Mewtwo.
The legendary Pokémon created from Mew's genetic material.
Lillie remembered it clearly. Back in that underground facility in Saffron City, if not for Mewtwo's appearance, all those high-ranking officers would have already been captured by Dylan.
"Dylan, how do you plan to deal with it?"
Giovanni smiled faintly, his sharp gaze fixed on Dylan.
Mewtwo was his final trump card. He knew Dylan wouldn't fear it, but he was curious—how would Mewtwo compare to Dylan's other legendary Pokémon?
Especially under his command, as a top-tier Champion!
"Return, Marshadow." Dylan withdrew Marshadow.
Marshadow was strong, but it hadn't broken past its limits yet. Even though Mewtwo had only been awakened for less than a year, its power had already reached the level of a Tier 1 Legendary.
It would be too much to ask Marshadow to take on Mewtwo. There was no need for that.
Besides, since Giovanni was "breaking the rules" by using a Tier 1 Legendary, then he couldn't blame Dylan for doing the same! After all, it was Giovanni who "broke the taboo" first.
"As expected, if I'm going to fight Mewtwo, I have to use that."
Dylan thought it over and over again, but in the end, there was only one real choice. After all, the opponent was Mewtwo.
"Peppa."
Dylan opened his backpack and struggled to pull out a certain Pokémon that had been snoring away inside.
"…"
Mewtwo's psychic eyes immediately flared up with intense energy, locking onto the chubby, round-bellied Clefairy in Dylan's hands.
Giovanni narrowed his eyes slightly. Seeing it up close, this "Clefairy" was even more absurdly plump than he had imagined.
"Wake up. Wake up already."
Dylan slapped the pudgy cheeks of the so-called "Clefairy," only to find that it was sleeping as soundly as a dead log, completely unresponsive.
"Are you a pig? Get up and help me out already."
But it was useless. The atmosphere was starting to get awkward.
Dylan smacked it a few more times, but apparently, the thick layer of fat absorbed the impact, preventing his palm from getting through. The "Clefairy" remained in blissful slumber.
"Uh… Mewtwo, can you help me out here?"
Dylan hesitated before turning to Mewtwo for assistance.
"…" Mewtwo was silent.
The next moment, Mewtwo lifted its left arm, and an immense, invisible psychic force surged forth, its blue aura instantly enveloping the "Clefairy."
Slowly, it was lifted into the air, rising all the way to the ceiling. Then, with a sharp downward swing of Mewtwo's arm—
BOOM!
The "Clefairy" was slammed down at high speed, crashing heavily into the floor, sending up a thick cloud of dust.
"Miii! (Who the hell sneak-attacked me while I was sleeping?!)"
An enraged cry rang out as a pink psychic shockwave blasted outward, instantly dispersing the dust cloud.
The now-glowing, pink Clefairy floated up from the crater, its furious eyes locked onto Mewtwo. It was about to lose its temper!
Did no one understand how bad its morning temper was?!
"Mii?"
But then it saw Mewtwo and froze.
"Oh, it's you again, Mii. I don't wanna fight you. You always lose to me, and you still refuse to call me 'Mama.'"
Clefairy pouted, its earlier irritation vanishing in an instant. Although Mewtwo had been quite rude in waking it up, Clefairy still had a certain level of tolerance for it—after all, Mewtwo was technically its "offspring," created from its genetic material.
Clefairy wasn't the type to hold grudges anyway.
"…I DON'T EVEN HAVE A MOTHER!!"
Mewtwo's forehead visibly throbbed with frustration as its telepathic voice practically growled through clenched teeth.
Giovanni watched their exchange with great amusement. It seemed that something had happened during Mewtwo's previous encounter with Mew that he wasn't aware of.
But from the looks of it, Mewtwo had finally resolved its inner conflict regarding Mew. That was a good thing.
"Peppa, this is a proper battle. Your opponent is Mewtwo."
Dylan spoke to Clefairy.
"Eh? But it's my 'offspring,' Mii. I can't bring myself to hit it."
Clefairy's eyes sparkled mischievously, though it put on an exaggerated expression of reluctance.
Mewtwo's fists clenched tighter, its psychic aura flickering violently. What do you mean you "can't bring yourself to do it"?! You're practically grinning, you bastard!!
"Twenty crates."
"Teaching this kid a lesson is my responsibility, Mii!"
Clefairy agreed without hesitation. In an instant, it shimmered, reverting to its true form—the legendary pink Mew.
Giovanni's eyes widened in rare astonishment as he finally got a clear look at Mew's appearance.
