"Given the kind of person you are, it's not exactly surprising you joined Team Rocket."
Lorelei calmed herself quickly, her icy, bone‑piercing gaze downright creepy.
She didn't feel a shred of sympathy for any member of Team Rocket.
But after hearing from Agatha and Goodshow that such an outstanding rising star had joined Team Rocket—and for such a regretful reason—
Lorelei had initially chosen to reserve judgment.
Now, seeing what a shameless lecher he was, she didn't find it strange at all.
Caitlin pressed her lips together, glancing at a certain location on Lorelei's figure, then at her own.
Yeah.
Look down, and it was nothing but toes.
Caitlin fell into thought.
How was she supposed to catch up in development?
"Someone like me, huh?"
Damian's smile was half‑amused.
"Lorelei, don't talk like you know me so well."
"I don't need to know you.
And I have no reason to want to."
Lorelei's tone was ice‑cold.
"Pff～ you're really cold."
Damian snorted again.
"All you need to know is that you're spending the rest of your life in a cell at Indigo Plateau."
"Blizzard!"
Lorelei clearly had zero interest in dragging the conversation out.
She immediately ordered her two Pokémon to strike.
Dewgong and Lapras opened their mouths in unison, ice‑blue energy gathering.
The next second, a howling storm of snow and wind blasted out, swallowing the sky.
An Ice‑type Blizzard!
"Looks pretty scary, I'll give you that."
Damian chuckled when he saw it.
Armored Mewtwo stepped in front of him, a torrent of psychic power surging out to form a deep purple barrier.
Boom!
The Blizzard slammed wildly into the psychic wall, the frigid gale shrieking—
But Armored Mewtwo's barrier might as well have been a mountain.
The Blizzard didn't budge it.
With a single sweep of its arm, Armored Mewtwo detonated the air with a sharp crack.
The barrier shattered outward, taking the raging Blizzard with it, wiping the attack clean off the field.
!!!
Watching this, Lorelei's pupils shrank.
Bruno's eyes widened as well, his expression turning grave.
"Not bad for a warm‑up.
But if you think an attack like that could beat my Mewtwo, you're way off."
Damian grinned, voice light, almost playful.
"How is that possible?!"
Lorelei's brows knitted tightly as she stared at the armored Pokémon she'd never seen before.
Its relaxed, unbothered stance said everything about how little effort it had taken to handle her Blizzard.
How could it be this strong?
She knew very well that Dewgong and Lapras hadn't gone all out just now—
But for a normal defense to block their attacks that easily?
"Lorelei, be careful.
There's something off about this guy."
Bruno's tone was low as he warned her.
"I know."
Of course Lorelei understood.
"Looks like it's a Psychic/Steel‑type.
In that case…"
Bruno's gaze hardened on Armored Mewtwo.
"Hitmonlee, Machamp! Throat Chop!"
Hitmonlee and Machamp charged Armored Mewtwo together.
"Ice Beam!"
Lorelei immediately moved to cover them, making it easier for Hitmonlee and Machamp to get close.
Dewgong and Lapras both unleashed twisting Ice Beams, the frigid rays shooting straight toward Armored Mewtwo.
"Weak."
Armored Mewtwo spared Lorelei's side a single glance, deep purple flames flickering in its eyes as it raised its right arm.
A terrifying wave of psychic power burst forth, coalescing into a multicolored shockwave.
Psychic!
Boom!
The Psychic shockwave collided with the twin Ice Beams—
They stalemated for only a heartbeat before Psychic tore through them like paper, then drove straight on.
"Protect!"
Lorelei's expression shifted.
Lapras threw up Protect instantly, a green barrier flashing into place.
Psychic smashed into the shield, the crushing pressure forcing Lapras to grit its teeth hard.
So heavy!
By then, Hitmonlee and Machamp had already closed in on Armored Mewtwo.
Hitmonlee arrived first.
It sprang into the air, its right leg glowing with dark light before it whipped down toward Armored Mewtwo.
A Dark‑type Throat Chop!
Hitmonlee's springlike leg shot out, extending in an instant and reaching Armored Mewtwo.
But Armored Mewtwo only tilted its head, looking at Hitmonlee.
A deep purple barrier snapped into being.
Wham!
Throat Chop slammed viciously into the barrier, ripples spreading across its surface—
But it didn't break.
"What is that thing?"
