"What kind of Pokémon is that?!"
"Team Rocket? Did they create it?"
"Wait—did it just say it wants to destroy humanity?!"
"What's going on?! The League needs to explain this immediately!"
The sudden exchange between Ash and Mewtwo sent panic rippling across the Indigo Plateau.
The words destroy humans echoed through the crowd, leaving every trainer present frozen in disbelief.
No one had ever seen a Pokémon speak with such fury… or power.
"Damn it…" Giovanni muttered under his breath at Team Rocket's underground base.
He glared at the massive image of Mewtwo projected on the screen, his teeth grinding in frustration.
"I can't believe it would reveal itself like this… and so publicly."
Mewtwo — the ultimate lifeform Giovanni had poured countless resources into creating — had escaped his control.
Now it was not only free, but openly challenging humanity before the entire world.
Coupled with its conversation with Ash, the implications were catastrophic. The connection between Mewtwo and Team Rocket was obvious — and every trainer who had once turned a blind eye was now realizing the truth.
The Rockets' existence had always been an open secret among high-level trainers.
But now, with this public display, there was no hiding anymore.
Giovanni clenched his fists. So this is how it ends… exposure by the very weapon I built.
And to make matters worse, Lance had already been striking down several of Rocket's major bases. The media had turned those raids into daily headlines — and humans, as always, only treated disasters seriously once they struck home.
"It seems you've already made your decision, Mewtwo," Ash said, his voice low and steady.
"Then you'd better be ready for the consequences."
As he spoke, his Sharingan of Aura, the Three-Tomoe Pattern, spun rapidly — then shifted into its evolved form, the Kaleidoscope Eye.
A surge of overwhelming psychic force burst from him, clashing head-on with Mewtwo's psychic field. The air between them distorted violently, like reality itself was struggling to hold still.
Mewtwo let out a dark, manic laugh.
"Ha ha ha… impressive, Ash Ketchum. Humanity's strongest trainer indeed. Your mental strength truly rivals mine."
Blue light crackled between the two powers.
"Three days from now," Mewtwo continued coldly, "we will settle this. It will not be like before. I will crush your strength… and if Mew dares to appear, I will destroy it too!"
A glowing card floated down from the air, landing in front of Ash.
It displayed a map — the location of Mewtwo's island.
Before anyone could react, Mewtwo's vast projection shimmered and faded, vanishing into the clouds like mist.
Aboard a League aircraft nearby, Professor Samuel Oak and several officials had witnessed the entire exchange.
Their expressions were grim.
"This… isn't just a threat," Professor Oak said solemnly.
"The energy required to project an illusion of that scale… it's beyond anything we've documented."
Without hesitation, the League ordered the aircraft to turn around and return to Indigo Plateau.
Something of this magnitude required immediate coordination — because if Mewtwo acted, the consequences would be catastrophic for both the League and the world.
When Ash landed back on the plateau, Cynthia, Giselle, and Suzie rushed toward him, their faces pale with worry.
Behind them, Lt. Surge followed at a measured pace.
"Ash!" Cynthia called out. "What was that just now? That Pokémon—"
"I need some time to think," Ash said quietly. He looked exhausted, yet his gaze was firm. "Lt. Surge, when the others arrive, call me. I'll explain everything then."
He looked down at the map in his hand, the edges of the card glowing faintly with psychic residue.
Without another word, he lit a cigarette and walked toward his hotel room, the faint trail of smoke vanishing into the night air.
Lt. Surge nodded grimly. "Got it. Rest up, kid. We'll handle the rest for now."
The three girls exchanged worried looks as Ash disappeared into the corridor.
It was the first time they had ever seen him look… uncertain.
Later that night, alone in his room, Ash lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling.
"System," he murmured, exhaling. "If I really end up fighting Mewtwo… what are my odds of winning?"
A mechanical chime echoed in his mind.
[Ding!]
[Current odds: Fifty-fifty. Accounting for unpredictable factors, the result is impossible to forecast.]
Ash chuckled softly. "Fifty-fifty, huh? Figures."
He turned the card in his hand, tracing the faint outline of the island on its surface.
"Maybe I brought this on myself," he muttered.
"If I hadn't helped Mewtwo escape from Team Rocket back then, maybe it wouldn't have come to this."
He had freed Mewtwo out of compassion — out of understanding.
But now, that very act had allowed Mewtwo to grow stronger, reaching the peak of a Tier-2 Legendary Pokémon, far surpassing its strength from before.
