Chapter 4: I Love Dragons

The Indigo League had always been Team Rocket's main target. And now, they actually had the nerve to mess with the Galar League too?

How utterly absurd!

"Chairman Rose has gone to Kalos for an exchange visit, and Champion Leon is currently deep in the Crown Tundra for training and cannot be reached. Isn't this the perfect opportunity?"

Lucas gave a light chuckle. His relaxed tone and expression showed how carefree and at ease he felt at the moment.

Yes—he had chosen this exact moment to invade the Energy Plant, precisely because both Rose and Leon were away.

In the entire Galar region, the only person Lucas considered worthy of taking seriously in terms of strength was Leon.

As for Raihan?

Sorry—not someone he even bothered to take seriously.

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"If you leave now, I can pretend nothing happened."

Seeing Lucas's composed and confident demeanor, Oleana's chest heaved rapidly. Clearly, she was in a very bad mood.

Yet despite that, she didn't immediately lash out. Instead, she suppressed her anger and spoke to Lucas in a cold, steady voice.

His strength was enough to make her deeply wary.

Chairman Rose traveling to Kalos was no secret—anyone with enough resources could look that up.

But Champion Leon going deep into the Crown Tundra to train? That wasn't public information!

Oleana had no idea who had leaked that to Lucas, and she didn't have the time or energy to investigate right now. The top priority was figuring out how to handle the youth standing before her.

"Team Rocket's rise hasn't been easy. And you—you're here all alone, aren't you? Do you really think you can walk out of Galar?"

Oleana's voice was cold. She knew that Team Rocket wasn't to be trifled with. After all, they had flourished even under the nose of the League headquarters.

Lance, head of the Kanto Elite Four, was widely acknowledged as the strongest Elite Four. Even Champion Leon, undefeated since his debut, couldn't compare in fame.

And now, with Lance at the peak of his career, he was being hailed as the world's number one Pokémon trainer! His stance toward evil organizations had always been uncompromising—he'd eliminate them without mercy.

Yet even with that kind of pressure, Team Rocket had managed to thrive. That alone showed how dangerous and difficult they were to deal with.

"This is Galar, not Kanto. I hope you understand that clearly."

Oleana's sharp, intelligent gaze locked onto Lucas. Yes, Team Rocket was troublesome—but so what?

This was Galar, separated from Kanto by vast oceans!

Team Rocket's roots were in Indigo, and they were already stretched thin dealing with the Indigo League. Now they dared to cross regions to provoke the Galar League?

Did they seriously think Galar was easy prey?

Logically, Team Rocket's boss couldn't be a fool. So why make such a reckless decision? Sending just one officer to stir up trouble in Galar—how little did they think of the Galar League?

"You really live up to your reputation, Miss Oleana. Such clear thinking. What a shame."

Lucas clapped his hands in mock admiration. No wonder this woman had been entrusted with such great responsibility.

Yes, Team Rocket's current focus was dealing with the Indigo League. It wasn't exactly the best time to make new enemies.

Technically, all the regional leagues fell under the same overarching organization. But who didn't have ambitions of their own?

If every regional league truly worked together in harmony, then why did Rose in the original story go to such lengths for Galar's development—ultimately leading him to try and control Eternatus?

The Pokémon League was unified in name, sure, but each region had its own private agenda. Team Rocket's power base was in Kanto and Johto. As long as they didn't meddle in other regions, those regions wouldn't lift a finger.

Not just Galar—even Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, Kalos… all of them were probably hoping Team Rocket would drain Kanto and Johto to the brink.

After all, if both weakened, the other regions got relatively stronger. Isn't that how it works?

Unless Indigo begged for help—which would be a matter of pride. And could Indigo really swallow its pride like that?

But if Team Rocket actively provoked other regions, that would be an entirely different matter.

"Just as you said, Miss Oleana, Indigo and Galar are far apart. So what can you really do to us Team Rocket?"

Lucas tilted his head slightly, a teasing smirk spreading across his lips. His tone was easy and mocking.

'A region without even an Elite Four, and Miss Oleana still has the nerve to be so proud.'

It was as if he didn't take the Galar League seriously at all.

"You—!"

Oleana was stunned at first, then instantly furious.

Bastard! That smug look, as if Galar was beneath his notice—what the hell did he mean by that?

"We've said all there is to say. Miss Oleana, a word of advice—you should step aside. I don't like hitting women."

"But if you continue to get in my way, I won't guarantee what I might do."

Lucas had no interest in continuing the conversation. He glanced up and down at Oleana with that same unsettling, malicious grin.

A chill crept down Oleana's spine. Even though Lucas had smiled from the start, the malicious intent behind it was becoming clearer and clearer.

She snapped back to her senses—

"You've gone too far! This is Hammerlocke City! Raihan is right above us!"