Mewtwo, meanwhile, closed its eyes and repeated to itself: I have no connection to this thing. I have absolutely no relation to this pink pig.
"Dylan, this is really… Mew?"
Hearing Giovanni's question, Mew immediately turned and glared at him, puffing up in indignation. Was he… questioning its figure?!
"Peppa has been eating well since coming to my place, so please don't be surprised, Giovanni-senpai."
Dylan coughed lightly, giving a tactful explanation.
"…I see." Giovanni fell silent. He had nothing to say to that.
"However, a battle between Mew and Mewtwo isn't suited for an indoor gym. Giovanni-senpai, shall we move to the wild?"
Dylan glanced around. While Viridian Gym's battlefield was spacious, it was nowhere near large enough for a clash between Mew and Mewtwo.
Speaking of which, Galar's stadiums were much better in that regard—each one was built like a full-fledged arena.
"Fine." Giovanni nodded.
"Peppa, use Teleport to take us outside."
"Mii~"
Mew's eyes glowed with deep psychic energy. In an instant, the four of them vanished alongside Mew. Mewtwo's own eyes flickered, and it too disappeared from the gym.
In a clearing within Viridian Forest, Dylan and the others reappeared.
"This place should be suitable."
Dylan surveyed the open area and nodded in satisfaction.
"Viridian Forest, huh…"
Giovanni took in the fresh, natural scent of the forest, his tone carrying a trace of nostalgia. This was where his journey as a Pokémon Trainer had begun.
But he quickly adjusted his mood, loosening his tie and shoving one hand into his pocket as he turned to Dylan.
"Dylan, let's do this!"
Giovanni's voice carried an unmistakable edge of battle fervor. He was a calm, rational man, long past the age of reckless passion.
In the adult world, everything had a purpose—and for Giovanni, that was especially true. From the moment he took over Team Rocket, he had known he could never again be just a Trainer.
But this time was different. Mewtwo was his life's proudest creation, and its opponent was Mew!
"Ah~ Mew!"
Mew's body radiated pink energy, forming a protective barrier.
Mewtwo responded in kind, its blue psychic energy solidifying into a barrier of its own.
The next moment, both Pokémon ascended into the air and charged at each other.
BOOM!
Two powerful psychic forces collided, sending out shockwaves that rippled across the forest, causing fierce winds to roar in every direction.
Pink and blue light engulfed the sky, neither willing to yield.
Mew suddenly ramped up its psychic output. With a resounding boom, the rapidly expanding pink psychic energy forcibly pushed Mewtwo's blue energy away.
The overwhelming psychic power surged freely through the sky.
Mewtwo and Mew slowly retracted their external energy, facing each other midair in a tense standoff.
"Still at a disadvantage?"
Giovanni's eyes flickered slightly. He could tell that, at the last moment, Mewtwo had still been overpowered by Mew.
But he wasn't surprised. After all, Mewtwo hadn't been awakened for very long yet.
"As fellow Psychic-types, it's inevitable that a battle like this will take some time to determine a winner."
Dylan's lips curled into a faint smile—he had just thought of a rather interesting idea.
"That's true."
Giovanni nodded in agreement. But even if Mewtwo were to lose, it had to lose in style!
This was Team Rocket's ultimate creation, the masterpiece Giovanni had poured his heart and soul into. It was his proof, his pride!
"If that's the case, then let's do something different."
"?"
Giovanni narrowed his eyes slightly. Something different?
"Peppa, Imprison!"
"??!"
Dylan called out to Mew in the sky, and Giovanni's expression changed slightly.
Mew blinked in confusion. Imprison? What was that again?
It thought for a moment and then realized—oh, right, it did know that move.
Well, no helping it. Mew hadn't fought in who-knows-how-many millennia…
And it had learned way too many moves. Even when it did battle, it usually just brute-forced its way through with psychic power.
Mew's eyes gleamed, and a large, tangible "X" mark sank into its body—Imprison, a Psychic-type move.
A mysterious ripple spread outward invisibly.
Mewtwo suddenly felt something was wrong.
Below, Giovanni's brows furrowed tightly. Dylan… No wonder people secretly called him "vile" and "heretical." This wasn't without reason.
He actually had Mew use Imprison!
Then what moves was Mewtwo even supposed to use now?!
"Mewtwo, quickly test it—see which moves you can still use!"
Giovanni immediately spoke to Mewtwo via their telepathic link.
"…"
Mewtwo's psychic-blue eyes flickered wildly, then gradually dimmed, its gaze turning clear but bewildered.
"Gone…"
"What do you mean gone?" Giovanni was stunned.
