Footsteps echoed outside the hall.
Hearing them, Sam rolled his neck, stretched his shoulders, and loosened his muscles. Ash and the others had arrived.
Which meant—
Mewtwo would appear soon.
"It's finally here! Great—the party hasn't started yet!"
Ash rushed into the hall excitedly.
Misty looked around—and her expression immediately fell. This gloomy stone chamber was nothing like the grand banquet she had imagined.
"Sam!" Ash waved. "You're here!"
Sam walked over slowly, glancing at their soaked clothes with a faint smile.
"Looks like the trip wasn't smooth."
"Not exactly…" Brock muttered, recalling the terrifying boat ride. The more he thought about it, the more frightened he felt. If luck hadn't been on their side, they might have sunk into the sea.
"Ash," Sam said calmly, "have you met the castle's owner yet?"
Ash shook his head eagerly. "Not yet! Is the strongest Trainer here?"
"Not yet," Sam replied. "But soon."
Almost as if on cue—
The lights dimmed.
A dark blue glow appeared at the main seat in the hall.
Sam's eyes sharpened.
"It's starting."
The hall fell silent.
No one dared to speak.
Even the Pokémon sensed something overwhelming. Togepi buried its face in Misty's chest, trembling.
Nurse Joy, now dressed in black gothic attire, stepped forward expressionlessly.
"Thank you for waiting," she said mechanically. "Allow me to introduce the master of this castle—the strongest Pokémon Trainer."
The blue light intensified.
From the darkness—
A figure descended.
Tall. Pale. Inhuman.
Mewtwo.
"Yes," Nurse Joy continued in a flat tone, "this is Master Mewtwo. The strongest Pokémon Trainer. The strongest Pokémon."
The lights returned.
The hall filled with tension.
Sam felt the amethyst in his arms grow cold.
Deoxys was reaching a critical point.
It was close.
Mewtwo's gaze swept across the hall—and briefly locked onto Sam.
Cold.
Silent.
But aware.
---
Rebellion
The burly man who had arrived earlier slammed his fist onto the stone table.
"A Pokémon as the strongest Trainer?! What kind of joke is this?!"
He had crossed a stormy sea for this?
He couldn't accept it.
Mewtwo's expression darkened.
"No?"
Its voice echoed coldly.
"It is up to me."
At the same time, Nurse Joy repeated the same words in perfect synchronization.
The Trainers realized it instantly—
She was being controlled.
Mewtwo could control humans.
A terrifying ability.
Mewtwo raised its right hand.
Psychic power surged.
The burly man was lifted into the air by invisible force, screaming in pain.
With a cold snort, Mewtwo flung him into the pool at the side of the hall.
Sam watched carefully.
Mewtwo wasn't killing him.
Despite its anger—
It was restraining itself.
There was confusion within it.
And something like loneliness.
---
Counterattack
The soaked man climbed out of the pool, furious.
"Gyarados! Teach it a lesson!"
A massive Gyarados burst from the water, roaring as it lunged at Mewtwo.
"Hyper Beam!"
Golden energy gathered in its mouth, the hall shaking as power condensed.
After several seconds—
A destructive beam blasted toward Mewtwo.
The hall trembled.
But Mewtwo did not move.
It extended one hand.
Psychic energy formed multiple translucent shields.
The Hyper Beam struck—
And vanished.
Completely absorbed.
"How is that possible?!" the man shouted in disbelief.
"Your turn is over," Mewtwo said coldly. "Now—mine."
The absorbed energy reformed—stronger.
A more powerful Hyper Beam erupted from the Psychic barrier.
This time—
Its target was Gyarados.
The beam struck.
Gyarados was hurled backward more than ten meters, crashing violently.
Silence filled the hall.
"Mewtwo… Mewtwo…" Ash muttered, eyes widening.
He finally remembered.
"The Pokémon that defeated Gary… was called Mewtwo!"
And now—
It stood before them.
The true beginning of the storm had arrived.