"Is this luck, or misfortune?"
With no other choice but to follow Pryce to an unknown destination, Ryuu Shiro took a deep breath to calm the turmoil in his heart.
His emotions were complex—a mix of worry, unease, excitement, and anticipation.
Who is Pryce?
In the Pokémon Adventures, Pryce is an unprecedented and unparalleled boss—no, he is one of only two trainers in the entire Pokémon franchise, including main games and spin-offs, who has defeated and captured high-level legendaries using ordinary Pokémon.
Yes, one of only two. The other is Red!
In the Pokémon Origins anime, Red, using his Charizard X, defeated and captured the wild Mewtwo. Pryce achieved a similar feat, and arguably even more effortlessly…
If there were a trainer ranking system, Pryce would undoubtedly be the "Pokémon Master" that Ash Ketchum from the TV series always talks about.
Below Pryce and Red, the most impressive trainers are those like Lance, Giovanni, Cynthia, and Leon, who have faced wild high-level legendaries head-on with their teams.
"Following him might truly allow me to step into the ranks of top-tier trainers…"
Having solidified this thought in his mind, Ryuu Shiro stared intently at Pryce's slightly hunched and cold figure ahead.
In this world, Ryuu Shiro had no other dream—he wanted to reach the pinnacle! He had already lived one life; if he didn't have some ambition, what was the point of being reborn?
And following Pryce would allow him to grow at the fastest possible rate!
Because, at this moment, Pryce is undoubtedly the world's strongest trainer. Even former Kanto Champion Professor Oak and Elite Four member Agatha, who were once Pryce's close friends, have been surpassed by him.
While the Dragon Clan could provide Ryuu Shiro with excellent resources—after all, he was seen as the clan's hope—how could those resources, which could be bought with money, compare to the guidance of a master?
Although Pryce specializes in Ice-type Pokémon, his strength is undeniable. Under his tutelage, even if Ryuu Shiro didn't focus on Ice-types, his growth would still be incredibly rapid!
"If Karen can become a Champion, there's no reason I can't!"
Ryuu Shiro glanced at a girl with aqua-blue hair not far away—the future head of the Johto Elite Four, Karen!
Karen, who specializes in Dark-types, even managed to surpass the Fighting-type Elite Four member Bruno to become the head of the Johto Elite Four, showcasing her immense strength.
And if we're talking about the Pokémon Adventures version of Bruno, whose power is enough to destroy cities, Karen still managed to outshine him. This speaks volumes about her strength.
And Karen's mentor? None other than Pryce!
If Pryce could train Karen into a Champion, why couldn't he do the same for Ryuu Shiro?
Ryuu Shiro's red eyes burned with determination. There was no mistake—following Pryce was the right path!
---
Ten years passed in the blink of an eye.
Ecruteak City, Johto—a town known for its rich historical and cultural heritage.
Aside from its historical landmarks, the city is home to the Bell Tower and the Burned Tower, where Ho-Oh and Lugia once resided.
It also boasts the Ecruteak Dance Theater, one of the most prestigious dance halls in the Kanto region.
The Ecruteak Dance Theater is owned by the five beautiful Kimono Sisters, whose fame has spread far and wide. Many visit this ancient city just to witness their performances.
In the top-floor private room of the Ecruteak Dance Theater, elegant classical music played softly.
A handsome young man in a white robe lay comfortably on a long chair, eyes closed, holding a phone. His lazy and nonchalant demeanor gave off a somewhat flippant vibe.
This was Ryuu Shiro, now grown up.
"Ah~ You've found Entei's trail? You've done well. Keep it up~"
Yawning, Ryuu Shiro lazily replied to the person on the other end of the phone.
"Shiro, we put in a lot of effort to find Entei. What's with this attitude?"
A slightly gloomy male voice came through the phone, expressing dissatisfaction with Ryuu Shiro's dismissive tone.
And what did he mean by "keep it up"? Was Ryuu Shiro planning to sit back and do nothing for the Entei mission?
"Boss Giovanni stationed you, our strongest executive, in Johto, not to freeload!"
Carr, one of the Three Beasts of Team Rocket, suppressed his anger. Arrogant and dictatorial, Carr had a hard time tolerating Ryuu Shiro's attitude.
Or rather, he had been tolerating it for far too long!
This brash and cocky kid, relying on his strength, had always looked down on everyone, treating Carr, the leader of the Three Beasts, as if he were nothing. What the hell was his problem?
Carr's chest heaved with anger. He was a true power player in Team Rocket!
Damn it, those from the Dragon Clan are all the same—that Kanto Champion was insufferably arrogant, and this Shiro is exactly the same!
"What attitude should I have, dear Carr?" Ryuu Shiro Carrled, completely unfazed by Carr's brewing rage.
"You…"
"It's just an Entei. Surely you have it under control, right? Or are The Three Beasts only capable of this much?"
Cutting off Carr's impending outburst, Ryuu Shiro taunted him.
Entei was indeed a decent target, but things needed to be put into perspective. Ryuu Shiro had recently set his sights on a far more perfect goal.
