You're not allowed to play Pokémon!

Chapter 368 Boss Sakaki, you don't want Little Silver either...

The date is Monday, December 30nd.

Originally, Qingyu planned to spend a day alone with Zhulan after the competition to explore the city of Manjin.

Unfortunately, due to the work week and the end of the month, Cynthia needs to return to the Sinnoh League as soon as possible to finish the work she has accumulated during this period.

It is true that Zhu Lan, as the champion, has always had a lot of free time, and even had time to suddenly disappear for a month to go on an archaeological expedition with the team.

However, the main reason is that one of the new Sinnoh Elite Four members is too reliable, and people can trust him with their backs.

However, this time, Superpower Master Sai Wusong was also a contestant. By the end of the month, he also had a lot of work piled up in his hands, and obviously did not have the extra energy to help Miss Champion.

During the week or so that Gosho was away, the Sinnoh League was completely handed over to the two lively characters, Daiya and Aru. Even with the veteran King Kikuno supervising, who knows what kind of trouble they might cause.

Wusong was well aware of the two's tendency to neglect their duties and cause trouble.

So, as soon as the match ended, at Gosho's urging, Cynthia and Cattleya boarded the ferry back to Sinnoh.

Only one sentence remains:
"I always felt that Wusong was more suited to be the champion than me..."

Qingyu wholeheartedly agrees with this.

Zhu Lan is certainly a strong champion who can turn the tide in crucial moments, but I feel that Wu Song is better in terms of responsibility and ambition.

Perhaps when Zhu Lan decides to retire in the future, Wu Song will take over the championship responsibility from her.

With the plans changed, Qingyu suddenly found staying in Manjin City boring.

However, just as he was about to take a Dragonair flight back to Padiya, Awatari suddenly called.

"Hey, Teacher Yu..."

"Are you free today? Sakaki would like to see you again."

……

About an hour later, Aoba and Wataru rode their Dragonite to a strange building near Viridian Forest.

Judging from the elite investigators guarding the area, this must be where Sakaki is being held.

As Qingyu jumped off the Dragonite's back and his feet touched the ground, he silently observed the surrounding situation.

But... why do these guards seem to have such burning eyes ever since they spotted me?

"Look, it's Teacher Yu!"

"I never thought I would be able to meet Teacher Yu in person one day. I wish I could take a picture with him."

"Hehe...Teacher Yu, hehe..."

Because the surroundings were very quiet, the investigators' whispers clearly turned into loud conspiracies, which were overheard by Qingyu and Adu.

If they didn't have to work right now, they probably would have already come over and started chatting with me!

Is Chengdu really the right place?
"cough--"

Noticing the complex emotions on Qingyu's face, Adu immediately coughed lightly and seriously.

Seeing their superior's displeased expression, the surrounding investigators immediately stood at attention and behaved themselves after being reminded. After opening the door for A-Du, they still watched the two enter the building with serious expressions.

"Because of the previous videos of the Siege Team and Sunny Day Team, many people in the league, including Joey and Officer Jenny, are your fans, Qingyu. I think you should know that, right?"

In the quiet corridor, A-Du suddenly spoke up, offering an excuse for the investigators' earlier inaction.

Of course, what he was really thinking was:
These little brats have really let their guard down since the Rockets were gone. We need to get the other officers to keep a closer eye on them!

Extra training, we absolutely must do extra training!
"Hmm...it seems like that's true."

After being reminded by A-du, Qingyu suddenly realized what was going on.

I have to say, it's really me, isn't it? Sakaki specifically asked to talk to me, and many of the League investigators are my fans...

What does it mean to be the head instructor of both the legitimate and criminal worlds?! (Hands on hips)

Of course, he couldn't say this to A-Du's face; he could only mutter it to himself.

"arrive."

Not far along, Adu stopped in front of a tightly sealed coded door.

“After the last operation, Sakaki, who had already admitted his failure, was secretly transferred here, and the outside world has lost all information about him ever since.”

"Although I am very reluctant to admit it, ... as things stand, Sakaki really cannot die yet, and keeping him alive is the best option."

"If it weren't for Giovanni saying he wanted to talk to you about Mewtwo, I wouldn't have planned to tell you all this. But as one of the parties involved, you do have the right to know."

