The colossal Groudon towered over the battlefield, its massive form shaking the earth beneath it.
Panic erupted among the Team Rocket members—many of them visibly trembling at the sight of the legendary Pokémon.
A portion of the Rocket troops attempted to follow Blade's orders and engage Groudon, but they were instantly blasted back by a wave of scorching flames.
Meanwhile, inside the command center, Blade observed the live surveillance feed with a look of shock.
"Is that really Groudon? Or is it Mew using Transform?"
Blade had heard rumors about Mew's Transform ability before.
But turning into a full-scale Groudon?
That was insane.
The footage showed towering magma waves and devastating flashes of light, making it seem as if the real Groudon had descended upon them.
The rank-and-file grunts had no idea what was happening.
All they knew was that something beyond their comprehension was unfolding before them.
But Blade was convinced—this was Mew.
As a northern remnant, he had spent his entire life believing that controlling Mew and the Tree of Beginning meant controlling the world.
—
At that moment, a transmission came through from Team Rocket's headquarters.
On the screen, Giovanni's face was cold and filled with anger.
"You've mobilized the entire Northern Rocket Division without authorization, Blade."
"What the hell do you think you're doing?"
Despite facing the Boss of Team Rocket himself, Blade showed no fear.
He calmly responded,
"Mew and the Tree of Beginning have been located. We must act quickly."
Giovanni's eyes darkened.
"You've been obsessed with Mew for years, and I've tolerated it. But now you've exposed the entire Northern Division. Your reckless actions have put everything at risk."
"That kind of incompetence is unacceptable."
Blade shrugged.
"Apologies. But the operation is already underway."
Without waiting for a response, Blade cut off the transmission.
Then, adjusting the Poké Balls on his belt, he smirked.
"I suppose it's time for me to personally handle this."
At this point, Blade no longer needed Team Rocket.
If he could capture Mew, he could surpass even Giovanni himself.
—
Back at Rocket HQ, Giovanni was livid.
"That bastard."
A younger Rocket Executive lazily flipped through a dossier on the Northern Division.
"Huh… so we dumped that much funding into the North? No wonder you look pissed."
He sighed dramatically.
"Looks like you backed the wrong horse, Boss."
"Those muscle-brained warriors are all the same—obsessed with Mew like it's their damn destiny."
"Want me to send in Jessie and James? Maybe they can smooth things over."
Giovanni shook his head.
"They have their own mission. They're keeping an eye on that man's son."
"Then who do you want to send to clean up this mess?"
Giovanni leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable.
"For now… we wait."
"The Sandstorm Elite is already there."
"Let's see how he handles it."
The younger executive smirked.
"So that mad dog finally bit back at us, huh?"
—
The battlefield was chaos.
The sheer presence of the towering Groudon caused some Rocket members to break ranks.
Even those who stood their ground found themselves unable to advance.
While wild Legendary Pokémon might act on instinct, this Groudon was under Klein's direct command.
And that made it far more dangerous.
Without hesitation, Groudon opened its massive maw, unleashing a torrent of magma-enhanced flames.
Before the Rocket Pokémon could even get close, they were engulfed and knocked out instantly.
On the periphery, some Rocket operatives attempted to launch a coordinated attack.
Klein narrowed his eyes.
"Use Precipice Blades."
In an instant, the earth roared to life.
Massive blades of molten rock erupted from the ground, forming towering, fiery swords that descended like divine judgment.
A deep crimson fissure tore through the battlefield, splitting the terrain apart.
The majority of Rocket Pokémon were blown away on impact.
Even so, Groudon did not stop.
Upon spotting the Northern Rocket Base in the distance, Klein gave a second command—
"Precipice Blades—again."
A second shockwave tore through the earth.
The legendary swords carved straight through the enemy stronghold, reducing it to rubble and flame.
—
From within the collapsing base, a dark figure emerged.
A floating Weezing spiraled out of the smoke, its gaseous form swelling unnaturally.
Klein's eyes narrowed.
"A Weezing?"
This one was different.
Suspended in the air, Weezing inhaled the surrounding debris, then released a low, ominous burp.
Boom!
The air detonated, sending a shockwave of toxic fire directly toward Groudon.
Klein immediately responded.
"Block it."
Without hesitation, Groudon raised its molten sword, slicing through the incoming flames.
Yet Weezing was surprisingly agile, dodging the counterattack with unnatural speed.
More alarmingly—
It had begun producing strange red berries from its vents, devouring them midair.
Upon consuming the fruit, Weezing's eyes flashed dangerously, and it absorbed the ambient magma heat, firing back a superheated Smog attack.
—
Klein's expression hardened.
A Weezing that could weaponize burps, control toxins, and manipulate magma?
This thing was trouble.
"Precipice Blades—again!"
The earth split apart once more.
Groudon lifted itself higher, conjuring a second molten sword in its free hand.
Then—
It descended upon Weezing with a dual-sword technique, the twin blades cleaving through the toxic smog like a divine purge.
Blade, standing amidst the destruction, finally understood.
"That Scizor…"
"The Sandstorm Elite is here."
—
From within the billowing smoke, a figure stepped forward.
Dressed in a battle-worn ceremonial knight's cloak, Klein emerged—his expression cold and emotionless.
"Team Rocket…"
"Prepare to be erased."
As if responding to his words, Mew—still in Groudon's form—gripped its twin blades tighter.
With each step, its fiery swords left glowing scars upon the battlefield.
And in that moment, even the most battle-hardened Rocket operatives could feel it.
They weren't just facing a Legendary Pokémon.
They were facing something far worse.
A Legendary Pokémon… under the command of the Sandstorm Elite.
Mew let out a low, rumbling growl.
With a flick of its massive blades, it pointed directly at Blade.
The duel was about to begin.