Pokémon: My Titles Know No Limits! [306]

Lake Acuity sat nestled in the northern reaches of Sinnoh, its surroundings blanketed year-round in snow and ice.

At this moment, deep in a mountain valley not far from the lake, snowflakes drifted from the sky as an airship hovered over a clearing. Bracing against the wind and flurries, a group of uniformed Pokémon Hunters stood in formation behind Hunter J.

Though her subordinates all wore grim, serious expressions, J could clearly feel the blazing heat of their gazes on her back, barely contained beneath their composed facades.

Never before had she felt such palpable pressure from her own people.

Let’s hope nothing goes sideways when we start talking cooperation with Team Galactic... J thought grimly.

After all, the contract on the table was worth a staggering three hundred million.

Just as her worries were mounting, another airship appeared in the distant sky, jolting Hunter J to attention.

“They're here!”

No sooner had she spoken than the roar of an engine echoed across the valley. The approaching airship drew closer, then descended slowly onto the far end of the clearing.

With a hiss, the hatch opened.

Two figures in Team Galactic uniforms stepped out, followed closely by several underlings.

Pluto and Jupiter!

From his vantage point, Gary Oak sent a message through Mew’s telepathic link.

[Pearl]: Gary-senpai, you know them?

[Gary]: Of course...

He had pored over all the intel Blue had compiled for August on Team Galactic. He knew every one of their top brass by heart.

Through Mew’s psychic channel, Gary gave a brief primer to Planteena and the others:

[Team Galactic’s commanders use star-based codenames.]

[The chubby, sleazy-looking one is Pluto, a scientist. His known partner Pokémon is Slowking...]

[The pink-haired one is Jupiter, another commander. Her specialties include using Froslass, Gastrodon, and Tangrowth!]

And of course, he added one last note with a smug grin:
[Not sure if they’ve got any backup hiding nearby, but if it’s just these two, August and I can handle them no sweat!]

He radiated utter confidence as he spoke.

Both Diamond and Pearl looked up at him with awe.
[Gary-senpai, you’re amazing!]

Gary’s smirk widened.
[Heh, well, I try~]

[GardevoirSupremacy]: ?

Feeling August’s eyes on him, Gary’s posture stiffened.

[Ahem, I mean... it’s not that easy.]

By now, Pluto and Jupiter had joined Hunter J at the front lines.

They exchanged glances, a flicker of surprise in their eyes as they noted how sharp and focused J’s subordinates looked.

They had assumed J’s team would be demoralized after their losses in the last mission. Clearly, they had misjudged.

Still, in their view, this was a good thing.

High morale meant better combat performance — just what they needed for the mission ahead.

Hunter J stepped forward. “Where’s the money?”

Her tone was clipped and brusque — a side effect of the headache her subordinates had been giving her these past few days.

Neither Pluto nor Jupiter seemed fazed.

With a casual wave, Jupiter signaled someone behind her, then caught a metal case tossed her way. She lobbed it toward J.

“That’s one hundred million — the advance. Once Uxie is captured, you’ll get the remaining two hundred.”

J popped open the case, gave the contents a quick once-over, then looked up. “Only you two from Team Galactic? The one who took out the International Police branch didn’t show?”

Pluto adjusted his glasses and chuckled. “Heh, to catch Uxie, we’re more than enough. She’s on a more critical mission.”

J didn’t press further.

She turned on her heel and gestured to her team, leading them back into her airship.

Pluto and Jupiter watched her go, a vague sense of unease tugging at them. Something felt... off.

Still, with the money paid and the Hunters clearly motivated by profit, they dismissed their doubts and returned to their own vessel.

Time to get ready for the capture operation at Lake Acuity.

...

Lake Acuity

Team Galactic’s and Hunter J’s airships now hovered over the lake, twin threats casting heavy shadows over the icy waters.

The sheer pressure from the two airships sent the lake’s resident Water-type Pokémon diving to the bottom, too terrified to surface.

Standing atop her Salamence, Hunter J led her team down to the lakeshore. She turned to Pluto and Jupiter, who had landed nearby with their own squad.

“What’s your plan?” she asked coolly.

Having taken part in previous captures of the lake trio, J knew full well how difficult it was to lure them out. Uxie, especially, was elusive — always hiding in the depths.