"I see."

Qingyu nodded.

Aoba had a general idea of ​​why Sakaki suddenly wanted to talk to him.

Based on my experiences since arriving in Johto, it's probably just about Silver or Mewtwo...

He also happened to have some things he wanted to confirm with this old man, which is why he readily agreed to come here with Adu.

After skillfully entering the password to open the door, A-Du immediately made way for half a body.

"I won't go in."

Adu waved his hand, signaling Qingyu to go in on her own.

"If I go in with you, I'm afraid I might not be able to resist punching that guy a couple of times."

For Wataru, who regards absolute justice as his life's creed, it must be very difficult for him to accept that Sakaki can continue to live in this world.

With that thought in mind, Qingyu quickly went inside.

Inside was a rather simple-looking single room, completely empty except for a desk, a TV, and a bed.

As for Sakaki, he was leaning against the headboard, leisurely reading a book.

Perhaps it was the sound of the door opening that caught the attention of the former Team Rocket leader. When Aoba looked at him, Giovanni had already noticed the two guests.

"It's been a long time, Qingyu-kun."

Upon seeing Aoba, Sakaki immediately put down his book and greeted him with a smile.

Judging from his behavior, it seemed more like he was visiting a friend's house than visiting Qingyu in prison.

If we ignore the iron fence between the two people.

Aoba was also a little puzzled by the strange sense of relaxation that Sakaki was showing.

After all, during the crackdown on Team Rocket, it was he who teamed up with Mew to defeat Giovanni and send him, the leader of Team Rocket, to jail.

The two had a life-or-death bond.

So even the most shrewd person would probably make a sarcastic remark at this point, right?
Just as Aoba was confused and unsure how to respond, Sakaki, on the other side, seemed to see through his thoughts and took the initiative to speak:
"No need to overthink it, Qingyu-kun."

"Don't lump me in with those low-class villains. I'm not that narrow-minded."

Sakaki stepped forward and straightened the wrinkles in his black suit that had appeared on the bed through the railing.

"For me, winning or losing is just an outcome I have to accept. From the beginning, I was already mentally prepared to lose one day."

"Besides, so what if the Rockets lose? I'm already deeply tied to the league. The worst outcome would be just like now, prematurely entering a restricted retirement life."

"To put it another way, if I really cared that much about gains and losses, I wouldn't have asked you to entrust Mewtwo to me in the first place, right?"

As he spoke, Sakaki remained slow and deliberate, which, to an uninformed person, even appeared quite gentlemanly.

Hearing Sakaki's words, Aoba breathed a slight sigh of relief, but also muttered a curse to himself.

What do you mean by entrusting Mewtwo to me...?

I clearly defeated you head-on and freed Mewtwo from the evil Team Rocket!

Moreover, how can someone be locked up and still wear a formal suit every day? Is their occupational disease that serious?
"Let's skip the formalities and get straight to the point, Boss Sakaki."

"I heard you wanted to talk to me about Mewtwo?"

After Aoba got straight to the point, Sakaki quickly nodded.

"That's right. After all, although there are many restrictions here, it's good that we didn't miss 'Teacher Yu's' heroic performance in this Masters Tournament. Congratulations to Qingyu for sweeping his opponents and winning the championship."

"So, Qingyu-kun should also know what I want to know, right?"

"..."

Qingyu remained silent for a moment, then revealed a calm smile.

"If I'm not mistaken, it should be related to Mewtwo's Mega Evolution, right?"

If asked to recall the most memorable moment of this Masters tournament, Qingyu would not need to think twice.

Mewtwo is a Pokémon that is very unfamiliar to most viewers. Even the students of Padia, who have had a lot of contact with it, are unaware of its true combat power.

Moreover, this already powerful creature can go even further, fully unleashing its superpowers and transforming into an even more agile and powerful form.

Even Giovanni, who studied the Mew gene for many years and created Mewtwo, an artificial Pokémon, probably had no idea that it had such terrifying potential.

"Yes."

Sakaki nodded slightly and spoke again.

"As the Pokémon I raised myself, I think theoretically no one knows more about Mewtwo than me."

"But it seems that my vision is too narrow. I didn't know that artificial Pokémon like Mewtwo, which is created by fusing Mew and human genes, actually has a second Mega Evolution form that is beyond my imagination."

