Mewtwo descends

Although the flames of Flare Blitz swept past Ye Qing on Arcanine's back, their intense heat still left his skin stinging.

"No! Thunderbolt!"

Nidoking's trainer paled slightly. As Arcanine was the bureau's signature Pokémon, he knew just how fast Arcanine could move, so he immediately ordered Nidoking to use the quickest move available!

But it was already too late. Arcanine was still boosted by Agility, and with Flare Blitz added to that speed, a lumbering Pokémon like Nidoking stood no chance of reacting in time.

Boom!

Arcanine rammed headfirst into Nidoking's chest. Savage flames exploded across Nidoking's body, scattering sparks as the tremendous impact hurled Nidoking into a broken tree!

"Woof!"

Arcanine gave a low bark, turned, and continued onward.

Ye Qing rubbed his chest. The collision had thrown him flat against Arcanine's back, and the force of it still left his chest aching.

Seeing Ye Qing's discomfort, Chimchar hurried over and helped rub his chest with both hands.

At the worried look in Chimchar's eyes, Ye Qing rubbed Chimchar's head and shook his own with a smile.

He also realized he could not afford to be so careless again. Playing games in his previous life and actually commanding Pokémon in battle were two entirely different things. For trainers fighting alongside their Pokémon, some moves hurt the user almost as much as the enemy.

After avoiding several more battlefields, Arcanine finally slowed down.

They passed through a dense stretch of forest crowded with Team R members. Ye Qing guessed he had entered their encampment.

After running a little farther, Ye Qing and Arcanine reached a clearing. Wounded people and researchers in white coats were everywhere, and five enormous transport helicopters sat in the clearing.

"You're back, Blood Bat."

While Ye Qing was staring blankly, a voice suddenly came from behind him.

Ye Qing grew nervous. Although he had acquired Li Zhiyong's identity, he had none of the man's memories, much less any idea what relationship he had with the person behind him.

"Mm."

Remembering that the ID card had described him as a man of few words, Ye Qing merely murmured an acknowledgment and directed Arcanine toward a less crowded spot.

"What's with the attitude?"

The man spat disdainfully and continued guarding the intersection while cradling his injured arm.

Ye Qing found a tree to sit beneath. Watching the busy crowd coming and going, he wondered what they had come here for.

There did not seem to be any treasures here worth plundering.

"You, you! I'm talking to you! Put your Pokémon away!"

Ye Qing had barely settled beneath the tree when another voice rang out. He looked up to see a young man in a white coat pointing at him.

"My Poké Ball's broken. I can't recall them right now."

Ye Qing lowered his head slightly, trying to keep his voice calm.

"Woof!"

Arcanine crouched beside Ye Qing and bared sharp teeth, warning the man not to approach.

"Ooh-ah!"

Chimchar crouched atop Arcanine's head, borrowing Arcanine's intimidating presence to warn the man as well.

"If it's broken, go get another one! There's a supply machine over there! Mewtwo alone is enough of a headache. Why do even these grunts have to be such a pain? Are their brains full of crap?"

The young researcher pointed toward one of the helicopters, muttering irritably.

Ye Qing shot him a glare but said nothing more. He led Arcanine toward the supply machine, curious about what it stocked.

He swiped his ID card along the side of the machine. A moment later, a range of categories appeared on its screen.

Poké Balls, medicine, miscellaneous items, Berries...

First, he followed the prompts to check Li Zhiyong's points.

"1001"

Seriously? What could he do with so few points?

Ye Qing shook his head and spent five hundred points on a Great Ball, then used the remaining points to buy two Super Potions.

After swiping his card to pay, Ye Qing suddenly noticed a mail icon lighting up in one corner of the card. He was about to open it when an explosion rang out overhead!

Boom!

A golden bolt of lightning flashed across the night sky, followed by a series of draconic roars that shook the heavens!

Ye Qing and the people in the camp hurriedly looked up. A black Pokémon and a yellow Pokémon were locked in fierce combat overhead, bombarding each other with devastating moves.

Rumble!

An enormous bolt of lightning plunged from high above, blasting one of the camp's helicopters into fragments!

Arcanine darted in front of Ye Qing and Chimchar, watching the battle overhead with a grave gaze.

"Are those Dragonite and Hydreigon?"

Ye Qing muttered to himself. This was his first time seeing pseudo-legendary Pokémon since coming to this world!

They were too far away for him to scan either Pokémon's information.

The tide turned, and the entire camp descended into chaos. Large numbers of members were driven back from outside, while Pokémon League troops began appearing around the perimeter, closing in to encircle them.

The tension mounted. Team R's members in the camp fought back desperately, pinning their hopes on the largest transport helicopter.

Just then, after several exchanges, Hydreigon finally lost to Dragonite and was blasted out of the sky by a Hyper Beam.

"Roar!"

The wounded Hydreigon crashed into the camp. The man on Hydreigon's back shouted toward the largest transport helicopter, "Hurry! Release Lord Mewtwo!"

Ye Qing froze at those words as the researchers frantically worked the controls.

The other Team R members looked ecstatic, their gazes converging on the largest transport helicopter.

Up above, Dragonite had recovered from Hyper Beam's aftereffects. Another vicious, branching Thunder strike hurtled toward the transport helicopter!

"Hydreigon, stop Dragonite!"

"Roar!"

Hydreigon's savage central head roared repeatedly as white light rapidly gathered before its mouth. An instant later, a Flash Cannon blasted into the lightning!

But Hydreigon was already on its last legs. As Dragonite continued pouring on power, the lightning bolt, thick as a bucket, tore through Flash Cannon and hurtled straight toward the transport helicopter!

Ye Qing held Chimchar tightly, his eyes fixed on the largest transport helicopter.

"Hiss..."

A faint sound rang out as a great cloud of cold air vented from the transport helicopter. The next instant, everyone's vision blurred, and a Pokémon abruptly appeared out of thin air above it.

The Pokémon stood roughly one meter ninety tall, with a silvery-white body. A thick bundle of nerves ran from its back to the rear of its head, and its powerful tail swayed despite the still air.

"Welcome, Lord Mewtwo!"

As Mewtwo descended, everyone in the camp dropped to one knee and shouted with fanatical fervor!

To avoid arousing suspicion, Ye Qing hurriedly knelt on one knee as well, unable to resist checking Mewtwo's information.

"Hm?"

Just as Ye Qing willed it, Mewtwo's gaze shifted slightly. Hovering in midair, Mewtwo turned toward Ye Qing in the crowd with a puzzled look.