"I don't know why, but everyone is like this—filled with resentment, anger, and humiliation… What a pitiful sight."
"But then again, small fry can only have such limited capacity."
Ryuu Shiro raised an eyebrow, the corner of his lips still curled in that faint smile as he turned to look at Oleana, who was lying on the ground.
What had become of Oleana's once-beautiful eyes?
Just as Ryuu Shiro had said, they were now filled with resentment and shame. This kind of look was something Ryuu Shiro had seen far too often over the years.
"You!" Oleana's expression darkened further. Pitiful? Small fry?
She was the vice president of Rose's company, the secretary of the Galar League Chairman!
In the entire Galar region, she held immense authority and was seen as a goddess and a perfect role model by countless people.
And now, this scum from Team Rocket dared to call her pitiful?
"The incompetent always bark so desperately. Weakness is weakness, strength is strength. If you lose, just lie down and wait for the victor to trample over you."
"Why is it so hard to accept such a simple truth?"
Ryuu Shiro shrugged. He knew his attitude often invited hatred and alienation, even from his colleagues. Karen, Will, and even the former Green and Silver were the same.
They all disliked Ryuu Shiro, and their aversion was blatant.
It wasn't that they disliked him as a colleague—as a partner, no one was more reliable than Ryuu Shiro.
But they despised his personality!
Having grown up together, they all knew Ryuu Shiro was far too arrogant. It was a pride etched into his very bones.
Coupled with his absolute talent, Ryuu Shiro had every reason to be proud.
They couldn't beat him, couldn't out-argue him, and he constantly called them trash and small fry. What else could they do but avoid him?
But Ryuu Shiro had never thought of changing. This was just who he was. He wasn't incapable of getting along with others, but he refused to lower himself to the level of the incompetent.
Especially when these mediocre individuals, after every failure, would always look at him with that same resentful, angry expression and spout empty threats.
Ryuu Shiro was getting tired of it.
"You bastard!"
Oleana clenched her teeth, wishing she could take off her high heels and hurl them at Ryuu Shiro's face.
Should the defeated simply endure the victor's trampling and contempt?
She had completely understood now. This Team Rocket executive was definitely not a good person, and he would never become one!
"Just lie down. Though your injuries aren't severe, if you keep moving around, you might not come out unscathed."
"A smart person wouldn't repeatedly test my patience."
Ryuu Shiro spoke casually. After all, Oleana was just a human, and her busy work schedule meant her physical condition wasn't the best.
The shockwave from Tyranitar's Hyper Beam had sent her crashing to the ground, leaving her with wounds on her arms and legs. It would be difficult for her to stand up anytime soon.
As long as Oleana wasn't foolish, Ryuu Shiro wouldn't continue to attack her. Unless necessary, he rarely resorted to lethal measures.
Oleana's face alternated between pale and flushed, but reason still held her emotions in check, and she didn't try to push herself further.
"Now then…"
Ryuu Shiro turned his gaze to Eternatus, which had completely broken free from its prison, carefully examining the legendary source of Dynamax.
An unparalleled sense of pressure!
Yes, just looking at Eternatus naturally evoked an intense psychological pressure.
In its Eternamax form, Eternatus was the largest Pokémon, towering at a staggering 100 meters. Even in its normal form, it stood over 20 meters tall.
Its body resembled a massive skeletal dragon, emitting a faint, dangerous red glow. Its bones were a deep purple, and its eyes were three eerie white dots.
"It's an honor to meet you for the first time, Eternatus. So then…"
Ryuu Shiro's lips curled into a satisfied smile as he looked at Eternatus, which seemed to be sizing him up as well. He extended his hand.
An invisible, mysterious force began to emanate, spreading toward Eternatus.
The Dragon's Power!
This was a special ability inherited from the Dragon Tamer Clan. Just as there were unique individuals among Pokémon, the same was true for humans!
Psychic powers, Aura, Viridian Power, and the Power of Creation—these were all extraordinary abilities.
Most of these abilities didn't have direct combat applications but were incredibly useful as support skills. For example, Viridian Power allowed humans to communicate simply with Pokémon, increasing affinity and healing abilities.
The Dragon's Power was similar, enhancing Ryuu Shiro's affinity with Dragon-type Pokémon and allowing him to communicate with them on a basic level.
"It does have intelligence. That makes things easier."
After using the Dragon's Power to convey his goodwill to Eternatus and finding that Eternatus didn't respond with negative emotions, Ryuu Shiro's smile deepened.
As long as it had intelligence, they could communicate on a basic level. This was undoubtedly a good start!
"Eternatus isn't out of control?"
Seeing that Eternatus had completely broken free from its prison but hadn't taken any action, Oleana furrowed her brows. Especially since Ryuu Shiro was standing right in front of Eternatus, yet Eternatus showed no reaction.
This only deepened her unease.
....
In the office of the Viridian City Gym in the Kanto region.
"Shiro has left Johto? I see."
"Continue with the Three Legendary Beasts Project. You'll remain in charge. Don't disappoint me, Carr."
"I'm aware of Shiro's situation. Unless there's a major incident, there's no need to bother him. Do you understand what I mean?"