"So I'm really curious, Qingyu-kun, how did you manage to do that?"

After saying that, Sakaki added with a smile, "Of course, I was just being curious. If Aoba-kun doesn't want to talk about it, I won't be so tactless as to keep asking."

"..."

Qingyu didn't rush to speak, but subconsciously began to ponder the deeper meaning behind Sakaki's words.

While it may seem that Sakaki is simply humbly seeking advice, he is actually intentionally revealing another truth—

Giovanni actually knew that Mewtwo could Mega Evolve!

This was completely beyond Qingyu's expectations, because based on the information he had gathered in his previous life, it was impossible for Sakaki to know this due to the era.

After all, Mega Evolution is something that only happens in the X and Y generations. Unless it's "Super Giovanni" from Team Rainbow Rocket who aims to conquer all dimensions, he shouldn't even know about Mega Evolution at this point, right?
But upon closer reflection, it's not surprising that in reality, different regions develop in sync, and information about Mega Evolution has always been semi-public. Anyone with a keen eye can easily obtain most of it, so it's not surprising that Giovanni would know.

"You knew from the beginning that Mewtwo had the potential for Mega Evolution?"

Aoba quickly took the initiative to ask a question, and her expression towards Sakaki became more scrutinizing.

Sakaki didn't seem to care, just shrugged and then looked at Aoba and began to explain.

"Qingyu-kun, I know you've never seen Team Rocket in their prime, so you might not quite understand the concept behind this name..."

"From the very beginning, Team Rocket has been a research team dedicated to studying the Mythic. It is no exaggeration to say that the technological strength they have accumulated over the years surpasses that of the entire world."

"By the time I took over, many families were already secretly seeking to cooperate with the Rockets, so there were no obstacles to doing what I wanted to do."

"It was under these circumstances that our team still spent nearly ten years researching before finally creating Mewtwo, a near-perfect being, accomplishing a feat comparable to the creator god."

"Even Mewtwo's existence itself is the product of the fusion of Mew's genes and my human genes, plus countless simulations and optimizations by top scientists."

"So, do you think I wouldn't know anything about Mewtwo?"

Sakaki left with a rhetorical question that left Aoba speechless.

As expected, Giovanni knows everything...

"So, since Mr. Giovanni knows so much about Mewtwo, why did he find himself in the predicament of having to use special methods to forcibly use its power?"

Qingyu made no attempt to hide the sarcasm in his words, or rather, he was actually venting his anger for Mewtwo.

He simply couldn't understand why, if they knew so much about Mewtwo, they would use such methods to control it.

It's obvious that this would only backfire, right?
"A very interesting question."

"I must admit that this was indeed a miscalculation on my part."

"Therefore, to show my sincerity, I will first share some of the information I know."

Sakaki smiled and spoke, seemingly unaffected by Aoba's tone.

"According to repeated research by Team Rocket's top scientists, when Mewtwo was still in the embryonic stage, the dominant gene in its genome was actually my 'Gakki gene'."

"In other words, we concluded at the time that the child would be more like me than a dream."

"Therefore, theoretically Mewtwo should be more suited to human fighting styles rather than the superpowers derived from Mew."

"I think that if my breeding method continues, sooner or later Mewtwo will discover its true potential and embrace this power that surpasses any human or Pokémon."

"However... probably no one would have thought that Mew, as the progenitor of Pokémon, would also contain even greater power in its genes."

Aoba listened to Sakaki's words and nodded repeatedly.

Sakaki was referring to Mega Mewtwo Y, who had already made an appearance at the Psychic Masters Tournament.

As for the other evolutionary potential he mentioned, Qingyu was certainly well aware of it as well.

It's just Mewtwo X, the disgrace of a certain god-level battle and the last place on the Mega Pokémon rankings!
After hearing what Giovanni said, Aoba suddenly understood why Mewtwo had two completely different evolutionary paths.

In the normal timeline, Mewtwo, whose mental power was constantly suppressed by Giovanni's Suppression Armor and who was forced to improve his physical strength instead, would indeed be more inclined to use violent means.

It's only natural that Mewtwo, which he picked up and allowed to grow and develop freely in a free-range environment, would become more like Mew after Giovanni's interference was removed.