“No need to rush...” Pluto said with a crooked smile. “Team Galactic developed a special bomb just for this mission — the Galactic Bomb. Once we detonate it at any one of the three lakes, it’ll trigger a chain reaction that forces all three lake guardians to appear at once!”

Gary and the others, standing beside August, all turned to him in alarm. Clearly, they hadn’t anticipated this twist.

But August, who already knew the plot, remained composed.

[GardevoirSupremacy]: I’ve already contacted Cynthia. She’s sent people to the other two lakes. We’ve done everything we can. As long as we keep even one of the lake guardians out of Galactic’s hands, their plan can’t succeed!

Hearing this, the others breathed a sigh of relief.

Just then, the lake surface rippled.

A soft glow emerged, and a small, radiant figure rose gently into view above the water.

The Being of Knowledge — Uxie!

Pluto’s eyes gleamed with ecstasy and obsession. “It’s here at last! Move in!”

At his command, Galactic’s trainers launched their attacks at once.

But Uxie wasn’t as frail as it appeared in the anime.

A shimmering blue barrier flared to life around it. The barrage of attacks battered the shield, straining it to its limit, but none broke through.

Seeing their efforts failing, Pluto barked, “Plan B!”

Galactic grunts on the shore pulled out launcher-like weapons — essentially high-tech rocket launchers — and aimed directly at Uxie.

Sensing danger, Uxie cried out in alarm and tried to flee back into the depths—

But...

“We’ve anticipated that.”

With a snap of his fingers, Pluto ordered several trainers to release Honchkrow.

“[Mean Look]!”

The black glare of the move manifested as countless ghostly eyes surrounding Uxie, freezing it in place midair.

Pluto’s voice was giddy with triumph. “Perfect — do it now!”

The Galactic soldiers tightened their grips on the launchers and prepared to fire.

Just as the rockets were about to launch—

“Cloyster, [Spike Cannon]!”

“Crobat, [Poison Sting]!”

Suddenly, two attacks struck from the flanks.

Spikes rained down from above, directly obliterating the rockets that had just been launched. The ensuing explosions blasted the surrounding Team Galactic members and their Pokémon into complete disarray.

Those struck by Crobat’s [Poison Sting] began turning pale and purple, scrambling to pull out antidotes in a panic.

Seeing this, Pluto and Jupiter’s expressions darkened immediately.

Their gazes snapped toward the direction of the ambush.

Two all-too-familiar figures appeared at the head of a group of League trainers.

“Lorelei and Koga…”

They’d had no shortage of run-ins with these Sinnoh League reinforcements lately.

But they hadn’t expected them to locate this place so quickly.

Fortunately, they had contingency plans.

“Hunter J, intercept them!” Pluto ordered.

The way Pluto so casually issued commands to Lady J didn’t sit well with the Pokémon Hunters present — their faces instantly hardened with displeasure and indignation.

But Hunter J said nothing. Unlike her subordinates, she wasn’t nearly as bothered. Take the money, do the job — that was her philosophy.

“Salamence, [Flamethrower]!”

A jet of flame burst from Salamence’s jaws, interrupting Cloyster’s [Spike Cannon].

But Cloyster simply clamped its shell shut, easily shrugging off the fire.

Lorelei stood behind it, with her Jynx gently exhaling a chilly mist to cool her and Cloyster down.

Snow was already falling from the sky — this was her home turf.

“Jynx, [Blizzard]!”

Jynx inhaled deeply, then exhaled with force.

The delicate snowfall suddenly surged into a howling blizzard, barreling straight toward Hunter J and her Salamence.

Hunter J wouldn’t dare have her Dragon-type take a [Blizzard] head-on.

She quickly recalled Salamence, then sent out another Pokémon.

“Drapion, [Protect]!”

A shimmering barrier enveloped both her and Drapion.

But the Team Galactic grunts and Pokémon Hunters standing nearby weren’t so lucky — the Blizzard froze them solid, dropping them to the ground one after another, knocked out of the fight.

Elsewhere, Jupiter faced off against Koga.

She chose Froslass as her battler.

Froslass stood firmly in front of Jupiter, its gemstone-like eyes glinting with an eerie light. A black silhouette suddenly reached out from Froslass’s own shadow.

“[Shadow Claw]!”

A spectral claw slashed toward Crobat — but Crobat twisted mid-air, easily dodging it.

Then, with a sharp turn, it swung its wings and hurled four slicing air blades back at Froslass.