"Dozens of my moves… all gone…" Mewtwo said blankly.
It raised a hand, staring at its own claws in near shock—its entire skillset had been wiped out…
"Not even one left?" Giovanni's brows knitted tightly. What kind of trick was that fat pink blob pulling?!
"Just Psystrike…"
Right, Psystrike was Mewtwo's signature move. It discovered that it could still use it.
But that was useless! Psystrike was a Psychic-type move. Using that?
It might as well telekinetically summon a spoon and smack Mew with it for some physical damage!
Giovanni: "…"
"No problem. Then just engage in close combat and rely on your superior melee skills to secure victory."
After a brief moment of contemplation, Giovanni made his decision—Mewtwo would go in for hand-to-hand combat.
That Mew was clearly a total couch potato. If not for its psychic power keeping it afloat, it probably couldn't even run properly.
Its melee combat skills had to be trash.
Meanwhile, Mewtwo was exceptionally skilled in close combat!
"Alright!"
Mewtwo's eyes reignited with psychic flames. It clapped its hands together and then pulled them apart—forming a massive, glowing psychic spoon.
Mewtwo gave it a stylish flourish, raising the spoon before it in a heroic stance—utterly fearless in the face of Mew.
Yes! Even if its moves were sealed, it would not fear this pink puffball!
"What incredible fighting spirit. In that case, Peppa, we have to take this seriously too."
Dylan smiled as he spoke. He could feel Mewtwo's unyielding determination.
As expected of Mewtwo—even stripped of all its moves, it showed no hesitation or despair. A worthy opponent indeed.
"Mew, Transform! Yveltal!"
"Got it, Mii~!"
Giovanni: ???
A dense, radiant light erupted from Mew, followed by a surge of chilling, red-black energy that spread wildly in all directions.
Mewtwo, still holding its spoon, felt its psychic senses go haywire—a deep, primal threat exploded in its mind.
"Mii~!!"
A piercing cry echoed through the sky.
Amid the swirling, malevolent black and red energy, a massive pair of dark crimson wings—shaped like sinister claws—unfurled.
A savage and terrifying presence descended upon the battlefield.
…Though, since it was Mew that had transformed, this Yveltal did look unusually plump.
But that did nothing to diminish the suffocating, oppressive aura it exuded.
"Whoa… What is that?!"
Lillie's heartbeat quickened as she stared at the fearsome black-and-red Pokémon.
It had the general form of a large bird, its outstretched wings and tail giving it the distinct silhouette of a giant "Y." Its body was covered in a haunting mix of black and crimson, radiating an eerie and ominous aura.
This was Yveltal, one of the legendary Pokémon known for its overwhelming presence.
There was no need to guess—just from its sheer presence alone, it was clear this Pokémon was immensely powerful.
"Rotom!"
Lillie's wide eyes sparkled with excitement. She had to know more about this Pokémon.
Even though this was just Mew's transformation, as long as Mew wasn't being careless, its transformations were perfect. Even a Pokédex would register it as the Pokémon it had turned into.
"Coming right up, Roto~!"
Rotom Dex immediately scanned the Pokémon.
Beep—Yveltal, Dark/Flying-type, the Destruction Pokémon.
Ability:Dark AuraMoves:Oblivion Wing, Brave Bird, Focus Blast, Sucker Punch, Phantom Force, Dragon Rush…
Description:When it spreads its wings and tail, glowing with red light, it drains the life force of living creatures. It is said that when its lifespan ends, it will absorb the life of all beings around it and return to its cocoon form.
"Wow!! It's so strong!"
Lillie's eyes shone with admiration.
This "Yveltal" was undoubtedly a top-tier legendary Pokémon—likely on the same level as Ho-Oh, Lugia, Reshiram, Zekrom, Solgaleo, and Lunala.
However, based on the Pokédex's description, it didn't seem to be a particularly benevolent legend…
And its aura was outright evil—so sinister and oppressive that it sent chills down her spine.
'Yveltal' slowly moved its massive, claw-like wings, staring down at the psychic-spoon-wielding Mewtwo.
Mewtwo, feeling the suffocating malevolence pouring off its opponent, lowered its gaze to its spoon.
Its psychic-covered eyes filled with doubt.
…Could it really win against that evil bird with this spoon?
"Come, Giovanni-senpai. Mewtwo. We're ready."
Dylan adjusted his collar gracefully and extended a hand toward Giovanni, signaling that he could make the first move.
Giovanni glanced at Mewtwo… then at the monstrous, terrifyingly oppressive Yveltal before them.
This…
Giovanni: (—)
Maybe… we should just forfeit?