Chapter 412:
Settling into the Distortion World, Giratina couldn't shake a growing sense of dissatisfaction, but that was beside the point.
***
Currently, in the Kanto region, with good news arriving one report after another, Champion Lance finally allowed himself to exhale in relief.
Regardless, the operation was a resounding success.
Unexpectedly, as the facilities fell one by one, Team Rocket had mounted no counter-response. The public opinion surrounding the operation, fueled by his own efforts, had also spread with astonishing speed.
Within just half an hour, Team Rocket was pushed to the forefront of public outrage across Kanto. Citizens who saw the images of the experimented-upon Pokémon reacted with fury. Instantly, Team Rocket's already tarnished reputation was dragged through the mud. Across cities and industries, products bearing the Team Rocket insignia were pulled from shelves. Even Team Rocket members who hadn't hidden their affiliations and held positions within the League faced scorn and dismissal letters in short order.
With the immediate crisis handled, Lance's thoughts inevitably turned to the lingering mystery.
Just who was it that had provided the information to Blue, and then single-handedly dealt with all the offshore facilities?
According to the League investigators sent to support those locations, by the time they arrived at all five sea-based facilities, every Rocket member and researcher had already been neutralized. Furthermore, the Pokémon held within had been rescued and, remarkably, calmed.
When he learned this detail, his expression shifted entirely.
Putting aside the immense distances between the five facilities and how one individual could traverse them so quickly... they had also managed to subdue so many Team Rocket personnel in such a short time. Reports indicated the Team Rocket members were incapacitated within *seconds*—most never even had a chance to release their Pokémon.
And then there was the final point...
The emotional states of so many experimented-upon Pokémon varied wildly—hatred, pain, fear. After a facility raid, these traumatized Pokémon often became a major logistical challenge. Even when rescued, they would display hostility or deep suspicion towards League personnel, complicating relief efforts immensely. Calming them enough for release into wild zones or rehabilitation would normally take a very long time.
But the Pokémon rescued from those five islands were different. The majority waited calmly for League assistance; only a small minority showed aggression.
It was almost unbelievable!
Any single one of these feats seemed fantastical. Yet they had all been accomplished, and by what seemed to be a single actor. The first points could perhaps be explained by immensely powerful Psychic-types or extreme speed, or even the work of a coordinated team. But this last point... it defied conventional understanding.
"Once things settle, I'll have to ask Blue." That was the thought crystallizing in Lance's mind.
***
Elsewhere, near Pallet Town.
Watching the League personnel and Officer Jenny directing the cleanup of the battleground, Red had Charizard land.
Soon after, a familiar figure riding a Pidgeot made a daring leap from the sky, landing nimbly nearby.
"Heh, looks like I finished my part faster this time too!" Seeing the scene still in the post-operation phase, a triumphant grin spread across Blue's face.
"Couldn't be helped. I ran into a... complication on my end," Red shook his head, not rising to the bait of their usual competition.
He was, however, curious. Blue, with his proud nature, wouldn't ask for help unless absolutely necessary. That trait was most pronounced when they first started their journeys, neither willing to yield. But after their championship battle, that edge had softened considerably.
This time, Blue had specifically come to Mt. Silver to ask for his help. That was the strange part. How had Blue discovered the locations of so many hidden Team Rocket facilities? It seemed even the League itself had been unaware.
He promptly voiced his question to Blue.
"Ha! Wanna know, huh?" Seeing Red's puzzled look, Blue's eyebrow arched teasingly.
Red: "..."
*Here we go. Blue's old habits are back.*
But then, Blue simply shrugged. "Can't help it. As much as I'd like to tell you, that person asked me to keep it confidential. So, my lips are sealed, Red."
Red: "..."
He shook his head. "Fine, forget it."
Just as Red was about to dismiss it, Blue spoke up again, a mischievous glint in his eye. "He's a really strong Trainer, you know!"
"A super strong Trainer~"
"Super strong? How strong?" That, unsurprisingly, caught Red's full attention. If anyone else had said it, he might have just smiled. But coming from Blue, it warranted serious consideration.
"Hahaha! I get the feeling... his methods for raising Pokémon aren't inferior to mine. No, no... I almost feel he might surpass me. Anyway, I have a feeling if we battled, I'd probably lose."
Blue laughed heartily. In his mind flashed memories: the roar of that Salamence, the pink-haired youth appearing before him in an instant—faster than he could react, that Gardevoir overcoming Darkrai's curse. Most importantly, the seemingly limitless growth rate of that team of Pokémon.
"An evaluation that high?" Now Red's interest was truly piqued. For Blue to offer such high praise meant it was likely genuine. For a battle enthusiast like Red, this represented the ultimate potential opponent.
"Who is it? Tell me!"
"Tsk tsk, now that I really can't say." At the crucial moment, Blue decided he shouldn't just give Kaede away and resumed his enigmatic act.
Red: "..."
"Hahaha, don't worry. I have a feeling you two will definitely have a battle someday."