Giovanni was an exceptionally intelligent and composed man, one who thought carefully before acting and planned meticulously before moving. Although there were times when he had no choice but to play the reckless fool, given the opportunity, he would always devise a foolproof plan to ensure everything remained firmly under his control.
He possessed both ample ambition and patience. Even when the fruits of his twenty-year-long "Mewtwo Project" were stolen right before success, he could accept it without batting an eye. If there was ever a time this man lost control and succumbed to intense emotional turmoil, it had to be an incident from ten years ago...
Had Ryuuske kept a low profile—or even lived in seclusion—Giovanni wouldn't have paid him much attention. Though Mewtwo's power was immense, its true threat depended on who wielded it. An ordinary trainer, even if they could command Mewtwo with ease, would at best pose a challenge to mediocre opponents. Against true powerhouses like Giovanni, Mewtwo was nothing extraordinary—his elite Pokémon could easily suppress it.
But if Mewtwo fell into the hands of a skilled and formidable trainer, the destructive force and intimidation it could unleash would force even Giovanni to tread carefully.
For over two months, Ryuuske had either stayed at Professor Oak's lab or hidden away in Viridian Forest, living in obscurity. Even Team Rocket hadn't invested much effort in tracking him. But after his Gym challenge in Pewter City, Ryuuske became an overnight sensation, capturing not just media attention but Team Rocket's as well.
Giovanni had studied footage of Ryuuske's battles and his trained Pokémon, concluding that if the boy didn't meet an early demise, he would undoubtedly grow into a trainer no one could afford to underestimate. In Giovanni's eyes, Ryuuske harbored a blood feud with Team Rocket, and now his talent as a trainer had begun to shine. Left unchecked, this young man could very well become the "silver bullet" that would pierce through Team Rocket's heart.
Team Rocket was the culmination of two generations of the Giovanni family's efforts, and now, it held even greater significance for him. There was no way he would stand by and watch it potentially be destroyed by Ryuuske.
Thus, the shadowy leader of Team Rocket stepped into the light, taking matters into his own hands to eliminate any potential threat before it could take root.
However, Mewtwo was no easy opponent. Had it been a Pokémon of another type, no matter how powerful, Giovanni could have cornered it. But Mewtwo was a Psychic-type, capable of the most diverse and unpredictable techniques. Worse still, its trainer was no novice—Ryuuske was a battle-hardened tactician, not some academy theorist.
In combat, he would undoubtedly prioritize his own safety, rendering direct attacks on the trainer ineffective. And with Mewtwo's psychic abilities, even a sliver of remaining strength would allow it to teleport Ryuuske to safety, effectively letting the tiger return to the mountains.
Devising a flawless strategy was Giovanni's forte.
He was no knight—he was a man who would stop at nothing to achieve his goals. If a direct confrontation risked letting the enemy escape, then deception would have to suffice. If he could lull Ryuuske into lowering his guard, Giovanni was confident he could deliver a lethal strike before the boy even had a chance to summon Mewtwo.
Giovanni had thoroughly investigated Ryuuske's past, dissecting his personality. Before his capture by Team Rocket, Ryuuske had been somewhat timid but kind-hearted. Though recent events seemed to have changed him, the Pokémon League still praised his diligence and determination. Giovanni reasoned that no matter how much his personality had shifted, it couldn't have completely inverted in just a few months.
Borrowing a Golbat from one of his subordinates, Giovanni tamed a swarm of wild Zubat in Mt. Moon's caves. While he couldn't command the Zubat directly, orchestrating a simple ruse wasn't difficult—having the Golbat lead the swarm in flight would suffice.
He would pretend to be a high-ranking executive under attack by wild Pokémon, then coincidentally cross paths with Ryuuske and plead for help. Based on his understanding of Ryuuske, the boy would likely intervene. Once trust was established and Ryuuske's guard dropped, Giovanni would strike with a single, fatal blow. Underhanded? Absolutely. But effective. And Giovanni was no saint.
Against such an ambush, even if Ryuuske carried six Legendary Pokémon in his Poké Balls, it wouldn't matter—unreleased Pokémon were as good as nonexistent.
But no matter how meticulously Giovanni schemed, he could never have anticipated one thing: the Ryuuske before him wasn't just a changed person—he was an entirely different soul. No amount of intel could account for the wildcard of a "transmigrator."
And so, Giovanni's plan backfired spectacularly.
The wild Zubat were uncontrollable. Despite the Golbat's efforts to restrain them, the moment they caught sight of prey, they swarmed Giovanni, sinking their fangs into his flesh to drink his blood. While the immediate blood loss wasn't life-threatening, if this continued, Giovanni would end up a desiccated corpse.
Watching Ryuuske heartlessly walk away, Giovanni's resolve hardened. He was about to order the Golbat to exterminate the Zubat and charge in recklessly—forget Mewtwo, he'd crush Ryuuske with sheer force!
But just as he prepared to give the command, Ryuuske—who had already walked off—suddenly came jogging back with his Gabite in tow. The boy wore an "awkward" grin, scratching his head apologetically.
"Uh… sorry about that, mister. I'm just a rookie trainer, and seeing so many Zubat—plus that Golbat—freaked me out. I ran without thinking. Only after I got away did I realize I couldn't just leave you to die. Hang on, I'll get Gabite to help!"
*Stop yapping and just save me already!* Giovanni fumed inwardly.
Ryuuske hesitated, seemingly unsure what command to give. Gabite stared back at him, equally clueless.
"Um… Gabite, use *Dragon Pulse*!"
As Ryuuske finally, hesitantly issued the order, Giovanni exhaled in relief—only to immediately grow bewildered.
*Was this kid just acting in all his previous battles? Why is he so sluggish now? Where's the decisiveness from his Gym challenge?!*
To be continued…