Team Rocket Trio: Is this the end of our adventure?

Looking at the numerous Baltoy blocking its path, Chimecho used its Gravity ability. In an instant, all the Baltoy collapsed to the ground, as though weighed down by an immense force. No matter how they struggled, they couldn't break free from Chimecho's gravitational hold.

For lower-level Pokémon, Chimecho's Gravity was like a nightmare. Once trapped within its gravitational field, there was no hope of escaping.

With the Baltoy no longer interfering, the small number of Vibrava and Flygon were easily kept at bay by Yuga and Luvia's team, allowing Chimecho to effortlessly reach the Claydol.

Since the Claydol was merely an empty shell, the psychic energy sealed within it only served to control the other Pokémon in the area.

As a result, it didn't know any moves and had no offensive power.

When Chimecho approached, the Claydol put up almost no resistance. Under a single Shadow Ball from Chimecho, the Claydol shattered into pieces.

At the moment the Claydol broke apart, all the Baltoy, Vibrava, and the two Flygon tilted their heads and fainted.

Looking at the field full of unconscious Pokémon, everyone let out a collective sigh of relief.

"So the Claydol was the mastermind behind all of this!" Brock said, leaning on his Onix, gasping for breath.

"It's a good thing Mr. Shimizu was able to find it. I didn't even see it earlier," Ash said, looking relieved.

"That wasn't a real Claydol, just an empty shell," Yuga explained. He briefly described the situation with the Claydol, and the group suddenly understood.

Brock sighed, "No wonder it shattered with just one hit from Chimecho."

"No wonder the legend says that anyone who enters the Mirage Tower never comes out. This place is so dangerous, it's no surprise," Luvia said with mixed emotions. If Yuga hadn't been with them today, none of them would have been able to handle the Baltoy and Vibrava, let alone discover the Claydol shell.

Not long after, the Baltoy that had been knocked out by Mimikyu woke up. The moment it opened its eyes, it began to struggle in a panic, but after realizing it wasn't in danger, it calmed down in confusion.

Yuga saw the situation and said, "Are you worried about being controlled by the Claydol? No need to worry now. Look! It's already shattered into pieces." As he spoke, he pointed toward the fragments of the Claydol.

Seeing the scattered pieces on the ground, Baltoy initially panicked but slowly began to calm down.

"Was the reason you didn't want to tell us about this place earlier because of the presence of that Claydol?"

Baltoy hesitated for a moment, then gently nodded.

It explained to Yuga that it didn't have many memories of this place. It only remembered waking up inside the tower, alongside many others like it.

They couldn't leave the tower, so they lived here peacefully.

The older ones told it that there was a terrifying presence here, and whenever humans set foot in the tower, this terrifying presence would take control of their minds. They couldn't resist it.

That terrifying presence was the Claydol.

Normally, Claydol didn't interfere with their lives, but as soon as intruders appeared, it would turn into a demon, taking control of all its companions' minds.

Baltoy ended up on the first floor because, every now and then, the Baltoy on the second floor would be controlled by Claydol to guard the first floor.

It was the first time Baltoy had been controlled by Claydol. The feeling of having its consciousness taken away and its body moving without its own will was terrifying. Even thinking about it now made it shudder.

According to the older ones, they had thought about trying to destroy Claydol, but the Pokémon living in the Mirage Tower couldn't resist it. As soon as they got close, their minds would be taken over.

After listening to Baltoy's story, Yuga asked, "Do you know why this Mirage Tower exists?"

Baltoy shook its head and said that ever since it woke up, it had only moved between the first and second floors. The older ones didn't allow it to go near the third floor, and it didn't know anything else.

Still clueless, Yuga shook his head in disappointment.

Looking at the unconscious Baltoy on the ground, Yuga asked the others, "Do you want to catch one? Psychic-type Pokémon are pretty good."

Luvia was the first to refuse. She didn't have the keen eye skills like Yuga to easily find a suitable one among so many Pokémon, and besides, she was a Water-type trainer.

Luvia declined, and Yuga didn't insist. After all, he couldn't exactly tell others that his eyes could see the potential of Pokémon.

The kids, however, seemed interested but were overwhelmed by the sheer number of Pokémon on the ground, making it hard to choose.