Bruno couldn't make sense of it.
What kind of move was this barrier?
Protect?
Didn't feel like it.
Machamp had already arrived.
All four of its arms lifted at once—fourfold Throat Chop!
Armored Mewtwo simply turned its gaze on Machamp, and a massive surge of psychic power crashed down.
Machamp's motion froze mid‑swing.
A hard psychic lock.
Veins bulged across Machamp's body, its face twisting with strain as it poured everything it had into breaking free of the psychic hold—
But it couldn't.
Bruno was stunned.
Armored Mewtwo had looked at Machamp once and locked it in place?
What the hell was this thing?!
"Mewtwo."
Damian's smile was full of satisfaction.
Yeah, he was very happy with Armored Mewtwo's performance.
Shadow Mewtwo had only awakened recently, and it was still wearing limiting armor.
Even so, Armored Mewtwo's power was overwhelming—
Anyone watching could see that much already.
Armored Mewtwo twisted its palm.
A pure, surging wave of psychic power erupted from its body, rippling outward from its position.
Hitmonlee and Machamp were both blasted away by the shockwave, slamming hard into the ground.
"Looks like with just the two of you, it's gonna be a little tough to throw me in a cell."
Damian spoke to Lorelei and Bruno in a slow, almost regretful tone.
Lorelei's face went from cold to downright ugly.
Bruno's expression was hard to read as he glanced at his Machamp and Hitmonlee, now much worse off, and held his tongue.
Erika watched Damian with a dazed, conflicted look.
Even Lorelei and Bruno together couldn't beat him?
This—
Senior Giovanni, you're way too sinful!!!
"Don't you dare get cocky.
Evil Team Rocket—I'll defeat you with my own hands!"
Lorelei's full chest heaved, waves crashing with every breath.
She pulled out another Poké Ball and opened it.
A Jynx appeared in front of her.
"Oh?"
Damian raised a brow.
"Jynx, huh?"
The Lorelei in this world was clearly the Special manga version—her personality cruel and ruthless.
In the Special manga, Lorelei had a secret technique, just like Agatha's "Death Makeup."
Agatha could alter the pattern on Arbok's chest to boost specific stats—speed, power, defense, and so on.
Lorelei's Jynx was just as unique.
Her Jynx could create ice dolls modeled on a target.
Lorelei could then apply lipstick to specific parts of the doll to freeze the corresponding parts of the real target.
The technique was a blend of tactical control, psychological warfare, and a showcase of her Ice‑type mastery all rolled into one.
And, well, it was also perfect for ambushes.
If you're in the middle of a battle and suddenly find yourself frozen solid, how wouldn't you panic?
And once you panic, your opponent has their opening.
Of course, this sort of technique only worked in unofficial fights—out in the field.
In official battles, it was absolutely illegal.
And besides, this kind of thing—
"Won't work on me."
Damian couldn't help but laugh.
Lorelei really was daring.
He didn't know the exact mechanics behind the ice doll, but there was no doubt Jynx was using its psychic power to forge some kind of link between the doll and the target to apply the freezing effect.
The problem was, he had Psychic girl Caitlin at his side, and a Psychic‑type Legendary Pokémon in front of him.
If Jynx wanted to build a link between him and an ice doll now, there was no way it would be easy.
And on top of that, Damian himself had a special power—the power of Viridian.
He wasn't like Red in the Special manga, walking around with no special abilities and getting blindsided by Lorelei's trick.
"Blizzard!"
Lorelei decisively ordered Dewgong and Lapras to attack again, using the move to buy Jynx some time.
Jynx began crafting an ice doll modeled after Damian.
Bruno knew how Lorelei's ability worked.
He thought it over, then still chose to send Machamp and Hitmonlee charging in again, helping to cover Lorelei.
He didn't really think Lorelei would succeed—
But it was worth a try.
"Mewtwo."
Damian let out a soft, amused breath.
Armored Mewtwo lifted its arm again.
Psychic shattered the incoming Blizzard into nothing, and Machamp and Hitmonlee, coming in from another angle, were once again blasted away by the shockwave of psychic force.
This time, both Machamp and Hitmonlee lost the ability to fight.
They didn't really stand a chance.
Bruno's Fighting‑types were naturally weak to Psychic, and they'd taken two full‑force Psychic shockwaves from Armored Mewtwo.
That was no different from eating two straight Psychic hits.
