Chapter Summaries

Eichi rescued Keduo after Ghost-type Pokémon drained his life energy and rushed him to a Pokémon Center, where Nurse Joy and Blissey treated him. Keduo recovered, and the people from the hall began arriving at the center.

• Misdreavus evolved into Mismagius after touching the Dark Stone, and Eichi explained how he had sensed the stone's Ghost-type energy.
• The group realized Keduo was in critical condition, and Eichi offered to take him to the nearest Pokémon Center on Flygon.
• Eichi flew Keduo to the Pokémon Center and told Nurse Joy that Ghost-type Pokémon had drained his life energy.
• Nurse Joy and Blissey treated Keduo, who regained his normal complexion and was expected to recover with rest and supplements.
• The others arrived at the Pokémon Center, thanked Eichi, and sought treatment for their Pokémon; the brother and sister arrived panting twenty minutes later.

Eichi said farewell to Xiao Li and Xiao Yi, while Mismagius agreed to leave the castle with them. Asen arrived at Team Rocket’s Hoenn Region base in Mauville City and discovered that the Quasi-Executive he had been sent to meet was Jie Lan.

• Eichi introduced himself to Xiao Li and said goodbye to her and Xiao Yi before riding away.
• Xiao Li persuaded Mismagius to leave the castle with them, and later wondered when she would see Eichi again.
• Asen flew to Mauville City on Aerodactyl, changed his human-skin mask, and entered Team Rocket’s underground base through a Berry shop.
• Asen followed the base map to the Executive Office and met Jie Lan, who greeted him as Lord Asen.
• Asen recalled that his superior had warned him that Jie Lan was exceptionally powerful and might soon become an Executive.

Asen met the newly arrived Team Rocket Executive Sakaki, an old rival who had come to Hoenn with hostile intentions, then visited Executive Terry, who warned him to be wary of Sakaki. The chapter ended with Asen on guard against the threat.

• Asen declined Jie Lan's invitation and left her office, while Jie Lan wondered whether he would survive the month.
• Asen encountered Sakaki, who had come to Hoenn and provoked him before walking away.
• Asen recognized Sakaki as a longtime rival who had repeatedly interfered with his missions and raised his guard.
• Asen visited Terry, Hoenn's overall person in charge, who discussed his promotion and his connection with Asen.
• Terry explained that Jie Lan had come to Hoenn for amusement and warned Asen that Sakaki might try to harm him.

Asen used Team Rocket’s resources in the Mauville City base to strengthen his Pokémon before leaving for the academy. Meanwhile, Sakaki arranged with Lava Team’s Komo to kill Asen, and Asen sensed someone following him after he left the base.

• Terry took Asen to the storage room to retrieve the resources Lord Kaido had left for him.
• Asen spent two days training his six Pokémon with the resources at the Team Rocket base, and they made great progress.
• Sakaki visited the game arcade and met with Komo, Lava Team’s manager there.
• Sakaki offered Komo a tube of rare liquid as a deposit to kill Asen and promised a second tube if the job succeeded.
• Asen left the Mauville City base for the academy, and Jielan watched him go.
• After leaving the base, Asen sensed that someone was following him and thought of Sakaki.

Asen tried to evade the people tracking him by changing his appearance and boarding a tram to Castelia City, unaware that Sakaki had secretly marked him. Eichi also arrived in Castelia City, while Asen and his pursuers checked into the same inn and the pursuers began monitoring three possible targets.

• Asen changed direction, bought a ticket to Castelia City, and boarded the tram after changing his face and clothes.
• Asen's pursuers failed to recognize him but said Sakaki had marked him and planned to locate him upon arrival.
• Eichi reached Castelia City by bicycle, checked into the Pokémon Center, and planned to visit the Gym the next day before returning to the academy.
• Asen's pursuers used a radar to follow a moving red dot from the tram station to the Bluebird Inn.
• Asen and two other people checked into the inn, and the pursuers split into three groups to monitor them separately.

Eichi discovered that Asen was being followed and pursued him into the forest, where Komo and two Lava Team members ambushed him. Asen and Aerodactyl came under attack, leaving their situation unresolved.