"How about I pick one for you?" Yuga suggested.

"Yes, please!" Ash said excitedly. "Mr. Shimizu is so amazing, there's no way his choice will be wrong."

May and Brock both nodded in agreement, and as for Max... he didn't have much say.

Unlike the first floor, which was filled with low potential Sandshrew and Sandslash, the second floor's Baltoy and Vibrava included several high potential Pokémon.

Considerately, Yuga selected a green potential Baltoy for both May and Ash and a green potential Vibrava for Brock.

Among the remaining Pokémon, the only high-potential one left was another green-pptential Baltoy, which Yuga naturally added to his own collection.

He then picked out a few yellow-potential ones as well.

While Baltoy might not be as rare as Ralts, it was still a rare Pokémon.

Yuga didn't touch the two Flygon. He didn't need them, and now that the Claydol was gone, the Flygon could protect the remaining Baltoy and Vibrava, allowing them to live peacefully.

Seeing that everyone had chosen a Pokémon they liked, Max enviously asked, "Can I pick one too?"

May pulled at Max's ear and scolded, "What are you even doing here? You're just a tag-along who didn't help with anything! And now you have the nerve to ask for a Pokémon?"

Max complained, "You're just a burden too, sis! What gives you the right to criticize me?"

May was left speechless for a moment, unable to think of a retort.

In reality, May had actually been quite helpful. Her Swablu had been in training for a while, and with her father guidance, her strength was nothing to scoff at. However, the sheer number of Baltoy overwhelmed her, and it was her first time facing such a situation, so it was natural for her to struggle and seem a bit flustered. She didn't perform as well as Ash and Brock, who were seasoned travelers. But calling her a burden was an exaggeration.

Max's comment had everyone bursting into laughter, but the idea of him getting a Pokémon was quietly dropped. After all, as Mr. Norman's son, his starter Pokémon surely wouldn't be of low potential, and Yuga wasn't about to choose one for him.

After selecting their Pokémon, the group rested for a while before deciding to head to the third floor. Yuga was quite curious about the secrets that the Mirage Tower held.

Before leaving, Yuga asked the Baltoy if it wanted to come with him. Baltoy eagerly agreed, thrilled at the chance to leave the tower.

Finally, Yuga had Chimecho use a Healing Bell to soothe the spirits of the still-unconscious Baltoy, Vibrava, and Flygon, hoping that Claydol's control wouldn't leave any lasting effects on them.

Shortly after Yuga's group left, Jessie, James, and Meowth arrived hurriedly on the second floor.

"Seriously, James, you're so useless! Can't you figure out a way to deal with those Sandshrew and Sandslash?" Jessie complained, brushing her now tangled hair with frustration.

"Me? Why don't you handle them? I couldn't beat those Sandshrew!" James said helplessly, rubbing his backside where he had been hit by one.

Upon hearing this, Jessie jumped up in frustration. "What? Are you telling me to do it? I'm going to be a famous actress on screen one day! How could you expect me to deal with those brutes?"

Meowth, exhausted from the bickering, muttered weakly, "Can you two just be quiet, meow? I'm about to drop dead, meow."

In unison, Jessie and James yelled, "You shut up!"

Meowth: "…"

When the three of them reached the first floor, the Sandshrew and Sandslash that had been knocked out by Yuga's group had just woken up. However, without Baltoy's control, these Pokémon were actually quite timid and didn't pose any threat to people.

But Jessie and James? They were members of Team Rocket. The moment they saw so many Pokémon, their first instinct was to catch them all.

Unfortunately for them, they were no match for the Sandshrew and Sandslash and were quickly chased off in a frantic retreat, fleeing to the second floor in disarray.

Arguing loudly, the two humans and one Pokémon ascended to the second floor. Unlike the pitch-dark first floor, the second floor was brightly illuminated by oil lamps.

Relieved by the light, Jessie exclaimed loudly, "Hahaha… Finally, a place fit for humans to stay! Mmmph! Mmmph!" Her excitement was cut short as James hurriedly clamped his hand over her mouth.