Even as Bruno's main roster, they couldn't withstand that.
Meanwhile, on Lorelei's side, Jynx was trying to work fast on the ice doll—
Until it suddenly realized it couldn't complete it at all.
"What's wrong?"
Lorelei's brows drew tight as she looked at her Jynx.
Sweat beaded on Jynx's face.
It had noticed the terrifying psychic pressure radiating from that armored Pokémon—the one staring at it with those sinister deep purple eyes.
Jynx was dripping with cold sweat.
It understood now.
With Armored Mewtwo's psychic field cutting in, there was no way it could forge a link or create an ice doll of Damian.
Lorelei's expression grew even darker.
She could more or less guess Jynx wasn't going to succeed.
Silence fell over the field.
"Looks like that one failed, Lorelei.
Got anything else?"
Damian asked at just the right time.
"You—!!
Mockery.
You're mocking me, aren't you?!"
"Vile, shameless Team Rocket!"
Lorelei's anger boiled over as she glared at Damian, voice like a blade.
Bruno, on the other hand, was more pragmatic.
His hand was already in his pocket, pulling out a special communicator and hammering the button.
Old hag Agatha!
Birdbrain Lance!
We need backup!
Honestly, Bruno didn't have much affection for Agatha or Lance.
Within the Kanto Elite Four, he was faintly the odd one out.
Especially with Agatha—Bruno had always kept his distance from that creepy old crone.
He couldn't shake the feeling she was eyeing him.
You have any idea how scary that is?
A big, perfectly built muscle man like him being stared at by a scrawny, shadowy granny?
She was definitely coveting his perfect physique!
But this was an emergency.
He had to call for backup.
This Team Rocket executive was way too strong.
They'd probably need Agatha and Lance to bring him down.
Lorelei, the moment she saw Team Rocket, completely lost her head.
Bruno, though—that was a different story.
"Oh?"
Damian sighed lightly.
"Shameless, huh.
That's the first time anyone's smeared me like that."
"But since you put it that way, Lorelei—"
"Mewtwo."
Armored Mewtwo understood instantly.
It raised its right arm, aiming at Lorelei.
A tidal wave of psychic power surged out.
Even the wind seemed to freeze.
The injured Dewgong and Lapras were immediately crushed to the ground under the weight of it, unable to move.
Jynx was pinned as well.
It could still move, barely—but only just.
As for Lorelei—
Armored Mewtwo's psychic grip wrapped around her and lifted her bodily off the ground, dragging her through the air toward Damian.
Jynx panicked, using Psychic in a desperate attempt to pull Lorelei back—
But the moment it tried, it realized it wasn't even close to being a match.
Armored Mewtwo flicked a cold glance at Jynx.
You think you're taking her from me?
Jynx almost cried.
Lorelei's face went pale.
She'd never imagined there would come a day when she'd be captured by Team Rocket.
"Wouldn't act rashly, if I were you, Bruno.
Can't guarantee Lorelei's safety if you do."
Lorelei, bound by Armored Mewtwo's psychic hold, was set down at Damian's side.
Damian studied her up close, very much at his leisure, speaking to Bruno without even turning his head.
"Damian.
Let Lorelei go, and we'll let you walk."
Bruno froze mid‑motion, then spoke to Damian in a deep voice.
If anything happened to Lorelei, this was no joke.
Lorelei clenched her silver teeth, Damian's unrestrained gaze making humiliation burn in her chest.
But the situation left her with no leverage.
"Relax, relax, Bruno.
With a body this perfect, I'd never be able to bring myself to ruin her."
Damian's smile was all lazy appreciation.
"Bastard!
Damian, I will never forgive you!"
Lorelei finally snapped.
A warrior could be killed, but not humiliated.
How dare this guy flirt with her like that?!
"Tough crowd, huh～"
Damian let out a soft sigh.
"I wonder…
If I got you pregnant with my kid, would you still be that tough?"
He propped his chin on one hand, mouth stretching into a wide grin—
The very picture of a TV drama villain.
"You—!"
Lorelei's expression changed drastically.
Erika swallowed hard and instinctively took two steps back, desperately hoping she wouldn't get dragged into this.
Caitlin, however, merely arched a fine brow, shooting Lorelei a displeased look.
Bruno could only stare, utterly dumbfounded, at Damian and Lorelei.
Holy crap.
This guy was ruthless.
~~~
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