At the instant the two forces collided, a loud boom suddenly echoed from the dome overhead.
"They're here!"
"They're here?"
Grey and Giovanni wore completely different expressions.
The former was delighted, because reinforcements had arrived; the latter was gloomy, because he still had two burdens on his side he had to drag away with him.
No—make that three.
There was also Ariana, sprawled out who-knows-where, fast asleep.
Even for someone as strong as Giovanni, this situation felt troublesome.
Although he had Mewtwo and Beedrill at hand, dealing with an Elite Four member at champion level, without using the rest of his main team, was a bit too much.
If he went all out, Giovanni believed none of the Elite Four could really handle him.
At the very least, he was confident he could get away himself.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—
The raging Blizzard was forcibly torn open, a huge gap ripped through the storm.
Riolu and Articuno immediately stopped what they were doing.
An orange, thickset dragon Pokémon descended from the sky.
Noticing the Aura Sphere shooting toward it, the Pokémon raised its arm. Dragon-type energy erupted in an instant, dark-green light extending into claw-shaped blades that hacked straight down!
Boom!!!
The Aura Sphere exploded apart, and everyone finally saw who had arrived.
A shock of crimson hair stood out vividly against the snow. He wore a billowing cape that snapped and cracked in the icy wind.
The head of Kanto's Elite Four—Lance, the Dragon Master!
"Dojo Master Grey, nicely done."
Lance hopped down into the snow, slapped the snow off his clothes, and looked straight ahead.
"Team Rocket executives Proton, Petrel, and…"
"That one's Team Rocket's boss, Lance. You need to be careful of his Beedrill—it knows Outrage."
Grey called out a reminder.
Both Giovanni and Lance frowned at the same time.
How did he know that?
A little bug that knows Outrage?
But once he understood that the man in front of him was Team Rocket's boss, Lance's gaze instantly grew solemn.
"I got it. You watch your own safety. Leave the rest to me."
Lance called back a reminder to Grey.
When he saw the Articuno standing at Grey's side, his eyes couldn't help but light up.
This kid's strength and luck really weren't bad at all. Being able to catch Articuno meant there was definitely something special about him.
"All right, then I'll leave the Team Rocket executives to me."
Grey nodded without refusing.
He was very clear on his own level.
Bullying Petrel and Proton a bit was no problem.
But going head-to-head with Giovanni?
Yeah, no thanks.
Just being able to hold out this long already made him feel pretty damn awesome.
"Mm. Once this operation is over, I'll put in an application with the League to get you a reward. Dojo Master Grey, if there's anything you want, tell me now."
Lance pulled out another Poké Ball and tossed it to the ground.
"Rooaaar!!!"
A deafening dragon roar shook the air, and another sturdy Dragonite stepped out.
Lance's main partner Pokémon.
Champion-level strength!
"Money…"
"I understand. I won't let something as vulgar as money sully your noble soul."
Grey had only just opened his mouth when Lance nodded heavily and answered.
"???"
Grey's mouth moved, but for quite a while no words came out.
In the end, he could only tactfully hint, with the highest emotional intelligence he could muster.
"I've caught a lot of Pokémon recently…"
"I understand. I'll have a new expansion permit arranged for you."
Lance immediately grasped what Grey meant and gave him a firm promise.
Grey: ???
"Thing is, I'm actually also a streamer…"
Lance thought for a moment. "When we get back, I'll make you a Governor."
Only when he heard Lance's answer did Grey's poor little heart feel a bit better.
He really wanted to tell Lance: I'm just an ordinary guy.
But…
Judging from Lance's tone, he obviously saw Grey as a lofty streamer who didn't care about money at all!
Bro, it's fine if you think of me as that kind of person.
But in the real world, please treat me like a regular, money-loving guy!
Without money, you really can't take a single step!
"You two go first. I'll keep the Dragon Master busy."
Giovanni barked at the other two Rocket executives.
"All right, boss, please be careful."
"Then we're off."
Proton and Petrel chose to bail.
They had no choice—Lance's strength was just that ridiculous.
And this was the same guy who'd once had Dragonite fire Hyper Beams at real people. They had zero desire to be casually blasted mid-fight!
"Hah, you think you can just leave like that? Articuno, after them!"
Seeing Petrel and Proton running for it, Grey had Articuno take off.
He recalled his other Pokémon, grabbed onto Articuno's talons, and flew off in pursuit!
"Beedrill."
Giovanni only needed to call its name.
Beedrill understood at once. Its eyes locked onto Grey, and its lance-like silver stingers gleamed with a cold metallic light.
Its gossamer wings vibrated at such high speed they were nearly invisible. The thrust came so fast it didn't even leave an afterimage!
The needle tore through the air, the shriek of its passage right on its heels. That icy flash of death was already at Grey's chest, aiming to run him straight through!
"Articuno!" "Dragonite!"
Two commands rang out at once.
Articuno snapped one frozen wing to the side, swerving hard. The stinger skimmed past, slicing the hem of Grey's clothes.
"Roooaar!!"
Lance's Dragonite exploded into motion, a pillar of fire at least two meters thick erupting from its jaws, turning the falling snow along its path into a billowing white mist in an instant!
Forced to abandon the chase, Beedrill spun its stingers up to block. Fire and silver clashed, scattering a shower of sparks across the room.
The whole conference hall was lit up like the inside of a blast furnace!
Seizing the opening, Articuno carried Grey out into the open air.
The Team Rocket grunts scattered in all directions, but Grey couldn't be bothered with that crowd of small fry cannon fodder. He headed straight after the fleeing Proton and Petrel.
"Petrel, how about we split up and run?"
Proton thought it over and decided: two people getting caught was better than just one.
"Are you stupid? Annihilape's already fainted on Grey's side. How good do you think that Articuno, Zapdos, and Blaziken can still be?"
Petrel curled his lip. As far as he was concerned, if he and Proton teamed up, it was just Grey. There was no way they couldn't take him.
If Annihilape were still on the field, that would be another story.
But now? All the guy had was a weak Articuno and a weak Blaziken. How was he supposed to win?
"Are you freaking brain-dead? Did you seriously not see the Riolu next to Grey? Team up, my ass. Did you not see that Blizzard just now? A Riolu that can use Blizzard!"
Proton was so infuriated by Petrel's words that he actually laughed.
This guy really had eaten too many red beans—gone completely lovesick in the head.
If he wanted to get himself killed, could he please not drag Proton down with him?!
"Oh? So you care about it that much."
Grey set little Riolu on Articuno's back.
He himself grinned and said, "Relax. I promise I won't use him to beat you up."
"For real?"
For whatever reason, Proton actually believed Grey's words.
"And you still have the nerve to call me stupid?!"
Petrel completely lost it and started swearing at him.
"Relax, I'm using her instead."
Grey threw out a Poké Ball, and Kirlia appeared.
"Kiiir~" (It's time. Today, I'm going to cut down everything with my own two hands!)
Kirlia gave a knightly bow, and at that exact moment, Grey tossed the Dawn Stone to it!
The instant they touched, dazzling light erupted from Kirlia's body.
That was—the light of evolution!
Kirlia had been waiting a long time for this moment.
Now, it could finally take down its enemies with its own hands!
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