The air was thick with tension, carrying a subtle, creeping fatigue from the depletion of his own energy.
Nawaki's face was pale, yet his eyes burned with extraordinary focus. His hands formed a complex and stable series of seals over his chest.
A faint blue glow of chakra slowly streamed from his fingertips, encircling the blank data disc laid out before him.
[Transcription Seal – Revised: Consciousness Storage]
This was a forbidden technique he had developed independently, combining the transcription seal principles of the Uchiha clan, the Uzumaki clan's preliminary understanding of soul energy, and the system's interpretation of Pokémon vitality.
There was only one goal.
Before Ai's consciousness disappeared completely, he had to create a stable "soul sanctuary" for her.
The process was far more difficult than he had imagined.
In a world where chakra was heavily suppressed, refining and controlling each spark of energy felt like wading through quicksand.
He had to manipulate his power with extreme precision, using Ai's unique telepathic fluctuations as a sculpting tool, meticulously carving them onto what seemed like an ordinary disc.
Moments ago, Ai's weakening consciousness communicated with him one last time.
"Nawaki…"
"Don't be afraid, Ai. Focus and trust me."
Nawaki's voice rang out firmly as he maintained the full force of the sealing technique.
"Charmander, Bulbasaur, and Squirtle…"
Ai's thoughts carried one final plea.
Nawaki fell silent. Ai's consciousness had survived until now, and could be sealed, largely because of the subtle resonance between her telepathy and the unique energy of chakra. This resonance provided a coordinate that could be "captured" and "fixed."
However, the consciousness of the three cloned Pokémon was closer to instinct, fragile, and completely disconnected from the chakra system.
Attempting to forcibly record them would likely result in lifeless data.
Dr. Fuji's cloning technology could create them, but it could not preserve the fleeting spark of life.
That was because they lacked core energy, similar to chakra, which contained the essence of the soul.
Now, the sealing process entered its most critical stage.
The disc was no longer just metal. It became crystalline and translucent. Inside, countless tiny blue filaments, part circuitry, part rune, flowed and solidified.
Unlike Technical Machines that store elemental attacks in corresponding colors, this disc carrying Ai's consciousness was purely colorless and transparent.
Only the intricate engravings on its surface marked it as extraordinary.
Finally, as the last rune solidified in the center of the disc, forming a stable "seal" mark, Nawaki exhaled and released the hand seals.
Success. Ai's consciousness had been temporarily sealed inside.
Almost immediately after the seal completed, a terrifying mental shock erupted like a real tsunami, fueled by anger and endless grief, centered in the heart of the base.
Deep within the facility, the massive incubation tank filled with glowing green nutrient fluid shattered violently.
Shards of reinforced glass and liquid sprayed everywhere like torrential rain.
Inside floated Mewtwo, its eyes snapping open. The purple gaze held no confusion, only destructive rage and the agony of losing its most treasured presence.
It could no longer perceive the existence of Ai.
The only being capable of comforting it was gone.
A deafening roar accompanied by visible purple psychic ripples swept through the lab.
Delicate instruments shattered instantly, sparks flying like dying fireflies. Walls warped, and metal beams groaned under immense pressure.
"Quick! Sedatives! Maximum dose!" Dr. Fuji's desperate, panicked voice cut through the chaos.
As in the original story, the staff tried to subdue Mewtwo with special tranquilizer guns.
However, these potent drugs, normally capable of incapacitating the powerful Pokémon instantly, vaporized on contact with the terrifying psychic field surrounding it.
Mewtwo didn't even glance at them. A flick of its hand sent Dr. Fuji and the researchers flying, crashing into walls and debris.
Nawaki knew the situation had reached an irreversible stage.
He carefully secured the disc containing Ai's consciousness. "Time to leave, but first…"
A sly glint appeared in his eyes as he disappeared like a ghost into the chaotic corridors.
Using the map Ai had provided and his knowledge of the supply storage, Nawaki navigated through gaps created by explosions and collapsing structures.
"Bulbasaur, Vine Whip! Gengar, phase through and check for anyone inside!"
"Bulba!"
"Hiss!"
With the efficient cooperation of his Pokémon partners, Nawaki seized an opportunity amidst the chaos and fleeing personnel, moving like a diligent mouse.
He quietly "cleared" several storage rooms containing precious research, rare Pokémon items, and high-energy blocks resources crucial for his future plans.
Afterward, he created a shadow clone, sending it with some supplies to divert attention while moving in the opposite direction.
