Giovanni really was sensitive to the word "dragon."
There weren't many people he truly disliked — even back when he led Team Rocket.
Calm, composed, and calculating by nature, Giovanni believed that most conflicts between people came down to differing goals and ambitions.
To put it bluntly, was it really wrong for him to be ambitious? He only ever wanted to conquer the world.
In his eyes, there was nothing unreasonable about that. History was written by the victors — and since he'd lost, the League could paint him however it wanted: a villain, a tyrant, the embodiment of evil.
That was the price a loser paid.
He had always viewed the Pokémon League as an opponent, never an object of hatred. True, he looked down on some of the League's greedy higher-ups — parasites drunk on power — but even those schemers were occasionally useful to him.
In a way, Giovanni actually respected people like Goodshow — the rare ones who truly dedicated themselves to improving life for both people and Pokémon.
There was, however, one major exception.
Lance.
To Giovanni, Lance had been like a rabid dog — one that attacked Team Rocket on sight, completely unhinged.
"Filthy rats from the gutter!" "Vermin too scared to see the sunlight!" That was the kind of rhetoric Lance hurled at him, and his strikes were every bit as ruthless.
Even Giovanni's patience and composure couldn't stand that level of fanaticism.
So yes, there were few he hated — but Lance was definitely one of them.
And because of that, anything associated with "dragons" made him just a little bit touchy.
"Of course it is! I'm a Dragon-type Champion!" Iris declared proudly, lifting her chin with confidence.
She was, after all, the girl said to "understand the hearts of dragons."
"I see. In our Kanto— no, in Johto now — we also have a Dragon-type Champion. I wonder how you compare to him?" Giovanni said lightly, his voice smooth and magnetic.
"I know who you mean! But someday, I'll be just as strong as Champion Lance!" Iris replied, her energy and determination shining bright.
Down in Johto's Silver Town League offices, Lance nodded approvingly as he watched the broadcast.
Such passion — that's what being a Dragon Trainer was all about.
"Good spirit," Giovanni said, smiling faintly. "Then allow me, as your senior, to test the limits of that strength."
He held up a Poké Ball, lips curling upward.
Strictly speaking, as a member of the Elite Four, it wasn't really proper for him to talk that way to a regional Champion.
But this was a match — and in competition, a little pre-battle banter was perfectly normal. Especially for a spectacle like this.
Besides, most of Kanto didn't see a problem. To them, Giovanni was stronger than Iris.
"Hah? You're kinda full of yourself, old man."
Iris clicked her tongue, though she wasn't angry — just grinning, her small fangs showing.
"Saying stuff like that, you really think you can beat me? You're way too confident!"
"I've trained day and night ever since that loss. I've evolved! I'm not the same person anymore!"
Of course, she was referring to the time she traveled to Galar to challenge Leon — and got completely obliterated.
"Look at the way you traumatized that poor girl," Dylan teased, glancing over at Leon two seats away.
"I might've gone a little overboard," Leon admitted, scratching his nose sheepishly. "But that was my proving match — I had to represent Galar properly."
"At least I didn't sweep her completely," he added lamely.
"Oh please," Wallace said, leaning forward with an incredulous look. "You're calling him harsh? Dylan, have you looked in a mirror?"
"Don't worry," Dylan said pleasantly. "I'm hoping to face you in the next round, Wallace. I'll make sure to give you my full attention."
"Dylan! We're friends!" Wallace cried.
"Exactly why I'll bring my strongest team," Dylan replied, giving him a thumbs-up and a dazzlingly gentle smile.
"Steven! Dylan's threatening me!! Say something, Steven!" Wallace pleaded, shaking his best friend's arm desperately.
"…Sorry. You're on your own. Good luck."
Steven's mouth twitched, utterly unbothered.
"STEVEN!!!"
Pfft—
Leaf, Lillie, and Ilene couldn't hold back their laughter. Even Cynthia, Leon, and a few others cracked up.
Wallace really was a walking comedy act.
On the field—
"I'm Giovanni, the Ground-type Elite Four of Kanto," he said smoothly, one hand still in his pocket. "It's a pleasure, Champion Iris."
He tossed a Poké Ball casually.
A massive, feral beast slammed down onto the battlefield — a Paradox Pokémon with brutal power and prehistoric fury.
