"As expected of Teacher Azure!!!"
An older Team Rocket officer blurted out without thinking.
The Pokémon standing behind Aiden—though unknown to most newcomers—was instantly recognizable to him, an original member who had followed Giovanni's mother, since the very inception of Team Rocket.
Mew—the legendary Mythical Pokémon—the very creature Team Rocket had sought since its founding!
Who could have imagined that the entity they had spent years desperately searching for would now appear so boldly before them—only as their opponent?
It was said that Mew possessed the genetic code of every single Pokémon, theoretically granting it the ability to learn any move—and now, it seemed this theory was undeniably true.
With just a casual wave of its paw, it had completely sealed off all their Weezing's ability to use Explosion…
Although this tactic, which Executive Petrel had dubbed "Chain Explosion," had indeed been derived from Teacher Aiden's original tutorial videos, they had carefully localized and refined it.
The explosive power of the Weezing wasn't particularly immense—but the advantage was that the leaking gas vastly expanded the area of effect.
Additionally, some of the Weezing possessed the Neutralizing Gas ability, which completely nullified any interference from the Damp ability on explosive moves.
Logically speaking, this should have been an unbeatable strategy.
Yet, Teacher Aiden had instantly recognized the threat—and coordinated seamlessly with Mew.
It was terrifying!
…Wait a minute?
In the midst of his shock, the veteran Team Rocket member finally realized—
If the Weezing can no longer use their moves… then aren't we completely done for???
A wave of despair immediately engulfed every low-ranking Team Rocket grunt.
Meanwhile, after a brief moment of stunned silence, Lance swiftly made his next move:
"Eliminate every last one of these Team Rocket grunts—full force!"
Whether or not Aiden had somehow summoned Mew remained unexplained—right now, the priority was dealing with Team Rocket.
Lance immediately led the charge, sending the now-defenseless Team Rocket grunts scattering in panic, their Pokémon rendered useless.
Meanwhile, Sabrina, who had accompanied Aiden and Lance to Viridian City, remained expressionless, her gaze locked unwaveringly on the pink, mischievously grinning feline floating in the air.
So… so adorable…
Who would have thought Teacher Aiden possessed such a cute Pokémon—and judging by its abilities, it must be Psychic-type as well?
Imprison was a relatively common Psychic technique, and its mechanism wasn't particularly complex.
By familiarizing oneself with the energy signature of an opponent's move, one could temporarily suppress it using overwhelming Psychic power.
It sounded like an incredibly powerful ability—if you knew enough moves, you could disrupt your opponent's entire strategy and remain invincible.
But it had one glaring flaw—
If your power wasn't sufficient to decisively overpower your opponent, the technique simply wouldn't work.
Due to these severe limitations, only a handful of Pokémon with exceptionally potent Psychic abilities ever truly relied on this move.
Of course, Sabrina herself was perfectly capable of using it.
Her method was simple: sheer brute force. She could even use Psychic to completely immobilize opponents, rendering them utterly motionless.
In terms of raw Psychic power, there were likely few Pokémon in the world stronger than her…
Yet, sealing the moves of so many Weezing simultaneously—clearly, that was beyond the capability of any ordinary Pokémon.
No wonder Teacher Aiden's Pokémon are always so powerful.
Sabrina couldn't help but silently marvel.
"Mew~"
After effortlessly neutralizing the threat, Mew still wore its cheerful smile, casually perching atop Aiden's shoulder.
"…"
Aiden exhaled in relief and affectionately ruffled Mew's head.
"Thank you so much, Mew."
Mew's genetics were indeed as powerful as the Pokédex described—even moves it supposedly couldn't learn in the games, like Explosion, were effortlessly sealed in real combat.
If it truly decided to go all out, few Legendary Pokémon beyond a select few would even be able to use their own moves in its presence…
But Mew's playful nature meant it preferred to toy with opponents rather than simply crush them outright, often using its Transform ability to engage in "fair" battles—assuming the opponent even had a chance.
It would transform into any Pokémon it had seen—including Legendary Pokémon—and use their signature moves with perfect precision.
No wonder Team Rocket was always obsessed with Mew—this Pokémon was diabolically effective in battle!
But what if Mew were your own teammate?
How could there be such a reliable Pokémon? It was undoubtedly the perfect partner!
Mew could learn nearly every move in existence—and Aiden himself had a working knowledge of most of them, making his command over Mew incredibly intuitive.
We're amazing together!
Though Aiden knew he'd only received a temporary "Mew Experience Card" to rescue Mewtwo, and that Mew would likely return to its mischievous, free-spirited ways soon…
Who cared? Let's enjoy it while it lasts!
"Mew~"
Mew reached out its tiny paw and high-fived Qing Yu in perfect synchronicity.
We are the ultimate duo!
…
With the combined support of Aiden and Mew—and Sabrina's equally formidable Psychic power—the scattered Team Rocket grunts posed no real threat and were swiftly overwhelmed.
Whether it was Imprison, Hypnosis, or even the devastatingly powerful Perish Song, Mew instantly understood and executed each technique with terrifying efficiency, especially against low-tier opponents.
Soon, Lance led the charge into the Viridian Gym's interior.
The empty battlefield stood vacant—save for a middle-aged man in a crisp suit, standing with his back to them, arms folded, utterly composed.
The moment he saw the man, Lance's voice turned icy.
"Giovanni. I need an explanation."
