"A–Ash? What's wrong?"
Misty was startled by Ash suddenly shouting.
Why did he suddenly call Treecko's name?
Was he still immersed in the playback just now?
Cynthia, however, immediately thought of something.
"Could it be… the reward from the Heavenly Playback is that even while you're here in Kanto, you can still communicate with Treecko through your mind?!"
"Yes, Miss Cynthia!"
Ash's young face couldn't hide his excitement at all.
Although this Heavenly Playback did not bring Treecko to him directly,
it gave him the ability to communicate with Treecko telepathically!
Even from faraway Kanto,
he could directly speak with Treecko in Hoenn!
Treecko still spoke in Pokémon language,
but Ash could completely understand everything he said!
And—there was one more reward.
"And also this, Miss Cynthia!"
A golden ring suddenly appeared in Ash's hand.
The ring was only palm-sized.
Everyone gathered curiously.
This item… they had never seen it before!
Could it be some mythical artifact belonging to a Legendary Pokémon?!
"Ash, what is that?"
"This item is called the Hoopa Ring – Directional Simple Version!"
"Hoopa Ring… Directional Simple Version? Why is the name so long? What does it do?"
Bruno scratched his head. This name was even longer than any previous reward's name.
Would the effect also be even more incredible?
And… Hoopa? They had never heard that name before.
Things like the Tree of Beginning or Ho-Oh—
Even if one had never seen them, there were rumors.
But Hoopa… completely unheard of.
"According to the Playback's description, this directional ring isn't an item for a Pokémon to hold—
It's used for spatial travel!"
"Spatial… travel?!"
"Yes! One side of this ring connects directly to Treecko's home—the Treecko Forest!
As long as you pass through this ring, you'll instantly arrive at Treecko's homeland!"
"However, it can only connect to that one place. It can't take you anywhere else."
"And there's another limitation—
if you transport through it, unless someone on the other side moves the ring,
you'll return to the same spot where you originally teleported from!"
Everyone—Champions included—were stunned.
This thing…
was basically a human teleportation device!
Like a Poké Ball—but for people!
The current science of the Pokémon world could only teleport Poké Balls.
Teleporting humans… was basically impossible.
Yet this Hoopa Ring could do exactly that.
And this was just the Directional Simple Version!
If it were the real Hoopa Rings…
Could they travel anywhere in the world freely?!
Who exactly was this Hoopa Pokémon?!
"I feel like I've heard rumors of Hoopa in Kalos before…
But aside from the name, everything else is extremely vague…"
Diantha said thoughtfully.
She was an actress, not a historian.
Knowing Hoopa's name was already impressive.
As for Hoopa's nature, powers, classification… she had absolutely no idea.
"This reward is really practical, Ash!
You can bring Treecko over any time now!"
Ash shook his head.
"I'm not planning to bring Treecko over…
He said that when I travel to Hoenn, he will come with me and journey together!
But before that… he wants to continue protecting his home!"
"Other than giving me rewards, the Heavenly Playback also rewarded Treecko.
It restored the ancient millennium tree in that forest to full vitality!"
Everyone was shocked.
That ancient tree's life force had nearly been depleted.
Normally, restoring it would require divine power—
Ho-Oh, Xerneas, Celebi—beings of that level.
But the Playback restored it just like that?!
The Heavenly Playback's power was truly unfathomable.
"So… you intend to travel with Treecko once you reach Hoenn?"
"Yes! But whenever I have free time, I can go visit Treecko.
He said he welcomes us anytime! You all can come too—using this ring!"
Ash raised the golden ring.
Even though it was a simple version,
there was no limit on the number of people who could enter!
Meaning—next time they wanted to visit Hoenn,
they wouldn't even need an airplane.
Just walk through the ring!
"And also! Treecko said… If there's ever a battle where I need him,
I can call him anytime!"
Lance suddenly understood.
"So it's like how you leave Charizard in the Charicific Valley—
He trains there, but returns whenever you need him.
Except… Treecko's forest doesn't seem like a place with good training conditions!"
"Don't worry, Mr. Lance!
