"A Champion-level Pokémon?!"
"You've got to be kidding me!"
"Since when are grave robbers this strong?!"
Although Red was utterly shocked that a Champion-level trainer would stoop to grave robbing—
He didn't dare show even the slightest carelessness against an opponent of this caliber.
Without hesitation, he revealed his final trump card.
"Mewtwo, save me!"
Red immediately activated the coordinates inside Mewtwo's Poké Ball.
The instant the signal activated, a psychic barrier enveloped Red, his Pokémon, and everyone around him.
And almost at the same moment—
A Garchomp over three meters tall appeared directly before Red.
Its streamlined shark-like body, finned limbs, draconic bone spikes, and jet-like wings radiated the overwhelming pressure of a supreme predator.
A body tempered through countless battles.
Surging fighting spirit.
An aura polished to absolute perfection.
Every detail screamed one thing:
This was a true Champion-level powerhouse.
"A Champion-level Garchomp?!"
"The standards for becoming a grave robber are this ridiculous now?!"
Red couldn't help twitching at the corner of his mouth.
Garchomp stared not at Red himself—
But at the psychic barrier standing before him.
It could sense an invisible pressure emanating from it.
Thus, Garchomp halted its attack and silently observed Red from a distance, waiting for Cynthia to arrive.
Meanwhile—
Far away, Mewtwo suddenly sensed that its psychic marker had been activated once again.
Looking at the triggered signal, Mewtwo didn't hesitate for even a moment.
It immediately teleported back.
Separated by the psychic barrier, Red looked at the Garchomp before him and decided to try talking first.
"Garchomp."
"With your strength, you could do anything."
"So why follow your trainer around robbing tombs?"
"How about following me instead?"
"Maybe I could even help you evolve further and surpass your current self."
Originally, Garchomp had no intention of responding.
But the moment it heard Red call its trainer a grave robber—and even attempt to poach it—
Its fury exploded instantly.
"GRAH!"
(You're the thief!)
Hearing Garchomp's response, Red froze.
"Wait… what do you mean I'm the thief?"
Red suddenly felt confused.
Looking at the Garchomp before him, a bold thought surfaced in his mind.
Champion-level Pokémon are already incredibly rare.
And Champion-level Garchomp are even rarer.
Plus this is an ancient ruin…
Red suddenly thought of a certain Sinnoh Champion who loved eating ice cream.
At that moment, footsteps echoed from deeper within the ruins.
Meanwhile, within the narrow passageways—
Cynthia and Lucario hurried toward the commotion.
Because the tunnels were too cramped for Togekiss to carry her through the air, Cynthia had no choice but to run.
As she rushed forward, Cynthia muttered in surprise:
"It's already been almost three minutes."
"Why hasn't Garchomp subdued the grave robber yet?"
"Is the opponent unusually strong?"
"Or did something unexpected happen?"
While Cynthia hurried over—
Red stared at Garchomp and asked the most important question.
"Garchomp…"
"Is your trainer Cynthia?"
Garchomp looked at Red in surprise.
This grave robber not only possessed a strange protective barrier—
He even knew its trainer?
(This guy must be a super grave robber!)
Garchomp concluded silently.
Seeing Garchomp remain silent, Red was about to continue speaking—
When suddenly—
The entire ruin began violently trembling.
BOOM—!!
Accompanied by an overwhelming aura that made everyone shudder—
Mewtwo finally arrived.
Floating directly before Red, Mewtwo crossed its arms and glanced back arrogantly.
There was even a trace of teasing in its voice.
"We may be companions…"
"But you really should improve your own strength."
Hearing the mockery, Red sighed helplessly.
"I can't help it."
"I'm still young."
"At my age, having this level of strength already places me among the very best."
When Mewtwo heard Red claim he was already strong for his age, it curled its lips and replied honestly—with deliberate malice:
"I, Mewtwo…"
"…am not even three years old yet."
Red's expression instantly stiffened.
He silently turned his head away.
Only now did he remember—
Discussing age in front of Mewtwo was basically asking for humiliation.
Seeing Red actually lose face for once, Mewtwo's lips curved upward slightly.
At that exact moment—
Garchomp seized the opening while Mewtwo was chatting.
Its body moved almost like teleportation itself, instantly appearing before Mewtwo.
The massive scythe-like arm blade slashed toward Mewtwo's neck.
Garchomp stared nervously at the monster before it.
That terrifying psychic power…
Even when facing legendary Pokémon in the past, Garchomp had never felt such suffocating pressure.
It instinctively realized—
If it didn't attack now, it might never get another chance.
Yet facing the incoming Garchomp, Mewtwo showed zero panic.
In fact, Garchomp's actions had been completely within its expectations.
After all—
How could Mewtwo possibly relax around such a gigantic Champion-level Pokémon?
The next second—
Garchomp suddenly found itself unable to move.
Then, like a rag doll, it was hurled flying backward.
CRASH!
It smashed through multiple stone walls.
But almost immediately afterward—
Garchomp burst back out even faster than before.
Its eyes had turned blood-red.
Its aura surged explosively.
The terrifying dragon energy pouring from its body made Red, Shinji, and everyone else feel suffocated.
"Oh?"
"A fairly strong insect."
Even in the face of Outrage-enhanced Garchomp, Mewtwo remained utterly disdainful.
But then—
A cold, elegant female voice echoed through the ruins.
"Glaceon, Hypnosis."
"Spiritomb, Perish Song."
"Lucario, Dark Pulse…"
Several Champion-level Pokémon instantly surrounded Mewtwo.
Their teamwork was flawless.
Support Pokémon supported.
Control Pokémon restrained.
And at the exact moment Mewtwo was momentarily pinned down—
Garchomp rubbed its scythe-like arms together and used Swords Dance.
Its aura exploded once more.
Combined with Lucario and the others, even Mewtwo finally felt a trace of pressure.
"A swarm of insects…"
Just as the battle was about to erupt—
Red, recognizing the familiar team composition and that icy voice, finally realized the identity of the "thief."
"Mewtwo. Hold it for now."
As the dust gradually settled—
A tall figure appeared in the distance.
Cynthia stood there quietly.
She possessed a tall, graceful figure, with long golden hair flowing like waves down to her knees.
A single bang partially covered her left eye, making her deep gray eyes appear even more mysterious and cold.
The newly crowned Sinnoh Champion—
Cynthia.
Red finally let out a sigh of relief.
"So it really was you, Miss Cabbage."
"Miss… Cabbage?"
"What kind of nickname is that?"
"And you know me?"
Cynthia frowned in confusion.
At that moment, Red introduced himself as well.
"This is all a misunderstanding."
"I'm not a thief."
"I'm Red, the Gym Leader of Mossdeep City."
"I just happened to be investigating these ruins."
The moment Cynthia heard the name "Red," panic flashed across her eyes for the first time.
Her gaze rapidly swept over him from head to toe.
But strangely—
There was also a hint of guilt and nervousness in her expression.
Seeing Cynthia suddenly acting strangely embarrassed, Red became utterly confused.
Does Cynthia know me?
Has my reputation already spread all the way to Sinnoh?
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