"Pleasure doing business with you, Boss Giovanni."
"Those who've never fought Deoxys, what right do you have to stand there and talk so casually?!"
Five Island.
Red shoved Blue, who had come to comfort him, aside.
After losing to Deoxys in a crushing defeat that had wiped out his entire team, Red looked at the Pokémon suffering in their Poké Balls, his heart filled with guilt and self-blame.
Blue could feel Red's pain and guilt as well.
She hurried forward and comforted him. "I know it was hard fighting alone, but this time, we'll all act together. We'll definitely be able to subdue Deoxys!"
Red lowered his eyes.
"Don't you understand yet? Numbers are completely useless against Deoxys. The more people go, the more sacrifices there'll be."
All six of his main Pokémon had taken the field, yet they had suffered a crushing defeat. Every one of them had been severely injured.
Did numbers mean anything in the face of Deoxys's terrifying attacks?
With that said.
He shook off Blue's hand again and turned to leave.
Blue stood frozen in place.
Looking at Red's retreating back, she fell silent for a moment before roaring.
"Red, are you going to be a coward?!"
Red's footsteps halted.
He slowly turned around, his face full of self-mockery. "Heh. A coward? Maybe I am. Otherwise... Professor Oak wouldn't have taken my Pokédex away."
The Pokédex!
Only then did Blue finally understand why Red had become so dejected.
At its core, it was still because of the Pokédex.
In this world, the identity and status represented by a Pokédex were far too important.
Red had long grown accustomed to relying on the Pokédex to analyze his opponents' abilities and tactics during battles, then formulate strategies accordingly.
But during his battle with Deoxys just now.
Because