From afar, one could see vast amounts of lightning gathering within the low, oppressive black clouds hanging over the entirety of Goldenrod City.
At that moment, it was as though the sky tilted and the earth trembled.
Peals of thunder echoed one after another through the heavens, heralding that something momentous was brewing, gathering strength, and waiting for its chance.
Inside the club.
Because of Hypno's destruction, the club lobby was now a complete mess. Nearly all the lights had been destroyed, and only the lightning constantly flashing outside illuminated the scene.
Weedle stood solemnly atop Loto, the stinger on its tail pressed against his neck, piercing his skin.
The splashing water and Hypno's Psychic-type power had knocked Loto to the ground. His meticulously styled hair now hung in a disheveled mess, leaving him utterly bedraggled.
Upon hearing Xia Yan's question, Loto not only showed no nervousness, but instead laughed wantonly, allowing the tremors in his neck caused by his laughter to push Weedle's stinger in bit by bit.
Blood seeped from the corner of his mouth, and madness filled his eyes.
"Tom Ruoqi!!"
Though every sign pointed to Loto being the Provisional Elite Four member who had betrayed the Pokémon League, that Tom Ruoqi, his battle just now had been far too pathetic.
He had neither summoned the Pokémon an Elite Four-level Pokémon Trainer ought to possess nor displayed the qualities an Elite Four-level Pokémon Trainer ought to have.
There had only been a single Hypno.
But this Hypno was clearly not his Pokémon. Like Drowzee and Kadabra, it was a product of the Team Rocket Laboratory.
Perhaps this Hypno had also played a role in the Power Plant incident.
Moreover, Xia Yan clearly remembered Lance saying that Tom Ruoqi's Pokémon were not well documented because he rarely participated