• Komo arrived in Castelia City and ordered his subordinates to keep watching the suspected Asen at the Bluebird Inn.
• Eichi set out for Fortree Gym, noticed signs of someone following him, and recognized a disguised man as Asen.
• Eichi followed Asen and his pursuer out of the city, then used Heracross to race after Asen into the forest.
• Komo learned Asen was approaching and sent two Lava Team members to attack him with Camerupt and Mightyena.
• Aerodactyl dodged Camerupt's Flamethrower but was struck by Mightyena's Shadow Ball, and Asen looked down to see two hostile Pokémon below.

Asen fought off a Lava Team ambush with Aerodactyl and Nidoking, but the arrival of Quasi-Executive Komo raised the stakes. Eichi watched from nearby and waited for the right moment to intervene.

• Asen recognized the attackers as Lava Team members and ordered Aerodactyl to defeat their Camerupt and Mightyena with Hyper Beam.
• The Lava Team members sent out Crobat, Houndoom, Fearow, and Pidgeot, but Aerodactyl countered their attacks with Flamethrower.
• Eichi arrived with Heracross, assessed the battle, and sensed another opponent approaching.
• Komo joined the fight with Camerupt and Corviknight, and Asen recognized him as a Lava Team Quasi-Executive.
• Nidoking used Thunder to disable Crobat and Houndoom, while Aerodactyl's Hyper Beam blasted the two Lava Team members into craters.

Asen faced Komo after learning that Sakaki had hired the Lava Team to kill him, but Komo’s powerful Pokémon overwhelmed his team. As the battle escalated into a four-on-four clash, Eichi watched from hiding and held back from intervening.

• Komo revealed that Sakaki had asked him to kill Asen, then attacked with Camerupt and Corviknight.
• Nidoking’s Water Pulse failed to stop Camerupt’s Fire Blast, which severely injured Nidoking.
• Corviknight struck Aerodactyl and knocked Asen from its back, but Asen used Baltoy to halt his fall and protect him with Light Screen.
• Komo sent out Machamp and Manectric, while Asen brought out Slowking and Aerodactyl recovered from its crash.
• Both sides began fighting across the battlefield, with Eichi observing from a tree as Nidoking fired a massive energy beam.

Asen’s Pokémon were overwhelmed by Komo’s stronger team, and Asen’s attempt to use Gengar for a surprise attack failed. Komo revealed that Spoink had immobilized Gengar and had Camerupt blast it away.

• Camerupt’s Hyper Beam clashed with Nidoking’s, while Machamp struck Baltoy with Vital Throw and Manectric traded attacks with Slowking.
• Machamp used Seismic Toss to slam Baltoy into the ground, while Slowking used Trick Room to gain an advantage over Manectric.
• Asen sent Gengar through his shadow toward Komo as his Pokémon continued to struggle against Komo’s team.
• Gengar appeared behind Komo but could not move, and Komo revealed that Spoink had prepared to stop it.
• Spoink lifted Gengar with its Psychic power, and Camerupt struck it with a Fire Pillar, blasting it away.

Asen tried to escape Komo with Teleport, but Komo’s Confusion barrier trapped him and his Pokémon. Eichi intervened with a concealed attack that killed Komo and Spoink, leaving Asen alive but wondering who had helped him.

• Asen ordered Slowking to use Teleport, but Komo’s device stopped them after they moved only a few meters.
• Komo ordered his Pokémon to attack Asen, while Eichi secretly prepared Flygon and Beedrill to intervene.
• Eichi instructed Flygon to attack Komo with Hyper Beam and Beedrill to target Spoink.
• Flygon’s Hyper Beam shattered Spoink’s barrier and killed both Spoink and Komo.
• Asen’s opponents roared over Komo’s charred corpse as a figure flew out, and Asen wondered who had saved him.

Asen and Eichi joined forces with their Pokémon to fight four maddened Pokémon seeking revenge for their master. The battle continued as Machamp and Manectric were overwhelmed, while Golisopod struck Camerupt with a water-blue energy katana.

