Following Steven and Wallace's questions, the live chat fell into a brief silence.
Team Rocket is disbanding. Will the Rocket Trio still follow Ash?
No one knew for sure… but to be honest, an Ash without Team Rocket on his tail would feel strange! Whether it was Black Ash or White Ash, that trio always seemed to be nearby, especially for White Ash. Without the Rocket Trio, many of his opportunities—and even many of his crises—might never have happened or been overcome. These three were indeed annoying a lot of the time, but often… their presence was also a perverse source of reassurance! Especially when they were on Ash's side… The Lugia incident, the Bell Tower incident, even the Clear Cliff incident—the Rocket Trio's role was indispensable! As for Ash, the trio had helped him more or less as well… It could be said their existence brought more good than ill. The simplest explanation was that White Ash had clearly trained fewer Pokémon, yet his team's growth hadn't slowed. Why? Because the Rocket Trio had fed him an untold amount of EXP! The ones who reliably "farmed EXP" for him… were probably just the Rocket Trio.
[James: Boss! Don't disband Team Rocket! If you disband Team Rocket, how will we survive?!]
[Jessie: That's right, Boss Giovanni! We still want to capture that Pikachu and present it to you!]
[Meowth: Boss! Don't surrender! How are we supposed to live if you surrender?!]
[Giovanni (White): Shut up! I didn't surrender! The one who surrendered isn't me! That's a hopeless fool!]
Giovanni was fuming. Was there something wrong with these three's heads? He hadn't surrendered; it was Black Giovanni. The way they talked made it sound like he had already given up, and… their tone was so mournful! Damn! Even if he did surrender, he'd just go to jail! Why did they make it sound like he was dying?!
[Lance: It's fine. You're basically dead in that world anyway; it's about the same here!]
[Cynthia: Well, I think it would be an excellent choice for the Rocket Trio from the other world to join the League.]
[Chairman (Indigo): Yes, yes! In fact, it's the same in our world. If you come to the League, we offer full benefits—five insurances and one housing fund, guaranteed salary, housing subsidies, everything! We'll assign work to ensure a comfortable life!]
[Giovanni (White): Bullshit! I'm not dead yet! Is your League shameless?! Poaching right under my nose?! Let me tell you, as long as I, Giovanni, am here, you can forget about taking Jessie and the others!]
[Giovanni (White): Huh? Jessie, where are you guys? Say something!]
[Chairman (Indigo): Hahaha, they're probably already considering our League's favorable terms. Who would want to stay at the bottom of Team Rocket with you?]
[Jessie: How could we ever betray the Boss!]
[James: That's right!]
[Meowth: It's unthinkable!]
That's what they said… but in truth, the Rocket Trio had actually been very tempted just now! Look at the generous conditions the League offered! Salary, full benefits, housing fund, subsidies… Now look at their current treatment in Team Rocket… The difference was night and day! Honestly, if they weren't so loyal to Team Rocket, they would have quit on the spot!
The Chairman keenly sensed the trio's hesitation. Unfortunately, there was no private chat here, or he would have messaged them directly to poach them. Without Giovanni's coercion, the success rate would be at least 80%!
While the people in the chat exchanged words, changes began in the Black World… Lance had arrived!
...
In the Black World —
After Giovanni surrendered to Lance and took the initiative to disband the nearby squads (all his personal retainers, so they followed his order directly), he had everyone who received their final Team Rocket paycheck quit the organization.
After all, Giovanni had promised Ash he would surrender, but that didn't mean all of Team Rocket had to go to jail with him. Given the crimes some members had committed, they'd be looking at at least eight to ten years. Giovanni wasn't that cruel.
Ash didn't press Giovanni further when he saw this. The current result could be considered the best possible outcome. Giovanni had complied with the agreement, and a majority of Team Rocket was willing to be dismissed. If Ash got greedy and tried to imprison all of Team Rocket… Giovanni might not be so willing! The current harmonious scene could shatter instantly, and what would happen next, even Ash couldn't predict…
However… when Giovanni dismissed the Team Rocket members, Ash insisted that Domino must stay! Others could leave, but she… had to face justice! Ash was kind, but he wasn't a saint! Since Domino had intended to harm Sabrina like that, she had to pay the corresponding price! And this woman… someone who could command a hundred Rockets, was an extremely dangerous individual!
