Chapter Summaries

Tetsuya and Lance fought through the flooded Cerulean Gym, where Tetsuya’s coordinated attacks forced Lance to retreat. Tetsuya rushed deeper into the Gym, arriving as Athena faced an exhausted Minglan after a battle that left both sides’ Pokémon incapacitated.

• Tetsuya’s Ampharos dodged Crobat and shocked Lance, after which Tetsuya’s four Pokémon attacked Crobat together.
• Serperior’s Nature Power became a powerful Thunderbolt that dispelled Crobat’s Haze, while Crobat’s Wing Attack weakened the strike.
• Gigalith’s Stealth Rock injured Crobat, and Tetsuya’s team drove it back with attacks as Ampharos unleashed Thunder across the flooded Gym.
• Crobat used Substitute to escape Tetsuya’s detection, but Gravity and Togekiss’s Air Slash forced it to retreat to a Rock Pillar.
• Lance recalled Crobat, escaped using an exploding smoke ball, and left Tetsuya to pursue him through the Gym.
• Tetsuya reached the battlefield where Athena taunted Minglan as Clawitzer and the surrounding Pokémon lay badly injured or unable to fight.

After Team Rocket overwhelmed Minglan at Cerulean Gym, Tetsuya arrived and disrupted their attack, forcing Athena to retreat. The battle ended with Minglan and Clawitzer badly injured, while the League faced the wider consequences of Team Rocket’s assaults on Cerulean and Pewter City.

• Minglan and Clawitzer continued fighting despite their exhaustion, and Athena ordered Team Rocket to kill Minglan.
• Tetsuya arrived, defeated a Team Rocket lookout, and sent his Pokemon into the battle, throwing the attackers’ formation into chaos.
• Athena recalled her injured Pokemon and ordered Team Rocket to withdraw, leaving Minglan alive.
• Tetsuya caught the unconscious Minglan, recalled the battered Clawitzer, and helped finish off the enemies left behind.
• Sabrina arrived with Alakazam and the Cerulean Four Sisters; Alakazam confirmed Minglan was not in immediate danger.
• Sabrina reported that Team Rocket had withdrawn, as Gym Trainers began aiding Cerulean City and news spread of the attacks on Cerulean and Pewter City.

Tetsuya taught Misty, the Cerulean Sisters, and other young trainers how to build Rain Teams while Cerulean City recovered from Team Rocket's attack. Minglan then asked Tetsuya to become Cerulean Gym's temporary Gym Leader until Misty was ready, leaving Tetsuya weighing the request.

• Tetsuya taught a lesson on Rain Team members and assigned the students a five-thousand-word team proposal, including the Cerulean Sisters.
• Tetsuya visited Minglan and Clawitzer, who refused his offer to sell them Secret Medicine at a reduced price.
• Misty excitedly told Minglan what she had learned, and Tetsuya reported that Gehao and Wupo had awakened from their comas.
• Minglan thanked Tetsuya for helping save Cerulean City and discussed the League's investigation into Giovanni.
• Minglan asked Tetsuya to serve as Cerulean Gym's temporary Gym Leader until Misty had time to grow, and Tetsuya frowned at the request.

Tetsuya considered Minglan’s request for him to serve as a temporary Gym Leader but left the decision open, then received an Ampharos Mega Stone from Bill. He Mega Evolved Ampharos for the first time, revealing its new form to the gathered onlookers.

• Tetsuya told Minglan he needed time to consider temporarily leading Cerulean Gym, then rejected Minglan’s suggestion that he marry Sakura and her sisters.
• Bill called Tetsuya from Fuchsia City and arranged to bring him the reward he owed, while confirming he would still build a research institute in Cerulean City.
• Bill arrived in Cerulean City and gave Tetsuya an Ampharos Mega Stone he had obtained through a friend.
• Tetsuya summoned Ampharos and used his Key Stone and the Mega Stone to Mega Evolve it.
• Mega Ampharos appeared before the crowd, prompting excited reactions from the onlookers.

Tetsuya tested Mega Ampharos’s strength after its evolution and took it to the Pokémon Center when it exhausted itself. There, he reunited with Reiji and Shinji and confirmed that Giovanni had been involved in Gym Leader Wupo’s severe injuries.

