When they arrived at the pier, some trainers were still there. Facing the wind and rain, they looked at the terrifying sea and hesitated. They weren't sure whether they could cross the sea and reach New Island.
"Trainers whose strength is lower than the Great Ball level, don't force yourselves." Officer Jenny knew it would be difficult to stop the Trainers, so she could only persuade them.
Hearing Officer Jenny's persuasion, the Trainers were even more inclined to back down, as many hadn't even reached the Poké Ball level, let alone the Great Ball level.
"Misty will take Pidgeot later, and Brock and I will take Blastoise." Standing on the edge, Ash took out two Poké Balls and distributed them.
Riding on Pidgeot was relatively safe. Although they would be hit by the hurricane and rain, at least they wouldn't experience the turbulent waves, so Ash decided to let Misty ride on Pidgeot.
"No problem." Brock nodded first, before Misty could answer. Although Misty wanted to say something, considering Togepi's situation, she accepted their kindness.
"Pidgeot, Blastoise, I choose you!" Ash threw the Poké Balls, releasing Pidgeot and Blastoise, one into the air and the other onto the water.
After Misty hugged Togepi and sat on Pidgeot's back, Ash and Brock also jumped onto Blastoise's back.
"Pidgeot, follow us. Blastoise and I will lead the way and protect Misty and Togepi." Ash commanded Pidgeot.
"Pi—!" Pidgeot nodded slightly, indicating it understood.
"Then... let's depart for New Island!" Ash took out the invitation letter, looked at the map instructions, and directed Blastoise to move forward.
After Ash and his friends left, some Trainers also departed from the pier, heading towards New Island. However, most Trainers were deterred by the hurricane and rain, remaining on the pier and watching the confident Trainers leave.
The waves were dangerous. Although the initial section was calmer, with only some undulating waves, as they got closer to New Island and reached the central part, the waves had already started to reach a height of about three meters.
"It's scary!" Holding onto Blastoise's Hydro Pump and experiencing a massive wave, Brock, drenched, took a breath and gained a deeper understanding of the sea's power.
"Don't you think this is a bit strange?" Ash asked Brock, "From the start, the sea seems to be screening Trainers," eliminating unqualified ones from reaching New Island.
Brock was stunned, recalling the situation at the pier. The hurricane and rain alone had eliminated over 90% of the Trainers, and on their journey at sea, some had already flinched and returned to the harbor.
Moreover, the closer they got to New Island, the larger the waves became, which seemed a bit too coincidental.
However, the idea that it was man-made seemed unbelievable to Brock. What kind of power could control the weather and the sea on such a large scale?
"Are you alright?" Misty, riding on Pidgeot above, wasn't as drenched as Ash and Brock. When the waves hit, Pidgeot would rise into the air to avoid them.
"We're okay!" Ash responded, assuring Misty.
Despite the increasingly violent and larger waves, Ash and his group continued to approach New Island without further incident.
"What's that?!" Misty, soaring in the sky, suddenly exclaimed and pointed forward. However, apart from her and Pidgeot, Ash and Brock below had no idea what lay ahead.
"There's a massive black cloud over the sea ahead! Right in front of us!" Misty shouted nervously, explaining to the two below.
"What!?" Upon hearing Misty's explanation, they were stunned. As a wave passed, they looked up and saw the unusual, ominous dark cloud.
Dark clouds descended from the sky, blocking their path like a veil. Ash looked at the map in his hand, then ahead, estimating the distance, and seemed to understand something.
"New Island is behind the dark clouds. We just need to go through it," Ash said to Brock and then repeated it to Misty above.
"Is it safe?" The dark cloud looked ominous, with lightning arcs occasionally flashing within it. Entering it seemed unpredictable and dangerous.
"It's definitely no problem!" Ash nodded affirmatively. The current Mewtwo didn't want to kill the Trainers who crossed the sea but merely wanted to select them. Therefore, there was absolutely no danger within the dark clouds.
Both Misty and Brock had faith in Ash, as did Pidgeot and Blastoise. Pikachu also showed no fear.
They rushed into the dark clouds, and everyone nervously observed the wandering lightning arcs. Surprisingly, as Ash and his group entered, the dark clouds seemed to automatically part, creating a passage, and the lightning arcs showed no intention of approaching them.
Suddenly, the path ahead cleared, and Ash's group emerged from the dark clouds. As they drew closer, they were shocked to discover that the area beyond the dark clouds was like a different world.
Outside the dark clouds raged a violent storm, but inside, it was calm, with the sun shining warmly.
"It's really... man-made..." Brock gazed at the scene in astonishment. Anyone witnessing the current situation would realize that the hurricane and rain outside were clearly artificially created on New Island.
"What incredible power..." Misty and Brock marveled at the thought of the terrifying hurricane and rain outside.
"It seems this person claiming to be the strongest Trainer isn't just boasting," Brock said, taking a deep breath to compose himself and accept the reality.
Ash remained silent, staring at the island ahead. It was vast, with a classical castle built near the coast. A windmill atop the castle, bathed in sunlight, bore a resemblance to Mew.
However, this beautiful place wasn't built by humans but was a fortress Mewtwo had constructed on the island using its own abilities.
It incorporated Rocket technology, including the Black Poké Ball capable of capturing even Pokémon already inside Poké Balls. Ash couldn't forget that.
"Pika-pi..." Pikachu also sensed danger emanating from the castle, and its expression turned serious. A powerful presence resided within.
"Let's go. Let's see if anyone else has arrived besides us," Ash said, patting Blastoise and instructing it to land. He had come this far and was prepared to face Mewtwo.
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