• Eichi arrived and sent out Scizor, Heracross, and Golisopod to support Asen against the four Pokémon.
• Asen and Eichi assigned opponents and ordered all ten Pokémon to attack together.
• Flygon and Baltoy broke through Machamp's Protect and blasted it into a tree.
• Beedrill and Slowking coordinated attacks that injured Manectric, which kept getting back up.
• Golisopod taunted Camerupt, knocked it down, then drew an energy katana and slashed its head.

Eichi and Asen defeated Komo’s Pokémon, then searched Komo’s corpse and found a rare Team Rocket item called Mew Evolution Liquid. Asen explained its four powerful effects, leaving Eichi stunned by its value.

• Golisopod and Nidoking defeated Camerupt, while Eichi and Asen’s Pokémon overwhelmed Corviknight and the rest of their opponents.
• After the battle, Gengar moved between the craters as Eichi and Asen recalled their exhausted Pokémon and approached Komo’s corpse.
• Asen searched Komo and found a device that had sealed Slowking, League Cards, Evolution Stones, and a tube of liquid.
• Asen identified the liquid as Mew Evolution Liquid and explained that it enhanced a Pokémon’s talent, restored critical injuries, could raise a Peak Gym Leader Pokémon to Elite Four level, and improved the chance of reaching Champion level.
• Eichi estimated that the liquid was worth several hundred million, and Asen said it might not be possible to buy even at that price.

After Asen and Eichi dealt with Komo’s group, Asen gave Eichi a tube of Mew Evolution Liquid and flew toward Castelia City to kill his rival. Eichi considered using the liquid on Flygon, but an urgent phone call changed his plans, and he hurried downstairs.

• Asen gave Eichi a tube of Mew Evolution Liquid as thanks for saving his life and agreed to split the spoils from Komo with him.
• Asen had Nidoking and Slowking bury Komo, his two subordinates, and their Pokémon, then asked Eichi to request leave for him.
• Asen flew toward Castelia City to kill his rival, while Eichi returned to the Pokémon Center with Flygon.
• Eichi examined the Mew Evolution Liquid and decided Flygon could benefit from its increased chance of reaching Champion level.
• Eichi received a call, hardened his expression, and headed downstairs after hearing its message.

Asen borrowed Eichi’s Flygon and Beedrill to help assassinate Team Rocket Quasi-Executive Sakaki, assuring Eichi that Sakaki was weaker than Komo and Fox. The chapter then rewound to Asen’s raid on a Lava Team base, where he and his Pokémon overwhelmed the facility; the assault left the base in chaos as its members searched for Komo.

• Asen asked Eichi to lend him Flygon and Beedrill for a mission against Sakaki, and Eichi agreed after hearing his assessment of Sakaki’s strength.
• Eichi explained the arrangement to Beedrill and Flygon, warned them to prioritize their safety, and handed their Poké Balls to Asen.
• Asen left the Pokémon Center on Aerodactyl with the two borrowed Pokémon.
• Earlier, Asen infiltrated a hidden Lava Team base in Castelia City and surveyed its small staff and crude equipment.
• Asen ordered Aerodactyl, Slowking, Nidoking, Baltoy, and Hitmonchan to attack, destroying equipment and overpowering the base’s defenders.
• The Lava Team members panicked and tried to escape, while one called out for Komo.

Asen destroyed the Lava Team’s underground base in Castelia City, killing Komo and his subordinates, while Eichi returned to school and wondered how Asen was doing. Sakaki became alarmed by Komo’s death and worried that his involvement would be exposed.

• Asen’s Pokémon overwhelmed the Lava Team’s defenders, and the underground base exploded as Asen escaped on Aerodactyl.
• The Lava Team found Komo and his subordinates dead, prompting Maxie to order an investigation while Team Aqua, Team Rocket, and League agents questioned who was responsible.
• Sakaki feared that Komo’s death would expose his connection to the incident, and he brushed off Jielan’s questions about his troubled appearance.
• Eichi returned to school, cleaned his room, and met a friend for a meal.
• After the opening ceremony, Eichi told the fatty and Xiao Na that Asen had taken leave and wondered how Asen, Beedrill, and Flygon were faring.

