Normally speaking,
for a Gym Leader to run into two of the Eight Gym Leaders during the Gym Showdown was already the absolute limit.
And yet now...
he had run into one of the Eight Gym Leaders three matches in a row.
Wasn't this ridiculous?
Anyone who didn't know better would think he had somehow skipped straight into the real ranking rounds of the Gym Showdown.
Each opponent was stronger than the last.
What next? Beat Koga, then Blaine, then finish off with Giovanni at the end?
Grey felt like that really was possible.
Still,
going by the League's usual style,
they probably weren't that clueless.
Or maybe the next two opponents would be more normal...
Yeah. Hopefully.
At that thought, Grey could only sigh.
After that, he went out to eat dinner with Caitlin and Sabrina before heading back.
"Where are we eating tonight?"
Sabrina asked.
When she recalled the last time she had gone out to eat with Grey, the scene of the two of them eating steak together came back to her, and a faint blush unconsciously appeared on her face.
There had been a little bit of romantic tension.
There had even been fireworks...
As a girl, Sabrina was still very susceptible to being charmed by Grey's little "routines."
"Let's just find somewhere nearby. People in Saffron City don't avoid us anymore, so we could probably go check out the financial district."
Grey thought about it for a moment.
He remembered that little Riolu had been begging for all-you-can-eat barbecue last time.
But because of everything that had happened back then, they never got to go in and eat.
Ever since Sabrina had livestreamed the capture of Team Rocket last time, her reputation had improved a lot.
Many of the residents of Saffron City had come to realize that Sabrina had been quietly protecting the city all along, and that made them feel like terrible people for having ostracized their guardian.
At the same time, they had come to appreciate just how good she really was.
With strength like hers, she could have lorded it over them if she wanted, but instead she had quietly protected that whole group of troublesome citizens. As a Gym Leader, she was genuinely qualified.
Of course...
for certain challengers, maybe not so much.
After all, Sabrina really would turn people into dolls.
Even if they automatically turned back the next day,
that feeling...
Forget it. Better not relive it.
Just thinking about it made a chill run down the spine.
"Caitlin, is there anything you want to eat?"
Grey remembered that Caitlin was still standing beside him.
This one was a rich young lady from Sinnoh, so he couldn't exactly neglect her.
He also didn't know whether Caitlin had any dietary restrictions, which would make things easier for him to plan around.
"Let me think..."
Caitlin closed her eyes and thought carefully.
Come to think of it,
everything she had eaten in Kanto these past few days had been home-style cooking.
It felt pretty much the same as Sinnoh.
Nothing especially distinctive.
"As long as it tastes good, I'm fine with anything."
That was the answer Caitlin gave.
"Alright then. Since both of you said anything is fine, let's go get barbecue."
"Mio~"
"Yay! Wait, no one's here to grill meat for me..."
Little Riolu cheered excitedly.
But almost immediately, the cheering stopped.
It ended as abruptly as it began, because little Riolu suddenly realized that its usual "barbecue master" wasn't around lately, and it had no idea where he had gone.
Damn it...
The days without Mewtwo grilling meat for me are so lonely~
Little Riolu started singing in its heart.
Hopefully, that song would somehow reach Mewtwo's mind.
...
...
Unova Region, Team Plasma base, inside an unnamed laboratory.
"Mr. Mewtwo, is something wrong?"
Colress had already accepted the setting that Mewtwo had temporarily become his cheat.
Right now, Mewtwo's mood seemed a little off, which prompted Colress to ask if something was wrong with him.
If perhaps he was feeling unwell.
"I'm fine. How are things on your end? How is the research progressing?"
Mewtwo's voice pierced through the air and entered Colress's mind.
"It's already at 5%. Team Rocket's data is extremely complete. Honestly, I think in a few more months, I'll be able to create the thing described in it... and when that happens, Team Rocket's glory will absolutely shine again!"
A cold light reflected off Colress's lenses.
He already had a rough idea what this data was.
It was also data for an artificial Pokémon.
And the data for this artificial Pokémon was incredibly powerful.
Its upper limit was extremely high!
If Genesect reaching Champion level was already its ceiling,
then going any further was almost impossible. Unless something could break through the "shackles" in its data, Genesect would be stuck at Champion level for life.
But judging from the materials left behind by Team Rocket,
this artificial Pokémon had an unbelievably high upper limit.
Its potential was even greater than Genesect's!
In other words, with enough resources, he might be able to build this Pokémon all the way up to the level of a battle legend!
At that thought, Colress's breathing quickened involuntarily.
This would be a legend created by his own hands...
Not something like Genesect, whose upper limit had already been fixed!
"Mr. Mewtwo, why don't you give it a name?"
Colress felt that the naming rights should belong to Mewtwo.
Of course, Colress had no idea that Team Rocket had actually already created Mewtwo.
He still thought that when Team Rocket's base had been destroyed, they simply hadn't managed to recover Mewtwo's data in time.
Little did he know...
this had actually been a trap buried there long ago.
It had been waiting for some outside evil organization to step right into it.
And now Team Plasma had done exactly that.
Using resources from another region to create Team Rocket's Pokémon.
If Team Plasma ever found that out, Ghetsis would probably die of anger.
"A name..."
Mewtwo looked at the operating console in front of Colress.
As for naming it...
he didn't really have any ideas.
But why did he have this unprecedented feeling?
It was almost as if he were watching a life be brought into the world by his own hands...
By seniority, wouldn't that make it his younger brother or sister?
"Call it Mewtwo. The meaning is... Mewtwo, a dream that surpasses itself."
Although the true meaning should have been surpassing Mew, Mewtwo felt that his younger siblings shouldn't have to carry the idea of "surpassing Mew."
It was enough for him to bear that himself.
As for the rest...
they should just do what they wanted to do.
"Mewtwo... Is that name directly derived from your own name, Mr. Mewtwo?"
Colress seemed to think of something.
"More or less."
Mewtwo did not avoid the question.
"I understand."
Colress gave a light nod and continued his work.
Drip...
At that moment,
the doors of the laboratory opened.
Thunk. Thunk. Thunk...
The dull sound of a cane striking the floor echoed heavily.
Colress turned around.
He saw Ghetsis.
"Mr. Colress, may I ask how Team Rocket's data is progressing?"
Ghetsis narrowed his eyes and asked with a smile that did not reach them.
"It's only at 2.5%. There are still many materials needed. Mr. Ghetsis, could you help me prepare—"
"Ahem. I'll give you the money. Handle it yourself."
Before Colress could finish, Ghetsis waved a hand.
"Very well."
Colress nodded.
After receiving the money, and according to Mewtwo's instructions, he transferred it into a bank account in Kanto.
...
...
Kanto Region, Saffron City.
"Huh? Where did this money in my account come from?"
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