Chapter Summaries

Jing He helped Mewtwo consider how imagination and self-chosen responsibility could give its existence meaning, while Team Rocket observed Mewtwo’s growing power. The chapter then shifted to Wataru responding to a rampaging Red Gyarados and Jing He preparing for the Mentor Assessment semifinal, where Kirlia eyed Steven Stone’s Skarmory.

• Jing He explained to Mewtwo that its search for meaning was a responsibility it had given itself, and Mewtwo’s connection dropped as it processed his advice.
• Sakaki learned from Mato that Mewtwo’s conversations with Jing He caused psychic surges and network failures, but he ordered the laboratory repaired.
• Wataru received a report about Team Rocket traces and a powerful Gyarados at Lake of Rage, then flew there with Dragonite to confront the Red Gyarados.
• Jing He arrived at the Mentor Assessment semifinal amid public debate over his participation and the possibility of team-based battles.
• Kirlia eagerly approached Steven Stone’s armored Skarmory with her hammer, while Haunter encouraged Skarmory and Jing He watched with concern.

Jing He faced Battle Department instructor Tepia in a six-select-three assessment and used Kirlia to defeat Tepia’s Magneton with a hammer and clever counters to its Electric-type tactics. Tepia sent out his second Pokémon as Jing He recalled Kirlia, leaving the battle unresolved.

• Jing He learned that Tepia specialized in Electric-type Pokémon and had reached the top thirty-two of the Hoenn League, then prepared to battle him in a six-select-three match.
• Tepia taunted Jing He before the match, and Jing answered with a quip about Tepia’s voice before the referee began the battle.
• Tepia opened with Magneton and Electric Terrain, but Kirlia struck it with its hammer before the terrain was established.
• Magneton paralyzed Kirlia with Thunder Wave, but Kirlia cured itself with a Cheri Berry and used its magnetic hammer to draw in Magneton’s Thunderbolt.
• Kirlia defeated Magneton with a powerful Rock Smash, and Tepia sent out his second Pokémon as Jing He recalled Kirlia.

Jing He defeated Tepia 3–0 by controlling the battle’s pace and countering each of his Pokémon with careful switches and tactics. After Ice Vulpix finished Heliolisk, Jing He was declared the winner and left the arena while Tepia decided not to ask for Magneton’s magnet back.

• Tepia sent out Manectric, but Haunter used Substitute and Night Shade to mislead it before poisoning it with Toxic.
• Jing He had Haunter use Confuse Ray to interrupt Manectric’s Volt Switch, then defeated it with Hex.
• Tepia sent out Heliolisk, and Jing He switched in Ice Vulpix, whose Snow Warning replaced the rain and helped it evade Thunder.
• Ice Vulpix used Blizzard and Ice Beam to defeat Heliolisk, giving Jing He a 3–0 victory.
• Jing He shook hands with Tepia and reassured him before heading toward the Player Tunnel; Tepia chose not to ask for Magneton’s magnet back.

Jing He spent a playful day with his Pokémon, while Haunter secretly acted as a double agent for Cynthia. Wataru sent Jing He a video of a captured Red Gyarados whose unstable state left him unable to communicate with it, and asked for help.

• Jing He congratulated himself and watched Kirlia inspect and strip metal pieces from Steven Stone’s Skarmory.
• Jing He played with Ice Vulpix, then Haunter and Kirlia collided with him during their antics.
• Jing He prepared fruit, and his Pokémon chose an outdoor barbecue for dinner.
• Haunter secretly sent Cynthia photos of the barbecue and exchanged messages with her about Garchomp.
• Wataru sent Jing He a video of a Red Gyarados trapped in ice and explained that it went on destructive rampages whenever it left its Poké Ball.

Jing He accepted the Mentor Assessment’s first-place rewards despite not competing in the 6v6 final, then considered future travel and agreed to possible school exchanges. He left Haunter, Kirlia, and Ice Vulpix enjoying their new items while a trip to Johto remained a possibility.

• Jing He agreed to consider visiting Wataru in Johto to help calm the Red Gyarados after the Mentor Assessment and school meeting were over.
• Min Jiang told Jing He that the school had awarded him the same benefits as first place, and Jing reluctantly accepted them.
• Jing He collected the Venoshock Technical Machine, a small Ice Stone, and a Choice Band, while learning that the principal’s mystery grand prize would come later.
• Min Jiang asked Jing He to teach in the Battle or Tactics Department, but Jing chose to remain in Pokémon Psychology and agreed to future school exchanges with expenses covered.
• Haunter studied the Venoshock Technical Machine, Kirlia wore the Choice Band as it exercised, and Ice Vulpix ate the small Ice Stone like candy.