In other words, if Mewtwo were to choose for itself, there's absolutely no chance it would evolve into Mewtwo X even once in 100 tries...

Thinking of this, Qingyu couldn't help but sigh.

"I'm talking about Boss Sakaki..."

"Perhaps as the leader of a villainous organization, you are a very charismatic and unifying boss, but as a parent..."

"You really are not a good father!"

Upon hearing this, the smile on Sakaki's face, who had been waiting for Aoba's reply, suddenly froze for a moment.

Then, when he spoke again, his expression had become extremely serious, even carrying a faint sense of pressure.

"Qingyu-kun, do you know something?"

As a ruthless villain who acts decisively and uses any means necessary throughout his life, Giovanni is undoubtedly a vicious person.

Even the most ruthless wolf has a soft spot in its heart.

And Giovanni's weakness...

It's obvious they're family.

Or rather, it was his son, Xiao Yin.

Aoba completely ignored Sakaki's words, which were clearly tinged with warning, and did not even answer his question directly.

"Do you know, Mr. Sakaki?"

"There was actually a little incident during my participation in the Superpower Masters Tournament."

Mimicking Sakaki's tone, Aoba spoke slowly and deliberately.

"Off the field, I met a boy who seemed a bit eccentric. He asked me some very philosophical questions."

"Oh, by the way, his name is Xiao Yin."

Before he finished speaking, Aoba immediately noticed the change in Sakaki's expression.

Perhaps it was because Aoba mentioned the name "Little Silver" that even the usually shrewd and calculating Sakaki briefly lost his ability to control his expression.

His face, which was originally imposing without anger, suddenly showed a lot of complex emotions.

Qingyu could only see part of it.

Guilt, relief, joy, and inner turmoil...

I feel that just taking it out for a Facebook profile analysis would be enough to teach a whole class.

However, Giovanni quickly regained his previous calm demeanor, though the smile on his face had disappeared.

"Qingyu-kun, we are both intelligent people, so let's get straight to the point."

"What price do I need to pay to get all the information about Xiao Yin from you?"

Sakaki's reaction clearly exceeded Aoba's expectations.

However, he quickly gleaned useful information from Sakaki's attitude.

First of all, it seems that Giovanni has lost contact with Gin for a long time? That's why he's so eager to get news about him.

Secondly... at least Qingyu can be certain that there is no villain in this world who can control Ho-Oh and Lugia called "Masked Man".

Therefore, the special manga episode where Xiao Yin is kidnapped is simply impossible.

So, what exactly happened to Xiaoyin?

After a moment of contemplation, Qingyu decided to tell the truth.

After all, besides confirming information about Mewtwo from him, there was another equally important reason why she came to see Giovanni.

"To be honest, I don't really know much about Xiao Yin. I just had a vague feeling after meeting him."

"However, judging from your reaction, Mr. Sakaki... it seems my guess was right after all."

"Xiao Yin...you must have a close relationship with him, right?"

It's not really a guess, but if Qingyu directly said that Xiaoyin looks like Sakaki, it just feels a bit unscientific.

After all, Little Silver's red hair and his unruly eyes...

I always feel like he looks more like A-Du.
You can't just say that! You might offend two people at the same time!

However, Qingyu couldn't directly say something absurd like "I'm actually a time traveler," so he could only draw conclusions through indirect means.

"..."

After a moment of silence, Sakaki slowly nodded.

"As expected of Teacher Yu, you can even hide it from Xiao Yin."

"If there are no other trainers with the same name, then yes, Silver is indeed my son."

"However... because of some things that happened back then, Xiao Yin..."

Perhaps because he was talking about his own flesh and blood whom he hadn't seen for many years, a look of melancholy suddenly appeared on Sakaki's face, and the conversation unconsciously drifted back to "back then".

But Qingyu wasn't interested in that.

"Stop, stop, stop! We can talk about this trivial stuff later."

After crossing her arms and making an "X" in front of her chest, Qingyu looked at Sakaki again and asked.

"I have only one question I'd like to ask you."

"Boss Sakaki, you don't want Gin to go astray in his pursuit of power and end up like you, becoming an irredeemable villain, do you?"

(End of this chapter)