On the morning of July 25th, Mr. Stone, who was working at the Devon Corporation headquarters building, received a call from Lorze.
"Hello? Ah, Lorze! Is your new home comfortable?"
"Thanks to the care of you and Mr. Steven, I've had an excellent rest these past few days. The reason I'm calling you is..."
Hearing Lorze's communication, Mr. Stone's PokéNav dropped onto his desk with a clatter!
The old man's breathing inevitably grew a bit ragged as he hurriedly picked it up again: "Sir Lorze, is everything you said true?"
"Yes, I am currently rushing to the headquarters building. I hope you can immediately convene a combat briefing; I will inform everyone of the specific details at the meeting..."
After Lorze hung up the call, Mr. Stone paced around his office with his hands behind his back, a solemn expression on his face.
Ever since the establishment of Team Magma and Team Aqua, the people of Hoenn have suffered for a long time. If Lorze could annihilate them in one fell swoop on this trip... he would be a genuine hero...
But the problem was, should he trust him? After all, this was no trivial matter.
After some internal struggle, Joseph Stone dialed the number of the head of his affiliated trainer organization.
In addition to that, he also called Steven.
He was somewhat excited. If this operation could succeed, it would be a prime example of a civilian organization and the League joining forces to crush criminal syndicates. Even looking at the entire Hoenn region, it would leave a brilliant mark in history!
In the combat briefing room, the elite trainers of the Devon Alliance were all ready and waiting.
"Sorry, I'm late!"
The briefing room door was knocked open by an energetic young man, who leaned against the door, panting heavily.
The focus of everyone's gaze gathered on him. This was the newly joined member...
A few arrogant guys were just about to mock him when they suddenly felt the atmosphere in the entire briefing room sink. This oppressive feeling... was simply suffocating...
They were not weaklings, so they naturally could sense the source of the pressure—the never-before-seen Pokémon behind the young man!
With that, no one had any further objections.
"Lorze? Come over here, we were just missing you."
On the big screen was Steven and the League members. This was a joint online and offline combat briefing.
"Let's skip the pleasantries and get straight to the point. Actually, just a few days ago, Ruby reported to the organization about the operation to stop Team Magma at Mt. Chimney."
Lorze's eyes lit up upon hearing this. So it's this timeline. That's great. It just so happens that Team Magma's base is on the Jagged Pass of Mt. Chimney!
After informing everyone of the exact locations of Team Magma and Team Aqua, they divided the labor based on distance: The Devon Alliance would handle Team Magma, and the Hoenn League would handle Team Aqua.
The operation commanders were Lorze and Steven, respectively.
Then... let's move out!
At that time, Sapphire was in Lavaridge Town, and Ruby was on the Jagged Pass. The two happened to receive instructions from Joseph Stone.
The feisty girl wiped the sweat from her forehead and opened her PokéNav.
"I just separated from that guy Ruby, and it looks like we have to fight side-by-side again. The commander is... Lorze? Strange, I've never seen this person before... A newcomer?"
Ruby on the Jagged Pass shared a similar sentiment, but he didn't expect Team Magma to actually be right here. It seemed he only needed to stand by.
Two hours later, Lorze brought the group of trainers to rendezvous with Ruby and Sapphire.
One was a bandana-wearing girl in revealing clothes, and the other was a handsome boy wearing a hat.
They really are the protagonists of the Pokémon Adventures Ruby & Sapphire arc. I finally get to see them in person.
"Ruby, Sapphire, hello. My name is Lorze. Let's do our best together in this operation."
"Hmph! You better actually show some real strength!" "Hello, big brother. Let's do our best together then."
"Alright, the combat plan is..."
After listening, Ruby and Sapphire were shocked. Team Magma's leader, Maxie, was a very powerful trainer no matter how you looked at it. This...
"Is this really going to be okay?"
"Don't worry!"
The Officer Jennys were also ready and waiting outside the base. Everything was set. Operation—start!
Inside the sweltering base at that time, the members were resting due to the major battle from a few days ago, unexpectedly finding the base's main gate blown open with a loud bang!?
"What's going on!?" "I-Intruders!"