Jing He traveled to Blackthorn City with his Pokémon to help Wataru investigate the Lake of Rage, where Wataru had found magnetic-field instruments linked to the Gyarados incident. Wataru brought Jing He to challenge Clair for access to Dragon's Den, while Sakaki sent Mato and Koga to meet Jing He; the chapter ended as Haunter faced Clair in the Gym.

• Jing He flew from Hoenn to Blackthorn City with Haunter, Ice Vulpix, and Kirlia, and Wataru greeted him at the airport.
• Wataru told Jing He that he had found Team Rocket traces and magnetic-field instruments near Lake of Rage, while Gyarados remained unchanged.
• Sakaki learned that Jing He had arrived in Johto, ordered Mato to meet him with Koga, and assigned three outstanding graduates to accompany her.
• Wataru explained that Jing He had to challenge Clair and earn her approval to enter Dragon's Den, and Jing He agreed to fight despite his reluctance.
• Clair waited in Blackthorn Gym as Haunter emerged from Jing He's shadow to begin the battle.

Jing He challenged Clair to a rematch at the Blackthorn Gym, where Haunter defeated Clair’s Haxorus with poison, misdirection, and a final Venoshock. Jing He earned the Rising Badge and a Dragon Pulse Technical Machine, while the Dragon Elder remarked on the strong trust between Jing He and Haunter.

• Clair sent out her Haxorus to battle Jing He’s Haunter in a one-on-one Gym challenge.
• Jing He had Haunter evade Haxorus’s attacks and poison it through a Substitute, though Haxorus pressed its advantage with Crunch.
• Haunter put Haxorus to sleep, blocked its Sleep Talk Dark Pulse with Protect, and recovered stamina with Dream Eater.
• Haunter defeated Haxorus with Venoshock after Sleep Talk selected Shadow Claw, earning Jing He the Gym battle.
• Clair gave Jing He the Rising Badge and a Dragon Pulse Technical Machine, and the Dragon Elder praised the bond between Jing He and Haunter.

New Team Rocket recruits Musashi, Kojiro, and Meowth were assigned to accompany Mato on a mission to meet the executive called Advisor. Meanwhile, Jing He, Wataru, and Clair entered Dragon Sanctuary, where a confused Pokémon's repeated Hydro Pumps enraged Red Gyarados before a yellow Pokémon stopped its Hyper Beam.

• Musashi, Kojiro, and Meowth celebrated graduating into Team Rocket and annoyed Mato by calling her “Watermelon Rind Glasses Girl.”
• Mato ordered the trio to accompany her on a mission to visit an executive codenamed Advisor.
• Wataru and Clair took Jing He and their Pokémon across the lake and through a waterfall into Dragon Sanctuary.
• Kirlia found an unknown piece of metal by the lakeshore, while Jing He looked for Red Gyarados.
• Red Gyarados burst from the lake and was struck in the face by repeated Hydro Pumps from a confused pale-blue Pokémon.
• Red Gyarados prepared a Hyper Beam, but a fast yellow Pokémon hit its head and interrupted the attack.

Jing He decided to use carefully controlled electric stimulation to restore the rampaging Gyarados’s ability to think, and chose Dratini to provide it. The chapter left Dratini happily accepting Jing He’s praise and food, unaware that it would have to face Gyarados again.

• Dragonite knocked the rampaging Gyarados back into the lake, and Clair explained that Dragonite guarded the Dragon Sanctuary.
• Jing He saw that Gyarados had lost its ability to think, while Dratini’s Pokédex entry showed its formidable moves, odd moods, and overnourished condition.
• Gyarados woke and attacked, but Dratini accidentally struck it with another Hydro Pump before Kirlia knocked it unconscious with Stone Edge.
• Jing He proposed using electrotherapy to stimulate Gyarados’s mind, and Wataru and Clair agreed to help.
• Jing He chose Dratini to deliver the electric stimulation, praised it, and offered it Energy Cubes, which Dratini eagerly ate.

Jing He used Dratini’s repeated Thunderbolts and Kirlia’s hammer strikes to bring Gyarados out of its rage and into an exhausted, despairing state, then helped it sleep and agreed to stay in Blackthorn City while it recovered. The Dragon Elder later told Wataru that Jing He had passed the Dragon Trial and could catch a willing Pokémon in the Sanctuary; Jing He then enjoyed the city’s night market with his Pokémon and received messages from Cynthia and Little Growlithe.

• Jing He had Dratini repeatedly use Thunderbolt on Gyarados, while Kirlia knocked it unconscious whenever it woke and attacked.
• Jing He and Ice Vulpix used Hypnosis on the exhausted Gyarados, and Jing He told Wataru he would stay until its condition stabilized.
• Jing He moved the sleeping Dratini away from Gyarados and left it Energy Cubes before leaving with Clair.
• The Dragon Elder told Wataru that Jing He had passed the Dragon Trial and could catch a willing Pokémon in the Dragon Sanctuary.
• Jing He took Haunter, Ice Vulpix, and Kirlia to Blackthorn City’s night market, bought them snacks and ice cream, and posted a selfie online.
• Cynthia asked Jing He to buy dragon scales for Garchomp, and Little Growlithe messaged him about an important factory mission.