• Tetsuya and Bill tested Mega Ampharos, finding that its physical strength rose by about twenty percent and its Energy Attack power nearly doubled.
• Mega Ampharos released its excess electricity across the training field, shocking nearby Trainers before Tetsuya sent them to the insulated stands.
• After about twenty minutes, Mega Ampharos ended its Mega Evolution and leaned against Tetsuya in exhaustion, so he took it to the Pokémon Center.
• Tetsuya left Bill to face Sakura’s demand for training-ground repair fees and handed Ampharos’s Poke Ball to Miss Joy.
• Tetsuya met Shinji and Reiji at the Pokémon Center, where Reiji said many Trainers had come to support Cerulean Gym after the crisis.
• Reiji asked whether Giovanni had been involved, and Tetsuya confirmed it and said Giovanni had contributed to Gym Leader Wupo’s severe injuries.

Tetsuya visited Cerulean Cave to speak with Cerulean Mewtwo about the danger posed by humans seeking it and its Pokémon. Cerulean Mewtwo rejected his suggestions to leave or seek companions, but ultimately asked Tetsuya to recommend somewhere to go.

• Tetsuya corrected the exaggerated rumor about Giovanni defeating five powerful Trainers, then encouraged Shinji to become a strong Trainer like him.
• After his Pokémon recovered, Tetsuya traveled to Cerulean Cave and explained to Ditto Mewtwo that Giovanni could expose Cerulean Mewtwo to further danger.
• Cerulean Mewtwo allowed Tetsuya to meet with it after hearing his warning that other humans might come and threaten the Pokémon in the cave.
• Tetsuya suggested Cerulean Mewtwo leave the cave or travel the world to find companions, but it rejected both ideas.
• Cerulean Mewtwo asked Tetsuya if he knew of a suitable place for it to go.

Tetsuya advised Cerulean Mewtwo to leave Cerulean Cave, find companions, and trouble Team Plasma on behalf of his Escavalier. After Cerulean Mewtwo agreed and chose Ditto as its first companion, Tetsuya returned to Cerulean City, where Bill confronted him over unpaid damage costs and offered him a loan.

• Tetsuya recommended that Cerulean Mewtwo travel to Unova, Kalos, or Alola and asked it to cause trouble for Team Plasma because of what they had done to Escavalier.
• Cerulean Mewtwo agreed to help Tetsuya and shook his hand before he suddenly vanished from the cave.
• Cerulean Mewtwo told Ditto that it planned to leave to protect the cave's Pokemon from humans and named Ditto its first companion.
• Tetsuya returned to Cerulean City and pretended not to know why Bill had been waiting for him.
• Bill demanded repayment for damage caused during the Ampharos Mega Evolution test, and Tetsuya paid after Bill cited Sakura as proof he had paid his other Gym fees.
• After hearing why Tetsuya was short on money, Bill offered to lend him some.

Tetsuya learned that Hoenn had moved up its Gym Leader qualification tournament and agreed to prepare for it, while Lorelei also asked him to confirm Giovanni’s appearance. He confirmed it, but Lorelei revealed that the Alliance High Command preferred to pretend it did not know.

• Bill offered to help with Tetsuya’s finances and said he would list Tetsuya on research into Mega Evolution for Flash Ampharos, but Tetsuya declined the money.
• After Bill left to negotiate with Cerulean City, Tetsuya spent a relaxed stretch training his partners and teaching at Cerulean Gym.
• Lorelei visited Tetsuya and told him that Hoenn had moved its Gym Leader qualification tournament to the twentieth of next month, with Petalburg City as the venue.
• Tetsuya agreed to prepare and travel to Hoenn, where he considered finding Norman and asking after May and Max.
• Lorelei asked whether Tetsuya could confirm that Giovanni himself had appeared at the scene, and Tetsuya said he could.
• Tetsuya asked whether the Alliance High Command would act against Giovanni, and Lorelei said it wanted to ignore the investigation results.

