Mewtwo's disappearance caused an uproar throughout the entire Alliance.
Its importance to the Alliance was self-evident. From the moment it was brought back, Mewtwo had been under extremely tight security.
Its treatment had been progressing smoothly. Its physical condition was steadily recovering, but its consciousness had yet to awaken. Because of this, the Alliance had gradually relaxed its vigilance.
And in that brief moment of loosened guard, Mewtwo vanished.
No matter how much the Alliance lowered its alert level, there were still absolute psychic-blocking measures surrounding Mewtwo. Making such a basic mistake was unthinkable.
Yet Mewtwo's abilities far exceeded their expectations.
Even with psychic shielding in place, Mewtwo had still managed to use its own Psychic power to escape.
The world was vast. For a Champion-level Psychic Pokémon to disappear at will, finding it again would be harder.
Lorelei could only cling to a slim hope and contacted Ash.
But Ash truly had no information.
Although he was deeply concerned about Mewtwo's disappearance, once it was gone, even his Aura—powerful as it was—was useless without a point of reference.
Finding Mewtwo in a world this large was no different from searching for a needle in the ocean.
Unless Ash had been present at the exact moment of Mewtwo's escape—only then might he have been able to stop it.
As things stood now…
He might as well go to sleep.
So despite how serious the situation was, Ash did not dwell on it. He temporarily suppressed the matter, deciding that if fate brought him face-to-face with Mewtwo again, he would deal with it then.
On the third day after Mewtwo's disappearance—the seventh day since Ash returned to Pallet Town and began training—Ash received a letter.
The letter was delivered by a Dragonite.
Not only did it bring Ash's letter, it was also carrying a thick bundle of envelopes, clearly acting as a dedicated courier Pokémon.
Misty and the others couldn't help but marvel.
Using a fully evolved pseudo-legendary Pokémon as a mail carrier was nothing short of extravagant.
Ash opened the envelope.
A holographic projection immediately leapt out.
"Congratulations on qualifying for the Strongest Trainer Challenge.In three days, a Strongest Trainer Qualifier will be held on New Island.
You are invited to attend and compete for the title of Strongest Trainer."
As soon as the message ended, the hologram vanished, replaced by a detailed projection of New Island's location.
"The technology used in this letter is incredible," Brock said, narrowing his eyes.
"Not only can it project holograms, but it even has layered displays. Who could possibly possess this level of technology?"
To be frank, even the Alliance currently couldn't produce something like this.
It wasn't that the Alliance lacked technological capability, it was simply that nearly all of their research resources were devoted to Pokémon themselves. This kind of technology was not a priority.
But that didn't make it any less astonishing.
"Gardevoir…" Gardevoir stepped quietly to Ash's side.
"You're saying… you sensed a familiar Aura from this envelope?" Ash's expression changed.
For Gardevoir to recognize an Aura just from a letter, whoever sent it had to be someone she was deeply familiar with.
But aside from Ash himself… who could that be?
"Gardevoir…" She nodded, still carrying a trace of uncertainty.
"You mean the power behind this letter is Psychic, and it feels familiar to you?" Ash repeated slowly, his mind racing.
A moment later, his expression shifted.
Someone whose Psychic power felt familiar to Gardevoir.
In Ash's memory, there was only one such existence.
Mewtwo.
Aside from Mewtwo, whose spiritual essence once resided within Gardevoir, Ash couldn't think of anyone else who would trigger such a reaction.
"So this letter… was sent by Mewtwo?" Ash muttered.
She vanished, then immediately sent out invitations to determine the strongest Trainer?
What was she planning?
"Ash… could this letter really be..." Brock began, already thinking along the same lines.
"It should be," Ash said gravely. "This is Mewtwo's doing."
Misty covered her mouth in shock.
Mewtwo had come looking for them on her own?
And she wanted to determine the strongest Trainer, on New Island?
"Wait," Misty suddenly said.
"This letter says it's about determining the strongest Trainer, right? Then, could it be that someone captured Mewtwo and is using her power to send these invitations?"
That possibility made the atmosphere tense.
Mewtwo might already be under someone else's control.
That person used her power to issue a global challenge, luring Trainers from around the world.
Anyone with pride would answer such a call.
And the person holding Mewtwo would naturally enjoy crushing them one by one.
"Mewtwo… captured?" Brock frowned deeply.
"Who could possibly do something like that? Giovanni again?"
But even Brock found the idea hard to accept.
Ash had defeated Mewtwo, but that didn't mean Mewtwo was weak.
Her power was undeniable.
Even Lance, the Dragon Master, might not be able to subdue her.
And if Mewtwo chose to flee, Lance certainly couldn't stop her.
So… who exactly was this new person who had captured Mewtwo?
"Ash, are you really going?" Misty asked, her voice tinged with worry.
"The other side managed to capture Mewtwo. This is probably even more dangerous than your fight with Giovanni."
Deep down, she didn't want Ash to go at all.
This wasn't an adventure anymore. It wasn't a challenge.
It was practically a suicide mission.
Unless Ash could recreate the miracle with Lucario again… she simply couldn't imagine how he could face someone capable of capturing Mewtwo.
"Yes. I have to go."
Ash answered without the slightest hesitation.
"I can't let Mewtwo fall into the hands of someone unknown. It was hard enough to get her out of Team Rocket. I won't let her escape one den of wolves only to fall straight into another."
He wasn't interested in any so-called Strongest Trainer title.
What he cared about was Mewtwo—her whereabouts, and her safety.