Asen secretly watched Sakaki and lured him away from Mauville City with a forged message. Sakaki learned Komo had survived, but Asen’s trap sprang and Beedrill struck him from behind.

• Asen followed Sakaki to the Game Corner and saw him search in vain for Komo’s missing staff.
• Asen disguised himself as a Lava Team worker and left Sakaki a note arranging a meeting outside the city.
• Sakaki went to the Team Rocket base to prepare, while Asen escaped the Game Corner with Slowking’s Teleport.
• Sakaki flew to the meeting place on Pidgeot and questioned a man who claimed Komo was alive but badly injured.
• Sakaki grabbed the man and demanded to know whether Asen was dead, then Beedrill appeared behind him and attacked.

Asen revealed himself to Sakaki and trapped him in a forest ambush after poisoning him with Beedrill. Sakaki tried to escape and ordered his Pokémon to attack, but Asen’s hidden allies surrounded them and launched their assault.

• Beedrill poisoned Sakaki, but Sakaki used an electric switch to paralyze it and summoned his strongest Pokémon.
• Asen removed his disguise and revealed that he had lured Sakaki out by spreading news that he had killed Komo and the others.
• Sakaki ordered Mismagius to Teleport, but Asen used a device Sakaki had given Komo to block their escape.
• Asen explained that Beedrill’s poison could only be cured by the organization’s Super Antidote, while Sakaki struggled with worsening pain.
• Sakaki ordered his Pokémon to attack Asen and tried to flee on Pidgeot, but Asen’s seven Pokémon emerged from hiding and surrounded them.
• Asen commanded Flygon, Baltoy, Nidoking, Aerodactyl, Slowking, Gengar, and Beedrill to attack Sakaki’s group.

A clash of powerful attacks caused a massive explosion that left Asen and his Pokémon injured but alive, thanks to Beedrill’s Protect. Asen found Sakaki beneath the dirt, where Sakaki ranted about his fate and Lava Team before dying.

• Flygon, Baltoy, Nidoking, Aerodactyl, Tyranitar, Crobat, Feraligatr, and the other Pokémon exchanged powerful attacks that collided in a huge explosion.
• Beedrill used Protect to shield Asen and his Pokémon from the shockwave, though the barrier shattered and Asen lost consciousness.
• Asen woke to find his Pokémon lightly injured and Sakaki and his Pokémon badly wounded; Tyranitar crawled from a crater before collapsing unconscious.
• Asen used Psychic-type power to locate Sakaki and Pidgeot, and Slowking lifted them from the dirt with Confusion.
• Sakaki woke, ranted about his unfair life, warned Asen that Lava Team would come for him, and died while Asen watched silently.

Asen killed Sakaki, took the Mew Evolution Liquid, and erased the evidence. Jielan witnessed what happened and offered to keep it secret in exchange for a future favor, leaving Asen bound to her request.

• Asen searched Sakaki's body, found the Mew Evolution Liquid, and took it along with his other valuables.
• Asen ordered Gengar to devour the fallen Pokémon's souls, then had Nidoking and Slowking bury the bodies and wash away the traces.
• Asen sensed someone in the woods and discovered that Jielan had witnessed the aftermath.
• Jielan offered to conceal Asen's crime and cover his tracks if he agreed to do something for her later, and Asen accepted.
• Asen flew away on Aerodactyl, while Jielan rode Ninetales back in the opposite direction.

Asen returned Beedrill and Flygon to Eichi after completing his mission, then learned that Sakaki had been found dead and realized Kaido suspected him. After hearing Beedrill describe the deadly battle, Eichi regretted lending out his Pokémon and wondered how Beedrill had used eight Protects at once.

• Asen returned Beedrill and Flygon to Eichi and said both Pokémon had come back safely.
• Asen slept through class, while Eichi welcomed Beedrill and Flygon home and fed them their favorite food.
• Kaido told Asen that Sakaki had been found dead near Mauville City and warned him to stay cautious.
• Asen suspected Kaido believed he had killed Sakaki and hoped Jielan would help clear him of suspicion.
• Beedrill told Eichi about the fierce battle, leaving Eichi to regret lending out his Pokémon and wonder how Beedrill had used eight Protects simultaneously.