Froslass’s eyes flashed again with strange light. Its body shifted quickly to one side, just barely avoiding the [Air Slash].

The blades struck the ground, kicking up a thick cloud of dust.

With Hunter J and Jupiter now locked in combat with Lorelei and Koga, the Hunters and Galactic grunts at the lake also clashed with the League trainers, trying to prevent them from reaching Lake Acuity.

In the blink of an eye, the lakeside erupted into chaos.

Pluto, however, didn’t join the fray.

He was a scientist — not a fighter. Combat wasn’t his strength.

More importantly, he still had to capture Uxie!

He glanced at Uxie. The first two plans had failed — the first was ineffective, and the second had been disrupted by Lorelei and Koga. That left only Plan C!

Pluto picked up his communicator and issued orders.

High above, the belly of the Team Galactic airship split open. A mechanical arm extended, slowly positioning itself toward Uxie.

CRACK!

A surge of electricity arced from the mechanical arm, striking toward Uxie.

Startled, Uxie quickly conjured a barrier to block the blast, even while still immobilized by [Mean Look].

But just as it deflected the attack—

FWIP.

A capture net shot out.

Weakened by the earlier onslaught, Uxie was caught cleanly in the trap.

The net snapped tight, and in a flash, Uxie was sucked into a transparent containment sphere.

Seeing that the airship’s capture system had successfully restrained Uxie, the Galactic grunts broke into excited cheers.

Pluto, especially, looked ecstatic — things had gone even smoother than he’d dared hope.

Who cares about Lorelei and Koga, as long as Uxie is in our hands?

Emboldened by success, Pluto shouted toward Hunter J, who was still fighting: “Hunter J, cover our retreat!”

“Once we’re out, the rest of your payment will be transferred!”

That statement, regardless of how Hunter J felt, instantly set off a wave of fury among the Pokémon Hunters — especially those who had listened to August’s speeches and carried deep resentment toward Team Galactic.

Those Galactic bastards want to use us as cannon fodder now?

Hunter J’s face soured as well — though given how far things had already gone, she decided it would be better to swallow her anger and wait until she had the full payment in hand.

Just as she was about to grit her teeth and endure…

A beam of light shot out from among the Hunters and, before everyone’s eyes, severed the cable linking the Galactic airship to the device containing Uxie.

The move was so sudden that it stunned everyone into silence.

Before anyone could react, a Salamence streaked forward, snatching the orb holding Uxie in its claws.

Atop its back was a figure Hunter J recognized instantly — and he was shouting at the top of his lungs:

“Brothers, I’ve got it! Cover Lady J’s retreat!”

“Don’t let Team Galactic get away with this!”

The Hunters — many of whom had attended August’s lectures — saw the familiar face, and as soon as he moved, they exploded into action as if fueled by adrenaline.

The Pokémon Hunters wheeled around, turning their weapons on their former allies in Galactic, shouting as they charged:

“Lady J, get out of here!”

“Take the legendary Pokémon and run!”

“Give those arrogant Galactic bastards a taste of their own medicine!”

Hearing her subordinates shouting with such passion, Hunter J stood frozen, trembling.

Pluto and Jupiter’s shocked gazes locked with hers, disbelief giving way to rage.

I didn’t plan this! I’m angry at them, sure — but I wasn’t actually going to betray them!

This is bad.

She had just made herself Galactic’s number-one enemy.

Hunter J opened her mouth, wanting to explain… but Galactic gave her no chance.

To Pluto and Jupiter, this was a premeditated backstab.

Jupiter immediately abandoned her fight with Koga and turned on J.

“Tangrowth, [Power Whip]!”

The thick vine lashed through the air.

Caught off guard, Hunter J’s Drapion was struck hard and sent flying.

A fire lit in J’s chest.

I didn’t even give the order for this — and now I’m taking the fall?!

She gave up trying to reason with them. With a sharp command, she ordered Salamence to fly toward the airship.

To Team Galactic, it looked exactly like what they feared — that she was trying to escape with their prize.

Pluto and Jupiter turned to run for their own airship, intent on giving chase — but just as they did, Lorelei raised a hand.

Jynx fired an [Ice Beam], striking Galactic’s airship right at the engine.

The moment it hit, black smoke erupted.

Lorelei adjusted her glasses coolly.

“No one’s getting out of here.”

“You—!”

Pluto was seething.