In the original timeline, Mewtwo's power had merely brushed the edges of the Tier-3 threshold.
Now, it stood beyond it — a true apex predator among Legendary Pokémon.
Ash sighed deeply. Still… I'd do it again. I'm no longer the same person I was. My strength now isn't any less than his.
He clenched his fist, his Aura flaring faintly around him.
"There's no reason to be afraid. Not of Mewtwo. Not of anyone."
He closed his eyes, the crimson glow of his Kaleidoscope Eyes flickering for an instant.
"It's enough that I've lived this long," he said softly. "This time, I'll face him with everything I've got… and see if I truly deserve to keep going."
Three days later.
Ash unfolded the card again and stared at the map.
The location it marked was eerily familiar — an isolated island, hidden deep in the stormy waters once occupied by an abandoned Team Rocket base.
Ash smirked. "Heh… perfect place for a final battle."
He crushed the card between his fingers as the wind howled outside his window.
"Mewtwo… this time, I'm coming to you."
A soft knock echoed through Ash's hotel room door.
"Come in," Ash said, his tone calm but weary.
A young waiter stepped inside nervously. "Mr. Ketchum, Professor Oak and the others have arrived at the Indigo Plateau. Lt. Surge sent me to bring you to the conference room."
Ash nodded. "Got it."
He rose from the bed, his expression steady despite the weight of what had just transpired. Pocketing the card Mewtwo had left behind, he made his way toward the meeting hall.
When Ash entered the reception room, he was met by a tense atmosphere.
Professor Samuel Oak was there — eyes sharp behind his glasses, filled with worry and curiosity.
Around the table sat the four regional Elites: Lance, Agatha, Bruno, and Shiro. Even Cynthia stood off to the side, her usual calm demeanor replaced by quiet unease.
The room fell silent as Ash took his seat.
"Ash," Professor Oak began without preamble, his voice tight.
"Tell us everything that happened. That Pokémon—Mewtwo—appeared across the entire plateau. None of us have ever seen a psychic projection of that magnitude."
The other Champions and Elites nodded grimly. Even for veterans who had faced countless Legendary Pokémon, this incident was unprecedented.
Ash exhaled slowly. "This goes back to the day I challenged the Viridian Gym."
He began recounting the story — from his first encounter with Mewtwo in the Rocket laboratory, to the night he freed it from its containment. His tone was measured, almost detached, but everyone in the room could feel the weight behind his words.
By the time he finished, the silence in the room was suffocating. The implications were clear — Team Rocket had done more than just poach rare Pokémon. They had crossed a line that no scientist or trainer should ever cross.
Cynthia's expression softened.
"So… it was created by humans. Experimented on. No wonder it hates us."
Shiro clenched his fist.
"The arrogance of humanity… always trying to control what they don't understand."
Professor Oak slammed his palm on the table. "Damn it! Team Rocket again! No wonder they've been so quiet these past few years — they've been planning this all along!"
He gritted his teeth, his voice trembling with anger. "I thought their experiments ended after the Cerulean Incident, but this… this goes far beyond anything the League can overlook."
Lance leaned forward, his crimson cape shifting slightly.
"We can't let this escalate further. If Mewtwo's power truly exceeds the level of a Legendary Pokémon, then the League's standard task force won't be enough."
Professor Oak nodded gravely.
"Agreed. We'll need the combined effort of every Elite and Champion. And Ash…" —he turned toward his former student— "you're the only one Mewtwo seems willing to face."
Ash met his gaze steadily. "Yeah. It's personal now. I released him once. If this has to end, it should be me who does it."
Agatha's eyes narrowed. "You've grown, boy. But don't think sentiment will save you from that creature's power. It's not just psychic strength—it's hatred made flesh."
Ash smiled faintly. "I know. But I'm not the same trainer I was back then."
For a moment, no one spoke. The air in the room felt charged — as though they all knew that what was coming would change the world once again.
As the meeting adjourned, Professor Oak lingered, placing a hand on Ash's shoulder.
"You've always had the heart for this, Ash," he said quietly. "Just remember — Mewtwo isn't your enemy. It's the result of humanity's mistakes. Don't let anger blind you."
Ash nodded. "I won't. But if it threatens the world again… I'll stop it, no matter what."
Outside the hall, the night air of Indigo Plateau was heavy and silent.
Ash looked down at the card Mewtwo had left behind — its holographic map pulsing faintly with psychic energy.
He clenched his fist. "Three days from now… it ends."
...
TN:
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