"Commander, Team Rocket has discovered our plan. Should we proceed with the attack?"
Officer Jenny reported with a stern expression to Bruno, the shirtless Elite Four member standing before her.
"It was inevitable they'd find out, but I didn't expect it this soon…"
Bruno muttered before issuing his orders. "Deploy Unit C to support all Pokémon Centers. Unit A, hold your position. Unit B, move in with me!"
For this operation, the Pokémon League had mobilized three elite task forces. There was no difference in strength among them; their assignments were merely based on geographical positioning.
"Elite Four Bruno, are we just charging in like this? It could be a trap!"
"…It won't be."
Officer Jenny barely had time to react before Bruno took the lead, charging straight into the Silph Co. building. His Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan followed closely behind.
"Move out!"
The uniformed Unit C hesitated for a split second before scrambling to keep up with Bruno's sudden advance.
Fifteen minutes later, as the main force reached the rooftop of the building, Bruno squinted against the cold night wind, gazing into the pitch-black horizon.
"Elite Four Bruno…"
"Team Rocket was long gone before we got here. We've been played."
"…Understood." Though frustrated, Jenny had to admit her mistake. Bruno had been deployed primarily as a show of force, but the actual tactical operations had been under her command.
"Elite FourBruno, there's no way Team Rocket evacuated completely in such a short time. There must still be a significant number of members—"
Boom!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
A single explosion erupted—followed by multiple others across Goldenrod City. Plumes of smoke rose into the sky like small mushroom clouds, engulfing the entire city in chaos!
"What's happening?!" Jenny stopped her report, shouting in alarm.
"Report, Officer! Team Rocket planted hidden Geodude and Graveler across the main roads. They've just received the command—most of them have begun Self-Destructing!"
A male officer rushed forward, his voice steady compared to the growing panic around them.
"Those lunatics! Get medical teams in place immediately! Deploy Pokémon with the Damp ability to stop further explosions!"
"I'll handle this!" Bruno stepped forward, pulling out a Poké Ball from seemingly nowhere before tossing it into the air.
"Poliiiii!"
A Poliwrath emerged, standing at an astonishing two meters—twice the height of an ordinary Poliwrath!
"Poliwrath, Rain Dance! Stop this city from burning!"
His commanding voice echoed with authority.
The stunned officers momentarily forgot their fear, instead feeling a flicker of hope as they watched the battle-scarred Poliwrath stride to the edge of the rooftop.
Looking down at the devastation spreading through Goldenrod City, its large black eyes glowed faintly with blue energy.
Heavy rain instantly covered a radius of hundreds of meters—but it wasn't enough!
"Poli!"
Poliwrath took a deep breath before unleashing a deafening croak that echoed across all of Goldenrod City, momentarily drowning out the sound of explosions.
"Glub..."
A lone Magikarp peeked out from the murky sewers, its vacant eyes gazing at the sky as if responding to an invisible call.
Inside a small apartment, a trembling boy clutched his only companion—a clueless Psyduck. The moment it heard the call, Psyduck ignored the child's grip and walked toward the door!
Poliwag, Wooper, Tentacool, Totodile… whether they were cautious wild Pokémon hiding in the shadows or well-cared-for partners of wealthy trainers, every Water-type Pokémon in the city began moving.
Meanwhile, Sato carried Nurse Joy to a relatively safe underground operating room, using his passable first-aid skills to tend to her wounds.
Suddenly, Carvanha's Poké Ball shook lightly. Sato glanced at it but didn't pay much attention, instead focusing on treating Nurse Joy more efficiently.
Above ground, every Water-type Pokémon reacted in the same way—lifting their heads toward the sky, as if silently praying.
One drop… two drops… within half a minute, the entire city of Goldenrod was caught in a torrential downpour.
At the same time, Psyduck, Wooper, and Poliwag with the Damp ability instinctively moved through the city streets.
The chain explosions that had begun so suddenly ended just as quickly!
The assembled officers and trainers stared at the seemingly goofy Poliwrath, their disbelief evident. Rain Dance itself wasn't unusual—what was shocking was the way it had commanded an entire city's worth of Water-types to summon rain together!
Had Sato been present, he would have immediately realized—this was a Totem Pokémon! Poliwrath, much like Slowking, was naturally a ruler among its kind.
A Poliwrath with natural Totem authority… its true combat strength was yet to be determined, but its ability to command and mobilize Water-type Pokémon was akin to a walking war machine!
"Elite Four Bruno, is this Poliwrath the one that belongs to Lorelei?" Officer Jenny asked, her voice tinged with admiration and excitement.
"Hmm, I borrowed it in advance. Have we located Team Rocket's main hideout?" Bruno shifted the topic back to business.
"We have several potential locations—the Silph Factory, the Goldenrod Game Corner, and the Silph Shopping Plaza," Jenny responded, slightly uneasy.
"Sigh… then get moving and start the searches."
Bruno, though a formidable combatant, wasn't an expert in strategic command. Having participated in many such operations before, he was already somewhat disappointed in Goldenrod's police force.
While the League was occupied with rescues and sweeps, Sato continued treating Nurse Joy's injuries.
Meanwhile, Zoroark, hidden among the panicked civilians, edged closer to the Game Corner's prize exchange area, lying in wait.
If not for the explosion damaging the Game Corner as well—causing significant structural damage—the Pokémon League wouldn't merely be suspicious.
Beneath the Game Corner, every Team Rocket member stationed in Goldenrod had gathered. Within a familiar command hall, a towering, rugged man grimly watched the live feed of the citywide storm.
"Sir Kaiser, our explosive ambush has completely failed. Should we proceed with the next phase of the attack?"
Yes, the mastermind behind Team Rocket's counter-offensive was none other than one of the Four Rocket Executives—Dark Kaiser!
"Heh… heh… heh… launch the assault!"
"Yes, sir!"
With his command, the long-prepared Rocket members assembled and began mobilizing through underground tunnels, rapidly taking position across the city. War had begun!
At the Pokémon Center, Sato—having completed emergency treatment—sensed the approaching commotion above. Sending Haunter ahead to scout, he finally saw the long-awaited League reinforcements arriving.
But immediately after, Team Rocket forces emerged from the shadows, catching the League completely off guard!
North of Goldenrod, at the Moomoo Farm, an elderly farmer—who was also the Goldenrod Gym Leader—stood firm.
Nearly seventy years old, Master Howard commanded his Miltank, Tauros, Clefable, Wigglytuff, and Granbull to single-handedly hold back thirty full-fledged Rocket members. His strength was undeniable!
The Pokémon League's headquarters, the police station, and every Pokémon Center—all were besieged by Team Rocket!
In an instant, the entire city was engulfed in war!