Jing He treated Wataru’s Gyarados at the Dragon Sanctuary while Dratini decided it wanted to become his Pokémon. After challenging Ice Vulpix and being defeated, Dratini was successfully caught by Jing He.

• Wataru told Jing He that he could catch a Pokémon in the Dragon Sanctuary, and Jing He worried about the cost of raising another Pokémon.
• Jing He saw Dratini shed its skin, and Haunter used the shed skin as a disguise.
• Jing He and Wataru treated Gyarados, which was recovering well, and Jing He said he would stay until its condition stabilized.
• Dratini decided to go with Jing He and insisted on battling Ice Vulpix before being caught.
• Ice Vulpix defeated Dratini with Blizzard, and Jing He caught it in a Luxury Ball.

Jing He accepted Dratini and a Dragon-training manual from Wataru and Clair, then brought Dratini home to meet his other Pokémon. While they bonded and plotted to help Jing He, Haunter discovered Koga spying from the ceiling and attacked him with a Shadow Ball.

• Wataru gave Jing He a copy of Dragon Mastery Insights after Dratini recovered from being frozen, and Clair showed him an identical copy.
• Jing He considered a mixed-offense training plan for Dratini and imagined how Terastallization might strengthen a future Dragonite.
• Jing He brought Dratini home, where Haunter, Ice Vulpix, and Kirlia welcomed it and exchanged hypnosis-related ideas.
• After Jing He left to prepare presents, Haunter, Kirlia, and Dratini discussed becoming stronger and helping their Trainer.
• Haunter spotted Spinarak and a masked man on the ceiling, recognized him as a ninja, and launched a Shadow Ball at Koga.

Koga visited Jing He to ask for an autograph for his daughter Anzu, though his visit also hinted at a connection to Team Rocket. After Haunter drained Weezing during a poison game, Koga left and told someone that Jing He might suit the organization better than he did.

• Haunter blasted a hole in the roof while attacking Koga, but Jing He stopped it after Koga identified himself and said he meant no harm.
• Koga asked Jing He to sign a photograph for Anzu, who admired Jing for fighting dirty, and Jing agreed.
• Koga asked how Haunter had detected him, and Jing explained that Haunter had smelled the poison on him.
• Koga gave Jing a small lump of Black Sludge as compensation for the damaged house, then discovered Haunter had grown plump after playing a poison game with Weezing.
• Outside Blackthorn City, Koga told someone over the phone that Jing He might be better suited to the organization than he was.

Jing He took his Pokémon out for food in Blackthorn City, where he encountered Team Rocket’s Musashi, Kojiro, and Meowth and later met Mato, Sakaki’s assistant. Mato tested Jing He’s attitude toward Team Rocket, but he left her uncertain about whether he had noticed her badge and described her as one of his own.

• Jing He hired a Devon Corporation crew to repair the ruined house and took the four little ones to Blackthorn City’s food street.
• Jing He recognized Musashi, Kojiro, and Meowth’s attempted Team Rocket act, warned them that the police station was nearby, and bought five ice creams from them.
• Mato approached Jing He at a restaurant, presented Sakaki’s reimbursement for Nidoqueen’s treatment, and accidentally dropped a Team Rocket badge while gauging his reaction.
• Mato told Jing He she was his online acquaintance, Bird Falling on the Ground, and realized the powerful Pokémon they had discussed was likely Sakaki.
• Mato reported to Sakaki that Jing He seemed nice and said he had called them one of his own, while noting that he had avoided discussing Team Rocket.

Jing He agreed to visit Bill’s Lighthouse to investigate the Red Gyarados, while Wataru prepared to go undercover in Team Rocket. In Saffron City, Sabrina and Alakazam sensed something and hurried out before she could make Alakazam try her cooking.

• Jing He gave Dratini a Dragon Fang and promised it was family, but Dratini squeezed him until Wataru rescued him.
• Wataru delivered Bill’s report, which suggested a malfunctioning device had caused the Red Gyarados’s condition, and invited Jing He to Bill’s laboratory.
• Jing He agreed to visit Bill and considered Haunter’s readiness to evolve after its recent growth.
• Wataru said he had applied for a secret mission, and Jing He realized he was likely going undercover in Team Rocket.
• After the Red Gyarados stabilized and accepted Wataru as its Trainer, Jing He traveled with him toward Saffron City and Bill’s Lighthouse.
• Sabrina prepared an unusual berry-and-chicken-wing dish for Alakazam, but they sensed something and left before it had to eat.