Oleana finally lost her temper and shouted. From the beginning, this boy had treated them with absolute disdain—it infuriated her.

It's fine to look down on people—but there should be a limit!

Raihan was the Gym Leader of Hammerlocke. Aside from Leon, he was Galar's strongest Dragon-type trainer!

"Raihan? Don't make me laugh."

Lucas's smirk grew wider. He scoffed and then gave the command:

"Tyra—Rock Slide."

"Tyranitar…!"

Tyranitar let out a low roar. Its ferocious expression and growl made one's spine tingle.

It raised its arms, and a dense barrage of jagged stones formed in front of it before launching forward at high speed.

"Milotic!"

The attack came too suddenly. Oleana's pupils shrank as she quickly shouted to her Pokémon.

But it was too late. The Rock Slide wasn't aimed at Milotic.

BOOM!

A deafening explosion echoed. The so-called "gate" was completely obliterated by the Rock Slide, its supposedly reinforced structure shattering in an instant.

A faint, heart-stopping crimson light seeped through the cracks—along with an overwhelming sense of pressure.

Even the air felt heavier. Breathing became more difficult.

The oppressive aura of a Legendary Pokémon!

Lucas's red eyes gleamed.

Eternatus.

It was an indescribable crimson. The red glow grew stronger and stronger as the prison shattered further, its radiant hue growing brighter by the second.

Inside, a massive Pokémon was slowly lifting its head.

"This is bad…"

Oleana's cold, composed face suddenly changed.

This "gate" was Eternatus's prison—and the key to Rose's grand future plans.

Now, with it destroyed…

Eternatus was bound to awaken. But Rose wasn't here—who could possibly stop it?

This Energy Plant was responsible for supplying the Dynamax energy to the entire Galar region. If something happened to it, most of Galar's stadiums would lose the ability to Dynamax entirely!

Galar's rapid development in recent years—what had fueled it?

Dynamax. It was Dynamax that gave Galar its edge, its uniqueness, its pride.

Oleana herself was the creator of the Dynamax Bands. That very talent was why Chairman Rose had chosen and promoted her.

Now with Eternatus released, Oleana couldn't even begin to imagine the consequences if it went out of control. Rose's years of effort would all be ruined.

More importantly—

The Energy Plant was located directly beneath Hammerlocke!

"You bastard! Do you even understand what you've done!?"

Because she was smart, Oleana realized instantly the grave consequences this would bring—consequences she couldn't accept!

Her eyes reddened as she turned toward Lucas, screaming at him with a hoarse voice.

She couldn't imagine how disappointed Rose would be when he returned.

"What I've done? Of course I know."

Lucas raised his eyebrows, glanced at Oleana, and laughed mockingly—completely unconcerned by her emotional breakdown.

"Eternatus, the one who nearly destroyed Galar three thousand years ago during the Darkest Day. The source of Dynamax. The strongest and most evil Pokémon in all Galarian legend."

His crimson eyes burned brightly as he stared at the colossal dragon breaking free from the 'gate.'

"Do you know? Ever since I was young, I've had a near-obsessive fascination with dragons. I love dragons! Maybe it's in my blood, inherited from my clan."

"That's why I've searched far and wide for signs of dragons. I'm not satisfied with ordinary dragons—not even pseudo-legendaries."

"The sky, time, space, antimatter, truth, ideals…"

Lucas took slow, deliberate steps toward the dragon wreathed in dangerous red light.

Yes, he loved dragons. Deeply, passionately.

But because of that love, he couldn't settle for less. What he sought was absolute draconic power. If it wasn't perfect, he didn't want it.

Even while staying by Pryce's side, he had never stopped seeking news of dragons.

"But it's just too difficult. Only recently did I find something truly valuable—a dragon that almost destroyed Galar three thousand years ago."

"And yet, with all that power, you planned to reduce it to a mere energy source? That's laughable."

Lucas sneered. Truly, was there anything more ridiculous?

Why had Rose pursued Eternatus? Because it was the source of Dynamax energy. If he could control Eternatus, Galar would have an endless supply of that energy.

It was precisely this idealistic ambition that caused Rose and Leon to become enemies—and ultimately landed Rose in prison.

Such a waste of Eternatus's power!

"You can't possibly understand the Chairman's noble dream!"

Oleana bit her lip, her voice shrill as she snapped back.

Rose was a man who would give everything for Galar. He had long prepared himself for that path. Outsiders could never understand.

Beyond gratitude, it was because she truly understood his vision that Oleana had chosen to follow him—no matter what.

"How noble indeed~ Too bad that has nothing to do with me. But I must say—I really do appreciate you for sealing Eternatus."

Lucas gave a low chuckle as he walked toward the awakening Eternatus, not even turning back.

Gratitude was due, after all. If not for Rose, how else could he have come into contact with Eternatus so easily?

(End of Chapter)