Giovanni had no objection to this—a matter of mutual compromise…
And so, in a calm atmosphere, Lance arrived on his Dragonite!
With captivating cherry-red hair, a handsome face, and a red and black cloak, the Lance riding atop Dragonite looked exceptionally dashing against the howling wind, exuding the aura of a king…
Whoosh—
Dragonite braked abruptly before Ash and the others, kicking up a gust of wind and scattering gravel. Ash lowered his wind-blocking hand and looked at Lance right before him—the head of the Kanto Elite Four, the Champion of the Johto League, the Dragon Master known as invincible… Now he finally saw him in person!
So far, Ash had met three of the Kanto Elite Four; only the most elusive Agatha remained unseen.
"Hello. This is our first meeting. You are Ash, correct?" After dismounting, Lance didn't immediately look at Giovanni sitting off to the side but greeted Ash first.
"Yes… Have you met me before, Champion Lance?" Ash asked, confused. Since it was their first meeting, how did he recognize him?
"Haha, both Lorelei and Bruno have mentioned you. You're also the Champion of the Indigo Plateau Conference and the Orange League, hailed as the 'Pallet Town Supernova,' even the rising star of Kanto. How could I not recognize you?"
"Not just me, I'm afraid all the Elite Four members of Kanto and Johto know you by now~"
Hearing this, Ash was a little bewildered. Pallet Town Supernova? Was he that famous now?
...
[Ash (White): Wow!! 'Pallet Town Supernova'!! That name is so cool! I want it too!!]
[Gary: You want a what? How can a guy who lost in the Top 16 get a title like 'Supernova'?] Gary was baffled. Black Ash was a conference champion from his debut, won the Orange League convincingly, and even tied with Lorelei (in the eyes of outsiders). So the 'Supernova' title fit perfectly. But the Ash in this world… a Top 16 finisher? What right did he have to a fancy title?
[Ash (White): Hmph! When I win the Silver Conference, I'll definitely get a title too!]
[Lillie: Well… chuunibyou is a disease that needs treatment~]
[Serena: Don't worry, Ash! I'll contact the best hospital for you!]
[Delia: My apologies, everyone~]
[Ash (White): Hey, hey, hey! None of you believe in me!!]
...
In the Black World —
After chatting with Ash for a bit, Lance turned his attention to Giovanni, who looked like a resigned, defiant old man.
"Giovanni… There were reports before that you were the Boss of Team Rocket. I didn't believe it at first, but the Viridian Gym suddenly closed before the Indigo Conference and hasn't reopened since."
"Combined with your series of unusual actions, I began investigating you. And then… you surrendered before I could find concrete evidence? What scheme are you playing now?"
Lance looked at Giovanni with vigilant eyes. He didn't believe Giovanni would surrender so obediently, but he came anyway. The reason: after receiving Giovanni's call, he had the League investigate Clear Cliff and found a large number of unidentified airships there, blatantly marked with an 'R.' This at least proved Team Rocket was indeed active near Clear Cliff. So, he came. Rather than a surrender, he believed Giovanni had set some trap here to ambush him. As the Dragon Master praised by the world and the Johto Champion, he wouldn't back down from a challenge! Even if it was a trap, he'd break through it with force!
Yet upon arriving… it was just as Giovanni said. Ash was here! And Giovanni was just sitting on the ground with a defeated look, staring blankly at the sky as if stargazing… This left Lance confused… Could it be… Giovanni was telling the truth? He really lost to Ash and surrendered? No… impossible! A mastermind like Giovanni, disbanding Team Rocket over a battle? Absolutely unthinkable! He might fool the fledgling Ash, but he couldn't fool Lance!
For a moment—
"...So Giovanni really disbanded Team Rocket?!!!" Lance, who usually looked handsome and composed, had turned into a shocked statue.
From what he learned from Ash… Giovanni dismissed Team Rocket right before him, and Ash had defeated Giovanni's champion ace-level Beedrill in a fair duel!
That Beedrill's strength… was Champion Ace-level!
What in the world?!
How old was Ash now? Ten years old!!! Defeating a Champion Ace at ten?! Were they kidding, or was he dreaming?! But seeing Giovanni's expression, offering no rebuttal, Lance felt… maybe he hadn't woken up today. Team Rocket's disbandment, a ten-year-old Champion… it was all just a dream… What the heck!