From their brief interaction, Ash could tell that Mewtwo wasn't a cruel Pokémon by nature.
The destructive behavior Blaine spoke of was likely the result of Giovanni's influence, or simply prolonged exposure to Team Rocket.
That wasn't who she truly was.
Now that she had finally broken free… she had fallen into someone else's hands.
Ash couldn't accept that.
He had to bring Mewtwo back.
"Then we should inform Lorelei and Professor Oak," Brock said seriously.
"You can't go alone this time."
He didn't try to stop Ash—he knew it would be pointless.
If Ash decided to go, no one could stop him.
But at the very least, they could make sure he wasn't facing it alone.
They had already made that mistake once.
They couldn't afford to repeat it.
Moreover, Lorelei hadn't appeared during the Giovanni incident only because she had been monitoring remotely. If not for Giovanni producing that contract, she would have intervened immediately the moment things spiraled out of control.
This time was different.
Mewtwo was already exposed. There was no need for concealment or restraint.
"All right," Ash nodded after a brief pause.
"Let's inform Lorelei and Professor Oak first. We'll see what they decide."
Even with full confidence in his own strength, Ash knew this opponent was different.
Someone capable of capturing Mewtwo…
That wasn't someone you underestimated.
Better to be prepared.
Three days later- at the docks
The sky was dark and oppressive.
Lightning tore across the heavens. Rain poured down in sheets.
Gale-force winds howled, and towering waves crashed relentlessly against the shore.
To reach New Island, one had to depart from here by boat and cross a stretch of open sea.
But today's weather was nothing short of madness.
No ship could possibly set sail under these conditions.
At the docks stood not only Ash and his companions, but also Lorelei, wrapped in a gray cloak, and a vast crowd of Trainers.
The invitation to the Strongest Trainer Challenge had spread throughout Kanto. Anyone with even a shred of confidence or ambition had come.
And now, all of them were stuck.
Who could have imagined that an unprecedented storm would strike on this very day?
With conditions like this, sailing was impossible. One by one, Trainers began to give up and leave.
It was almost as if fate itself didn't want this competition to take place.
Ash stood inside the Pokémon Center, gazing out the window at the lightning splitting the sky. His eyes narrowed slightly.
Something felt… off.
This storm wasn't natural.
There was intent behind it.
To influence the weather on this scale, only a Champion-level Psychic Pokémon could pull that off.
"Could it be… Mewtwo?" Ash thought.
But that didn't add up.
If Mewtwo's captor had sent out invitations, why block everyone from reaching New Island now?
What was the point?
Just as Ash was deep in thought, a familiar voice rang out behind him.
"Hey, Ash. What do we do now? Are we still going?"
Ash turned his head.
A spiky-haired young man stood there.
"Of course," Ash replied calmly. "No matter what, I'm going."
Then he added flatly,
"I'm rescuing Mewtwo."
He glanced at Gary.
"If you're backing out, you can head home now."
Gary had also received the invitation to the Strongest Trainer Challenge.
Ash didn't hide anything from him and told him the truth about the situation, that Mewtwo was involved, and that there was an unknown Trainer lurking behind the scenes.
When Gary first heard this, he hesitated.
Facing Giovanni was one thing.
Facing someone who could capture Mewtwo was something else entirely.
But in the end, Gary still came.
After all, if a Trainer lacked the courage to face danger, how could they ever become an Elite? How could they become a Champion? How could they dream of becoming the strongest Trainer in the world?
He had struggled internally for a long time before making his decision. And now, after finally arriving at the docks, the heavens greeted him with a torrential storm.
Was this fate's way of telling him to turn back?
Yet Ash, standing in the raging wind and rain, showed not the slightest hesitation.
And as Ash's rival, Gary absolutely could not fall behind.
If Ash went, then he would go too.
"Go home? No way!" Gary scoffed.
"If you're going, how could I not follow? I can't let you take the title of Strongest Trainer all for yourself."
Then he frowned slightly and asked,
"But with this weather… how do you plan to get there?"
"I'll take you."
Lorelei's calm voice cut through the roar of the storm.
Wrapped in her gray cloak, she led them toward the shoreline. She lightly tapped the Poké Ball at her waist.
A flash of blue light erupted, and a massive, elegant Pokémon surfaced from the turbulent sea.
Lapras.
Lapras was an extremely rare Pokémon. Though not on the level of a pseudo-legendary, encountering one in the wild was still incredibly difficult.
That Lorelei owned a Lapras wasn't surprising.
What did surprise Ash was this Lapras was Champion-level.
"Let's go," Lorelei said simply.
She leapt onto Lapras's back. The torrential rain soaked her cloak completely, making it heavy and clinging, yet she moved with effortless strength.
Her physical conditioning is impressive, Ash noted silently.
He then released a Poké Ball of his newly evolved Blastoise.
"Blastoise!"
With a heavy splash, Blastoise emerged onto the surface of the sea, its massive shell cutting through the waves.
"Lorelei, you and Misty ride Lapras," Ash said decisively.
"Brock, Gary, and I will take Blastoise. That way it won't be too crowded."
"I don't mind," Lorelei replied, glancing at the violently churning waves.
"But are you sure you can handle this?"
"Don't worry," Ash said with confidence.
"For Blastoise, waves like these are nothing."
With that, Ash helped Brock and Gary onto Blastoise's back.
Amid roaring winds, torrential rain, and towering waves, Lapras and Blastoise surged forward together, setting off toward New Island.