Pokemon: I am a God-level Player

Eddie and Ash sprinted frantically, a swarm of Magnemites in hot pursuit behind them.

"How can there be so many Magnemites? Is it even possible for Lt. Surge to control all of them at once?" Ash asked, staring in confusion at the dense cluster of magnetic Pokémon trailing them.

"It's actually quite simple," Eddie replied between breaths. "He doesn't need to control each one individually. Just a few basic commands will do. Lt. Surge used to be a soldier, after all. Commanding troops is second nature to him."

Those familiar with Lt. Surge knew his signature strategy involved commanding large groups of Magnemites to perform siege-like attacks on opponents.

Of course, Eddie was well-acquainted with his opponent's tactics and wouldn't fall for such tricks. Thanks to Riolu's early warning, he had acted immediately, preventing Lt. Surge from completing his encirclement.

"The path ahead seems blocked now," Eddie observed. "Ash, you know what we need to do."

At the secret entrance they had used earlier, numerous Magnemites were already waiting for them.

But who said they had to return the same way they came?

Eddie quickly pulled out a Rare Candy and tossed it to Charmeleon.

"Ding! You used a Rare Candy on Charmeleon. Charmeleon's level +1, reaching Level 36!"

Immediately, Charmeleon began to glow with evolution light.

"Frogadier! Riolu!"

"Pikachu!"

This was an emergency—there was no time to appreciate the evolution process.

Ash hadn't noticed Eddie giving Charmeleon the Rare Candy and assumed it was evolving naturally in response to the battle. Regardless, he understood Eddie's plan and immediately gave Pikachu its orders.

Pokémon share a special bond with their Trainers, often understanding complex instructions with just a glance.

Hydro Pump, Focus Blast, and Thunderbolt struck the ceiling directly above them. With a tremendous boom, the three powerful attacks shattered the solid ceiling.

Meanwhile, Charmeleon completed its evolution into a much more powerful Charizard!

"Ding! Congratulations on your Charmeleon evolving into Charizard! Learned Wing Attack!"

The newly evolved Charizard, significantly larger than its previous form, spread its wings wide. Eddie wasted no time leaping onto Charizard's back.

Ash was already "battle-ready"—Pikachu perched on his shoulder and Ivysaur in his arms. He jumped with all his might.

Eddie seized the opportunity, directing Charizard to fly upward. He grabbed Ash's outstretched hand, and together they soared through the hole in the ceiling, escaping the underground warehouse.

Riolu, Grovyle, and Frogadier followed without difficulty. Their remarkable jumping ability allowed them to easily leap after Charizard and exit the warehouse with a single bound.

Barely three seconds after their escape, several lightning bolts sharp as swords struck where they had been standing, piercing the deck in multiple places.

Both Trainers broke into a cold sweat. If they had been surrounded by Lt. Surge's Magnemites earlier, they would have had nowhere to run. Those lightning attacks would have either electrocuted them or impaled them instantly.

They had reached the wide-open deck, but their pursuers weren't far behind.

Lt. Surge strolled toward them casually, flanked by his Raichu, Electabuzz, and the swarm of Magnemites.

"So Charmeleon evolved into Charizard mid-battle? Impressive luck, but it seems that's where your fortune ends," Lt. Surge remarked. "I must say, your reaction speed and combat awareness are first-rate, but you can't escape now. Try whatever tricks you want quickly, or this will be your final resting place!"

The muscular man laughed loudly as he stood between his Raichu and Electabuzz. Electricity crackled around them, the discharged sparks burning dark holes into the deck beneath his feet, creating an ominous drumming sound.

"Why are you stealing those Pokémon?" Ash shouted, crouching slightly with his hand positioned over the Poké Balls at his waist, trying to distract Lt. Surge.

"Stealing? That's not quite the right word," Lt. Surge replied with a smirk. "As Pokémon, they naturally exist to become stronger. Those people treat Pokémon as mere decorative objects—a terrible waste of natural resources. We're simply rescuing these Pokémon and putting them on the right path. And if we happen to make a small profit or conduct a few experiments along the way, well..." He laughed maniacally. "That's just a bonus!"

Dozens of Magnemites floated menacingly behind Lt. Surge . Confident in his inevitable victory, he continued to laugh wildly.

And why shouldn't he? The situation certainly favored him.

Lt. Surge's Raichu and Electabuzz alone were enough to overpower Eddie and Ash, but as a former soldier, Lt. Surge had no qualms about how to secure a win. Just as he'd launched a sneak attack earlier, he was perfectly willing to use overwhelming numbers now.

By any reasonable assessment, Eddie and Ash were finished. 

"This may be the most challenging part of our mission," Eddie thought grimly. "The enemy is formidable and his strategy nearly foolproof. Even if I were to use my strongest Pokémon, breaking through such an encirclement seems almost impossible."

They were surrounded by dozens of Magnemites, if not hundreds, plus Raichu and Electabuzz —whose power nearly matched that of Gym Leaders—not to mention whatever Pokémon awaited in the two Poké Balls still attached to Lt. Surge's belt.

Such a lineup could easily trap even high-level Trainers, let alone two relatively inexperienced ones.

However, Eddie refused to accept defeat passively. He hadn't led them to the deck merely because it offered more space for battle.

"Charizard! Dragon Pulse!" Eddie commanded quickly.

Upon hearing this, Lt. Surge immediately braced for defense. But Eddie wasn't targeting Lt. Surge at all—he had something else entirely in mind.

"ROAR!!!!" Charizard opened its massive jaws wide and used Dragon Pulse to amplify its roar throughout the entire cruise ship.

Had it still been a Charmeleon, the Dragon Pulse might not have carried so far. But as a Charizard, with its significantly increased power, broadcasting the sound across the ship was effortless.

As Charizard's thunderous roar echoed, lights flickered on in numerous cabins throughout the S.S. Anne. The sounds of startled passengers could be heard from all directions.

"So that's your plan," Lt. Surge's expression darkened instantly, his earlier laughter gone. "Using Dragon Pulse's sound waves to wake every passenger onboard. Trying to expose my identity, are you?"

"Of course," Eddie replied coolly. "Unless Team Rocket is ready to abandon the pretense of being affiliated with the Gym, you can't just ignore this. As long as that identity remains useful to you, Lt. Surge, you'll have to keep up appearances. A Gym Leader attacking Trainers with a mob of Pokémon? I'm sure many people would be curious about what you're doing right now."

This was Eddie's strategy all along. If Team Rocket wasn't prepared for open rebellion just yet, maintaining their Gym connections remained necessary.

Just as Koga had been forced to behave normally at Mt. Moon, Lt. Surge couldn't possibly lead a swarm of Magnemites in attacking Eddie and Ash in front of witnesses.