Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command!

Da Zhi immediately recognized the man outside the plane as the Rocket Executive who had orchestrated the rescue operation on Sevii Island just a few months ago.

His eyes gleamed with excitement.

Having witnessed the executive's strength firsthand, Da Zhi knew that this man was more than capable of defeating Lorelei.

Yet, amidst his joy, a question lingered in his mind:

How was he planning to breach the plane, flying at an altitude of 8,000 meters?

As Da Zhi wrestled with this puzzle, Lorelei, recovering from her momentary shock, also recognized the figure outside the window.

The source of her unease since boarding the plane became crystal clear.

"The Tech Hunter!"

The black armor and the unmistakable Dragapult could belong to none other than the Tech Hunter.

This individual had once allied with Team Rocket to sabotage a League operation, only to disappear shortly after. Now, the Tech Hunter's sudden reappearance—with a plane full of captured Rocket members, no less—immediately set off alarm bells in Lorelei's mind.

Although she didn't know why the Tech Hunter had returned to Kanto, she was certain of his objective: rescuing the captured Rocket operatives.

Lorelei wasted no time, releasing her Cloyster into the cramped cabin. Its massive size displaced several seats, but it provided her with a modicum of security.

Only a modicum, because Lorelei knew that in the face of Deoxys, her Cloyster was little more than a psychological comfort.

Calm down… Lorelei told herself.

She reminded herself that the plane was 8,000 meters above ground. The Tech Hunter couldn't simply walk in—his mission was likely to rescue the prisoners, not destroy the plane. As long as no one opened the cabin door, he would remain stuck outside.

"Go inform the captain. Have them accelerate and try to lose him," Lorelei ordered Da Zhi.

If they could speed up and reach the Indigo Plateau quickly, they'd be safe.

Da Zhi nodded. Having received no additional orders from his superiors, his role was simply to continue playing his part as a diligent League investigator.

But just as Da Zhi moved to carry out Lorelei's orders, Luo Yuan, outside the plane, began to act.

Looking through the window at Lorelei, a smirk curled beneath Luo Yuan's mask.

He reached down and tapped the Master Ball at his waist.

Flash!

A burst of white light materialized into Deoxys beside him. The red-and-blue Pokémon, already in its Speed Forme, matched Luo Yuan's pace effortlessly, flying alongside him.

Lorelei's unease deepened as her suspicions were confirmed.

The question now was: did Luo Yuan have a way into the plane?

The answer was a resounding yes.

"Deoxys, use Teleport. Lock onto the plane's interior and take me in," Luo Yuan commanded.

Though visibly uncomfortable at the high altitude, Deoxys complied. Its sharp tentacles reached out, touching Luo Yuan.

In a flash of blue light, both vanished from Dragapult's back.

Dragapult, sensing Luo Yuan's absence, executed the backup plan. It ascended to the top of the plane, aligning its body with the aircraft to use its airflow for synchronization.

---

Inside the cabin, a flash of light marked Luo Yuan and Deoxys' sudden arrival.

"Use Ice Beam!" Lorelei shouted immediately, reacting in an instant.

A white beam shot toward their location, only to be deflected effortlessly by Deoxys, now in its Defense Forme.

As the icy crystals dissipated from Deoxys' tentacle, Luo Yuan chuckled, his voice distorted by a voice modulator.

"Lorelei, using Ice Beam inside a plane cabin? Aren't you worried you might damage the aircraft?"

Lorelei gritted her teeth, glaring at him without responding.

She was acutely aware of the risk. Damaging the cabin could spell disaster for everyone onboard. That was why she'd refrained from using Cloyster's more destructive Spike Cannon and opted for Ice Beam instead.

"What's your objective?" she demanded, though the answer seemed obvious.

"Just doing a job," Luo Yuan replied with a smile. "I've been hired to rescue the Rocket members you've detained. Thanks to you, I landed a lucrative contract this time."

Hearing this, Lorelei's understanding of the Tech Hunter's relationship with Team Rocket shifted.

It seemed to be a mercenary arrangement, with the Tech Hunter acting as a bounty hunter.

"Repeatedly cooperating with Team Rocket to sabotage League operations—you're not worried about being hunted down by the League?" she asked.

Luo Yuan tilted his head mockingly.

"Isn't that already the case? I'm a wanted man, after all."

"Besides, I hear the League's about to split. Lance is heading to Johto, isn't he? Even when Lance was here, I didn't fear Kanto's League. Why should I be worried now that he's gone?"

Lorelei couldn't argue with his logic.

This was the same man who had fought her and Lance head-on, a Trainer whose strength was second only to that of Rocket's infamous Mewtwo-wielding Executive, "K."

Once again, Lorelei felt the crushing weight of the League's inability to maintain enough high-level Trainers to counter threats like the Tech Hunter.

She couldn't help but think of Luo Yuan. If he were here, he might have alleviated some of this pressure.

But now…

Her eyes fixed on Deoxys standing protectively in front of Luo Yuan. She felt a profound sense of helplessness.

Still, Lorelei wasn't ready to give up.

"I won't let you take them!" she shouted, signaling Cloyster to attack again. Another Ice Beam shot toward Luo Yuan.

"It's useless," Luo Yuan said calmly.

The cramped space of the cabin severely restricted Cloyster's capabilities. Deoxys, however, was unaffected by such limitations.

In an instant, Deoxys shifted into its Attack Forme. With a flash of blue light in its eyes, Cloyster was lifted into the air, suspended by psychic energy.

"Cloyster!" Lorelei's expression shifted to one of alarm.

She wanted to command Cloyster to break free, but with the safety of the plane at stake, the words caught in her throat. All she could do was watch, powerless.