Sitting on a luxurious leather chair, a middle-aged man in a designer suit spoke calmly to the monitor in front of him. His magnetic voice was steady and soothing to the ears.
After receiving confirmation, the man ended the call, his deep eyes flickering with thought.
He was the current Gym Leader of Viridian City, the man known as "Giovanni"!
To the public, Giovanni was a mature and composed Gym Leader, highly respected for his expertise in Ground-type Pokémon. He never kept his knowledge to himself, instead writing books on his years of experience with Ground-types, which were widely circulated.
This masterful demeanor earned Giovanni widespread recognition, and the entire Kanto region admired his character.
At the same time, Giovanni was also a highly successful businessman, further elevating his social status.
But what no one could have imagined was that this man, who seemed to have reached the pinnacle of success, was actually the source of Kanto's darkness!
The true boss of the evil organization, Team Rocket!
"Boss, is this really okay?"
Giovanni seemed deep in thought, and the woman standing quietly beside him, Matori, hesitated for a moment before speaking up.
Carr had contacted Giovanni to express his dissatisfaction with Shiro. It was clear that Carr's resentment toward Shiro was intense.
Was this really alright?
"What are you referring to, Matori?"
Giovanni's lips curled slightly as he tapped the desk rhythmically with his index finger.
"Shiro, he…" Matori furrowed her brows. As Giovanni's secretary and confidant, she had, of course, met Shiro before.
Though Shiro's strength was undeniable, his personality…
"Conflict is the best catalyst for evolution. Carr is a smart man. Though he's arrogant, he knows how to keep things in check."
"As for Shiro… Shiro is an exceptionally talented young man. Even now, he hasn't reached his limit."
"Yes, an unprecedented level of talent."
Giovanni spoke slowly, a faint smile on his lips, his deep eyes gleaming with an unusual light. He wasn't unfamiliar with so-called geniuses.
Strictly speaking, Giovanni himself was a true genius!
"Matori, people are never equal. Some are born extraordinary, and that's a gap that can't be bridged by hard work. These are what we call monsters, and only a monster can deal with a monster!"
Born in Viridian Forest, Giovanni had received the forest's blessing from a young age. Starting from humble beginnings, he had climbed to where he was today. His true strength was no weaker than that of Lance, the current strongest Champion of Kanto!
And just last year, he had encountered two so-called "geniuses" who had left him in awe.
Geniuses?
Giovanni preferred to call them monsters!
And to deal with monsters, you needed monsters of the same caliber!
Hearing this, Matori thought of the two monstrous youths from last year. After a moment of hesitation, she voiced her concerns.
"But Boss, with all due respect, Ryuu Shiro is not the type to be content with being subordinate to anyone, even if you've given him the title of Strongest Executive."
"And he's far too self-centered. Even if you've helped him, he won't wholeheartedly assist you forever."
Matori spoke with worry. Giovanni's admiration for Shiro's strength was inevitable.
Team Rocket was powerful. With its three executives, four generals, the Three Beasts, and several high-ranking executives, all averaging Elite Four level, Team Rocket's strength rivaled that of any regional league!
But Team Rocket lacked a true Champion-level Trainer to carry the weight!
Giovanni was the only top-tier Champion in Team Rocket, and Shiro's appearance had been a tremendous boon for him.
"Geniuses are proud, especially one with the surname 'Ryuu.'"
Giovanni chuckled, his expression still calm and composed.
"It's been too long. Staying in the shadows isn't what I want, Matori. No matter what Shiro's future holds, his goals align with ours."
Giovanni slowly stood up, raising the glass of red wine in his hand and taking a sip. The crimson liquid swirled in the glass, reflecting the ambition in Giovanni's eyes!
Yes, Giovanni was well aware that Shiro's presence was a source of instability for him and Team Rocket.
But compared to the benefits, these threats weren't urgent at the moment. For now, he needed Shiro as an ally.
Shiro was proud, believed in the absolute law of the jungle, and was an ambitious individual.
That was enough, because someone like him would never side with the Pokémon League!
"I wonder what Shiro will gain from his trip to Galar?"
…
Meanwhile, deep beneath Hammerlocke in Galar.
A terrifying dragon's roar echoed as Eternatus's massive body rose into the air. Freed from its restraints, it was ready to leave!
Crimson energy particles gathered in front of Eternatus, forming a chilling red light that shot out with a deafening roar.
Dynamax Cannon!
The powerful Dynamax Cannon blasted through the thick walls, sunlight streaming in through the newly created hole.
Without hesitation, Eternatus flew out through the opening.
Ryuu Shiro didn't stop it, simply watching with a smile as Eternatus disappeared through the hole.
"This is really bad."
But seeing this, Oleana's face turned pale. The Energy Plant was directly beneath Hammerlocke!
The situation had escalated too quickly, and Hammerlocke was completely unprepared. Eternatus's sudden appearance would undoubtedly cause panic among the city's residents.
The massive poison dragon emerged from underground, its body surrounded by a faint, dangerous red glow as it hovered in the air, its enormous form radiating terrifying draconic energy.
"Roar~"
Eternatus raised its head high, a deep, resonant cry echoing across the sky and reverberating through most of Hammerlocke!
The legendary "Darkest Day" of Galar had finally returned after three thousand years!