Uxie is in the hands of those Pokémon Hunters, and instead of chasing after them, you’re still clinging to us? What the hell is wrong with you?!

But no matter how furious he felt, there was nothing he could do.

Above him, Team Galactic’s airship engines had stalled. It spiraled downward in a slow descent, and all Pluto could do was watch as Hunter J’s airship vanished into the distance.

The one small silver lining was that Uxie was now in J’s possession. As long as it wasn’t in League hands, Commander Charon could always retrieve it later.

That thought calmed Pluto just a bit. He redirected his attention to Lorelei and Koga.

First, we need to get out of this mess alive.

He and Jupiter immediately rallied their forces, launching a fresh assault on the two League elites.

But without Hunter J’s support, they didn’t stand a chance.

Especially with Lorelei holding the terrain advantage in the icy battlefield around Lake Acuity—she practically had them pinned down single-handedly.

Was she not going all out earlier? Jupiter couldn’t help but wonder.

...

Aboard the Airship

“Lady J!”

A group of Pokémon Hunters looked at Hunter J with faces lit by awe and exhilaration.

Everyone on the ship had witnessed the moment she snatched Uxie right out of Galactic’s grasp—what a move! Any lingering dissatisfaction toward her evaporated on the spot, replaced by nothing but admiration.

As expected of Lady J. When it’s time to strike, she doesn’t hesitate. A true role model.

No wonder Crow had spoken so confidently about J secretly having plans to move against Team Galactic. It all made sense now—he must’ve had her approval from the start.

Hunter J looked around at her subordinates’ adoring faces and felt a wave of nausea.

I never planned to go against Galactic!

Sure, she had seized Uxie—but now that she’d made an enemy of such a powerful organization, how was she supposed to survive in Sinnoh?

Was she supposed to flee to another region?

That would get her out of Galactic’s reach, but she’d also have to abandon the client base she’d spent years building here.

Just the thought made her reluctant to leave.

Feeling an oncoming headache, J decided to go check on Uxie. Her face cold, she headed for the storage bay.

Pushing the door open, she found Crow with several of his newly recruited subordinates, gathered around the containment unit holding Uxie.

“So this is Uxie? It’s so tiny—and kinda cute.”

“Is it even awake? Its eyes are closed…”

“If I remember right, Uxie’s gaze can erase a person’s memories. You sure you want it to open those eyes?”

“Ah… yeah, maybe not.”

Seeing them chatting so casually like nothing had happened, J felt her temper flare.

“You’ve done such a great job…” she said coldly.

Everyone turned at the sound of her voice.

Crow—no, August—wore an innocent look. “What do you mean, Lady J? Wasn’t this what you wanted?”

J’s anger spiked. “When did I ever tell you to steal Uxie from Team Galactic?!”

“I just thought you’d already given your silent approval…” August looked surprised.

“Shut up! Move aside. Hand Uxie over!” J barked.

“Are you planning to return Uxie to Team Galactic?” he asked.

“That’s none of your business!”

August shook his head. “Sorry, Lady J. I can’t follow your orders this time.”

“You mean to betray me?” Her voice went ice-cold.

Her patience with this insubordinate subordinate had finally run out.

August blinked, then tilted his head. “Betrayal? Why would you say that, Lady J? When did I ever swear loyalty to you?”

He even turned to Gary beside him. “Green, did I ever say that?”

Gary played along and shook his head.

J was about to explode.

Her hand darted toward her Pokéball—but just as she touched it, her entire body went rigid. She struggled, but couldn’t move an inch.

August still wore his innocent expression, but J felt a chill crawl down her spine.

“…Who the hell are you?”

This man definitely wasn’t Crow. None of her men had this kind of power.

“Hunter J, your anger’s clouding your judgment…” August sighed.

Then he raised a hand and swept it across his face.

From the shadows of the room, Gardevoir stepped forward.

J’s eyes widened in shock.

August smiled. “I told you, once I got to Sinnoh, you were done for. I always keep my promises.”

“You’re August!”

The face, the shiny Gardevoir—J recognized them instantly.

She never imagined August had infiltrated her ranks and played the role of one of her subordinates for days… without her ever noticing.

If only I’d realized sooner—

But the thought cut off as her vision went black and consciousness slipped away.

...

Ten minutes later

‘Hunter J’ exited the storage bay with a cold expression and made her way to the command room.

