Pokemon: Gym Leader

Seeing the messages in the group chat, Dylan couldn't help but laugh. As expected of Giovanni, his public demeanor was impeccable.

Still, Dylan took a screenshot of the conversation—these were definitely "words of wisdom" to save for later.

Meanwhile, in a secret Team Rocket base...

"Boss, I sincerely apologize."

Lt. Surge's face was full of shame. Not only had he failed to capture Zapdos, but he also exposed his identity.

If it weren't for the boss personally intervening, he might have ended up in the same boat as Athena.

"It's fine. For now, stay hidden at the base and wait for your next assignment," Giovanni said calmly, shaking his head. Running into Dylan was completely unexpected.

"What Pokémon was Dylan using?" Giovanni asked in a serious tone.

When Surge had called for help, Giovanni had immediately arrived with Armored Mewtwo. However, the aura of Kyurem was overwhelming.

Even Armored Mewtwo felt an unsettling sense of dread, and Giovanni's own instinct, honed by his bond with the power of Viridian, warned him of the danger. Thus, he chose to observe rather than act.

"Kyurem. Dylan called it Kyurem," Surge replied with a frown. The name was unfamiliar to him.

"It must be a legendary Pokémon from another region—and definitely not an ordinary one," Selene interjected.

Giovanni nodded. "I see. I'll look into Kyurem. Knowing our enemy is crucial for future battles. Rest for now. I'll inform you when it's time to act again."

His gaze shifted to Selene and Proton, the two Team Rocket executives brought in from the Johto region. This operation was supposed to assess their capabilities, but encountering Dylan on their first mission in Kanto was simply bad luck.

Giovanni and Armored Mewtwo reappeared in a remote wilderness.

Giovanni clutched his chest and quickly swallowed two pills from a small bottle, his face regaining some color.

"Your condition is worsening," Armored Mewtwo's voice resonated telepathically, its blue eyes glowing faintly.

From the moment it awoke, Mewtwo had observed this human. Although it didn't trust Giovanni, recognizing his cunning and danger, it couldn't deny the man treated it with respect, as an equal.

Mewtwo's feelings toward Giovanni were complicated. It also knew Giovanni's secret—he was suffering from a terminal illness. If left untreated, his life expectancy was no more than a few years.

"I'm not in a rush. I still have time," Giovanni said, his tone magnetic and composed.

"If you abandoned your so-called 'career,' you might have time to find a cure," Mewtwo suggested.

"Life isn't just about survival," Giovanni replied, adjusting the brim of his hat. "Pointless existence isn't my philosophy."

Mewtwo's glowing eyes flickered.

"Team Rocket isn't just an organization—it's a part of my life, cultivated with effort and sacrifice," Giovanni continued. "To abandon it would be to abandon myself."

"Then what has it brought you? You even have to rescue your subordinates yourself," Mewtwo asked, skeptical.

"You'll understand someday," Giovanni said with a faint smile. "When you discover your purpose and value as a being, you will be complete."

Mewtwo fell silent, pondering Giovanni's words.

Back in Vermilion City, the Gym was temporarily closed.

The official statement cited Lt. Surge's health issues as the reason for the closure. This announcement caused a stir, as Lt. Surge was a well-known and popular Gym Leader in Kanto.

Though his tough, military-style battles often left rookie Trainers in tears, his reputation for fair play earned him respect.

Still, Kanto had no shortage of Gyms, so the news quickly faded.

Interestingly, other Gym Leaders seemed subtly affected by the incident. Even typically lax leaders began taking their duties more seriously.

For example, Blaine from Cinnabar Island—known for his Gym's elusive location—suddenly became more active, holding regular challenges.

At the Rota Gym, Dylan was addressing his protégé, Selene.

"Selene, most challengers are kids. You can't go overboard—if someone's using a Metapod, don't send out Incineroar to crush them!" Dylan sighed.

Selene nodded obediently. "Got it, Gym Leader! I'll be more careful!"

"Good. Get back to training," Dylan said, waving her off.

Ilene chuckled. "Selene's growing stronger, but her teams are too advanced for novice challengers."

"She can always use the Pokémon from my reserve," Dylan said. "But she's set on being a Trainer, not a Gym Leader, so I can't blame her."

Selene's growth was astonishing—she was already at the Elite Four level.

Letting her use her main team to face challengers would be overwhelming—the challengers would be completely crushed. So, Dylan suggested to Selene that she could temporarily use his lower-level Pokémon to test challengers instead.

"After all, using something like a Metapod to challenge the gym is indeed problematic. Selene being harsher with them is actually for their own good," Ilene remarked thoughtfully.

How could anyone seriously battle with a Metapod unless it was a specific scenario? Otherwise, what would a Metapod even do in battle? Just harden over and over? Ilene couldn't comprehend the mindset of someone challenging a gym with a Metapod.

"Are you planning to travel again next week?"

"Yeah, I'm planning a trip to Kitakami. I want to catch a Pokémon there," Dylan replied with a smile.

Indeed, by the weekend, he was preparing to head to Kitakami.

"If time permits, I also want to visit Paldea," Dylan added. Kitakami and Paldea weren't exactly close, but compared to the distance between Kanto and Paldea, it was manageable.

"This time, I'm going too!" Ilene's eyes sparkled. Last time, a guest at her castle kept her tied up, so she couldn't accompany Dylan to Unova. It was a regret she'd been brooding over for a while.

"Sure," Dylan agreed with a smile.

A few days later, the Rota Gym closed its doors once again. Dylan and Jenny took a few days off, and Dylan, Ilene, and Lillie boarded a flight to Kitakami.

Kitakami is the setting of the first part of the Pokémon Scarlet/Violet DLC, The Teal Mask.

It isn't a full-fledged region like others but rather a small area.

Dylan had looked up information about Kitakami. Compared to the game version, the real-life Kitakami had a few small villages, though none were larger than Verdant Town.

The trio soon arrived at the Verdant Town airport.

"Ah, the air here is so fresh!"

Ilene, dressed in a flowing yellow dress, stepped out of the airport, took a deep breath, and looked around.

In the distance, towering mountains were visible, and the land around them was a vast expanse of fields, farmland, and orchards.

"Kitakami is famous for its natural scenery. Though it's not very large, it's quite a popular tourist destination," Dylan commented with a smile.

"Let's head into town," he added.

The three made their way to Verdant Town. It wasn't far—after about ten minutes, they reached the town.

They found their pre-booked inn and rested for a bit before setting out to explore.

The real-life Verdant Town was much larger than its game counterpart. However, as they stopped in front of the Momosawa Shop, Dylan's steps faltered when he saw the purplish-red peach-like object on the display shelf.

This wasn't just a simple decoration—it was the mythical Pokémon, Pecharunt!

Hundreds of years ago, it had been gravely injured in a battle with Ogerpon and had no choice but to seal itself within its peach-like shell to recover.

It had been asleep for centuries. By now, its wounds were likely healed, but it still awaited the right moment to awaken.

(To be continued…)