Meanwhile, Nawaki's main body raced toward the port along the escape route he remembered.
He had to leave the island, which was quickly becoming a human hell, before Giovanni arrived to "take control" of the wreckage.
The shadow clone moved accurately toward the direction where Dr. Fuji had been thrown.
Shockwaves from the explosion, mixed with debris, swept through the corridors.
Dr. Fuji was slammed against a twisted metal wall, sliding to the floor. His insides rattled, pain convulsing his limbs, leaving him unable to stand.
Yet even now, his face was a mixture of shock, fear, and the manic zeal of a deranged scientist.
He stared unblinkingly at Mewtwo, rising slowly from the flames and wreckage like a demon descending to the mortal world.
Just as Mewtwo prepared to unleash destruction again, a figure leapt forward like a leopard, shielding Dr. Fuji.
"Earth Release: Coastal Surge!"
Nawaki slammed his hands onto the ground. Though his chakra was nearly depleted, he channeled it precisely into the technique.
With a tremendous roar, the ground before him split. A massive block of earth, stone, and steel debris rolled upward, forming a shield between him, Dr. Fuji, and Mewtwo, blocking flying flames and psychic waves.
For the first time, Mewtwo's gaze fell on this sudden human figure, radiating an unusual energy.
Its eyes were cold, tinged with mockery.
"So, I finally see you, thief hiding in the shadows."
Mewtwo's telepathy echoed in Nawaki's mind, grand and overwhelming. "Humans are always like this never straightforward, always sneaking around."
The remark wasn't just about Nawaki rescuing Dr. Fuji. It encompassed all of his actions since arriving on the island, actions Mewtwo assumed went unnoticed.
Even Nawaki's subtle movements with his Pokémon were detected by Mewtwo's formidable psychic senses.
Dr. Fuji lay on the ground, pained and confused, staring at the young man in a lab coat.
Nawaki shrugged casually, even offering Mewtwo a lazy smile, as if to say, "Fine, suit yourself."
He understood Mewtwo's meaning but didn't care.
Behind Mewtwo's fury, he sensed a subtle jealousy like a child whose only playmate had been taken away.
Mewtwo knew Ai's disappearance likely had no direct connection to him, yet it projected its anger onto Nawaki, the only one capable of clearly "hearing" Ai's voice the outsider Ai had noticed.
Its hand, filled with destructive energy, rose toward Nawaki. "How dare you appear before me? Why save this man? Both of you should die."
Even under such terrifying pressure, Nawaki remained calm, dusting off his clothes.
"I saved him because he is Ai's father," he said, locking eyes with Mewtwo. "And Ai is not truly gone. I preserved hope."
He paused, a faint smile playing on his lips, leaving Mewtwo unable to read him.
"As for why I dared show myself? Unfortunately, what stands before you is only a clone."
"The moment you awaken, my true body will be aboard a ship, leaving this island behind."
"Hmph, coward!" Mewtwo began gathering psychic energy, distorting the surrounding space.
"Call me what you will," Nawaki said, fearless and slightly provocative.
"Though I may not be your match now…"
"…Soon, my main force will face you in battle! I promise!"
Mewtwo hesitated slightly, sensing the unique energy radiating from this clone chakra, fundamentally different from the mainstream energy of this world.
It was raw vitality, unmatched by any technology.
It glanced at Dr. Fuji struggling to lift his head. Upon hearing "Ai is not truly gone," a flicker of hope returned to his eyes.
Mewtwo slowly lowered its hand, its cold gaze sweeping over Nawaki.
"I will wait for you, deceitful one."
Nawaki's thoughts: This is the first time anyone has called me deceitful, hiding in the shadows… Aren't these words meant for Danzo Shimura?
With that, Mewtwo ignored them, its form turning into a streak of purple light as it sped toward other areas of the base.
It might forgive Ai's father, but the cage that imprisoned it and took everything from it had to be destroyed.
With the immediate danger over, Nawaki's chakra was nearly exhausted, and his shadow clone began to destabilize.
He turned to Dr. Fuji, offering a tired but sincere smile.
"Doctor, everything I said is true. Ai is not gone. Hope remains. Please take care. One day, you and Ai will be reunited."
At that moment, the shadow clone's chakra completely depleted.
With a soft puff of smoke, Nawaki vanished without a trace.
Dr. Fuji was left standing there, hope rekindled yet filled with endless questions. Behind him, the Team Rocket research base burned and exploded, accelerating toward total destruction.