“Set course for the base in Jubilife City,” she ordered.

Back in the storage room, the real Hunter J lay unconscious under Gardevoir’s [Hypnosis].

August crouched next to the containment unit, inspecting it carefully until he figured out how to release the locks binding Uxie.

The moment it was freed, Uxie floated out cautiously.

Even toward August—the one who had released it—it remained wary.

It wasn’t until August summoned Mew that Uxie’s expression changed from suspicion to curiosity.

As a fellow mythical Pokémon, Uxie recognized Mew immediately.

It was curious why Mew would travel alongside a human… but still, it didn’t come any closer to August.

He understood.

After what Uxie had just been through, it was perfectly natural to be cautious around humans.

So August did what always worked.

He activated the [Power of Viridian].

A gentle, soothing aura radiated from his body.

Drawn to the comforting presence—and reassured by Mew—Uxie cautiously drifted closer.

August reached out and placed his hand gently on Uxie’s head. In an instant, all the damage Uxie had sustained vanished, its wounds healed completely.

Uxie chirped in delight, circling him once before settling on his shoulder.

It was a completely different sensation from Mew.

At just 0.3 kilograms, Uxie felt like a puff of cotton on his shoulder—unbelievably light.

“How are you this light?” August muttered, staring at the tiny Pokémon. “Are you even solid?”

...

Jubilife City – Hunter Base

The airship descended slowly from the sky.

The Hunters were still basking in the thrill of having double-crossed Team Galactic, when—

“Hands up! Drop your Pokéballs!”

Cynthia and a squad of League trainers surrounded the ship. The Hunters stood stunned.

How did the League find their base?!

Even so, none of them panicked.

They still had Lady J.

As long as she stepped up, they’d be fine.

One by one, they turned to her.

But instead of leading a counterattack, ‘Hunter J’ gave a strange little smile.

“My mission is complete.”

Then, under everyone’s eyes, she collapsed to the floor.

Chaos erupted.

“Lady J!”

“What’s going on?!”

“What did you do to her?!”

Their figurehead had fallen. Their morale shattered.

Some gave up immediately, throwing down their Pokéballs in surrender.

Others tried to fight.

But against Cynthia, they never stood a chance.

With minimal effort, she brought the Hunters under control and made the arrests.

...

When Cynthia finally entered the ship’s cabin, she found August inside, cradling both Mew and Uxie—one in each arm—while comparing their weights.

A moment later:

“I’m telling you, Mew, you really need to lose weight. Just look at Uxie—light as a feather…”

“Mew!!”

Mew threw a tantrum, turning August’s hair into a complete mess.

Weight? Really?

Uxie’s just naturally light!

Still sulking, Mew batted at his head.

Cynthia couldn’t help but smile.

“You and Mew seem to get along really well.”

August finally noticed her.

He grabbed Mew, tucked it under his arm, and asked, “How’s the situation outside?”

He had only hypnotized J and sent her off with the other Hunters. How the League acted after that was Cynthia’s domain.

“All taken care of. Thanks to you.”

The takedown of Galactic’s base in Jubilife City—and the arrest of the infamous Hunter J—had been made possible by August.

He had provided the intel.

And more than that, he’d personally subdued J and delivered her on a silver platter.

Cynthia’s gaze drifted to the Pokémon perched on his shoulder.

“So this is Uxie?” she asked.

“Yep. The Being of Knowledge,” August said. “Always looks like it just woke up, but it’s fully alert. It keeps its eyes closed to avoid accidentally erasing people’s memories.”

“Erasing memories?” Cynthia blinked. This was news to her.

She was about to ask more when her communicator buzzed at her hip.

Cynthia checked the screen—her relaxed expression quickly turned grave.

After a long pause, she looked up and exhaled.

“…What happened?” August asked.

Cynthia’s expression grew heavy.

“The League just sent word… Team Galactic detonated the Galactic Bomb at Lake Valor. They drained the entire lake dry.”

“Lucian and Aaron were stationed there, but both were defeated by Cyrus. Mesprit was captured.”

“Azelf was also taken. Sird used Darkrai to overpower the defenses at Lake Verity...”

By the end, Cynthia looked visibly ashamed. Even though she’d already received August’s warning and dispatched people to stop Galactic, Mesprit and Azelf had still fallen into their hands.

And the only success they’d had… was thanks to August.

