Powerless

Suddenly under attack by an unknown force, Lugia roared in anger, struggled to stand up, pushed off the ground with its feet, and charged toward the newly appeared Pokémon.

However, just as it reached halfway, a massive Shadow Ball once again descended from the sky, smashing it back to the bottom of the pit.

Boom!

Lugia crashed into the pit, the ground shattered, and Yuga and Lance, who were quite a distance away, could even feel the ground shaking.

Lugia, on the ground, opened its mouth and released a black beam towards the Pokémon attacking it. However, that Pokémon was too fast, dodging it easily.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Several black beams shot out of Lugia's mouth, but not a single one hit the target.

Yuga had been curious about why Lugia, as a Dark-type, didn't seem to have any Dark-type moves. However, now he understood. While Lugia might not use proper Dark-type moves, the other types of moves it used all carried a faint Dark attribute.

In other words, when it used non-Dark-type moves, they all became essentially dual-type moves.

This made Lugia a formidable opponent against Psychic-type Pokémon, but the opponent it was facing was no pushover. Even though the other Pokémon was of the Psychic type, it was dominating Lugia in their battle.

The appearance of this new Pokémon rendered Dragonite and Nana, who had been previously battling the Lugia, helpless. They couldn't find an opening to join the fight between these two powerful foes.

Lance stared at the sky in amazement and said, "What... What kind of Pokémon is that? It can overpower Lugia like this!"

Yuga, however, kept silent. He recognized this Pokémon as Mewtwo, but it was highly classified in Team Rocket's possession, and acknowledging it by name would raise suspicions.

This might be Mewtwo's first appearance in the outside world, and if it wasn't for him and Lance coming here by chance, its existence might still remain unknown to the public.

While Lugia's attention was fully drawn to Mewtwo, Yuga and Lance found themselves in a relatively safe position. But Yuga couldn't help but feel anxious about their situation.

Mewtwo belonged to Team Rocket, and now they had their sights set on the Shadow Lugia. Once Shadow Lugia was defeated, Team Rocket might capture it.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Mewtwo launched several Aura Spheres that sent Lugia crashing to the ground again.

If this had been a normal Lugia, it might have had a chance against Mewtwo, but the Shadow Lugia was fighting recklessly and without strategy, making it an easy target for Mewtwo.

Just as Lugia and Mewtwo were locked in intense battle, an aircraft suddenly appeared in the distance. It materialized from invisibility, and the cabin door opened.

A group of individuals, led by the Boss of Team Rocket, Giovanni, stepped out from the aircraft.

Yuga immediately recognized Giovanni, even though he was wearing a mask.

Besides Giovanni, there were two other men in white uniforms standing on either side of him. Their significance was evident, as they positioned themselves next to Giovanni after Team Rocket landed.

These two individuals didn't wear masks because it wasn't necessary at all. Lance immediately called out their names.

"Archer! Proton!"

These two are Archer and Proton, two of the four executives of Team Rocket, other than Ariana, who Yuga had previously met.

Yuga and Team Rocket had crossed paths many times, so he naturally recognized the well-known top executives of Team Rocket. He also deduced that Archer and Proton, guarding the person in the middle, were the mysterious leaders of Team Rocket.

After landing, Giovanni, Archer, and Proton didn't pay any attention to the ongoing battle between Mewtwo and Lugia. Instead, they approached Yuga and Proton.

As they saw Giovanni and his team getting closer, Dragonite and Nana immediately became alert and stood in front of Yuga and Lance protectively.

"Mr. Lance! Gym Leader Shimizu!"

Giovanni greeted the two of them first, displaying a lot of grace, though he used a voice changer.

"You are the leader of Team Rocket?" Yuga asked, keeping a vigilant gaze on Giovanni.

"Yes, that's me."

Giovanni nodded, openly acknowledging his identity. Of course, he was wearing a mask and using a voice changer, so even if he admitted it, others couldn't guess his true identity.

Yuga had no intention of exposing Giovanni's identity. Doing so would only make him appear suspicious.

Though Giovanni had once had a video conversation with Yuga, it seemed as if he were meeting Yuga for the first time and didn't pay him any special attention. It was as if all previous attempts to recruit Yuga had never happened.

"Our goal today is only this Lugia. As long as you don't interfere, I don't want to engage in a battle with you," Giovanni said calmly. His intentions had never been about directly opposing the League; he had a grander dream.

In other words, individuals like Yuga and Lance were not his true enemies.

Lance's expression was stern as he responded, "That's impossible! I can't just hand over Lugia to Team Rocket."

While Yuga remained silent, his attitude made his stance clear.

"That's truly unfortunate," Giovanni sighed as if genuinely not wanting to fight Yuga and Lance.

"Then, let me see how talented you two League Trainers really are!" Giovanni exclaimed and released two Poké Balls.

Thud! Thud!

In front of Yuga and Lance appeared two Pokémon, Nidoking and Rhyperior, both of them at the champion level.

As soon as Nidoking emerged, it unleashed an Ice Punch towards Dragonite on the other side, with Dragonite countering with a punch of its own. Rhyperior used Stone Edge, controlling several large rocks to hurl towards Nana.

