Right now in Eterna City, other people have started noticing something's wrong too.
Violent battle sounds keep blasting out from inside the Team Galactic Eterna Building. Sometimes attacks even punch through the outer walls and explode outside.
That's definitely not normal.
Especially with beaten Team Galactic members being dragged out nonstop and loaded into vans.
This…
A few bystanders quietly call the police. Before long, several patrol cars roll up.
Damian's already planned for this, though. A few Team Rocket elites in casual clothes step up to block them.
"Up ahead is a joint op ordered by Champion Cynthia to wipe out the evil organization Team Galactic. You can't go in and interfere."
The Team Rocket elites stand in Officer Jenny's way, lying through their teeth with perfectly calm faces.
"That's impossible! We never got any notice!"
Officer Jenny doesn't buy it for a second. If this were really an operation ordered by Champion Cynthia, how could Eterna City's Police Department not be informed?
Even if it were urgent, they could still make a quick phone call.
Picking up a phone doesn't take that long.
So Cynthia's name doesn't lull Officer Jenny at all; it just makes her look at the two roadblocks even more warily.
"Nothing impossible about it. It was last‑minute; there wasn't time to give formal notice. If you don't believe us, you can ask Champion Cynthia yourself."
The Team Rocket elites stay completely composed.
That absolute confidence in his tone actually makes Officer Jenny frown a little.
Could it really be legit? But it shouldn't be…
"If you're lying, you're done for."
Officer Jenny pulls out her phone. She doesn't have Champion Cynthia's contact info.
But the Sinnoh Region overall‑commander Jenny does.
Seeing Officer Jenny really start dialing, even the Team Rocket elites get a little nervous inside.
Officer Jenny reaches the overall‑commander Jenny, and from her gets Cynthia's private number.
"Champion Cynthia."
"And you are?"
"I'm Jenny from Eterna City Police Department. Here's the situation: we've got an unidentified group currently attacking the Team Galactic Eterna Building, supposedly one of Team Galactic's bases."
Officer Jenny reports honestly.
"Two people here are saying this is an op under your orders. Is that true?"
Cynthia falls silent.
She definitely hasn't issued anything like that. For the last couple of days she's been busy trying to locate Damian and his group; she hasn't had time to bother with Team Galactic.
But someone using her name to hit a Team Galactic base in broad daylight inside a city…
"Who's the on‑scene lead for this operation?"
Cynthia's tone stays calm.
Officer Jenny looks at the two Team Rocket elites.
"Platinum Berlitz."
The elites answer exactly as Damian told them to.
Dawn?
Officer Jenny frowns. Of course she knows House Dawn.
"Then that's correct. Officer Jenny, my apologies, I forgot to notify you."
Cynthia answers with an apology.
"You don't need to join this operation. Just make sure no civilians wander into the cordoned‑off area and get hurt."
"Yes, I understand."
Officer Jenny complies. She's picked up a whiff of something off, but if Champion Cynthia says so, she'll go with it.
Cynthia immediately has Garchomp carry her at full speed toward Eterna City.
That's definitely Team Rocket.
Team Rocket is currently pounding Team Galactic's forces—and with Dawn leading…
Cynthia's eyes are complicated. Her most promising junior isn't going to end up molded into a Rocket, is she?
No, she refuses to believe that. Dawn's a good kid. If she joined an evil organization, it has to be because Damian forced her hand.
Eterna City.
"Boss, we've already diverted Officer Jenny."
"Nice work. Go collect two hundred merit."
Damian nods and smiles in approval.
"Thank you, boss."
Earning two hundred merit just by saying a few lines, the two Team Rocket elites are obviously in a great mood.
"Hunter J's hunter outfit is definitely moving steadily toward the far north of Sinnoh?"
Damian taps a finger, thoughtful.
Hunter J—one of the most notorious high‑end hunters among the hunter organizations.
She only operates in Sinnoh, and she's one of the best‑known hunters in the local underground, with contracts rolling in nonstop.
If you want to clean out Sinnoh's hunter organizations, you can't leave her alone.
As a high‑class hunter, Hunter J isn't just strong herself; she also leads a full hunting squad. In hunter‑org terms, she's one of the few with real leader presence.
Though in Hunter J's own mind, her subordinates are mostly cannon fodder to throw away when needed.
"If I'm remembering right, Hunter J's group has a ton of Metang with them. Perfect targets to snatch."
Damian muses.
For all that this woman is trouble, her underlings really are lugging some "treasures" around—especially all those Metang they've hoarded.
Those Metang vary in quality, sure, but they're still Metang. They'd make great rewards to hand down to subordinates.
And with that many, there have to be a few with really good talent in the pile.
"If they're heading to the far north, is their target Snowpoint Temple?"
Damian's thoughts swing back as he studies the map.
Snowpoint Temple, a temple in Sinnoh's far north, and the place where the legendary Pokémon Regigigas is said to be sleeping.
Yep, Regigigas.
Legend has it that Regigigas dragged the continents into place with ropes, shaping Hisui's landmass.