"Why is Team Rocket operating near the Viridian Gym?"
Giovanni offered no immediate reply—only a quiet, mocking chuckle.
"So even the famed Dragon Master, the Kanto Champion Lance, is unaware of certain truths?"
He seemed poised to say more—but when he caught sight of the two figures following closely behind, his expression froze momentarily.
Aiden and Sabrina's arrival was something even Giovanni had never anticipated.
One was a Gym Leader and popular livestreamer from Paldea—far removed from Kanto's affairs.
The other was a newcomer who, along with other Gym Leaders, had once been absorbed into Team Rocket—and whom he had personally favored.
Sabrina's presence immediately clarified one thing for Giovanni:
No wonder Lance had only now uncovered his true identity—it was because every single Gym Leader had been a mole.
By now, Team Rocket's bases in other towns must have already been destroyed…
Perhaps, after today, the once-mighty underground empire of Team Rocket—once so dominant in Kanto that it dared to challenge the Elite Four directly—would become nothing but a relic of the past.
For the first time, Giovanni—who had always believed in trusting those he employed, relying on his charisma to bind loyalty—finally felt the sting of betrayal.
Yet, he quickly regained his composure, turning to Aiden with a calm, serene smile.
Team Rocket's collapse? Let it go.
Giovanni never considered himself someone who couldn't accept defeat—he had already prepared for the worst the moment he crossed the line into actions the League could never tolerate.
But Aiden's appearance had genuinely surprised him.
"I never imagined our first meeting would be under such… unpleasant circumstances, Teacher Aiden."
At once, every eye—Giovanni's, Lance's, Sabrina's—turned toward Aiden.
???
Aiden himself was equally stunned. Did Giovanni really know who he was?
Lance, meanwhile, nodded inwardly.
Of course. That's why Team Rocket employed both Explosion and Minimize tactics—it was exactly as he suspected.
There had to be a mastermind behind it all.
But Teacher Aiden's intentions were surely noble—only exploited by this villainous organization.
What a terrible, despicable thing Team Rocket has done!
"Mew!"
Upon hearing Giovanni's voice, Mew immediately stepped forward, its gaze fixed on Giovanni with unmistakable hostility.
This man—this was the one who had turned Mewtwo into such a pitiful creature!
For some reason, Aiden seemed to catch a fleeting glimpse of Mew's thoughts.
"Oh… I see…"
Noticing Mew's presence, Giovanni's expression twisted into a knowing smirk.
From the dynamic between Mew and Aiden, he now understood why this young Gym Leader from Paldea had appeared so far from home.
Just as rumors claimed, this gifted young leader had clearly interacted with more than one Legendary being.
But…
"If you've come this far, then you must already know the truth about Team Rocket."
"Then I'll admit it plainly."
"Yes. I am the Boss of Team Rocket."
Giovanni's words struck like thunder.
Lance, who had been standing with arms crossed, visibly stiffened—then quickly regained his composure.
Yet inside, his mind was in chaos.
What…?
Giovanni… is Team Rocket's boss?
A flood of painful memories surged back—the memory of his youth, when he had faced the former Team Rocket leader and been utterly dominated. The dark, sinister silhouette of that man slowly merged with the image of the well-dressed, dignified Giovanni standing before him.
So… this is it…
Giovanni… you hid it so deeply!
Your title is "Giovanni of the Earth"—yet your true form lies hidden in the shadows beneath it?
Lance clenched his fists, his thirst for vengeance surging within him.
Yet, at the same time, a chill of dread crept over him.
Giovanni had been terrifyingly powerful over a decade ago—what strength had he attained now?
One thing was certain: calling him a mere Gym Leader was an insult. Even Lance, currently the strongest on paper among the Elite Four, wasn't sure he could defeat him.
"Though this may sound arrogant…"
Giovanni spoke again, calm and composed.
"I've never considered anyone in Kanto a genuine threat."
"Whether it's Lance, Sabrina, or anyone else—except perhaps the retired Professor Oak, whom I must acknowledge as a worthy adversary—all others are simply no match for me."
"That is the foundation upon which Team Rocket grew."
"But I never expected to encounter someone so… intriguing, at a time like this."
Giovanni smiled gently at Aiden.
"To be honest, not only have we been spared by your interference, but Team Rocket owes you a great deal."
"So, as repayment…"
"Let me show you, Teacher Aiden, how a true Kanto fighter fights."
As he spoke, the ground beneath Aiden's feet violently trembled.
Instinctively, Aiden leapt backward—just barely avoiding a massive horn erupting from the earth, as a Rhyperior emerged, its spike grazing his heels by millimeters.
Lance and Sabrina, too, were attacked from below.
But unlike Aiden, who was unfamiliar with rough-and-tumble combat, both had clearly anticipated this move—easily evading the assault while simultaneously releasing their own Poké Balls to summon their Pokémon.
"…"
Aiden's body went numb.
Is this… how Kanto trainers fight?
How is this even more underhanded than my own style?!
But…
"You started it!"
Aiden instantly pulled out three Poké Balls.
Though he wasn't skilled in unregulated battles, if there were no rules, and no limit on the number of Pokémon…
"Go! Sylveon, Lucario, and Ogerpon!"
Aiden's three core Pokémon appeared in rapid succession, joined by Mew as an unexpected ally—four of them radiating overwhelming presence.
As for stats and mechanics—my Pokémon won't lose to anyone!
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