Chapter 442: The Mewtwo Project

Chapter 442: The Mewtwo Project

"How could that be possible?"

Hikaru stroked her head. "I like every single one of you. Where is this coming from?"

He picked up a Pokéblock made from the Cosmic Ore he had acquired before, handed it to Latias, and quietly waited for her to continue.

"..."

After taking the Pokéblock, Latias fell silent. Her mouth moved a few times, but no sound came out. In the end, she sullenly began to eat the block.

How could she not feel Hikaru's care?

...

As a semi-legitimate organization, Team Rocket's headquarters was actually located in the Huaxia region. On the surface, it was even a provincial-level Gym.

Although it was in a city within the southwestern desert region of Huaxia, in reality, the prestige of this Ground-type Gym was no less than that of a national-level one.

If it hadn't been suppressed some time ago, it might have already become a new national-level Gym.

And beneath it was Team Rocket's secret research base.

Having obtained Charizard's blood, Landa rushed back here.

In the brightly lit research base, Landa, hastily carrying a stack of documents, dismissed the surrounding researchers and walked to a room in the deepest level.

Inside the dim room, only a cultivation tank in the center emitted a faint green glow.

At that moment, watching the changes within the tank, Landa's eyes were filled with madness. "As expected of technology unearthed from a secret realm. It absorbed Charizard's traits so quickly and can even Mega Evolve!"

He circled the tank, tears streaming down his face as if he were seeing his lover. "What a perfect work of art."

Inside the cultivation tank was a pink, humanoid Pokémon, its eyes tightly shut, showing no signs of life.

Just as Landa finished his emotional moment and left the room, the finger of the Pokémon in the tank twitched slightly before becoming still again.

After leaving the room, Landa's expression had returned to normal.

He subconsciously glanced at his phone, only to discover that a message had arrived in his pinned chat.

[Hikaru]: Athena has a grudge against me. She and her Pokémon are in my hands now...

???

Landa's old, terrifying face was first stunned, then his brows furrowed into a single line.

Athena?

Captured by Hikaru?

Before he could figure out what was happening, another message appeared on his phone.

[Boss]: Come up.

The content was simple, but Landa's expression turned solemn as he hurried to the elevator.

After exiting the elevator, he walked into an office. In the chair sat a middle-aged man with a crew cut, looking very proper and serious.

"How is the Mewtwo project coming along?"

The slightly muffled voice spoke as Giovanni turned his chair around to face Landa.

"It's almost ready. It should awaken within these next two months. Right now, its energy fluctuations are rising rapidly with every moment!"

"Good, good, good!" At this moment, even with the disposition of the Team Rocket boss, Giovanni couldn't help but get excited. "Remember to equip it with the Restraint Armor! With it, Team Rocket will no longer have to be so timid!"

The research on Mewtwo had been going on for ten years. Now that the results were imminent, he was naturally thrilled.

"Mmm..."

Landa responded in a deep voice, then remembered Athena's situation. "Boss, Athena has been captured."

"What?"

Giovanni was startled and shot up from his seat. "The information from the League only said a few high-ranking officers were caught illegally capturing Pokémon, right?"

He was the one who had issued Athena's mission, precisely to ensure nothing went wrong.

He never expected that the League would eventually catch on.

However, in the news reported by the League, there was no mention of Athena, which made Giovanni think she had escaped.

And now he was hearing that Athena had been captured?

"It wasn't the League, it was..."

Thinking of Hikaru, a dark expression flashed across Landa's face. "It was that trainer who won the youth league—Hikaru."

"What does he have to do with this? He captured Athena?"

Landa silently nodded.

Giovanni also fell silent.

Although it was unbelievable, he trusted that Landa wouldn't lie to him about this.

"Keep him stable for now. Have someone find his location. We need to find a way to rescue her."

As one of the youngest and least experienced Elite Four members on the surface, she was the easiest to deploy.

It was best to save such an "arm" if possible.

"Yes..."

Landa retreated, and Giovanni rubbed his forehead.

He still found it hard to believe. How could Athena be captured by such a young trainer?

And at that very moment, high above the Gym, a pink shadow faintly materialized in the dusty wind. Its gaze was fixed on the ground below. As a look of surprise flashed in its eyes, the corners of its mouth turned up slightly. "So it's like this again? Interesting..."

...

Several days passed in a flash.

True to his word, while getting his Tyranitar back, Hikaru also received an inquiry from Landa these past few days.

It was something along the lines of, "Thank you for taking care of Athena. What conditions are required for her return?"

Hikaru, without hesitation, demanded the Plates.

Even though Landa now realized the Plates were no ordinary items, he had no choice but to mobilize the organization's members to continue the search.

After that, Hikaru no longer replied to any of their communications.

His main strategy was to stall.

After all, he wasn't the one in a hurry.

During these days, after his and his senior's Pokémon had adapted to battling each other, Hikaru found them new opponents.

Living by the sea, he ate from the sea.

[Purple Upgradable Skill (Fishing Master) — The more you fish, the rarer the Pokémon you will catch!]

Relying on this skill, he attracted a host of lord-level Water-type Pokémon to serve as opponents for his team.

It was worth noting that without the aid of Aura, every catch was a guess, and the Pokémon that appeared was always different.

So, everyone squatted nearby, waiting to see what kind of "fish" Hikaru could "catch."

It had the thrilling feeling of opening a blind box, so it didn't feel too dull or boring.

Living like this, everyone's strength steadily increased.

Hikaru sat on a rock, skillfully cast his fishing line, and looked at the somewhat turbulent sea, leaning back comfortably in his homemade wicker chair.

He had to admit, life on an island like this was quite comfortable.

"Splash!"

The fierce sea wind pulled the fishing line taut, and the whistling sound made Hikaru jolt.

The waiting Bulbasaur and other Pokémon immediately perked up, eager to see what Pokémon would emerge this time.

"Saur, Bulbasaur!"

Bulbasaur was still extremely enthusiastic about battling.

This was because most of the Pokémon fished out of the sea were Water-types.

But the Gabite next to it looked a bit troubled; it had already been pinned to the ground and beaten by his senior's Greninja several times in the past few days.

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