“It’s not your fault. This isn’t a battle you could’ve won easily.” August’s tone was calm. “Cyrus is powerful—at least Champion level. Sending Lucian and Aaron, two Elite Four members, to stop him was a stretch.”

“As for Sird and Darkrai… don’t worry. She won’t be a threat for long.”

His words offered Cynthia a bit of comfort.

“But now that they’ve captured both Mesprit and Azelf, could something terrible happen?” she asked. Uxie was the only one left—and it was currently in August’s possession. Cynthia’s worry deepened.

“…It’ll be fine. As long as we still have Uxie.”

August reached out and gently patted Uxie’s head, trying to soothe it. The little Pokémon had clearly been shaken by the news of its companions’ capture.

Cynthia blinked. “Wait—you know why Galactic’s collecting the lake guardians?”

“If I’m right… it’s because of this.”

August reached into his bag and pulled out a red chain.

“The [Red Chain]. According to legend, it can bind time and space… forged using the powers of the lake trio.”

“Without Uxie, they won’t be able to complete it.”

Next to him, Uxie nodded to confirm his explanation. But it looked curiously at the chain in August’s hand.

It had no memory of helping make this chain… So where had it come from?

August had no idea what Uxie was thinking. He continued, “Cyrus’s plan is likely to awaken Dialga and Palkia, then use their power to destroy Sinnoh and reshape the world into his so-called utopia.”

“Dialga and Palkia… Destroy Sinnoh and create a new world…?”

Cynthia couldn’t wrap her head around that logic. What exactly had Sinnoh done to deserve this? Why did it have to be annihilated?

But one thing was clear.

They absolutely could not let Cyrus succeed.

“What’s your plan, August?”

He’d clearly done his homework. He had the Red Chain and seemed to know everything about what Galactic was planning. He had to have a countermeasure.

“My plan is simple,” August said. “Fishing.”

“…Fishing?” Cynthia echoed, trying to make sense of the word.

August smiled faintly. “Since Cyrus wants to control Dialga and Palkia, he’ll need the [Red Chain]. And right now, the one piece missing is Uxie. That makes it the thing he wants most.”

“So we’ll use Uxie as bait… and lure him out.”

“You think Cyrus will fall for it?” Cynthia was skeptical.

She hadn’t fought Cyrus many times, but she could tell—he wasn’t the kind of man who was easy to trick.

He was meticulous. Careful.

“He’ll fall for it,” August said confidently. “Because as far as he knows, Uxie isn’t in the hands of the League… or me.”

“It’s in the hands of Hunter J.”

When he said that name, he gave a little wink.

Cynthia’s eyes widened—of course.

Hunter J was a notorious figure among Pokémon Hunters, but compared to someone like Cyrus, she wasn’t even a blip on the radar.

Cyrus would never take her seriously.

August, disguised as Hunter J, would make for a perfect lure.

So that’s why he disguised himself as J’s subordinate… used her to betray Team Galactic and steal Uxie… He planned all this from the start?!

Cynthia felt a sudden surge of admiration.

Compared to August, she—Sinnoh’s Champion—still had a lot to learn.

“In that case, we’ll do it your way. Use Uxie as bait,” she agreed.

Uxie: “???”

Does no one want to ask how I feel about this?

---

Team Galactic Headquarters – Veilstone Building

Cyrus stood at the window, silent and unreadable.

He had just received bad news.

Pluto and Jupiter had failed to capture Uxie.

Not only that—they’d lost an entire airship.

Pluto himself had been killed in the process.

“…Useless.”

Cyrus’s voice was cold and flat.

“My deepest apologies, Commander Cyrus!” Jupiter, disheveled and kneeling on one knee, appeared on the video call.

“Return. Report everything in detail.”

With that, Cyrus ended the call.

Behind him, Jupiter appeared quietly. “Commander, Uxie is in Hunter J’s hands. It won’t affect our plans much…”

“I know. That’s why I’ll give her one chance.”

Cyrus’s face remained expressionless.

“So then…?” Jupiter asked.

“Find her. Eliminate her. Retrieve Uxie.”

Just as Cyrus spoke, Jupiter’s phone buzzed.

She opened it. A text from the contact marked “Hunter J.”

[Want Uxie? Prepare 1 billion in cash. Meet me on Spear Pillar in three days. — Hunter J]

Jupiter gawked. “A billion?! She might as well be robbing us!”

