Meanwhile—
While Aiden enjoyed his peaceful day off, far away in the Kanto region, Blue—traveling through starlit nights and moonlit dawns—finally arrived at the last stop of his journey.
Viridian City.
"It's this late already… I should find a place to stay for the night. And I mustn't forget to register my Gym challenge on the League platform in advance."
Exhausted, Blue pedaled his Bike with visible effort, muttering under his breath.
"Just one more Gym Badge to go. Sure, I could probably win more easily at other Gyms—but—"
"At this point, I might as well treat it as my final trial before taking on the Victory Road."
"Besides, Viridian Gym—which had been closed for so long—has finally reopened. Perfect chance to test myself."
At that thought, memories of his recent suffering at Cinnabar Gym flashed through Blue's mind, making him shiver involuntarily.
Even though he'd passed the trial, he still couldn't help but complain aloud:
"Whose idea was it to send out a Legendary Pokémon to test rookies?!"
He'd meticulously prepared a sun-based team, personally coached by Aiden, and had felt confident about winning a sunny-day showdown against Blaine.
But he never expected his opponent to be the legendary Entei!
Not only did Fire-type attacks fail to damage it—they seemed to heal it! And the flames it breathed were far beyond what any ordinary Pokémon could withstand.
Even in free-for-all battles, Blue wouldn't dare casually intercept Entei's attacks.
What started as a 7v1 battle quickly turned into a one-sided slaughter—his team utterly routed.
Still, Entei didn't seem malicious. It was clearly just testing his capabilities—and after each match, it would use Sacred Fire to heal everyone's injuries.
This went on for nearly a month. Blue and his Pokémon undeniably grew stronger—eventually able to exchange a few solid blows with Entei.
But just as he was preparing for revenge—ready to strike back and reclaim his dignity—Entei suddenly seemed to receive some mysterious signal… and swiftly flew out of Cinnabar Town, vanishing without a trace.
Though he'd earned the Volcano Badge, it left a bitter taste in his mouth—
And what did Blaine mean with those parting words?
"Beware of Giovanni…"
Lying on the inn bed, Blue clicked his tongue in frustration.
Was he implying that Viridian Gym would be even harder—and thus required extra caution?
If that was all, it wasn't particularly frightening.
Thinking back, every single Gym battle on his journey had been brutally difficult.
When he first left Pallet Town—confidently promising his grandfather he'd become Champion—he never imagined Gym battles would be this grueling.
Brock's Weak Armor Onix that went berserk; Misty's Sap Sipper Azumarill that ate his Water-types for breakfast; Lt. Surge's paralyzing trap-filled battlefield; Erika's spore-induced sleep tactics; Koga's army of Mini-Muk; Sabrina's psychic tactics—
None of them played fair.
And none resembled the hot-blooded, passionate duels he'd imagined.
After battle after battle, Blue's youthful arrogance had been thoroughly worn down. He could no longer proudly declare, "I'm the man who will become Champion!" without feeling deeply embarrassed.
Now, tears welling with despair, Blue pulled a notebook from his bag and traced its pages with trembling fingers.
It was the training journal Aiden had given him on the plane—a guide that had saved him from countless pitfalls.
"Teacher Azure… walking this path has felt like treading on thin ice for my entire life (six months). Do you think I can still make it to the other side?"
Wait—hold on!
Actually… wasn't most of his suffering directly tied to Teacher Azure?!
If not for Aiden inventing these absurd strategies, why would he keep getting utterly humiliated at every Gym?!
As this realization dawned, Blue's expression darkened—then he quickly shook his head, banishing the thought.
No—that mindset was too small-minded!
Easily earning Badges wasn't something to celebrate. Only by defeating stronger opponents could he grow—and ultimately claim the throne atop Indigo Plateau.
If he couldn't even beat mediocre Gym Leaders, how could he possibly dominate Kanto… let alone face all four Elite Four members alone?
Exactly! Every hardship he endured was forging him into someone strong enough to defeat Kanto's Elite Four—four masters whose skills rivaled even the Champion's!
After this internal pep talk, Blue's mood visibly improved.
"Anyway—I'm just one Badge away. No matter how tough, I have to cross this finish line."
The Viridian Gym Leader—a man named Giovanni—
From what Blue recalled, he was an immensely popular and powerful Trainer. Under his rule, even Team Rocket—once lawless—dared not set foot in Viridian City.
Renowned for his mastery of Ground-type Pokémon, he was famously called "Giovanni of the Earth."
"As long as he stands upon the earth, that man cannot be defeated."
Such was the saying that echoed through Viridian City.
According to media rumors, Giovanni had recently sustained serious injuries while acting as bait to completely dismantle Team Rocket—hence the Gym's prolonged closure during his recovery.
It was said that when he returned, Lance—the strongest of Kanto's Elite Four—personally escorted him home, lending credibility to the rumors.
Ironically, Blue and Red had been near the scene that very day—yet noticed nothing unusual.
Come to think of it… wasn't Teacher Azure there too? Red had met him while picking up that strange Eevee—likely summoned by Lance for backup.
To fight alongside both Teacher Azure and the legendary Lance… what a truly admirable man—
…And slightly enviable, too.
Blue's respect for Giovanni deepened. Silently, he prayed:
All the Gym Leaders close to Teacher Azure have "gone rogue" with their insane strategies… Please, Mr. Giovanni—be normal! Don't make me suffer any more than I already have!
He'd had quite enough of nightmare-tier tactics!
