Logan's eyes immediately flicked to the Master Ball hanging from his neck when he heard that phrase.
The only one who would ever need such a thing… was Mewtwo.
"This is the result of my months of research," Blaine explained, pointing at the liquid shimmering inside a petri dish. "A restructured version of the genetic nutrient solution. The reason I asked you to come here today is to replace the fluid inside your Master Ball with this."
Before Logan was a sizeable amount of the nutrient solution. Though the quantity looked excessive, Logan knew better. Poké Balls contained black technology far beyond human comprehension—despite their small, spherical appearance, the inside was vast, capable of storing an entire Pokémon's environment. The amount of nutrient solution inside was perfectly consistent with what he saw here.
"If we replace the nutrient solution," Logan asked, gripping the Master Ball tightly, "will Mewtwo's genes finally be perfected?"
If it were true, Mewtwo's time limit in battle would disappear. Its strength would grow exponentially.
Blaine hesitated, then gave a bitter smile. "It still needs time."
"How long?"
"The fastest… half a year. At worst… a full year."
He gave Logan a rough estimate.
It was an incredible achievement nonetheless. Logan remembered when he had once asked Professor Oak to calculate how long it would take to complete Mewtwo's genetic repair with the original nutrient fluids. Back then, the time frame had been no less than three years. Blaine's new formula shortened that to one-third the time—an astonishing breakthrough.
And yet—
"That still won't be enough for the coming battle with Team Rocket."
Logan sighed. "According to Sabrina's words, they'll launch their full-scale offensive within half a month. Half a year—or a whole year—is far too long."
A pang of frustration welled up inside him.
He knew that half a year wasn't long at all. He had already been in this world for ten months, and it felt like the blink of an eye. Still, with Rocket's assault imminent, the time was meaningless. No matter how much potential Mewtwo had, it couldn't save him in time.
"Logan," Blaine suddenly asked, "do you know who's truly behind Team Rocket?"
"Giovanni," Logan replied without hesitation.
Blaine blinked, surprised. "You already know… Incredible. I only discovered the truth myself recently, after their movements became too brazen, too careless. To think that the long-missing Viridian Gym Leader is the one leading Team Rocket… Even when I once served under them, I had no idea of his true identity."
He frowned in thought. "From what I've learned, Giovanni is an extremely cautious man. The kind who never moves without absolute certainty. For him to bring Team Rocket so openly into the light now—it's far too hasty. I always believed he'd wait another year or two to expand his organization before making such a move. For him to act now… perhaps he's facing difficulties we don't yet know of."
The scientist sank into contemplation. He was brilliant, but no matter how keen his mind, he could not fathom the machinations of a man like Giovanni.
"Don't worry about it too much, Blaine," Logan said, rubbing his chin. "Half a year is still acceptable. But you're right… this battle against Team Rocket is going to be my most dangerous challenge yet. They're forcing me to face them before I've grown enough."
"Even if we can't completely solve Mewtwo's problem yet," Blaine said, "I can at least extend its fighting time. Stay here in my laboratory for the next three days. During that time, I'll make adjustments to Mewtwo's genetic structure. But Logan…"
He hesitated, then sighed. "Even if Mewtwo were perfected right now, you cannot expect it alone to defeat Team Rocket. Do not fall into the trap of believing that a Legendary Pokémon is invincible. There are few examples, but history does record humans defeating Legendaries. Remember this—Mewtwo may not be Giovanni's match!"
His warning was grave. Blaine feared Logan might put too much faith in Mewtwo's power and underestimate Rocket.
Logan chuckled. "Relax, Blaine. I'm not arrogant enough to think one Mewtwo will solve everything. If that were the case, I wouldn't be working so hard to train my other Pokémon. Still…" A glimmer of ambition crossed his eyes. "One Legendary might not be enough. But several? That could change the fate of humanity itself."
Blaine nodded with relief. "Good. If the battle with Rocket truly overwhelms you, don't hesitate to retreat. Legendary Pokémon have the greatest advantage in guerrilla warfare. If you disappear long enough, waiting until Mewtwo's genes are completely stable, then resurface… Rocket will have no way to stop you."
That was the strategy Blaine proposed. It was also the reason why both he and Oak had once feared Mewtwo—because such a being could wage a war of attrition that no one could ever truly win. Unless Giovanni personally shadowed Logan and Mewtwo day and night, Rocket would eventually crumble under relentless guerrilla strikes.
Of course, both men knew this was a last resort. If they ever had to rely on it, it would mean they had already lost the true war.
"Blaine, will you also fight when the time comes?" Logan asked, handing over the Master Ball.
"I haven't appeared as the Cinnabar Gym Leader in almost a year. I can't rally the trainers of Cinnabar Island. But I do have powerful friends. When the time comes, I'll fight alongside them. I once made terrible mistakes with Team Rocket. This is my chance to repay that debt."
Blaine carefully placed the Master Ball into a special device slot.
"By the way," Logan said suddenly, "you should know fossil revival technology, right? I happened to acquire one at Mt. Moon. I don't expect much, but even if it's not useful to me, it's still rare—and could make a fine gift."
He pulled out the fossil from his bag.
The one Pokémon he secretly hoped for was Aerodactyl. But since Aerodactyl wasn't a Dragon, it would have little use to him personally.
"Oh?" Blaine's eyes lit up with childlike excitement. "You actually have a fossil? Let me see. Not all fossils can revive ancient Pokémon. This technique was invented by me and a colleague in Pewter City. Let's find out if yours qualifies!"
The scientist's enthusiasm bubbled over. Ever since the breakthrough of fossil revival, long-extinct Pokémon had been brought back to life. It was Blaine's greatest public achievement, proof of his genius. But even so, fossils were rare, and not all of them contained viable DNA.
Holding Logan's fossil with careful reverence, Blaine rushed to a nearby machine. After a quick scan, he grinned widely. "Excellent! This one is usable. Now let's see what lies within!"
A beam of light swept across the fossil. The image of a small, embryonic shape flickered onto the screen. The computer rapidly ran its calculations, reconstructing the embryo into a fully matured form.
Logan's eyes narrowed as he looked at the projection. His hunch had been right.
It wasn't Aerodactyl.
But it was something far more unusual—
a species that was both Dragon, and not a Dragon at all.
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