
Blood soaking the Indigo Plateau.
"It seems I must prepare."
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(End of Chapter)