Ruby and Sapphire's Sceptile and Blaziken took the lead, charging at the very front as if competing with each other, while the remaining elite trainers followed suit!
"Leaf Blade!" "Flare Blitz!"
The agile Sceptile darted among Team Magma's Pokémon, moving like a blade, using the sharp edges of its leaves to slice open wounds, splashing blood everywhere!
On the other side, Blaziken, firing on all cylinders, wrapped its entire body in flames, charging into the enemy lines like an unstoppable dump truck!
Meanwhile, inside the main control room of Team Magma's base, filled with magma pipes and red team flags...
"Lord Maxie! Someone has invaded the base!"
"What's going on!?"
"It seems to be... that brat who stopped us at Mt. Chimney a few days ago! And he brought a lot of helpers!"
"Tch..."
"Lord Maxie, there's no need to panic. Just leave it to me to repel them. After all, this is our home turf. More importantly... since our location has been exposed, please evacuate first!"
The Team Magma admin codenamed "Tabitha" volunteered to step forward, heading out with the admin codenamed "Blaise" to deal with the intruders.
The only combat personnel left in the main control room were Maxie and one of the three admins, "Courtney", a woman who admired Maxie.
"Lord Maxie, just as Tabitha said... please relocate your position immediately."
The stern-faced Maxie pushed up the glasses on the bridge of his nose.
"Indeed. Then—"
Before he could finish his sentence, the main control room plunged into darkness as if the power had been cut, and those magma pipes shattered with a loud crash! Screams of terror rose and fell!
"Tch... Don't panic. Camerupt!"
Maxie and Courtney immediately released their Camerupts, which finally allowed them to see the situation inside the dim room clearly—
It was simply... a complete mess.
At the same time, the surrounding aura suddenly plummeted! They subconsciously turned around, and a figure in a black cloak whose face couldn't be seen clearly was impressively standing in the main control room!
When did this guy... get here!?
Cold sweat continuously dripped from their foreheads. Facing this guy... they had to use their full strength right from the start! Both master and subordinate raised their right hands high, executing Mega Evolution!
"Big Sister Mewtwo—Psystrike!"
Mewtwo smiled slightly. That's more like it. This is my best move. She raised her hands slightly, and materialized pink-purple psychic waves flew out frantically from them!
However, Maxie and Courtney both ordered Protect. This kind of on-the-spot reaction ability... came from accumulated practical combat experience!
The psychic waves poured down, causing even the Protect barriers to tremble slightly. In the face of overwhelming power, an instinctive sense of fear welled up from the hearts of the two Camerupts...
But Mewtwo suddenly erupted with even stronger power, shattering the Protect barriers with a loud crash!
What!?
With an agile posture, she engaged in a fierce melee with the two Mega Camerupts, not losing ground in the slightest!
Amidst the rapidly changing battlefield, Courtney... disappeared!?
"Big Brother! 8 o'clock direction!"
Kirlia was actually hiding under Lorze's cloak, helping the young man pinpoint locations.
"Thanks, Kirlia!"
The young man nimbly darted to the right, narrowly dodging her sneak attack, but Maxie on the other side wasn't idle either. At this rate... he would be attacked from front and back!
After all, he had no experience and was completely unfamiliar with the techniques of wild combat, but... I am a Psychic!
Just as Courtney was about to close in, Lorze's eyes flashed with blue light, and he activated Confusion to throw her off balance!
He deftly turned around, pressing his right hand on her head and slamming it straight into the ground. The female admin of Team Magma instantly lost consciousness!
On the other side, Maxie also failed to succeed under the interference of Kirlia from beneath the cloak.
Furious out of humiliation, he released all of his Pokémon, but Lorze's lips curled into a smirk.
Only at this moment did Maxie realize that the main control room had been enveloped by purple energy. This was... Psychic Terrain!?
Why did you think I dragged this out until now? Did you think I was just playing with you?
The real reason... was that I was setting up Psychic Terrain!
The cloaked man raised the wristband on his hand, making Mewtwo transform into her Mega Y form!
"Expanding Force!"
In just an instant, whether it was the members of Team Magma or their Pokémon, they all suffered a massive psychic impact and fell unconscious!