Lorelei explained that the Alliance would hold Giovanni accountable by restricting his roles as Viridian Gym Leader and Rocket Group president, while asking Tetsuya to resolve the threat he posed. Inspired by the prospect of challenging Giovanni, Tetsuya resumed training and learned that Norman was reconsidering the Hoenn Gym Qualification Tournament because of his family.

• Tetsuya questioned Lorelei about the damage Giovanni and Team Rocket had caused, and she explained that Giovanni's powerful Psychic-type Legendary made capturing him dangerous.
• Lorelei said the Alliance would hold Giovanni responsible for failing to rescue Cerulean City and review the Rocket Group, despite some officials trying to protect him for political reasons.
• Lorelei relayed President Alder's hope that Tetsuya would deal with Giovanni soon, and Tetsuya wondered whether defeating him could lead to the Viridian Gym.
• Tetsuya rallied his Pokémon for extra training, making Togekiss train twice as much as Alolan Ninetales and the others for trying to slack off.
• Tetsuya called Norman and learned he was unsure about entering the Hoenn Region Official Gym Qualification Tournament early because moving would disrupt May and Max.
• Mitsuko told Norman they could move together if he wanted to go, and Norman showed conflicted feelings.

Tetsuya visited Professor Oak’s lab, where the professors gave him the mysterious GS Ball to carry, then went to Miyacha Mountain to check on Urshifu. After finding it training and sparring with Blaziken, Tetsuya suggested a match, and the two Pokémon prepared to battle.

• Professor Oak and Professor Rowan found no energy, life signs, or database match for the GS Ball, and Rowan placed it in Tetsuya’s care.
• Professor Rowan told Tetsuya that Urshifu was training on Miyacha Mountain and was malnourished, making it unfit to raise a Pokémon Egg yet.
• Tetsuya summoned Gallade to search the mountain, where Professor Oak’s Dragonite greeted him and pointed him toward Urshifu.
• Tetsuya found Urshifu training on a cliff and learned that it had grown stronger; Urshifu welcomed him and showed off its muscles.
• Blaziken emerged from its Poké Ball and greeted Urshifu, then the two grew eager to battle after Tetsuya suggested a match.

Tetsuya refereed a fierce, half-hour battle between Blaziken and Urshifu in a canyon, where Blaziken ultimately won and Urshifu lost its combat capability. After returning to Oak Research Lab, Tetsuya left both Pokémon in Professor Oak’s care and went to check on the others.

• Tetsuya started a battle between Blaziken and Urshifu without Mega Evolution while Gallade kept the canyon dust away from the spectators.
• Urshifu pressured Blaziken with powerful Brick Break waves, but Blaziken blocked them with a Fire Spin and countered Urshifu’s close-range attacks.
• Blaziken and Urshifu traded rapid blows for over half an hour as Gallade watched and Tetsuya prepared support for repairs and treatment.
• Blaziken struck Urshifu with an uppercut, a powerful kick, and a flaming aerial attack that buried Urshifu in rubble and left it unable to battle.
• Tetsuya returned to Oak Research Lab with both Pokémon, left them with Professor Oak for treatment, and went to check on the other Pokémon in the backyard.

Tetsuya visited the laboratory’s backyard and spent time with Leafeon and the Shiny Rattata before discussing his upcoming trip to Hoenn with Professor Oak and Professor Rowan. He prepared to leave for Hoenn, with Professor Oak arranging permission for him to bring Ursaluna and Urshifu.

• Tetsuya visited Hamana and checked on the Pokémon in the backyard.
• Tetsuya reunited with Leafeon and met the Shiny Rattata, which offered him berries and introduced him to its family.
• A researcher named Buta painted Tetsuya playing with Leafeon and the Shiny Rattata, and Professor Oak gave him the painting.
• Tetsuya told Professor Oak and Professor Rowan that he planned to travel to Hoenn to meet Lorelei and Bruno and battle strong trainers.
• Professor Rowan said Blaziken was close to reaching Quasi-Champion strength, and the group discussed Mega Evolution being allowed in the Qualification Challenge.
• Professor Oak encouraged Tetsuya to visit Professor Birch in Littleroot Town and agreed to arrange for Ursaluna and Urshifu to accompany him to Hoenn.

