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"Who are you?"
A man in black standing near the entrance suddenly spoke up, startling both Brock and Misty. For some reason, they couldn't shake the feeling that the people in this Gym were intimidating.
"I'm here to challenge the Gym!" Ash remained completely calm. These people were all wearing matching uniforms, though they weren't displaying the Team Rocket logo.
But Team Rocket's distinctive atmosphere hadn't changed at all. Naturally, Misty and Brock found them frightening. However, Ash had dealt with Team Rocket so many times that he wasn't affected in the slightest.
"The Gym Leader just stepped out on business!" After hearing Ash's words, the man in black responded curtly.
"That's fine. I can wait!"
Ash brushed off the comment, responded directly, and then walked straight forward without hesitation.
The man in black was slightly taken aback by this. When he saw Ash walking past so boldly, not only the person who had spoken but also the guards stationed ahead turned to look.
They were all somewhat surprised. When previous challengers heard that the Gym Leader wasn't present, they would either say they'd come back another time or ask when he would return.
They had never encountered someone who simply said they could wait and then walked inside as if they owned the place. This situation made them feel as though they were being disrespected.
"Hey!! You..." The man in black who had been speaking to Ash stepped forward, attempting to stop him.
"Is there a problem?" Hearing the voice behind him, Ash sounded slightly impatient as he turned around and looked at the man with a cold stare.
"Uh..." The man froze in place, and the hand that had been reaching toward Ash's shoulder stopped mid-air.
"What exactly do you plan to do with that hand?" Looking at his outstretched arm, Ash narrowed his eyes slightly, and everyone else around them could feel a dangerous aura emanating from him.
The man looked at Ash, and his hand hovering in the air began to tremble involuntarily. How could he have possibly imagined he would be so intimidated by a young boy that he could barely breathe?
Of course, he had no idea that the boy standing before him had defeated hundreds of Team Rocket members in Celadon City and was the main reason behind the arrest of so many of their operatives there.
"I... I..."
"Forget it... fine! If you want to wait, then wait! Do whatever you want!"
After a moment, unable to withstand the dangerous look in Ash's eyes any longer, he lowered his hand and returned to his original position.
Ash paid him no further attention, turned around, and continued walking deeper inside. The people around him didn't try to stop him anymore. Walking straight through the dark corridor, he quickly reached a large room.
Two people stood guard on either side of the room's entrance. Beyond the doorway was a battle arena, and mounted on the wall beside it was a large black screen.
On the opposite side of the field stood a waist-high platform. On that platform sat six Poké Balls, which appeared to be the ones used by the Gym Leader.
On both sides of the platform, additional guards stood watch.
"What's going on? The atmosphere in this Gym is completely different from all the other Gyms we've visited before," Misty said nervously.
Being in such a gloomy place with very little light always made one feel uneasy.
"Yeah! This is my first time experiencing anything like this!"
Even Brock, who used to be a Gym Leader himself, felt uncomfortable. His Pewter Gym used to feel somewhat empty because he was often the only one there.
But this Gym had so many people, yet it still felt lifeless. The people surrounding them were obviously human, but they seemed more like emotionless robots. It was genuinely unsettling.
Ash didn't say much. He lifted Jigglypuff off his head and handed it to Brock. Then he walked directly to the front and took his position at the challenger's spot on the field, waiting quietly without saying a word.
Although he wasn't certain, Gary clearly hadn't encountered Mewtwo like in the original timeline. Ash figured it might have something to do with what had happened in Celadon City. Either way, he would just have to wait and see.
Brock and Misty exchanged glances but said nothing. One held Togepi while the other held Jigglypuff as they stood off to the side.
Time passed slowly—about fifteen minutes—when footsteps echoed from the corridor behind them.
"Boss!" At that moment, the two people who had been standing at the entrance like statues finally showed some movement.
A figure walked straight in with his hands in his pockets. Under the dim lighting, you could see a sinister smile playing at the corner of the person's mouth.
"I figured you would come to this place eventually. I've been waiting for you for quite some time!"
Hearing the voice from behind, Ash opened his eyes slightly. At the same time, the person who had just arrived raised his head a bit. Although the lighting was poor, Misty and Brock could now see the person clearly.
Their eyes were filled with surprise and disbelief, and panic showed on their faces. For a moment, they were speechless.
The person standing before them was none other than Giovanni, the Boss of Team Rocket.
"Why... why are Team Rocket people here?" Misty and Brock couldn't understand why Team Rocket's leader would be in this place. Wasn't this supposed to be a Pokémon League Gym?
Perhaps they had suspected the Gym might have some connection to Team Rocket, but they never imagined that this Gym actually belonged to Team Rocket.
"Hmph! I am Giovanni, the Gym Leader of Viridian Gym!" Giovanni seemed to have heard Misty's question and sneered as he walked in Ash's direction.
"What?! Then this means..."
Brock was even more shocked when he heard this. He couldn't accept it. Someone who took over other people's companies and used Pokémon for cruel research—such a person was actually a Gym Leader?
"This is one of Team Rocket's hideouts!" Giovanni walked past Ash, seeming completely at ease, and then approached the platform on the opposite side of the field.
Brock and Misty were stunned by Giovanni's words. They never would have thought that this was actually Team Rocket's base of operations.
Team Rocket, who had caused the disaster in Celadon City, was arrogantly hiding right here in Viridian City—and they had even opened an official Gym.
At that moment, Giovanni stood before the platform, pulled his hand from his pocket, and picked up one of the Poké Balls resting there.
"Now that you're here, I assume you just want the Earth Badge?"
"That depends on whether I'm facing you as a Gym Leader or as the Boss of Team Rocket!" After hearing this, Ash reached up, grasped the brim of his hat, tilted it down slightly, and spoke in a calm tone.
"Is there really any difference?" Giovanni was silent for a moment after hearing those words. Then he casually tossed the Poké Ball in his hand slightly and asked the question back.