"Anyway… I'll take Giovanni back first and keep a close eye on Team Rocket's movements."
"After all, you can't rule out that he's pretending to disband in front of you but actually plans to infiltrate the League to gather intel… That kind of crafty old fox thinking isn't something a ten-year-old can easily see through."
Giovanni: "…" It's rare that I'm being genuine, and you make me look like a complete fraud.jpg?
Come on, this time he was rarely not scheming and had actually dismissed Team Rocket! Although he knew Apollo definitely wouldn't follow through completely and would treat it as a nominal disbandment, under his direct order, it was certain Team Rocket would lose 30% or more of its members, especially once the League spread news of the Boss's capture. With the Rockets leaderless, even if Apollo stepped forward, he couldn't control the entire situation. After all… Giovanni had absolute control. The downside of that absolute control was now apparent: with him arrested by the League and a demobilization order issued… Team Rocket would be in chaos for a while and lose numbers before it could be reorganized under Apollo or other executives.
So… this Lance was a real piece of work. Even though Giovanni did nothing, he was still shadowboxing with air.
Ash was noncommittal about Lance's words. In fact, he was more inclined to believe Giovanni. If Giovanni had another scheme or wasn't sincere, he would never have given Ash the Mewtwonite from his pocket… As Mewtwo's creator, Giovanni understood the stone's importance better than anyone. As long as he still harbored ambitions of controlling the world… he wouldn't let go of it. However, Ash wouldn't mention this point. It concerned Mewtwo's and his own secrets. Even if Lance was the Johto Champion, Ash didn't trust someone he'd just met to that extent.
Lance left, taking Giovanni with him. Ash and his group returned to Clear Cliff. When Lorelei asked what happened, they brushed it off casually.
Since the weather had returned to normal, the bus service resumed. During this time, Mewtwo sent a message through its Poké Ball, asking Ash where they were now… Ash was puzzled. Usually, Mewtwo would only contact him once at night for a brief chat before they both rested… But today, Mewtwo messaged him just after nightfall.
...How did so many things happen in just one day?
After Ash recounted the day's events, Mewtwo couldn't help but complain. At the same time, it explained the reason for the sudden contact: Just as Giovanni said, I placed the clone Pokémon on the small island at the center of Clear Cliff and left a protective barrier. The shockwaves from your battle with Giovanni probably triggered the barrier just now, so I sensed it from here. If you have time, please go to Clear Cliff and check on how they're living for me.
As for the Mega Stone you mentioned… I've reached a critical point in my training recently. I'll come find you once I cross this threshold.
Hearing this, Ash was stunned for a moment. What threshold could Mewtwo, already at Legendary-tier, be facing? Could it be… about to surpass the Legendary-tier?
Hah, isn't that natural? But breaking into the Legendary-tier is just the beginning. Anyway… I'll trouble you, Ash. Please help me check on everyone. I'll come as soon as I cross that barrier!
Mewtwo was very interested in the so-called Mega Stone in Ash's possession. Learning it could lead to a higher form of evolution made it eager to come over immediately! But… as it said, it had reached the most critical step—crossing the threshold into the Legendary-tier! Under Lugia's guidance, after nearly two months, it was finally about to ascend to… the pinnacle of this world! So it couldn't get away.
Ash naturally agreed to Mewtwo's request. So, after taking the bus to the end of the line, Ash turned back toward Clear Cliff. Using his Aura-converted psychic power, it didn't take much effort to reach the central island. Plus, with Mewtwo's Poké Ball in hand, Ash and the others easily entered the island.
What greeted their eyes was a group of thriving Pokémon! They all lived very happy lives. Mewtwo… you don't need to worry. As their guardian, you've done well…
Mewtwo didn't respond, but in the deep sea of the Orange Archipelago, a faint purple light sank deeper and deeper… Lugia, observing from the side, showed a shocked expression. You're starting to break through now? That's not right… it should take another half month. Could it be… the shackles on your state of mind have been released?
The final image on the Black World screen was of Mewtwo enveloped in deep purple light, a relieved smile on its face.
At this point, the story of the Black World is temporarily paused…
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