Of course.
Even if it was just practice, Yozora would still take it seriously—he would chase the Champion's path with everything he had.
Beedrill...
Though he usually regarded it as his trump card, if it was for the sake of honor, then even exposing it was nothing to hesitate over.
In truth—
As his strength grew by leaps and bounds, he no longer needed to keep secrets or preserve so-called hidden cards...
"With Beedrill's current strength, if it can Mega Evolve, then even if I come across Team Rocket's higher-ups—even if I face an Elite Four–level Trainer—I would not fear them! What do I have to fear?" Yozora's chest surged with heroic confidence.
As his strength grew, so too did his courage and conviction.
"So, the most pressing matter right now is to get Beedrill's Mega Stone in hand..." Plans always struggled to keep up with changes.
Originally, Yozora had intended to travel for about a week, earn eight Gym Badges, and then return to Saffron Department Store to purchase Beedrill's Mega Stone.
But now—he had decided to alter his plan.
It didn't matter. It wouldn't affect anything important anyway. Besides, with cash in hand, why wait any longer to obtain Beedrill's Mega Stone?
And Saffron City had its own Gym.
Before, Yozora had avoided challenging it out of caution, wary of Sabrina's connection to Team Rocket. But what was there to fear now?
Even if Team Rocket targeted him, so what?
At this point, the average Rocket elite was no longer worth his attention.
No matter how many came, they would only end up as nourishment for Gengar.
To Gengar, those Rocket elites were the most succulent prey—they had undergone brutal training, forged strong physiques, and possessed extremely potent life energy.
Back in Pokémon Tower, Gengar's targets had mostly been the old, the weak, and the frail; rarely young trainers.
And even when he did prey on the young, their life energy was nothing compared to that of Rocket elites.
Moreover, Gengar had always kept a bottom line. In Pokémon Tower, no matter how starved, it had never taken a life.
But now, against Team Rocket, under Yozora's orders—it had no such restraints.
It devoured life energy without hesitation, its power surging with every breath.
...
This trip to the Seafoam Islands had left Yozora with massive gains: two hundred million in cash, and fifteen Never-Melt Ice, worth a total of four hundred and fifty million.
As for the rest of Team Rocket's loot—minerals, high-grade Berries, and such—all combined they weren't even worth ten million. Compared to the cash and Never-Melt Ice, they were negligible.
In addition—
Yozora could mine. This cavern still hid many Ice Stones—a fortune in its own right.
Though he had already struck it rich, he wasn't about to overlook those Ice Stones.
Clang, clang, clang— Yozora set to mining.
From Rocket's storage gear, he found a few shovels, handing one each to Charmeleon and Machoke so they could help dig.
With the aid of his Aura's magnetic field and the telepathic bond between them, Charmeleon and Machoke worked in perfect rhythm—every strike yielded another gem, another Ice Stone, another steady haul.
Yozora planned to mine until he was satisfied, then fly to Saffron City on Pidgeot.
In fact—
He had considered lingering in the cave for a few more days. After all, the escaped Articuno chick might return.
But after some thought, he dismissed the idea. The chances were far too slim.
And he couldn't risk luring not the chick, but Rocket higher-ups, to his position instead...
After all, without Beedrill's Mega Stone in hand, he couldn't afford to overextend himself.
Even with Mega Evolution, he was only confident in taking on a single Rocket executive one-on-one. If he couldn't win, he could at least escape.
But if there was more than one? That would be trouble.
...
Far north in the Kanto seas, on an unnamed island near the Seafoam Islands, two women—one older, one younger—were standing off against a small Articuno.
The older woman looked about thirty, her features refined and elegant.
Her skin was pale, glasses framed her gentle eyes, and her short wine-red hair gave her an air of sophistication and intellect.
Her figure was full and graceful. She wore a dark-blue jacket over a light denim miniskirt, revealing long, snow-white thighs.
Despite her breezy outfit, in this icy landscape she seemed entirely unfazed by the cold.
She was none other than Lorelei, one of the famed Kanto Elite Four, master of Ice-type Pokémon.
At her side was a much younger beauty with snow-white hair flowing down her back. She looked perhaps sixteen or seventeen—bright, lively, and still blossoming into adulthood.
The younger girl's attire was far more conservative.
It was late autumn now; even outside the icy islands, short skirts would be impractical.
She wore long sleeves and pants, topped with a thick white coat to ward off the cold.
"Come here, little one," Lorelei spoke softly, hands outstretched, taking slow, deliberate steps toward the Articuno chick. "I understand your pain. Come with me, and I will help you grow strong. Strong enough to defeat Team Rocket. Strong enough to rescue your mother."
As she moved, moonlight seemed to veil her body, and a soft blue radiance shimmered faintly around her.
If one stood close enough, they would notice—the gentle aura she exuded was as cold and sharp as ice itself.
Unlike mediocrities such as Bruno, Dragon Master Lance and Lorelei were true prodigies. Both possessed unique gifts.
Lance commanded the Power of Dragons.
Lorelei wielded a gift of ice itself—a power that allowed her to effortlessly earn the trust and affection of Ice-type Pokémon.
Under her care, any Ice-type would grow at astonishing speed. More than that—their very potential would slowly and subtly rise.
One of the Elite Four, the Ice Master Lorelei—her title was not an empty boast, but the mark of genuine strength.
The current Kanto Elite Four consisted of Lance, Agatha, Bruno, and Lorelei.
Among them, Lance was the youngest—only twenty-six, in his prime, famed for his Dragon-types, hailed as the Dragon Master.
The term "Master" is only an honorific — a title, not an actual rank.
Generally speaking, a trainer who has reached Elite Four caliber in strength, and who by virtue and service has contributed to the League and to society, gaining great renown and the respect of others, will be referred to as a "Master."
Agatha is of the same generation as Professor Oak — already a grandmotherly figure, her face lined with wrinkles, well over fifty years old.
Grandma Agatha specializes in Poison- and Ghost-type Pokémon; people call her a Ghost-type Pokémon Master.
Lorelei is roughly thirty years old, likewise in the prime of her life; she specializes in Ice-type Pokémon and is known as an Ice-type Pokémon Master.
Bruno is also around thirty, of the same era as Lorelei. He favors powerhouse and Fighting-type Pokémon, and is known as a Fighting-type Pokémon Master.
…
(End of Chapter)