The young man opened his eyes and looked out the window, a wicked and confident smile spreading across his face.
In a distant direction lay a vast continent known as Galar.
And Ryuu Shiro's target was the legendary Pokémon that nearly destroyed Galar thousands of years ago—the source of Dynamax!
....
"Damn it!"
In an underground control room in Goldenrod City, Carr, a short-tempered man, finally couldn't hold back his anger after hanging up the phone. He cursed loudly and slammed the phone onto the ground.
Bang~
The phone shattered into pieces.
Seeing Carr's dark and furious expression, several Team Rocket members in black uniforms stood frozen, not daring to make a sound.
Carr's dictatorial and ruthless personality was well-known throughout Team Rocket, especially among those who followed him in the Johto region.
With Carr in a rage, no one dared to speak up, fearing they might provoke him further.
"What did he say?"
A hoarse female voice broke the silence. It was Sird, another member of The Three Beasts.
"Same as always. He told us to handle it ourselves."
Carr's face, eyes, and tone were all gloomy, clearly indicating that he was in an extremely bad mood.
"That damn guy! I'll definitely report him to Boss Giovanni! Damn it!"
"He's been in Johto for so long and hasn't contributed anything! We have to solve everything ourselves. What the hell is he even here for?"
"Finding the Legendary Beasts was his idea in the first place! Now that we've found a lead, what's with this attitude?"
"Damn it! Just because he's strong, he thinks he can do whatever he wants. Why the hell is he even called the strongest executive? Huh? Why!"
As if his anger had been ignited, Carr sat on his high chair, waving his arms wildly, spittle flying everywhere. His appearance was almost comical.
Sird, standing nearby, subtly moved away, trying to avoid Carr's saliva. She nodded in agreement, pretending to listen.
If you had Shiro's strength, Boss Giovanni would definitely value you more.
But deep down, Sird scoffed at Carr. He accused Shiro of being arrogant and relying on his strength, but what about Carr himself? He was no saint.
The Three Beasts had been sent to Johto by Giovanni to expand Team Rocket's influence, but Carr had declared himself the leader of The Three Beasts, bossing Sird around as if it were his right. However, due to Carr's strength and personality, Sird had no choice but to endure it.
Serves you right for being taught a lesson by Shiro.
After waiting for three minutes and seeing Carr still ranting, Sird rolled her eyes.
Originally, the Johto branch of Team Rocket had been entirely under the control of The Three Beasts—effectively, under Carr's control. But half a year ago, Ryuu Shiro, the newly promoted strongest executive of Team Rocket, was sent to Johto. This greatly displeased Carr, who had a strong desire for control.
The strongest executive?
The hot-tempered Carr immediately went to provoke Ryuu Shiro. However, Shiro turned out to be just as arrogant as Carr, and the two clashed instantly.
They engaged in a one-on-one battle.
And then…
Carr was utterly defeated.
Yes, all of Carr's main Pokémon were swept by just one of Shiro's Pokémon.
Since then, Carr had become much more "well-behaved." After all, he couldn't win…
All he could do now was vent his frustration in private…
---
Galar Region, Hammerlocke City
"Not a bad city."
Walking down the streets of Hammerlocke, Ryuu Shiro, wearing a white robe, smirked with a hint of malice as he observed his surroundings.
Hammerlocke, located in the center of the Galar region, was a city with a strong medieval architectural style and a rich historical atmosphere. For outsiders, it was a city worth visiting.
Moreover, the Gym Leader of Hammerlocke was Raihan, the second strongest trainer in Galar after Champion Leon. There were even rumors that if Raihan were in another region, he could easily become a regional champion!
Of course, Ryuu Shiro hadn't flown all the way to Galar just to sightsee.
"The target is almost within reach…"
Glancing at a map, Ryuu Shiro slowly walked in a certain direction.
Hammerlocke Stadium was the most prominent location in the city.
Galar was known for its world-famous competitive spirit, and trainers held the highest status here, thanks to the efforts of Galar's League Chairman Rose and Champion Leon.
Leon himself was passionate about Pokémon, while Rose aimed to make Galar a stronger and more prosperous region. Together, they were the perfect duo, and under their leadership, Galar had become a peaceful and thriving region.
"Galar really spares no expense when it comes to promoting competition."
Ryuu Shiro arrived at Hammerlocke Stadium, a grand and luxurious building where Gym battles were held. Of course, this was also due to Galar's unique Dynamax phenomenon, as Pokémon became too large to battle indoors like in other regions.
"This is the place."
Ryuu Shiro released a Rhyperior and ordered it to use Dig, creating a tunnel directly into the underground of Hammerlocke Stadium. Ryuu Shiro jumped into the hole and landed in a massive underground space.
This was the Energy Plant hidden beneath Hammerlocke Stadium!
And within this Energy Plant was sealed the King of the Darkest Day from thousands of years ago—Eternatus!
"I can feel it… the power of the Dragon! The Poison Dragon, Eternatus!"