---
May 4th, Monday
After a full day of rest, Blue finally recovered from his exhaustion—and entered Viridian Gym in peak condition.
Having done extensive research beforehand, he felt relatively confident.
But the moment his guide led him to the battlefield—and he laid eyes on the man called Giovanni—Blue instantly realized:
This guy… isn't ordinary.
Just standing there, with only his back visible, radiated an unnerving aura of tension.
At first glance, he didn't look like a hero at all—more like a yakuza boss from a crime drama—
But judging by appearances was wrong. How could a Gym Leader possibly be a villain?
As Blue inwardly grumbled, Giovanni—who had been lost in thought—noticed the entering challenger.
"I know you, young challenger."
After studying him for two or three seconds, Giovanni suddenly smiled, addressing him with the warmth of a senior to a junior.
"You're Blue, right? Aiden mentioned you."
Blue—the grandson of Professor Oak. One of the strongest rookies this generation. And apparently, he shares a deep connection with Aiden.
Though he looked inexperienced—lacking the aura of a true powerhouse—if Aiden himself endorsed him…
He couldn't be bad.
"Yes!"
Blue nodded firmly.
So Giovanni knew Teacher Azure—and they were likely close.
Which meant—
Wait… does he also use Teacher Azure's nightmare strategies?!
Blue's face twisted strangely, his lips twitching uncontrollably.
"No need to be nervous. I'm actually a very reasonable Gym Leader."
Noticing Blue's distress, Giovanni's smile widened as he deliberately radiated goodwill.
"Since you're here to challenge me, let's cut straight to the point."
"The rules of Viridian Gym are simple: beat me, and you earn the badge. No extra conditions."
But inwardly, Giovanni was preoccupied with something far more important—
Something worth more to him than his own life.
After being persuaded by Aiden in that Johto prison, he'd resolved to atone for his past sins with his own hands—so Silver wouldn't be dragged down with him.
And Aiden had already told him Silver's whereabouts.
Before returning to Kanto, he'd secretly visited Goldenrod City—watching Silver from afar.
Even without the subtle bond of blood, just seeing those defiant eyes—identical to his own youth—confirmed beyond doubt: This is my son.
But—
Now wasn't the time to meet.
As Aiden said, his past crimes could never be whitewashed—and he never intended to. From the moment he began researching Mewtwo, he'd foreseen his worst possible end.
Yet Aiden offered him a better path: let Aiden raise Silver. When Silver grew strong enough, he'd stand as justice itself—and deliver the judgment Giovanni deserved.
For a father, being defeated by his own child was a joyous fate.
Moreover, this gave him at least one year to purge Team Rocket's remnants—and leave Silver a clean, reformed organization.
A great storm was coming—one that would wash away all the filth of the old era.
And when the skies cleared—
A new "Rainbow" would rise to support Silver… Giovanni's final gift to his son.
If all went well, that day was little over a year away.
Thus, Viridian Gym had become a burden. He needed a worthy successor—so he could focus entirely on Team Rocket's final reckoning.
But even so, Giovanni would never entrust this Gym to some mediocre Trainer.
Since he took over, Viridian Gym has been Kanto's strongest Gym. If possible, he wanted his successor to uphold that legacy.
So even this genius youth—so highly praised and personally recommended by Aiden—would be tested by his own hand.
"I understand."
Meeting Giovanni's gaze, Blue nodded decisively.
"I humbly request your guidance, Leader Giovanni."
The moment the words left his mouth, Giovanni's scrutiny intensified.
Good temperament. Not panicked, even facing a stronger opponent.
But that alone wasn't enough.
Honestly—Aiden dared compare this greenhorn, fresh on his journey, to himself? Even claimed Blue would surpass him soon—
How insulting.
Of course, Giovanni's pride wasn't that fragile. He certainly wasn't escalating this challenge just because of that.
Nodding, he pulled out his first Poké Ball.
"Before we begin—let me say two more things."
A sharp smirk curled Giovanni's lips. His eyes hardened—transforming him into something far more menacing.
"My name is Giovanni. They call me Giovanni of the Earth."
"Many rookies assume this title means I specialize only in Ground-types—and classify Viridian as a mono-type Gym."
"If you believe the same… adjust your strategy now, while you still can."
"Because the true meaning is this—as long as I stand upon the earth, no one can defeat me."
With that, Giovanni tossed his Poké Ball.
A flash of red light—and before Blue stood a Kangaskhan nearly three meters tall, radiating raw power.
For a split second, Blue seriously considered surrendering and fleeing.
Because—
Was that… a Mega Stone around its neck?!
As a Kanto native, Blue knew almost nothing about Mega Kangaskhan.
But since Mega Evolution became widespread in games, trainers outside Hoenn and Kalos had begun exploring its secrets.
Coincidentally, one of his grandfather's ace Pokémon was a prime-aged Kangaskhan.
And recently, Professor Oak had successfully triggered its Mega Evolution.
Still—that wasn't the main source of Blue's dread.
The real horror was—
Last night, in Teacher Azure's livestream… wasn't his main battler a Mega Kangaskhan?! And it dominated with absolutely terrifying power!
In actual combat, Mega Kangaskhan's "Parent-Child Jumping" ability was far stronger than the game's "Parental Bond" trait—it practically rewrote the fundamental logic of 1v1 battles.
Even in free-for-alls, having two active fighters instead of one changed everything.
Less than ten hours after watching that stream… Blue realized, once again—
Teacher Azure had totally set him up!
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