She read the message aloud to Cyrus.

“…What now, Commander?”

“Agree to the deal,” Cyrus said, gazing out the window.

“But… a billion…” Jupiter hesitated.

Galactic’s funds were already strained after building the Galactic Bomb. They had nothing near that kind of money left.

“She stole Uxie from us,” Sird cut in. “Why should we pay her anything?”

Jupiter blinked. So that’s the plan…

It wasn’t about the money.

Hunter J was just another pawn.

They’d accept the deal… and then eliminate her.

Everyone in the office seemed to relax.

Except for Sird, who had remained silent the whole time. Her expression was oddly tense.

Why did that text message feel so familiar…?

Was it just her imagination?

---

Two days until the ‘deal’ with Galactic.

In Hunter J’s—no, August’s—base of operations.

August had just returned from the airport with Blue, Sabrina, Courtney, Zinnia, Silver, and Gold.

To ensure nothing went wrong in their plan against Galactic, August had summoned everyone from the Kanto Branch.

Everyone… except Blaine, who still had his duties as a Gym Leader and a full-time researcher.

They entered the base.

In the center of the factory stood a sleek, high-tech airship.

Gold, cradling Togetaro in his arms, immediately rushed forward, circling the airship wide-eyed with excitement.

Zinnia clearly wanted to go over too, but tried to maintain some dignity. She simply stood there, her eyes sparkling.

“This airship... don’t tell me you got another sponsor,” Sabrina said, suspicious.

Back in Hoenn, August had once gotten Team Rocket to “sponsor” a base.

And now, just days into arriving in Sinnoh… he had a whole airship?

“Wow, how’d you guess that Hunter J sponsored it?” August asked, feigning surprise.

Sabrina: “…”

She’d only been joking. And yet, of course it was a “donation” from Hunter J.

She’d heard from Blue that one of J’s subordinates had offended August.

Sabrina shook her head.

Of all people to provoke… they had to pick August? Seriously?

“I feel like you’re talking behind my back,” August squinted at her.

“Hm? What was that?” Sabrina blinked innocently.

August: “…”

Blue giggled behind her hand.

The group made their way to the airship’s meeting room.

A massive round table stood in the center, surrounded by the entire Kanto Branch operations team.

The newcomers exchanged glances with Platinum, Pearl, and Diamond. Thanks to their online chat group, everyone already knew each other by name, and introductions quickly turned into excited conversations.

Blue, Sabrina, and Courtney chatted with Platinum about outfits and accessories.

Meanwhile, Gold learned that Pearl and Diamond were comedians and insisted they tell him a joke.

They hesitated at first, but seeing their senior laughing so hard at their routine helped them loosen up.

For the first time in a while, the meeting room was filled with energy and laughter.

August watched it all with a satisfied nod.

This... This is what the Kanto Branch should look like.

Just as he was soaking in the moment, he felt someone cling to his arm.

Turning, he found Zinnia had somehow slithered to his side.

“Big bro August~”

He carefully pulled his arm free and looked at her warily. “Whatever it is, no. Especially if it involves Rayquaza. I’ll be needing it in the fight ahead.”

Zinnia didn’t look discouraged. Her eyes lit up instead. “If it’s for battle, then all the more reason! You’ve got Mewtwo, Mew, Celebi, Gardevoir... no way you can command them all at once!”

“So let me control Lord Rayquaza for you! I’ve been professionally trained. I promise I’ll bring out its full power. You won’t be disappointed!”

“…I could hear that scheme all the way from Spear Pillar,” August muttered. “Still no.”

Zinnia froze, then pouted. “Stingy.”

She didn’t wait for his reaction, scampering over to join the outfit talk with Blue and Sabrina.

At that moment, Silver approached with Sneasel at his side.

“Something up?” August asked.

Silver had recently been traveling through Johto with Gold. They’d even bumped into Ash—who, mistaking Silver for a rival, got teased mercilessly by Gary afterward.

Silver looked troubled. “Team Rocket’s been moving again. I’m worried…”

He’d been monitoring their activity for some time and had noticed a clear uptick. It was unmistakable—they were up to something.

“Don’t worry about it.”

August waved him off.

He knew exactly what Giovanni was planning.

Deoxys might be powerful, but it was still manageable—so long as they didn’t start flinging meteorites at Earth, they were nothing compared to Cyrus.

Reassured, Silver let it go.

