Chapter 60: Chapter 60: Can Kanto Still Be Saved?
Chapter 60: Can Kanto Still Be Saved?
Green knew Asahi had spent time as a ranger, so it wasn't surprising to learn he had other Pokémon.
But…
"Eevee… to deal with Lt. Surge?"
Green looked at the sleepy Eevee on Asahi's shoulder with disbelief.
Sure, she admitted that Eevee was adorable. Its fluffy form made her want to scoop it up and cuddle it.
But cuteness had nothing to do with strength. How could Eevee possibly stand up to Lt. Surge? Was Asahi planning to use its charm to make Lt. Surge die from sheer adorableness?
Noticing Green's doubt, Asahi glanced at Eevee and said, "Don't underestimate her. In terms of strength, she's the second strongest Pokémon on my team."
"Eevee~"
Hearing the praise, Eevee shyly tilted her head, looking flattered.
Watching this, Asahi had to admit it was hard to convince anyone that this little fluffball was Elite-level.
Suddenly, the communicator at Asahi's waist vibrated.
After checking the message, he smiled and turned to Green.
"Let's go. It's time to move. You'll see Eevee's strength firsthand!"
---
Vermilion City Gym
Lt. Surge was growing restless.
He had waited inside the Gym all day, but the Masked Corps still hadn't shown up.
Even his subordinates searching outside hadn't found the slightest trace of them.
"Could they have already fled…"
For someone who prided himself on his control over Vermilion City, the lack of any leads was frustrating.
The more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed that his overwhelming show of force had scared them off, causing them to flee the city overnight.
The idea made sense to him.
If they were truly cowards who relied on petty scare tactics like anonymous notes, they wouldn't dare face him head-on.
"Hmph, a bunch of clowns," he muttered, finally relaxing.
If they had indeed run away, all he needed to do now was clean up any incriminating evidence around him. That way, even if the League received a report about him, he could maintain his façade as a righteous Gym Leader with no ties to Team Rocket.
Satisfied with his plan, a smile spread across his face.
He, Lt. Surge, had spent years building his power in Vermilion City. A single accusation couldn't shake him.
The Masked Corps? Nothing more than a joke.
Just as he was preparing to instruct his subordinates, one of them burst into the room, looking panicked.
"Sir! We just received a distress signal from one of our squads. But when we tried to confirm their location, there was no response."
"It's highly likely they were attacked!"
Hearing this, Lt. Surge's expression froze.
"You're telling me… my men were ambushed?"
The subordinate, trembling under his gaze, mustered the courage to respond.
"Yes, sir!"
"So, they didn't run after all… they dared to make a move in Vermilion City? Very well…"
Lt. Surge's face darkened completely. "Mobilize everyone! I want them captured!"
---
"Eevee~!"
With a light leap, Eevee dodged Arbok's lunge.
Landing gracefully on the ground, she kicked up a small cloud of sand, which flew straight into Arbok's eyes.
Arbok let out a cry of pain, writhing as its vision blurred.
Nearby, a Weezing quickly moved in to assist, launching a Sludge Bomb at Eevee.
"Eevee—!"
Eevee wrinkled her small nose in disgust, dodging the foul-looking attack. She glared angrily at Weezing.
Not giving it any time to react, Eevee lightly pushed off the ground with her four legs.
In an instant, she turned into a brown blur, moving at a speed completely disproportionate to her tiny legs. With a swift swipe, she struck Weezing squarely.
"Weezing—!"
The Pokémon could only let out a pained cry before it was sent flying like a cannonball. It collided with a nearby Beedrill that couldn't dodge in time, smashing both into the alley wall and leaving a web of cracks.
Both Weezing and Beedrill, unable to endure the force, were left barely conscious and clearly out of the fight.
Arbok, having just cleared the sand from its eyes, witnessed this scene and visibly shuddered, its tail-tip twitching in fear.
As Eevee approached silently, her small frame somehow emanated an aura that made Arbok tremble.
The once-ferocious Arbok now stared in terror, as if it were Eevee, not itself, that possessed the Intimidate ability.
Step by step, Eevee advanced, and Arbok coiled backward in retreat.
"Arbok—!"
Finally, under the glow of Swift's sparkling stars, Arbok fell completely unconscious.
"Eevee~!"
Having dealt with all her opponents, Eevee trotted over to Asahi, her head tilted upward with a proud expression that clearly said, "Praise me now!"
Asahi picked up Eevee, placing her on his shoulder, then patted her head and handed her an energy cube.
He turned to Green, whose face was frozen in astonishment, and said smugly, "So, what do you think? Didn't I say my Eevee is strong?"
Green could only nod numbly.
Her mind was still replaying the scene of Eevee effortlessly toying with her opponents.
That wasn't a battle. It was pure domination—a one-sided game where Eevee completely controlled the fight.
To defeat three seemingly strong Pokémon so effortlessly, Asahi's earlier boast about Eevee's strength didn't feel exaggerated at all.
Satisfied with Green's reaction, Asahi lightly kicked the bound Rocket Grunts at his feet.
"Hey, let me ask you something. Is Lt. Surge in the Gym right now?"
One of the grunts, though tied up, responded stubbornly, "I don't know what you're talking about. We're just trainees from the Vermilion Gym. Aren't you afraid the League will come after you for attacking us?"
His defiant tone and righteous demeanor almost made it seem like he really was an innocent trainee.
"Interesting." Asahi chuckled. "The League? You mean I'd be reporting myself?"
The Rocket Grunt's expression shifted dramatically as Asahi casually pulled out his International Police badge and tossed it in his hand.
"Anything else you'd like to say now?"
"…"
Seeing their silence, Asahi realized these were hardened Rocket loyalists.
He motioned for Green's Clefable to use Thunder Wave and Pound on each of them, leaving them all unconscious.
Sighing, Asahi remarked, "These days, even Team Rocket talks about the League… Can Kanto still be saved?"
***
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