Jing He encountered Sabrina in Saffron City and agreed to teach her a difficult dish in exchange for help teaching Haunter Psychic powers. He then reached the White Strait with his Pokémon and headed for Bill’s lighthouse, where Haunter’s chance to evolve awaited.

• Jing He recognized Sabrina as the former “Psychic Girl,” and she recognized him as the person whose advice had helped her develop her Calm Mind technique.
• Sabrina and Jing He nearly started a confrontation when Haunter and Ice Vulpix reacted to her, but Jing He calmed them and offered to teach her cooking instead of challenging her Gym.
• Sabrina agreed to learn Jing He’s hardest dish and promised to teach Haunter how to use Psychic powers when he visited in a few days.
• Jing He visited the White Strait with Haunter, Ice Vulpix, Dratini, and Kirlia, stopping Haunter from tricking a Krabby into a rock-paper-scissors game for its claw.
• Jing He led his Pokémon toward Bill’s lighthouse so Haunter could pursue the evolution that Bill might help with.

Jing He visited Bill at the ancient lighthouse to use Bill’s newly calibrated communication device and help Haunter evolve. The trade succeeded, and Haunter emerged as Gengar, though a mysterious black thread from Jing He’s phone entered the mist during the evolution.

• Jing He entered Bill’s lighthouse and found Bill struggling out of a Magikarp costume while Haunter copied the costume with Transform.
• Bill explained that Wataru’s device had helped him complete the communication machine, then asked Jing He about the Red Gyarados.
• Jing He and Haunter agreed to proceed with the evolution, and Bill and Jing He placed their Poké Balls into the machine.
• The machine shook as it processed Haunter’s accumulated energy, then returned both Poké Balls after the trade completed.
• Jing He released Haunter, and black mist filled the lighthouse as a thread from his phone joined it and a fleeting Black Dragon appeared.
• The mist condensed amid purple and white light, revealing Haunter’s evolved form, Gengar.

Jing He watched Haunter evolve into Gengar, learned that it had absorbed unknown power, and spent the evening at White Strait with Bill and the Pokémon. A cry from the mist brought a giant Dragonite into view.

• Haunter evolved into Gengar, which showed off its new tail, stronger Lick, and ability to hover using Ghost-type energy.
• Jing He checked Gengar's Pokédex entry and saw that its Ability had changed to Cursed Body and that it had absorbed unknown power.
• Bill collected data on Gengar while Jing He took the Pokémon to White Strait, where Gengar, Dratini, and Kirlia gathered seafood and caused a few mishaps.
• Jing He and the Pokémon prepared a seafood dinner with Bill, who reported that Gengar was in outstanding post-evolution condition and discussed improving his device.
• A long cry came from the misty sea, and a giant Dragonite emerged as Bill exclaimed that it had arrived.

Jing He and his Pokémon met the Giant Dragonite at Bill’s Lighthouse, where Gengar communicated with it and brought back two enormous Dragon Scales for Dratini. The next morning, an exhausted Bill asked Jing He to deliver the Pokédex and a Pain Split Technical Machine to Professor Oak in Pallet Town, leaving Jing He with another errand.

• Dratini and Gengar spoke with the Giant Dragonite in an ancient language, and Gengar collected data with Bill’s Pokédex before returning from the fog.
• Gengar revealed that it had taken two enormous Dragon Scales from the Giant Dragonite, and it gave both to Dratini.
• The Giant Dragonite left to keep searching for its missing companions after learning that Dratini and Gengar were not the Pokémon it sought.
• Jing He woke at Bill’s Lighthouse after dreaming that Mega Gengar fought Giratina, then considered the costs of training his newly evolved Gengar.
• Bill asked Jing He to deliver the Pokédex to Professor Oak in Pallet Town, gave him the Pain Split Technical Machine as payment, and promptly collapsed from exhaustion.
• Jing He asked Ice Vulpix to help Bill sleep peacefully.

Jing He visited Sabrina in Saffron City so Gengar could battle and reveal how much it had changed after evolving. The battle ended with Gengar appearing behind Mr. Mime with a huge Shadow Ball, leaving Sabrina startled by Jing He’s coordination with his Pokémon.

• Jing He arrived in Saffron City with Gengar and Ice Vulpix, where Sabrina met them and led them to her Gym.
• Sabrina persuaded Jing He to battle first, and they agreed on a standard battle with Gengar facing Mr. Mime.
• Jing He ordered Gengar to use Toxic, but Mr. Mime blocked it with Barrier and then built a Hunting Room around Gengar.
• Mr. Mime attacked what it thought was trapped Gengar, but the target exploded as a decoy.
• Gengar appeared behind Mr. Mime with a huge Shadow Ball, and Sabrina wondered how Jing He and Gengar had coordinated their escape.