Boom!

Dragonite and Nidoking's fists clashed, creating a loud bang, and both Pokémon staggered backward. Surprisingly, Dragonite couldn't gain the upper hand.

In the battle against Lugia, Dragonite had expended a lot of energy, and even with Nana's assistance, it had taken more damage than anticipated.

What's more, Yuga hadn't expected Team Rocket's leader to be as formidable as the Nidoking, which was clearly a Peak champion level Pokémon.

This means that the strength of Team Rocket's leader is at least on par with Professor Oak's, although the leader is much older than Professor Oak. This isn't good news for the Pokémon League.

Nana also suffered some injuries in the battle against Lugia, but compared to the main force Dragonite, its injuries were relatively minor. At this moment, Nana and Rhyperior were evenly matched.

Rhyperior and Nidoking were both Peak Champion level Pokémon.

Archer and Proton stood on either side of Giovanni, having no intention of interfering in the battle. They knew that their boss wouldn't allow them to intervene, and besides, they were well aware of their boss's strength.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Nidoking and Dragonite engaged in a fierce battle, their punches almost landing blow for blow. Each punch generated shockwaves, creating a terrifying scene with flying debris.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

The battle between Nana and Rhyperior was equally intense. Nana's Energy Ball clashed with Rhyperior's Stone Edge, and both Pokémon seemed like turrets, creating large craters all around.

However, even though these two Pokémon were Peak Champion level, they couldn't match Dragonite and Nana in terms of power.

Dragonite's punch struck Nidoking's abdomen, sending Nidoking flying, and the heavily injured Nidoking couldn't get up.

Even if Dragonite had been injured by Lugia, Nidoking was no match for it.

Shortly after, Rhyperior was knocked out by Nana's Energy Ball in the crater.

Even though Nana, in it past life, was a powerful Pokémon, its current strength was on par with Rhyperior. There was still a gap in combat power, which was why it could compete evenly with Dragonite's mother.

"Both of you are truly remarkable talents of the Pokémon League, indeed!"

Giovanni calmly recalled the two defeated Pokémon, his tone expressing appreciation for Yuga and Lance.

Yuga and Lance, however, felt incredibly fortunate that they had brought Nana and their Old Ancestor with them. Otherwise, they would have lost today. With their individual strengths, they couldn't possibly be a match for Giovanni.

"However, you should be careful with the next opponents!"

Giovanni released another Pokémon and, in front of Yuga and Lance, allowed this Pokémon to undergo Mega Evolution.

...

Mega Beedrill

Type: Bug/Poison

Ability: Adaptability

Gender: Male

Potential: Purple

Level: 100

Moves: Double Needle, Fury Sweep, Rage, Pursuit, Venoschok, Focus Energy, Punishment, Toxic Spikes, Quick Attack, Fell Stinger, Toxic, Hyprr Beam, Protect, Double Team, Solar Beam, Return, Stone Edge, Sludge Bomb, Endure, Fury Cutter, Acrobatics, Payback, Swords Dance, X-Scissor, Infestation, Poison Jab, U-Turn, Swagger, Substitute, Tailwind, Drill Run, Throat Chop.

...

Seeing the cold, fierce gaze of Mega Beedrill and its menacing stingers, Yuga couldn't help but think, "This is bad." He had suspected that Giovanni would be strong, but he didn't expect this level of strength. It explained why Giovanni always seemed so confident when talking to them. This confidence came from his immense power.

But before Yuga could react, he noticed that Mega Beedrill had already appeared behind Dragonite. He and Lance barely had time to warn Dragonite to be careful, but Mega Beedrill's speed was astonishingly fast. They didn't even see how it had managed to get behind Dragonite.

Dragonite, already weakened from its battle with Lugia, reacted a split second too slowly. By the time it realized the presence of Mega Beedrill, the attack had already landed.

At their level, the differences in strength due to Pokémon species were minimal. Despite Beedrill being considered an insignificant species compared to Pseudo-Legendary like Dragonite, the Beedrill in front of them posed a genuine threat to Dragonite's life.

A single Poison Jab caused Dragonite to kneel down, followed by succumbing to poison status.

"Ancestor!" Lance shouted with concern.

Nana, who had been on guard against Beedrill from the start, used Teleport to disappear in an instant. But as soon as she reappeared, Beedrill was right there, following her at an unbelievable speed. The speed of Mega Beedrill was terrifying, and its movements were too fast for anyone to follow.

Nana disappeared once more in a desperate attempt to evade Mega Beedrill, but it reappeared in front of her almost instantly. Nana was in shock, unable to comprehend how Beedrill could be so incredibly fast.

Yuga realized with alarming clarity that against a Pokémon like Mega Beedrill, even their ace move, Teleport, was not sufficient for escape.

Boom!

Mega Beedrill's Pin Missile hit Nana's waist, and she was sent flying, losing consciousness instantly.

Just as Mega Beedrill was about to deliver the final blow to Nana, a robust and powerful Dodrio descended from the sky, screeching, and kicked Mega Beedrill away.

"Yuga, Lance, are you okay?"

It was Professor Oak who had arrived just in time.

