[Mewtwo!]
[I heard news about Mew.]
[It's not suitable for you to come out of the Poké Ball and use psychic powers to search for Mew. If what this girl said is true, we might as well make use of her.]
Shiranui claimed she could rely on the stolen disk from Team Rocket to track Mew's whereabouts within a city-sized range. In truth, Mewtwo also possessed this capability, but it would require Mewtwo to emerge from its Poké Ball—a method that placed too much physical strain on Ryuuske's body, so it had never been used before.
Ryuuske could somewhat understand Mewtwo's hostility and fighting spirit toward Mew. If Mewtwo were just an ordinary Pokémon, it wouldn't matter, but with near-human intelligence, it was trapped in the existential dilemma of being the "original" versus the "replica." It was almost like a destined mission—it needed to defeat Mew to prove itself.
[Please, Ryuu. You told me my name means "to surpass Mew." I must prove it!]
[I understand. Right now, we are inseparable, and I will fight alongside you.]
The exchange in their shared consciousness lasted only an instant. Ryuuske looked at Shiranui and, in response to her ingratiating smile, raised his hand slightly. His Gabite swiftly severed the ropes binding her with its sharp claws.
"Ugh… my arms and legs are numb."
The freed girl gasped softly. She didn't stand up immediately, instead remaining on her knees as she rubbed her ankles and wrists. Earlier, she had been tied to the tree in a humiliating position for so long that her limbs, deprived of blood circulation, had gone completely numb—almost devoid of sensation.
After a while, Shiranui finally managed to stand up, kicking her limbs to restore circulation. She grinned playfully at Ryuuske and said in a coquettish tone, "...So, handsome, are you willing to go look for Mew with me now?"
"This is our transaction. You previously used my name to deceive people, and I captured you—that's fair. Now, if you help me find Mew, I'll return your freedom—that's also fair. I hope you won't try any more tricks."
Ryuuske crossed his arms, his eyes flashing with a faint violet light. Shiranui suddenly found her body no longer under her control—it was as if an invisible hand had lifted her up, spreading her limbs apart before slamming her against the tree trunk with unseen force. At the same time, Ryuuske raised his right hand and made a choking motion in the air. Though he didn't exert much force, Shiranui still felt a suffocating pressure around her throat.
'Such powerful psychic abilities!'
Shiranui was genuinely astonished. This level of psychic power was rare even in human history.
Ryuuske didn't particularly enjoy threatening a girl, but this mischievous young woman was far too cunning. If he let his guard down even slightly, he'd end up at a disadvantage. The only option was to remain vigilant while issuing a warning.
"Relax, we're transaction partners now. I won't play any tricks before the deal is done."
Shiranui giggled, fully aware that her past behavior made it hard for the man before her to trust her. But even if he didn't believe her, she still had to make the promise.
"Let's hope so..."
Releasing his grip, Ryuuske let Shiranui drop back to the ground. He personally found his "Force Choke" move incredibly cool. If not for the existence of Pokémon, his psychic abilities alone would be enough to handle any human opponent.
'Lucky~~ Found myself a bodyguard. Team Rocket is probably searching for me everywhere right now. If I get caught, at least he can draw some of their attention. The only problem is that this guy is a bit dangerous—I'll have to be careful.'
Shiranui's smile remained unchanged, but inwardly, she was giving herself a victory sign. Even though she was being forced into cooperation, she had successfully offloaded some of the risk. All things considered, it wasn't a bad deal.
If Ryuuske knew what she was thinking, he would've scoffed in disdain. Team Rocket's hatred for him had already reached the heavens—even their boss and executives had been humiliated by him. Why would he care about their pursuit now?
"Alright, take out that disk you mentioned and find Mew for me."
Zhang Wuji's mother once said, "The more beautiful a woman is, the better she lies." The girl before him possessed stunning beauty, with a charm so bewitching it could topple kingdoms—and her ability to deceive was directly proportional to her looks. Ryuuske figured that until he could truly trust her, it was best to keep interactions to a minimum.
He couldn't guarantee that he wouldn't be fooled by this beautiful girl if he let his guard down, so he had no choice but to feign cold indifference.
"The disk isn't on me. I hid it in Cerulean City..."
Seeing Ryuuske's eyebrow twitch, Shiranui quickly added, afraid he might tie her up again and subject her to something humiliating, "...Why would I carry something that important on me? If Team Rocket ever caught me, I could use the fact that it's hidden to buy time and find an escape. But if they found what they wanted on me, they'd probably just kill me on the spot..."
"Fair enough. I'll pretend to believe you."
Ryuuske shot her a skeptical glance but conceded that she did seem like the cautious type.
"So, darling, let's head back to Cerulean City together to retrieve that disk!"
——
In Cerulean City, Ryuuske walked with slight discomfort, glancing sideways at Shiranui, who was clinging to him affectionately like a lover, deliberately—or perhaps not—brushing her chest against his arm from time to time.
She had long since taken out the two Poké Balls hidden in her cleavage, causing her bust to shrink noticeably. Though his arm could still feel something soft and warm, the lack of fullness left Ryuuske somewhat disappointed.
"Darling, how about we grab some dessert later, and then I'll... accompany you to a hotel for some naughty fun, okay?"
Shiranui whispered shyly, her misty eyes glistening with what looked like heart-shaped pupils, gazing at Ryuuske with such infatuation that it made his heart skip a beat. An inexplicable aura of romance seemed to envelop them.
Even though Ryuuske knew it was all an act, the girl's stunning beauty still drew the attention of passersby. A woman with such looks and charm was always the center of attention wherever she went. Countless envious eyes fell upon Ryuuske, as Shiranui's acting was so convincing that anyone would think this gorgeous girl had given him her whole heart.
'Pfft—yeah, her whole heart is on me, probably thinking of ways to bite me to death!'
Ryuuske could tell Shiranui was actually quite prideful. After the way he had toyed with her, she was likely seething with hatred for him right now.
"Shiranui, let's go get that thing first."
Ryuuske emphasized his words, reminding Shiranui to focus on the task at hand—lest she actually drag him to a dessert shop. As for the hotel afterward? Ryuuske highly doubted it was genuine. If he really wanted to do anything, he might as well have just assaulted her earlier and left her for dead.
"Relaxxx, it's right up ahead!"
Seeing that Ryuuske wasn't taking the bait at all, Shiranui pouted slightly and had no choice but to lead him straight to their destination.
To be continued…