Blaine's voice was urgent, though there was no blame toward Ryuuske—only concern.
"If we don't leave within five minutes, his body won't be able to handle it, and we'll lose Mewtwo, our strongest fighter..."
Blaine scanned their surroundings, his tone noticeably lighter than it had been inside the underground research facility. "…But it's fine. Now that we're out of the confined space of the lab, the Team Rocket members aren't as much of a threat here."
They were on a deserted island in the southern seas of the Kanto region, roughly ten square kilometers in size. The island was barren, with little in the way of resources—only sparse vegetation at its center, while the rest was mostly bare rock.
The lack of a thriving ecosystem meant that not only were there few Pokémon, but even ordinary animals were scarce. All supplies had to be air-dropped by Team Rocket. Isolated from civilization and surrounded by endless ocean—making escape nearly impossible—this place had been chosen as the perfect location for their secret research facility.
"Don't worry, Blaine! We have to trust Ryuuske."
Professor Oak gave Blaine a firm pat on the back, inexplicably calming the Cinnabar Gym Leader. Glancing at the older man beside him—nearly a decade his senior—Blaine couldn't help but marvel at his composure. This was the renowned Pokémon expert of Kanto, respected worldwide. His steadiness alone was admirable.
But Blaine also had his doubts—was this seemingly harmless old man truly as non-threatening as he appeared? Blaine knew Professor Oak's past achievements all too well.
Back in the day, even a certain master of Ghost-type Pokémon had fallen to him.
"Oak, heads up! The research facility doesn't have many exits. I had Charizard and Magmar block this one with nearby rocks. The Team Rocket members will probably regroup and emerge from the opposite side. But the terrain here is open—even if there are over a hundred of them, it's not a major concern. The problem is, my Pokémon are exhausted. Our priority should be escaping!"
Blaine quickly briefed Professor Oak. Moments later, a camouflaged boulder in the distance split open, and the synchronized footsteps of Team Rocket members echoed out. Over a hundred specially trained operatives emerged, immediately spotting Blaine and Professor Oak standing atop a small rocky hill ahead.
They wasted no time releasing their Pokémon. One member, clearly the leader, turned to his subordinates and demanded,
"How long until reinforcements arrive? Inform the Boss immediately—Mewtwo has escaped!"
Faced with the sight of over a hundred Pokémon preparing to attack below, Blaine mounted his Rapidash while Professor Oak stood ready beside Charizard, prepared to take flight at any moment. Both were braced for battle.
"Wait, Blaine—do you hear that?!"
Professor Oak's ears twitched as he frowned, speaking up. From beneath their feet came an eerie whistling of wind—or perhaps the grating sound of blades slicing through stone.
"This is…"
Blaine heard it too. He crouched, pressing his ear to the ground, then suddenly paled. "…Oak, don't move! This must be Mewtwo's doing!"
No sooner had he spoken than a deafening explosion erupted from below. A terrifying tornado burst from the earth, its winds whirling like high-speed blades, instantly shredding the rocky ground into dust. The howling gales shrieked as they surged upward, piercing the sky.
Blaine and Professor Oak stood directly in the eye of the storm—a tornado with a diameter of twenty meters—now cocooned within its protective center.
The violent winds uprooted the few scattered trees, hurling massive boulders into the air before smashing them back down. The Team Rocket members panicked, shielding their faces from the debris as they hunched over, struggling not to be swept away. Rocks and branches rained down on both humans and Pokémon, sending them into chaos.
"That tornado was created by Mewtwo! All Pokémon, attack it with your strongest moves!"
The Team Rocket leader's roar barely cut through the storm, but his orders reached the others. Trainers commanded their Pokémon to unleash their attacks—lightning, flames, and jets of water erupted forth, while Flying-types beat their wings, sending razor-sharp gusts into the mix.
The elements clashed—wind, electricity, and fire—creating a chaotic, battlefield-like frenzy.
"What?!"
"Impossible!!"
Shouts of disbelief rang out as the attacks either veered off course or rebounded entirely. Flames, lightning, and water crashed back into their own ranks, like sunlight refracting and reflecting.
"Hmph. This isn't just any tornado—it's a supernatural phenomenon formed by Mewtwo's Psychic. The outer layer's vectors have been altered by psychic energy. Without overwhelming force, nothing can break through. Instead, all attacks are reflected. And if anyone dares enter from the top? The rotating winds will tear them apart. This is Mewtwo's ultimate move—offense and defense in one!"
Ryuuske smirked. He had ordered Mewtwo to generate the tornado from underground using Psychic, shattering the rocky terrain before reuniting with Blaine and Professor Oak. Now, as the tornado surged skyward, the group slowly ascended, lifted by Mewtwo's psychic power.
"Back when Mewtwo was nearing completion, I theorized this move… but I never imagined it could actually be done."
Blaine murmured before his tone sharpened with urgency. "…Ryuuske-kun, we have less than three minutes. We need to leave!"