Just then, Cynthia arrived—with Lorelei and Koga in tow.

She paused, momentarily stunned by the crowd.

“All of them…?”

“They’re all members of my Kanto Branch,” August said with a smile, gesturing for them to take their seats.

Once everyone was settled, he knocked on the table.

“All right, everyone—quiet down.”

“The strategy meeting against Team Galactic officially begins.”

At once, the room fell silent.

Cynthia’s eyes flickered with surprise.

She hadn’t realized August had this kind of commanding presence.

The "combat strategy meeting" for the operation against Team Galactic was, in truth, more of a war-time pep rally than a tactical briefing.

Because frankly, the plan was ridiculously straightforward.

“According to our arrangement with Team Galactic, we’ll conduct the transaction with them two days from now at Spear Pillar…”

“Thanks to intelligence from our colleague ‘Looker’—who’s currently undercover inside Galactic—we’ve confirmed they have no intention of paying up.”

“So we can safely assume they’ll be coming fully prepared. They’ll do everything in their power to take Uxie from ‘Hunter J’ by force. But what they don’t realize… is that this ‘Hunter J’ is a fake.”

“That’s our edge.”

“I’ve already sent everyone the dossiers on the key Galactic members. When the battle starts, follow the group assignments and focus on your designated opponents.”

“Gary, Gold, Silver — you three will handle Jupiter.”

“Sabrina, Blue — you’ll take on Saturn.”

“Courtney and Zinnia — you’re assigned to Mars”

“Platinum, Pearl, Diamond — your power levels are still relatively low, so for now you’ll focus on the Galactic lieutenants and foot soldiers.”

“Cynthia, you and Lorelei are tasked with keeping Sird and her Darkrai occupied.”

“Koga, you’ll infiltrate Galactic’s Veilstone HQ and coordinate with Handsome to take out any remaining operatives and rescue the captured International Police agents stationed in Sinnoh.”

“As for Cyrus…”

August’s eyes sharpened.

“I’ll take him on myself.”

“What we’re going to do is strike with overwhelming force — crush Team Galactic completely, and leave them with no chance of revival!”

August’s voice was clear and commanding.

This wasn’t reckless bravado — every match-up had been carefully calculated.

Each group he assigned was significantly more powerful than their targets.

Even the newcomers — Planteena, Pearl, and Diamond — had undergone intense training with August over the past few days. At this point, they could easily outmatch any ordinary Galactic grunt, and dealing with mid-level officers posed no real challenge.

The plan was sound. Everyone nodded in agreement.

“These next two days, prepare yourselves.”

“And with that… meeting adjourned.”

As August’s final word echoed through the room, the previously disciplined atmosphere immediately dissolved into chaos again.

August leaned back in his chair, head tilted toward the ceiling.

Even Team Rocket never had a lineup like this…

With this kind of advantage, how could I possibly lose?

...

One day before the rendezvous.

August received a message from Team Galactic.

They wanted to change the location of the exchange — from the original site to Spear Pillar.

Reading the message, August raised an eyebrow.

Why the sudden change?

Did they discover something?

Or... are they planning to forge the [Red Chain] on the spot after seizing Uxie — and immediately begin summoning Dialga and Palkia?

August felt it was most likely the latter.

“Tch… Cyrus really hates this world that much?” he muttered. “So desperate to wipe it out…”

Originally, August had planned to toss this lunatic into the Distortion World — let Giratina keep him company.

But the more he thought about it…

That’s way too good for him.

Cyrus shouldn’t be exiled.

He should be locked up — deep in the Kanto Branch’s underground facility.

Let him live out his days in the very world he wants to destroy.

Let him rot in the reality he so desperately tried to erase.

As for Galactic’s request to change the location — August pretended to deliberate for a while before sending back a reply agreeing to the new terms.

Flawless impersonation. Hunter J would’ve been proud.

---

At Galactic HQ, when Cyrus read “Hunter J’s” response, a cold smirk curled on his lips.

Enjoy your brief moment of satisfaction... It won’t last.

Tomorrow marks the end of this world... and the beginning of a new one.

He turned to the window, his eyes flickering with mad conviction.

“Finally… I’ll be free of this wretched world…”

Outside the glass, Sinnoh’s sky was calm.

Too calm.

---

This is a fan translation of 我，宝可梦称号大师！ by 落唯 白良. All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!