Jessie's loud voice had drawn the attention of the Baltoy, Vibrava, and Flygon that had just woken up, thanks to Chimecho's Healing Bell. All of them now fixed their gaze on Jessie, James, and Meowth.

Especially the Flygon, whose wings produce a strange sound when they flap. Normally, it might be like a beautiful melody, but when threatened, it turns into an intimidating roar.

"Heh… we… we're just passing through, we don't mean any harm," James stammered, swallowing nervously as he tried to explain.

"What are you standing there for? Run!" Jessie shouted as she yanked James' hand off her mouth, grabbed Meowth, and dashed off.

"FLYGON!!!"

Unlike the timid Sandshrew and Sandslash, the Flygon were far more aggressive. They let out a loud roar and launched an attack at the trio. Even without Baltoy's control, they were fiercely protective of their territory.

Under the Flygon's assault, the trio scrambled frantically across the second floor. Amid their chaotic retreat, Jessie must have stepped on something because they suddenly heard a loud click, and the floor beneath them gave way.

"Ahhhhhh…!"

Screaming, the two humans and one Pokémon plummeted into the dark passage below.

At the critical moment, Jessie managed to release Wobbuffet. After a long freefall, Wobbuffet landed lightly and used Counter to safely catch them.

Once they were safely on the ground, Jessie clutched her chest and sighed, "That was terrifying! Why are we always this unlucky?"

James took a look around and noticed they were in a long, square passage. The walls were lined with bright orbs, illuminating the area as if it were daylight.

Seeing the glowing orbs, Meowth's eyes lit up with excitement. "Could this be the treasure, meow? This is amazing, meow!" Meowth, with his affinity for shiny objects, especially coins, was thrilled.

Without waiting, Meowth extended his claws, deftly scaling the wall to grab the nearest orb. James tried to stop him, but it was too late.

The moment Meowth's paw touched the orb, a clicking sound echoed through the passage, and countless arrows suddenly shot out.

"Wobbuffet!"

Reacting instantly, Wobbuffet leapt forward, activating Counter again. Every arrow was deflected, some even knocking down others mid-air, preventing them from reaching the group.

Fortunately, the passage wasn't too wide, and Wobbuffet managed to block all the arrows on his own.

Once the arrows had stopped, Meowth collapsed onto the ground, drenched in cold sweat.

"That was terrifying, meow," he muttered.

Jessie was about to scold Meowth, but then she remembered that she too had been tempted to grab one of the glowing orbs. Swallowing her words, she instead said, "This place looks really dangerous. How are we supposed to get out of here?"

James sighed helplessly, "We'll just have to walk through. It's not like we can fly."

Meowth, still fearful, asked, "What if there are more traps?"

James shrugged, "Do we have any other options?"

Jessie and Meowth: "..."

After a few seconds of silence, Jessie nudged Wobbuffet forward, "Wobbuffet, you take the lead."

Wobbuffet wore a miserable expression: You'll lose me like this.

As expected, just like Meowth feared, as they made their way through the passage, they triggered a series of traps—arrows, rolling boulders, fire, and water. But with Wobbuffet acting as their super shield, the trio managed to make it through the passage without much harm.

Once they were clear of the dangers, Jessie hugged Wobbuffet with a grateful look on her face, "Wobbuffet! I'm so glad you're here. You're my treasure for life!"

Wobbuffet's expression was one of complete exhaustion: As long as you're happy…

Along the way, the trio encountered numerous traps—falling into dark pits became almost routine. However, thanks to their luck and Wobbuffet's unwavering protection, they emerged unscathed despite their rough journey.

After a long and difficult adventure, the trio finally found themselves in front of a grand, golden door.

"Is this… where the treasure is hidden?" Jessie asked nervously, swallowing hard.

"It must be, meow! We've gone through so many dangers. This has to be a reward from the gods, meow," Meowth said with conviction. If possible, he would love to take the door itself, thinking it could be melted down into countless coins.

Staring at the gleaming golden door, Meowth's mouth began to water.

The only one who remained calm, uninterested in the treasure, was James.

With no hesitation, Jessie and Meowth pushed the grand golden door open. What greeted them was a long staircase leading to a golden throne. And sitting on that throne was an imposing, majestic black Pokémon, radiating an aura of dominance.