Tetsuya traveled to Hoenn aboard the luxury cruise ship Wave Breaker to enter the Official Gym Qualification Tournament, where he reunited with Asakawa Chinatsu. The chapter ended with Asakawa learning that Tetsuya was competing in the tournament rather than visiting Hoenn for a trip.

• Tetsuya flew from Pallet Town to Olivine City and met Amphy and her trainee Kasha at the harbor restaurant.
• Amphy told Tetsuya that his planned tournament appearance had sparked debate between Kanto and Hoenn, and invited him to join the Gym Leaders' friendly betting pool.
• Tetsuya boarded the Wave Breaker, a luxury cruise ship arranged by Enishi Tatsuya, and released his partners to settle in for the voyage.
• Tetsuya reunited with Asakawa Chinatsu on the neighboring balcony and chatted with him about Hoenn's wilderness and Trainers.
• Asakawa Chinatsu suggested that Tetsuya use his visit to Hoenn to travel and train, and Tetsuya revealed that he was there for the Qualification Tournament.

Tetsuya and Asakawa Chinatsu arrived in Slateport City, where they discussed the upcoming Gym Qualification Tournament and agreed to help the Wave Breaker’s owner contact Captain Stern. At the Oceanic Museum, Stern warmly reunited with Chinatsu, while Tetsuya was introduced to her old friend.

• Asakawa Chinatsu told Tetsuya that she had returned to Hoenn after being invited to become an official Gym Leader, and they teased each other about competing in the Qualification Tournament.
• Tetsuya and Chinatsu spent the voyage training, talking, and fishing, and Chinatsu caught a Horsea with promising potential.
• After arriving in Slateport City, Chinatsu took Tetsuya to Slateport Market, where they agreed to help the Wave Breaker’s owner seek Captain Stern as its honorary captain and arrange a partnership.
• Tetsuya and Chinatsu explored the market, and Tetsuya bought goods from Unova and Kalos despite his dwindling funds.
• At the Oceanic Museum, Captain Stern greeted Chinatsu with an enthusiastic hug, and the two old friends exchanged warm words.

Tetsuya toured Slateport City's Oceanic Museum and Stern Shipyard with Asakawa Chinatsu and Captain Stern, arranging to buy Clamperl Mysterious Pearls and discussing work for the Wave Breaker. The visit ended with Stern introducing shipyard staff, including Exploration Team member Solans Takao.

• Captain Stern showed Tetsuya and Asakawa Chinatsu the Oceanic Museum and discussed the Yuantian Group's plan to have Stern handle some of the Wave Breaker's operations.
• Tetsuya asked to buy twelve Clamperl Mysterious Pearls, and Stern agreed to provide eight in a month at a forty-percent discount after learning Tetsuya was a nineteen-year-old Elite Four Level Trainer.
• Captain Stern continued showing Tetsuya the museum's rare ocean finds and invited him to visit the shipyard and join an undersea exploration trip.
• The group visited Stern Shipyard, where Stern asked chief designer Tsuga to prepare a plan for the Wave Breaker work.
• Captain Stern called out Solans Takao and introduced him to Tetsuya and Asakawa Chinatsu as an important member of the Exploration Team.

Tetsuya and Asakawa Chinatsu visited Captain Stern’s salvage operation, where an underwater detector revealed a lucrative Seabed Cave that Team Aqua had also targeted. After Captain Stern explained the threat and the cave’s location, Tetsuya volunteered to go, leaving the group poised to investigate.

• Solans Takao greeted Tetsuya as an acquaintance through his family’s connections to Tetsuya’s five younger sisters, then left after receiving an urgent call.
• Captain Stern showed Tetsuya and Asakawa Chinatsu the salvage team’s collection of artifacts and explained that he wanted Tetsuya’s strength for future expeditions.
• Solans Takao returned with news that the team’s detector had found a promising site, and the crew identified a Seabed Cave occupied by Tentacool, Tentacruel, and a suspected Wailmer.
• Tetsuya overheard Captain Stern and his team discuss Team Aqua’s interest in the cave and their plan to enlist the two Elite Four Level Trainers.
• Captain Stern revealed that the cave lay between Sootopolis City and Lilycove City and that its partly explored outer area held about one hundred million Alliance Coins’ worth of treasure, prompting Tetsuya to volunteer to stop Team Aqua and explore it.