Great Tusk.
Truthfully, Giovanni had grown quite fond of it — because it was just that strong.
"Then I'll start with this! Haxorus!"
Iris grinned fiercely, the crown on her head gleaming.
Her crimson-scaled dragon landed in front of her — not the mightiest of the species, but still formidable in close combat.
Unfortunately, it was up against Great Tusk.
Giovanni Terastallized it into the Ground type, then set up Sunny Day.
Iris seized the opening — "Dragon Claw!" — and Haxorus struck, but the blow barely scratched Great Tusk's ironhide.
Under the blazing sunlight, its Protosynthesis activated — massively boosting its Attack.
And then… it was over.
One Headlong Rush, and Haxorus was annihilated.
The dragon hit the ground and didn't get back up.
Iris froze.
The entire stadium gasped.
"Wha—!?"
"It fainted in one hit? What is that thing!?"
"I knew it! Giovanni's aura screams powerhouse!"
"Poor Iris… beaten in Galar, now beaten at home too… who did she tick off!?"
"Come on, even Leon didn't hit that hard!"
The crowd went wild, and the online chat exploded.
"But Haxorus has decent Defense! Headlong Rush doesn't even hit for super-effective damage—how?!" Rosa gaped.
"Protosynthesis boosted its Attack, and Terastallized STAB amplified the damage," Hilda murmured.
"Still! That's ridiculous!"
"That Great Tusk might be even stronger than Leon's Rillaboom," N said, shaking his head.
"Iris really hit another wall."
Indeed — another brick wall. And one no weaker than Leon.
"That's my father!!"
Silver, who Giovanni had brought along, clenched his fists in excitement. His dad was unstoppable!
"Wh-what…"
Iris stared blankly at her fallen Haxorus, her mind going completely blank.
Was this even real?
When she finally came to, she took a deep breath, eyes wide with disbelief at the gleaming Terastallized Great Tusk — and then at Giovanni himself.
Seriously, old man — did you have to go that hard right out of the gate? I'm dying here!
Her opening ace being one-shotted was… not part of the plan.
Giovanni met her gaze, calm as ever, one hand still tucked in his pocket. With his free hand, he gestured politely — next Pokémon, please.
Lapras came out next. It fired an Ice Beam — but Great Tusk blitzed through with Wild Charge, then followed with Earthquake, dropping it instantly.
Third: Archeops.
Giovanni demonstrated the art of "winning with one hand in your pocket" perfectly.
"Feels like Giovanni's going a bit too hard today," Lillie said, tilting her head as Great Tusk crushed Iris's Mega Aggron next.
That was five down.
It wasn't like Giovanni to completely overwhelm an opponent like this — especially not a Champion on home turf.
Even Leaf nodded. "Yeah… that's not his usual style."
As the Kanto representative, he normally knew when to show restraint. Beating Unova's Champion this brutally seemed excessive.
"Relax," Dylan said, shrugging. "He knows what he's doing. He won't go for a full sweep."
After all, a six–Pokémon sweep would've been worse than a simple shutout.
And indeed, when Iris sent out her final Pokémon — a Terastallized Haxorus — Giovanni deliberately left an opening, letting it take down Great Tusk.
That alone was enough to make Alder, the fans, and the entire stadium sigh in relief.
At least it wasn't a total sweep.
Still, Great Tusk had taken out five Pokémon — matching Leon's Rillaboom's record.
Giovanni's final choice was Kangaskhan, which he Mega Evolved to finish off Haxorus and end the match.
"Iris has lost all six Pokémon! Giovanni wins! The challenger advances to the Masters Eight!"
The referee's voice rang out.
He'd done it — Giovanni was now one of the Masters Eight.
A faint smile crossed his face — clearly satisfied with the result.
Iris, meanwhile, stood dazed, staring at her fallen Haxorus in disbelief.
Lost… again. And just as badly as before.
Was she really that weak?
Doubt crept in. Since the World Championships began, she'd only had two major matches — both 2v6 losses. It was hard not to take that personally.
Maybe… maybe she really was too weak.
She lowered her gaze, deep in thought.
Maybe she should test herself — against a former Champion like Cynthia or Wallace — just to see where she truly stood.
(End of Chapter)