"No. There's one last thing I have to do."
Ryuuske's voice was low. The tornado surrounding them gradually dissipated, leaving them hovering in midair, gazing down at the Team Rocket members staring up in frustration.
"Attack! Now!" they screamed.
The remaining Pokémon gathered energy, preparing to unleash another volley skyward.
"Ryuuske-kun, dodge or retreat! Don't take them head-on!"
Blaine knew Ryuuske lacked battle experience and feared he might recklessly order Mewtwo to tank the attacks. While Mewtwo would undoubtedly win, conserving a Pokémon's stamina and preparing for unforeseen developments were essential skills for any trainer.
"Not necessary at all! Mewtwo—detonate the timed bombs beneath them! Future Sight!"
Ryuuske thrust his hand downward. Mewtwo mirrored the motion, twisting its fingers in a circle.
The deserted island trembled violently. Pokémon at the center lost their footing, stumbling and collapsing. Then, like a chain reaction of explosives, the island's core erupted in a series of deafening blasts. The ground split, rocks shattered, and a massive chasm yawned open at the island's heart.
"Earlier, I had Mewtwo plant Future Sight at every critical point in the facility. I don't know if other Pokémon could manage this, but Mewtwo can precisely time every explosion to detonate simultaneously. And now—no hesitation! Mewtwo, go all out! Blow this cursed place to the heavens with Aura Sphere!"
Ryuuske's expression twisted as he slashed his hand through the air. Mewtwo's usual calm demeanor vanished, replaced by intense focus. Visible waves of psychic energy distorted the surrounding space, and a deep purple glow enveloped its body. Between its hands, a sphere of condensed energy spun violently, growing larger with each passing second.
With a shout, Mewtwo hurled the sphere downward. As it left Mewtwo's control, it expanded rapidly, absorbing ambient energy until it reached several meters in diameter.
This was Mewtwo's full-powered strike—ordinarily, such a move would be too slow to hit in battle, but against a stationary target? Perfect.
The massive chasm had swallowed most of Team Rocket and their Pokémon, leaving them helpless as the sphere plunged into the abyss, disappearing into the sea below.
A second later, the ocean itself seemed to convulse. A monstrous whirlpool formed where the sphere had landed, growing larger by the second. The vortex expanded, its center anchored to the island's gaping wound, until the entire ten-kilometer landmass was caught in its grasp.
"Help! Save us!!"
"Ahhhh—! I'm pinned under a rock!"
"We surrender! Please, help!"
"Pidgeotto, come down and get me!"
Screams—human and Pokémon alike—were drowned out by the roaring sea. Nature's fury was absolute. Even those with Water-type Pokémon couldn't resist the whirlpool's crushing force. Flying-types that attempted rescues were dragged into the maelstrom the moment they neared the surface.
A ten-kilometer island—erased from the map in an instant. Only bubbles and scattered debris remained, bobbing on the waves.
"…Sigh."
Professor Oak exhaled softly. There was no lament for the lost, no reproach for Ryuuske's ruthlessness in annihilating nearly all of Team Rocket's forces. His sigh was simply the reaction of an old man who had seen too much.
In his youth, he too had faced such moments. Humanity held both good and evil. Showing mercy to everyone would have gotten him killed long ago. This was a path every strong trainer walked. They might not be wicked, but survival sometimes demanded cruelty—lest failure cost not only their lives, but also those of the Pokémon they loved like family.
Every powerful trainer carried a heart as unyielding as stone, devoted solely to their ideals.
In that moment, watching the island's destruction, Ryuuske's mind had never felt clearer. It was as if the last remnants of resentment and despair—perhaps lingering from the original Ryuuske's memories—had finally dissipated.
He had fulfilled the boy's final wish. The research facility that had tormented him was gone, its cruelty buried forever beneath the waves.
Glancing at the few Flying-type Pokémon still circling above, Ryuuske decided against finishing them off. Pokémon had no inherent morality—they simply obeyed their trainers. With their trainers gone, they were now wild creatures. While intelligent, they weren't humans.
Their loyalty had been to individuals, not Team Rocket, and they lacked the means to report what had happened. There was no need for further bloodshed.
Besides, his vision was darkening at the edges. If he didn't act fast, he'd be joining Team Rocket at the bottom of the ocean. Mewtwo's cells had spread to his shoulders, inching toward his neck—and his brain. He doubted another miracle would save him this time.
"Blaine… where now? I can't hold on much longer…"
Gritting his teeth against the dizziness threatening to overwhelm him—like the wooziness of low blood sugar—Ryuuske forced out the question.
"Northwest, about five nautical miles. There's a small reef with someone waiting for us!"
Blaine, noticing Ryuuske's deteriorating condition, answered quickly.
"Mewtwo… northwest. Teleport."
His voice hoarse, Ryuuske gave the final command.
To be continued…