"We're fine!"

Seeing Professor Oak arrive, both Yuga and Lance breathed a sigh of relief. However, the helplessness they felt against Mega Beedrill lingered in their hearts.

Thankfully, they weren't the type to be defeated by a single failure. They understood that facing such a significant setback was normal for most genius Pokémon trainers. If they let one defeat get to them, it would affect them for the rest of their lives.

This particular battle was going to be a significant turning point in their lives.

Lance had reached his current level step by step and through dedicated effort. Despite being referred to as a "genius" Pokémon trainer, he was well aware of the effort he had put into his journey. He wasn't the type to doubt himself based on a single failure.

On the other hand, Yuga had never considered himself a true genius. Compared to trainers like Lance, Steven, Wallace, and Cynthia, he felt he didn't quite measure up. He was able to accept his own failures.

When Professor Oak saw the presence of Team Rocket, he realized that he wouldn't have time to inquire about Lugia and the unknown Pokémon. He focused on commanding Dodrio to fight Mega Beedrill.

To Yuga's surprise, Professor Oak's Dodrio was holding its ground against Giovanni's Mega Beedrill. Its powerful legs kicked Beedrill back every time, showing a back-and-forth battle.

The fact that Professor Oak's Dodrio wasn't at level 100 but it was indeed Master level Pokemon.

Wasn't Professor Oak not yet officially recognized as a Master Level trainer? Yuga confused.

This was a common misunderstanding regarding the term "master" in the Pokémon world. It was important to differentiate between "Master Level" trainers and trainers who had earned the title of "Master" in their League.

The latter meant that a trainer had achieved victory against a Legendary Pokémon. Not all "Master Level" trainers were capable of defeating Legendary Pokémon.

Professor Oak was known as a "Master Level" trainer due to his considerable experience, skills, and accomplishments, even if he hadn't faced a Legendary Pokémon in battle. His exact abilities and potential were largely unknown to the public, but he maintained a low profile.

Yuga had never seen all of Mr. Kuni'o's Pokémon. Most of his Master Pokémon that Yugad has been seen were level 90 or above, so Yuga hadn't considered the difference between a "Master Level trainer" and a "Master" title holder.

With Dodrio repelling Mega Beedrill, Yuga and Lance took the opportunity to retrieve their fainted Nana and Dragonite. The poison had caused Dragonite to lose consciousness.

Giovanni was occupied by Professor Oak, allowing Yuga and Lance to face Archer and Proton of Team Rocket. They both released their Lapras, Florges, Dragonite, and Charizard.

Archer and Proton were indeed high-ranking members of Team Rocket, and tbey had Elite level combat power. But in a direct comparison, they were far outclassed by Yuga and Lance.

Although they couldn't beat Giovanni's Mega Beedrill, it didn't mean they couldn't compete with Archer and Proton. For a while, Yuga and Lance gave them quite a beating.

In the battle between Professor Oak and Giovanni, neither seemed to gain the upper hand. While Professor Oak's Dodrio was a Master Level Pokémon, it wasn't at level 100, unlike Giovanni's Mega Beedrill, which had reached its full potential through Mega Evolution.

As the battle between Dodrio and Mega Beedrill reached a standstill, the battle between Shadow Lugia and Mewtwo was coming to an end.

Despite being at a type disadvantage against Mewtwo, Shadow Lugia was lacking in intelligence and strategic combat. It couldn't match Mewtwo' capabilities.

Mewtwo launched multiple Aura Sphere moves, precisely targeting Shadow Lugia's head. With each hit, Shadow Lugia staggered, and eventually, it fell to the ground, incapacitated.

Shadow Lugia, trapped for so many years in the Jade Mountains, couldn't unleash its true potential as Level 1 Legendary Pokemon, and was defeated by Mewtwo.

Upon Shadow Lugia's defeat, Team Rocket's grunts hiding in the shadows emerged. They threw dark, spherical devices that emitted energy beams, connecting to form a circular cage, trapping Shadow Lugia inside.

With Shadow Lugia imprisoned, Mewtwo, under the control of Team Rocket, seized the cage and flew toward their aircraft.

Once Shadow Lugia and Mewtwo had completely entered the aircraft, Mega Beedrill swiftly flew Dodrio back to the side of Professor Oak. Smiling, Giovanni said to Professor Oak, "You're strong, but let's end it here for today. We'll have another chance to spar in the future."

Mega Beedrill flashed and disappeared with Giovanni from the sight of Professor Oak and Dodrio. Professor Oak's face turned grim.

As Giovanni left, Mewtwo appeared by Archer and Proton's side, taking them and their group of henchmen back into the aircraft. Yuca and Lance could only watch as they departed.

Rumbling!

Team Rocket's aircraft slowly ascended and activated its cloaking function. Professor Oak, who was considering pursuing, saw Mewtwo sitting on top of the aircraft. However, Mewtwo was now adorned with a layer of black armor.

After witnessing the battle between Mewtwo and Shadow Lugia, Professor Oak knew that even if he caught up, it would be futile. He stopped his pursuit.

As the aircraft disappeared completely from the sight of the three, Professor Oak sighed deeply.