Wrapped around his wrist was a slender chain of precious metal, styled like a bracelet. But unlike ordinary jewelry, this one bore a single decoration—his badge from the Pewter City Gym.
"This is my Gym Badge. Now you believe I'm legit, right? Sure, IDs can be faked, but faking a Gym Badge? That's a whole different level. As far as I know, there's never been a case of a forged badge."
Seeing the badge hanging from Logan's bracelet, Giovanni's face lit up with a warm, seemingly genuine smile.
"Sorry for doubting you, kid. That badge convinces me. Let me properly introduce myself—name's Giovanni. I've been dispatched by the Pokémon League to investigate some strange occurrences in Mt. Moon."
He didn't hesitate to give his real name. After all, he'd been missing for five whole years. Anyone who still recognized him would have to be an old fan of the Viridian Gym.
Back then, Giovanni had always kept a low profile. Aside from official Gym matches, he rarely showed his face in public. People might know the Gym Leader of Viridian was named Giovanni, but very few would actually remember what he looked like. It was like a high-ranking politician—people know the names, but unless you looked them up, you probably couldn't pick them out of a crowd. Same with celebrities—unless you're a fan, you wouldn't recognize them even if they sat next to you.
According to his intel, the old Logan had been an orphan who never attended any tournaments. He shouldn't be able to recognize Giovanni's face, much less now, five years after his "disappearance."
"You still don't trust me, do you?" Giovanni asked, slightly exasperated.
Logan remained cautious. "Uncle, no offense, but who hikes deep into Mt. Moon wearing a full-on business suit?"
Giovanni blinked—he hadn't even realized what a glaring mistake that was.
"Am I really Giovanni, or should I be called Kiritsugu instead?" he mocked himself internally. "Why do I always trip at the critical moments, just like ten years ago…"
"Haha, just a habit of mine," Giovanni chuckled awkwardly. "I wear this wherever I go."
"Whatever… Uncle, why aren't you standing? You hurt?"
Logan frowned.
Wait, is this kid actually concerned for me?
Giovanni scoffed inwardly but played the part. He pulled out a spray and applied it to his ankle, pretending everything was fine. "Just a minor injury, no big deal."
He couldn't let the kid know he was really hurt. Any misinformation could be dangerous, especially since Logan didn't seem to act like the reports said he would. The intel from before might no longer be reliable.
Logan finally gave him a full once-over. This "terrifying criminal mastermind" looked to be in his late thirties or early forties. His buzzcut hair was retreating up his scalp, his square face looked firm and composed—but those tiger-like eyes occasionally leaked a dangerous aura that betrayed his true identity. Still, with his suit in tatters from being gnawed on by Zubat, and with visible bite wounds on his body, he looked far from his fearsome reputation.
"You need some medicine, Uncle Giovanni? Those wounds should be treated properly," Logan offered.
"No need, thanks. I came prepared with medicine specifically for Mt. Moon's wild Pokémon," Giovanni replied, maintaining his role.
"Well, I'm starting to believe you might actually be a field investigator. That's a pretty well-stocked medical kit. But Uncle, if you're a geological investigator, what brings you to Mt. Moon? Is there a risk of an earthquake or something?"
The two walked side by side deeper into the mountain, maintaining what Logan considered a safe distance. He asked cautiously, trying to gauge how well Giovanni could fabricate a cover story.
Still, Logan noticed something strange—every step Giovanni took made him wince. That was unmistakably pain. Was he actually injured? That can't be right… All of that earlier must've been acting. Though honestly, for someone pretending, he went so far as to let himself be bitten by Zubat. Not bad. The commitment to the performance was admirable… but maybe a little too much?
"What's your name, kid?" Giovanni asked.
"Logan," he answered.
"Huh? The Logan? The one who shattered records at the Pewter Gym challenge?"
Giovanni feigned surprise, acting to perfection—Logan couldn't detect even a hint of insincerity.
"Something like that… But I'm surprised you've heard of me all the way out here in Mt. Moon."
"Well, sometimes when the signal's good, I get snippets of news. If you really are that Logan, the rising star Trainer, then maybe I'm finally safe from all those damn bats chasing me around. Haha… You don't mind if I call you 'Logan-kun,' do you?"
"Call me whatever you like, Uncle Giovanni. Respect your elders and care for the young, right?"
You sure weren't acting like it earlier… Giovanni thought to himself bitterly.
"…Logan-kun, you've been in Mt. Moon for a while now, haven't you? Don't you think something feels… off?"
"Off? Well, I heard Mt. Moon is supposed to be full of Clefairy and Jigglypuff, but I haven't seen a single one. That count?"
"Clefairy and Jigglypuff? Oh, you're definitely in the wrong spot if that's what you're looking for. They tend to nest in the tunnels between mountain layers, not out here near the surface."
Giovanni laughed heartily.
"Ah, makes sense. Looks like I was searching in the wrong places then. You sure know a lot, Uncle Giovanni. If not Clefairy and Jigglypuff, then what's so strange about this mountain?"
"Mt. Moon's Pokémon population has been thoroughly studied over the years. One of the most common species here is the Machop line. But here's the thing, Logan-kun—not a single Machop, Machoke, or even those rare alpha Machamp have been seen lately. Completely gone."
Giovanni's gaze suddenly turned sharp and weighty—like the mountain itself pressing down on Logan. In that moment, he felt the suffocating gravity of Giovanni's presence.
Logan's instincts flared up. He braced himself, but also realized something: "Now that you mention it… You're right! I've been through caves and up and down ridges, but I haven't seen a single Machop!"
Now that was truly strange.
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