"aeam Rocket has discovered our pn. Should we proceed with the attack?"

  Officer Jened with a stern expression to Bruno, the shirtless Elite Four member standing before her.

  "It was iable they'd find out, but I didn't expect it this soon…"

  Bruno muttered before issuing his orders. "Deploy Unit C to support all Pokémoers. 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 differen strength among them; their assigs 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 Hitmon followed closely behind.

  "Move out!"

  The uniformed Unit C hesitated for a split sed before scrambling to keep up with Bruno's sudden advance.

  Fifteen mier, as the main force reached the rooftop of the building, Bruno squinted against the cold night wind, gazing into the pitch-bck horizon.

  "Elite Four Bruno…"

  "Team Rocket was long gone before we got here. We've been pyed."

  "…Uood." 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 and.

  "Elite FourBruno, there's no way Team Rocket evacuated pletely in such a short time. There must still be a signifit number of members—"

  Boom!

  Boom! Boom! Boom!

  A single explosioed—followed by multiple others across Goldenrod City. Plumes of smoke rose into the sky like small mushroom clouds, engulfing the ey in chaos!

  "What's happening?!" Jenny stopped her report, shouting in arm.

  "Report, Officer! Team Rocket pnted hidden Geodude and Graveler across the main roads. They've just received the and—most of them have begun Self-Destrug!"

  A male officer rushed forward, his voice steady pared to the growing panic around them.

  "Those lunatics! Get medical teams in pce immediately! Deploy Pokémon with the Damp ability to stop further explosions!"

  "I'll hahis!" 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 Daop this city from burning!"

  His anding voice echoed with authority.

  The stunned officers momentarily fot 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 rge bck 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 vat eyes gazing at the sky as if responding to an invisible call.

  Inside a small apartment, a trembling boy clutched his only panion—a clueless Psyduck. The moment it heard the call, Psyduck ighe 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 iy began moving.

  Meanwhile, Sato carried Nurse Joy to a retively safe underground operating room, using his passable first-aid skills to tend to her wounds.

  Suddenly, Carvanha's Poké Ball shook lightly. Sato g it but didn't pay much attention, instead fog oing Nurse Joy more effitly.

  Above ground, every Water-type Pokémoed in the same way—lifting their heads toward the sky, as if silently praying.

  One drop… two drops… within half a mihe ey 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 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 Daself wasn't unusual—what was shog was the way it had anded aire city's worth of Water-types to summon rain together!

  Had Sato bee, 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 bat strength was yet to be determined, but its ability to and and mobilize Water-type Pokémon was akin to a walking war mae!

  "Elite Four Bruno, is this Poliwrath the ohat belongs to Lorelei?" Officer Jenny asked, her voice tinged with admiration aement.

  "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 er, and the Silph Shopping Pza," Jenny responded, slightly uneasy.

  "Sigh… the moving and start the searches."

  Bruno, though a formidable batant, wasn't an expert in strategiand. 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 tireating Nurse Joy's injuries.

  Meanwhile, Zoroark, hidden among the panicked civilians, edged closer to the Game er's prize exge area, lying in wait.

  If not for the explosion damaging the Game er as well—causing signifit structural damage—the Pokémon League wouldn't merely be suspicious.

  Beh the Game er, every Team Rocket member stationed in Goldenrod had gathered. Within a familiar and hall, a t, rugged man grimly watched the live feed of the citywide storm.

  "Sir Kaiser, our explosive ambush has pletely failed. Should we proceed with the phase of the attack?"

  Yes, the mastermind behind Team Rocket's ter-offensive was her than one of the Four Rocket Executives—Dark Kaiser!

  "Heh… heh… heh… unch the assault!"

  "Yes, sir!"

  With his and, the long-prepared Rocket members assembled and began mobilizing through underground tunnels, rapidly taking position across the city. War had begun!

  At the Pokémoer, Sato—having pleted emergency treatment—sehe approag otion above. Sending Haunter ahead to scout, he finally saw the long-awaited League reinforts arriving.

  But immediately after, Team Rocket forces emerged from the shadows, catg the League pletely 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 anded 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 Pokémoer—all were besieged by Team Rocket!

  In an instant, the ey was engulfed in war!

  Romeloff