And the so‑called "Legendary Colossal" are the Pokémon it made from rock, glaciers, magma, electricity, and dragon‑type energy crystals.
Worth noting: Regigigas's base stats are 680—what the games call a "Tier‑1 legend."
Normally, Tier‑1 legends get banned or restricted in competitive battle formats.
Regigigas, though, isn't restricted.
Which is entirely thanks to its Ability: Slow Start.
In the games, Slow Start works like this: for five full turns, Regigigas's Attack and Speed are cut in half.
And Regigigas only ever gets this one Ability. You can't even use Ability Capsule to change it to something else.
The wildest part?
In Pokémon Legends: Arceus, there are no Abilities at all. Because Legends: Arceus isn't a mainline title; it's an action‑RPG.
But even in Legends: Arceus, the moment Regigigas appears on the field, it auto‑gets slapped with a Slow Start debuff to replace its missing Ability.
Incredible.
In other words, in the entire Pokémon worldview, under any circumstances, Regigigas can't escape Slow Start.
It's hard not to suspect Regigigas must've seriously pissed off heaven.
Even the Regis it made itself—Regidrago and Regieleki—get perfect signature Abilities in Dragon's Maw and Transistor. Regirock and the others at least have Clear Body—not bad at all.
Where did Regigigas even get this Slow Start curse from?
If Damian gets the chance, he definitely wants to ask Regigigas in person.
"Snowpoint Temple's a pretty mysterious place, actually."
Caitlin notices Damian's gaze resting on Snowpoint Temple and chimes in.
"Supposedly there's a legendary Pokémon dwelling inside, but to this day no one's actually run into it in the temple."
"That's because they're doing it wrong."
Damian smiles.
Regigigas slumbering in Snowpoint Temple is absolutely right. But waking it isn't easy.
You need Regirock, Regice, and Registeel all present and acting together to awaken Regigigas.
There's also a simpler, more violent method—smash the three special pillars inside Snowpoint Temple. That'll wake Regigigas too, but it'll send it into a rage.
That's exactly what Hunter J does in the anime. She awakens Regigigas by doing just that.
Caitlin tilts her head, but doesn't push.
Anyway, Damian's clearly interested in Snowpoint Temple; when the time comes, she'll get to see the legendary Pokémon hiding there herself.
Damian thinks for a moment, then starts a video call to a certain Mew.
The call connects quickly. The background looks like the inside of the Tree of Beginning. Mew's chowing down on potato chips and guzzling cola.
Yeah, Mew really is sharp. Just a little teaching and it figured out modern comms.
"Wai‑wai‑wai? Damian?"
Mew's cute Telepathy chimes in.
"Yeah. Mew, put Regirock and the other two into Poké Balls and hand them to the Security folks outside. Have them transmitted over to me. I need them."
"Got it, Meow~ Damian Damian, can you ask those people to send more of these chips next time? They're sooo good. Better than little cakes!"
"We can do that, sure. But… Mew, did your face get rounder?"
Damian squints at the video feed. He could swear Mew's cheeks look a bit fuller.
"Nonsense! Damian's being mean—there's no way I'm getting round, meow!"
Mew is deeply offended. It's been eating a bit more lately, sure, but not enough to get chubby.
"Okay, okay. Just go a little easier on it."
"Hehe Damian's the best, Meow Love you, mwa~"
"Watch less of those random TV dramas and get Zapdos and the others out for some exercise, got it?"
Damian's half laughing, half helpless.
What the hell is with the "mwa"?
"I knooow, Damian Damian. And could you have them send more juice and cola, meow~? Enamorus and the others love it too; we're almost out."
Looking at all the empty juice bottles piled in the corner of the feed, Damian suspects Mew's being a little economical with the truth here.
"Okay. Just… pace yourself."
"Don't worry, don't worry, meow~."
Mew pats its chest in assurance.
After hanging up, Damian glances over at the Team Galactic Eterna Building and spots Rosa and the others just coming out.
No doubt about it, the Admin fight is done.
Damian's eyes land on the furious faces of Jupiter and Saturn being shoved into vans.
But Rosa and the others all look pretty ticked too.
What's that about?
"Welcome back, everyone. Nice work. Wiping out an evil team's base is huge. You all did great."
Damian gets to his feet and walks over to greet them with a smile.
"Damian Damian! You have to judge this, it was so unfair!"
Rosa's about to cry with how hard she's pouting. She launches straight into complaining about a certain someone's "shameless stunt."
"We were up front battling those two Admins' Pokémon, and this kid—"
Rosa jabs a finger at the expressionless Paul. This kid just looks like trouble.
"This kid is way too cheap! He had his Pokémon sneak‑attack those two Admins from behind and just flat‑out nabbed them!"
Rosa is steamed. There were only two Admins total, and one backstabbing vulture made off with both.
"Oh?"
Damian raises a brow and shoots Paul a surprised, approving look.
Not bad.
Paul really does have a future.
He's a natural fit for born‑evil Team Rocket.
~~
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