Tetsuya and Asakawa Chinatsu negotiated a Seabed Cave exploration partnership with Captain Stern, agreeing to depart in three days. Tetsuya then went to Littleroot Town to find Professor Birch and rescued him from a pack of Poochyena.

• Solans Takao described the Seabed Cave and its location south of Sootopolis City, near Sky Pillar, prompting Tetsuya to wonder whether Groudon or Kyogre might be sleeping there.
• Tetsuya, Asakawa Chinatsu, and Captain Stern negotiated the exploration profits and agreed to meet at the docks in three days, with Tetsuya receiving forty percent, Asakawa Chinatsu thirty percent, and Captain Stern's team the remainder.
• The next day, Tetsuya flew to Littleroot Town and learned that Professor Birch was conducting field research outside his laboratory.
• Tetsuya used Gallade to locate Professor Birch and drive off the Poochyena pursuing him.
• Tetsuya introduced himself to the rescued Professor Birch.

Tetsuya met Professor Birch, visited his research institute, and learned that Norman planned to move to Hoenn to compete for an official Gym qualification. As Professor Birch examined Tetsuya’s Blaziken, Tetsuya spotted research materials suggesting the legendary Sea Cavern and Land Cavern might exist near Sky Pillar.

• Tetsuya rescued Professor Birch from a pack of Poochyena, and Professor Birch praised his Gallade before inviting him to the research institute.
• Professor Birch introduced Tetsuya to the researchers as an Elite Four Level Trainer and a notable discoverer, then took him to his research room.
• Tetsuya learned that Norman planned to move to Hoenn and compete for an official Gym qualification.
• Professor Birch scanned Tetsuya’s Blaziken and recorded its exceptional flame intensity, explosive power, and strength.
• Tetsuya found a paper linking Absol habitats near Sky Pillar to the possible existence of the legendary Sea Cavern and Land Cavern.

Tetsuya visited Professor Birch to study research on the Sea Cavern and Land Cavern and to get detailed advice on improving Blaziken. Professor Birch identified an unusual power in Blaziken’s Fire Energy, leading Tetsuya to reveal the Red Rock, which he suspected was a fragment of an Arceus Plate, and the chapter ended with Birch offering to examine Gallade.

• Tetsuya borrowed Professor Birch’s research materials and learned that the Sea Cavern and Land Cavern were theorized to be places where Kyogre and Groudon slept, though their existence remained unproven.
• Professor Birch analyzed Blaziken’s condition, recommended gaining about three kilograms and adding arm training, and shared detailed data that Tetsuya recorded.
• Professor Birch noticed a special power in Blaziken’s Fire Energy, and Tetsuya had Blaziken produce the dark crimson stone it had absorbed.
• Professor Birch examined the stone, read the word “Giant,” and asked Tetsuya to let him study another one if he found it.
• Tetsuya privately suspected the Red Rock was a fragment of an Arceus Plate, had Blaziken absorb it again, and agreed when Professor Birch offered to examine Gallade.
• Tetsuya spent the night in a guest room at the research institute but found himself unable to sleep.

Tetsuya found Captain Stern on Route 116 and asked him to serve as honorary captain of Yuantian Group’s Wave Breaker, but Stern declined. Their fishing contest ended with Tetsuya overwhelmingly outcatching Stern, leaving the old captain protesting that he had been cheated.

• Tetsuya left Littleroot Town and contacted Steven to learn that Captain Stern was fishing on Route 116.
• Tetsuya found Captain Stern and asked him to lend his name as honorary captain of Yuantian Group’s Wave Breaker, but Stern refused because he wanted to enjoy retirement.
• Stern invited Tetsuya to fish with him, and the two began a contest after teasing each other about their fishing rods and skills.
• Tetsuya caught far more and stronger Pokemon than Stern, including a Starmie, and Stern accused him of cheating before quitting.
• Stern stopped Tetsuya from bullying Little Pi, the Wingull perched on his head.