Chapter 10: Misty Appears! The True Protagonists—Team Rocket Arrives! Golden Trait Drop: [Viridian Force]!
----
Giovanni was one of the most famous figures in all of Kanto—
as well-known as the actual Elite Four.
Because of that, he had many responsibilities and public appearances.
Some insiders even claimed Giovanni ran a massive secret enterprise.
He was clearly not just a Gym Leader.
Of course, Ash knew who Giovanni really was:
The leader of Team Rocket—Kanto's biggest underground criminal organization!
Even if you never watched the anime,
anyone who played the games would know.
Giovanni's identity was hardly a secret.
Ash had once considered reporting him…
But upon reflection, he realized:
There wasn't much point.
Unless Giovanni personally slipped up,
not even the Elite Four would be able to find solid proof against him.
In fact, it was likely the Kanto League already knew and just tolerated him.
A lone report might do nothing but alert the enemy.
Anyway…
Since Giovanni wasn't in, Ash had no reason to hang around Viridian City.
It was time to head for Pewter City instead and challenge its Gym.
Both Pewter and Cerulean Gyms were known to be beginner-friendly.
Pewter's Leader was known for mentoring new Trainers and going easy on them.
Cerulean's Gym… well, let's just say it was known for being pretty weak.
By the time they finished exploring Viridian, it was already dusk.
The city was big, and both of them were feeling worn out.
So they booked a room at the Pokémon Center.
Trainers who carried a Pokédex could get 80% discounts on accommodation.
The environment was also decent, making it the go-to lodging for Trainers.
The Pokémon Center rooms were bunk-bed style,
so one room was enough for both of them.
After all, they'd already slept together in a tent.
Sharing a room now? No big deal.
---
That evening, while having dinner at the Pokémon Center, they encountered an unexpected guest.
She had vibrant orange hair, wore a yellow sleeveless crop top, and her tiny shorts stopped just above her thighs—
perfectly showcasing her long, fair legs.
It was none other than Misty, one of the original trio!
Ash had thought that, since he hadn't gone through the Spearow or storm events,
he would probably miss the chance to meet Misty.
Yet fate brought them together in Viridian City.
Serena noticed Ash staring at the girl currently healing her Pokémon.
She blinked, then casually asked:
"Ash, do you know that girl?"
Ash shook his head. "No. Though… she looks familiar somehow."
"Oh, I see~"
Despite recognizing Misty, Ash didn't plan on going over to talk.
They technically had no real connection.
And Serena was standing right next to him.
It would've felt kind of like… well… like he was cheating.
---
BOOM!!
Suddenly, a massive explosion echoed from above!
The entire Pokémon Center went dark.
Ash immediately pulled Serena behind him protectively,
eyes locked on the ceiling.
The roof had been blown open—leaving a gaping hole.
Above them, the dim sky now stretched into view…
And within it, a massive object hovered.
Was that a… hot air balloon?
---
"What's going on?!"
A destroyed roof, a power outage, a random object descending from the sky—
Chaos erupted inside the Pokémon Center.
Even Nurse Joy looked panicked.
She had never seen anyone dare to attack a Pokémon Center before.
What kind of lunatic would do such a thing?
Assaulting a Pokémon Center could get you blacklisted for life!
"Can someone tell me what the heck is happening?!"
"Since you're sincerely asking—"
"We'll generously tell you!"
A man and a woman's voices echoed from the balloon above.
The moment Ash heard that all-too-familiar line,
he instantly knew who it was.
Who else but Team Rocket's classic trio would speak like that?
It was his first time hearing it in this life,
but in his past life…
he'd heard it dozens of times.
"To protect the world from devastation…"
"Pikachu—Thunderbolt!!"
"Pika—CHU!!"
Golden lightning tore through the night sky, illuminating everything.
The rumble was deafening.
Team Rocket didn't even finish their motto before they were zapped by Pikachu's Thunderbolt.
BOOM!
The balloon was hit dead-on and exploded, sending them flying instantly.
"What the heck just happened?!"
"I don't know! We didn't even finish our motto!"
"It was that brat's Pikachu who attacked us, meow!"
"We'll remember this!!"
"What a drag…"
Their voices faded into the distance,
but Ash still heard their last words echoing as they disappeared.
He twitched his lips slightly.
The reason he acted so quickly was simple—
he wanted to blast them away while it was dark and end it fast.
That way, they wouldn't stalk his Pikachu all the way through his journey.
But who would've thought—
Even in the dark, they still noticed him?!
Are they using hacks or what?
[You've defeated Team Rocket's Meowth. Trait acquired: "Viridian Force" (Gold).]
The system's audio notification was already muted by Ash—he found it annoying.
But the visual alerts still popped up.
After blasting Team Rocket, he casually opened the trait log…
And his eyes nearly popped out of their sockets!
What the heck?!
"Viridian Force"?!
A Gold trait?!
Are you kidding me, system? Is this a bug?