I'll redeem the training equipment from the Playback and send them over!
For that, Brock can help me choose!"
Brock proudly gave a thumbs-up.
With their current wealth,
as long as they didn't buy divine artifacts,
just purchasing training equipment or vitamins—
Even a hundred Pokémon wouldn't exhaust their points!
That was the advantage of having a ton of points!
"Speaking of which… Ash, you know Team Rocket, right?
Do you know the answer to the quiz question?"
Lorelei pointed at the screen.
Through all this discussion, only thirty seconds were left on the countdown.
They didn't dare answer rashly.
Last time Diantha answered wrong—her black history was broadcast to the entire world.
Who knew what this punishment would be?!
Ash should know, right?
Team Rocket had followed him all the way to the Lily of the Valley Conference.
They probably didn't disappear afterward either…
True devotion!
"Uh… Misty, Brock? You two?"
The two shook their heads frantically.
How could they possibly have thought about this kind of question before?!
Now that they thought about it—
Team Rocket really was suspicious.
How did those three create so many machines anyway?!
"Are you going to take the gamble?"
Lance asked Lorelei.
"Hmm. If I get the right to answer, I'll answer. If not, forget it."
"You have a guess?"
"Eliminate Meowth first—
He's a Pokémon. How would he build complex machinery?
Next, eliminate Jessie—
that violent woman doesn't look like someone who could build anything…"
"So that leaves A, D, and E?"
Lance nodded.
The Playback's rewards were incredibly tempting.
So Lance also wanted to try.
As the countdown hit its final second—
almost everyone pressed to抢答.
[Congratulations: Giovanni has gained answer rights.
You have ten seconds.]
Giovanni!!
"Giovanni, huh…
Come to think of it, he hasn't returned to the Viridian Gym in a long time.
Traveling, maybe?"
"No idea.
But if Giovanni is answering, he must be confident.
After all… he is the Earthshaking Giovanni!"
The Kanto Elite Four chatted casually.
The other region Champions couldn't join in—
It was Kanto's internal topic.
…
Team Rocket Headquarters
Giovanni looked proud.
Even though he couldn't contact those three idiots,
He was sure the machines must have been built by the three together.
After all, none of them individually seemed capable.
But three idiots combined sometimes created chemical reactions.
Thus—
The answer was E!
[Giovanni chooses: E]
[Incorrect.
Correct answer: C.
Almost all Team Rocket machinery is created solely by Meowth!]
[Punishment for incorrect answer:
Revealing Giovanni's true identity—
He is the Boss of Team Rocket: Giovanni!]
[Team Rocket's major Kanto bases are shown below—]
A map appeared—
Two huge bright points: Saffron City and Celadon City.
Everyone in Kanto—including the Elite Four—fell completely silent.
Lance's pupils shrank to their limit.
The Boss of Team Rocket…
was the Giovanni.
The "Earthshaking Giovanni"—
A Gym Leader is said to be as strong as a Champion-tier Trainer.
Someone respected throughout Kanto.
Someone who even did charity in Viridian City—
giving out Pokémon subsidies to those in need.
Now it seemed…
That was Team Rocket's recruitment operation.
"That damned bastard… right under my nose…"
Ever since becoming a Pokémon G-man, Lance had been hunting Rocket.
But he never imagined—
Their boss was right there.
Under the League's eyes.
A Gym Leader.
A symbol of Kanto's reputation.
As the saying goes—
Three years, another three years—
And the villain becomes a righteous leader right under your nose.
Giovanni was the perfect example.
If the Kanto Elite Four weren't so strong,
He might even have become one of them.
"Sorry, Ash… I'll be gone for the next couple of days!"
"Me too…"
Only Lance was officially a G-man,
but all the Kanto Elite Four shared the duty of protecting Kanto.
Now that Team Rocket's base locations were exposed,
they had no time to waste.
They had to strike immediately.
Tonight would be a violent storm for Team Rocket.
Even non–Elite Four powerful Trainers across Kanto would mobilize.
League Chairman Damalanchi issued the order—
All League officials near Kanto were to assist in wiping out Rocket bases.
…
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