The blade-like wings of the Aerodactyl sliced through the sky as it soared higher into the heavens. Standing tall with arms folded across his chest, Lance—Champion of Dragons—stood on the creature’s back, eyes closed in a silence as statuesque as carved stone.

“Hmm?”

Just as the Aerodactyl was about to break through the clouds, Lance’s expression flickered. He opened his eyes, glanced down toward the shrinking silhouette of Mt. Moon far below, and whispered something to the Aerodactyl. Immediately, the massive beast dove, nose-first, in a steep descent toward one of Mt. Moon’s jagged peaks.

A shrieking gust of wind accompanied their arrival, cold and biting. As Aerodactyl’s talons landed firmly upon the rugged rock surface, Lance’s eyes snapped open. His gaze flicked to the side.

“…Lorelei. Didn’t I tell you to stay on Suicune Island?”

His voice carried a mix of displeasure and restrained anger. His sharp, reddish eyes—matching the hue of his fiery hair—locked onto Lorelei with a chilling intensity that seemed to pierce straight into her chest.

Her heart skipped a beat, but as one of the Kanto Elite Four, Lorelei quickly steadied herself. With a soft smile, she replied gently, “…I was just a little curious, so I came to take a look.”

As she spoke, she turned her head, gazing deep into the mountain range—toward the place where Lance had fought Giovanni, and where he had met Logan.

“Stay out of things that don’t concern you, Lorelei! Just do your part.”

Lance snorted coldly. But perhaps realizing that his tone had been harsh, he exhaled deeply and softened his voice. “…Among everyone, only you, Lorelei, have stayed aligned with my ideals. Only you fight alongside me for our dream.”

He glanced at the Dewgong resting beside Lorelei, then said in a lower voice, “…You understand what I mean, don’t you?”

“My Dewgong, when it was still a little Seel, nearly lost its life after swimming into a river contaminated by chemical waste. It’s my first partner Pokémon. I still remember that day vividly—it was the most helpless day of my life. I still shudder when I think about it. If I hadn’t met Agatha that day… I might have given up on life altogether.”

Lorelei gently stroked her Dewgong’s fur. This Ice-type specialist, cold within, wore a facade of serene warmth on the outside.

“Bruno and Agatha… huh. They’re not on our side.”

Lance sneered. “…Bruno’s always opposed us. But he’s just one man—he can’t stir up much. He has no choice but to follow orders and accept what’s coming. As for Agatha… she has her own thoughts, her own goals. What they are, I don’t care. As long as she doesn’t get in our way and helps us achieve our dream, that’s enough.”

At the mention of Agatha, Lance showed a rare sign of unease. That old ghost-type master was as enigmatic and eerie as the very Pokémon she commanded. Lance had never dared to fully lower his guard around her.

Lorelei didn’t respond directly. Instead, she tilted her head and asked, “…Is it really okay to just hand over that Dratini like that?”

“I’ve said it before. Only those who truly understand Pokémon—who feel their emotions—are worthy of living in this world. Such people make the best Trainers. Logan is one of them. When I look at him, I see my younger self. There’s no such thing as rare or ordinary Pokémon. Dratini chose him. And he is worthy. That’s why I gave it to him.”

Lance’s words were steeped in pride—bordering on arrogance. Lorelei understood that he wasn’t praising Logan so much as praising himself. Since Logan reminded him of his younger self, that made Logan exceptional. And so, worthy of his gift.

“But, Lance… what you’re trying to do—it might cause a lot of people and Pokémon to suffer.”

Her voice was calm, almost sweet, yet it carried a venomous undercurrent.

Lance was extraordinary—this much she acknowledged. But Lorelei, an equally exceptional woman, found his self-important attitude insufferable. Still, his strength and vision were real. So she endured.

“Dreams are not achieved with words. They require action. And sacrifice is inevitable.”

Lance’s voice was resolute.

“And if that boy ends up on the opposite side from you?”

“He won’t. He’ll understand. He’ll stand with me—just like how he received the ‘Dragon’s Blessing’ from Viridian Forest. That was no accident.”

Lance’s certainty was unwavering.

“But if—if—he’s really as capable as you say, another rising dragon like yourself… and dragons, as we both know, take a long time to mature. If you shelter and nurture him like this, aren’t you risking the creation of a dangerous enemy for us—one of the Elite Four?”

“Then I’ll treat him as an enemy and take him down. I’ve never feared a challenge.”

With that, Lance closed his eyes, ending the conversation. With a gesture, he commanded Aerodactyl to take to the skies once more.

Watching as the dragon became a shrinking dot in the clouds above, Lorelei lowered her head and murmured, “…That pride of yours is admirable. Even knowing you might be raising a future threat, you don’t flinch. But Lance—if you want people to follow you forever, you’ll have to keep winning. You can never afford to lose.”

“…But you’ve forgotten something vital. Dragons are best known—for turning on their own.”

From the mountain peak to its base, a gleaming white path suddenly formed—an ice road conjured by Dewgong’s powerful cryogenic breath. Any ordinary Trainer witnessing it would’ve been stunned by the sheer mastery over ice. Lorelei sat gracefully atop Dewgong as it slid effortlessly down the frozen slope like a living sled, vanishing into the distance with a glittering trail.

———

Goldenrod City – Team Rocket’s Hidden Base

The Gym Leader of Goldenrod, Sabrina, looked up in surprise at the disheveled figure that walked in.

“…Boss Giovanni, what happened?”

“Ran into Lance by accident. It’s nothing serious.”

Of course, Giovanni had no intention of admitting how humiliating the encounter had been—getting drained, bullied by wild Pokémon, insulted by a kid, and unable to retaliate. By throwing around the name of the Dragon Master, it made it sound like he’d at least fought an even match.

Technically, they had exchanged a move.

“Lance? I thought the Elite Four never aligned with the League. Are they planning to interfere with Team Rocket’s business too?”

Sabrina’s voice was as icy as ever. Even as a Gym Leader, she knew little of the secretive Kanto Elite Four. Unlike their flamboyant counterparts in other regions, Kanto’s were shrouded in mystery.

But there was one universal truth: No one underestimated their power.

“I don’t think they’ll go full war… but we need to be cautious of that arrogant bastard.”

Giovanni brushed it off, preparing to change into a fresh outfit. But before he left the room, something clicked.

“…Sabrina, take some people from the Cerulean base and go investigate Mt. Moon. Lance’s appearance there isn’t coincidence. Something’s going on in that mountain.”

Giovanni didn’t believe for a second that Lance showed up just because of Logan. There had to be more to it.

“I’ll prepare right away, Boss Giovanni!”

——————–

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep