Team Rocket's Second-in-Command!

Mount Silver stood proudly in the eastern part of Johto, just west of the Indigo Plateau.

As Johto's most renowned mountain range, it was home to a diverse array of Pokémon species.

While Mount Silver was known to be dangerous due to the presence of highly aggressive Pokémon like Ursaring and Tyranitar, the risks were generally manageable. As long as humans avoided encroaching on their territories, coexistence was relatively peaceful.

However, everything changed two weeks ago...

"So, they were trying to send a message but lost contact for unknown reasons?" Luo Yuan asked.

Across from him, Nurse Joy nodded.

As the logistics personnel accompanying the investigation team, Joy had stayed behind in Silver Town due to her lack of combat ability.

The rest of the team, led by Officer Jenny, had ventured deep into Mount Silver—only to encounter disaster.

For now, Luo Yuan could only rely on Joy's account to piece things together.

"During the last communication, it sounded like they were suddenly attacked. But since the signal cut off quickly, I couldn't see exactly what happened," Joy added.

Thanks to Silph Co.'s invention of holographic communicators, Joy had managed to catch a glimpse of the situation on the other end.

Although she couldn't determine what had occurred, her input provided Luo Yuan with some valuable clues.

As a shareholder of Silph Co., Luo Yuan was well-versed in the workings of the holographic communicator.

The device utilized satellite technology for transmission, making it resistant to most forms of interference.

If the team had established a connection, the issue clearly wasn't with the signal.

"Something must have interrupted the holographic communicator's transmission. It seems they were indeed attacked," Luo Yuan concluded.

He turned his attention back to the anxious Joy. "Give me a copy of their planned route. I'll go find them."

Joy quickly retrieved a map and handed it to Luo Yuan, her tense expression softening slightly.

She had seen the globally broadcast battle between Luo Yuan and Hoenn Champion Steven Stone, and her confidence in his strength was unwavering.

"Please, take care of them, Elite Four Luo Yuan," Joy said, bowing deeply.

"Leave it to me."

Luo Yuan smiled faintly before glancing down at the route on the map. Then, with a swift movement, he mounted his Dragonite and patted its back.

---

Dragonite flapped its wings powerfully, generating gusts of wind as it soared into the sky, heading toward the depths of Mount Silver.

Truthfully, this was Luo Yuan's first visit to Mount Silver.

Compared to Mount Moon, which was mostly barren rock, Mount Silver had more abundant vegetation and reached greater heights.

Riding Dragonite through the air, Luo Yuan quickly noticed something unusual about the mountain.

Under normal circumstances, Dragonite's innate presence and aura would be enough to make other Flying Pokémon instinctively steer clear.

But now...

Ahead of him, a flock of Spearow, led by a Fearow, flew directly at him in a frenzied charge. Luo Yuan had no choice but to slow Dragonite's flight.

"Dragonite, Dragon Breath!"

At Luo Yuan's command, Dragonite halted midair and unleashed a blast of Dragon Breath at the oncoming Spearow flock.

The Dragon Breath spread rapidly, its paralyzing aura blanketing the Spearow.

The frenzied Pokémon froze in midair, their bodies stiffening before they plummeted to the ground below.

The leading Fearow, now snapping out of its rage, realized it had provoked an opponent it couldn't handle.

Without hesitation, the Fearow turned tail and attempted to flee.

However, Luo Yuan needed a guide and wasn't about to let it go so easily.

"If you've come this far, why leave in such a hurry?" Luo Yuan chuckled softly.

His eyes glowed blue, and the Fearow suddenly froze mid-flight, unable to move a muscle.

Under the influence of Luo Yuan's psychic powers, the Fearow was pulled toward him and hovered right before his eyes.

Fearow looked at the strange human before it, its eyes filled with panic.

"Tell me, what's been happening on Mount Silver?" Luo Yuan asked, activating his Verdant Power.

The calming aura emanating from Luo Yuan eased Fearow's tension slightly. Sensing the dangerous energy radiating from him, Fearow hurriedly spilled everything it knew.

"Caw! Caw! Caw!"

Although incomprehensible to anyone else, Fearow's cries provided Luo Yuan with a rough understanding of the situation.

"So, you're saying that a powerful Pokémon recently appeared and drove Mount Silver's original ruler out of the central area?" Luo Yuan asked for confirmation.

Fearow nodded vigorously, terrified of displeasing Luo Yuan.

"I see..." Luo Yuan rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

Fearow's information seemed to tie everything together.

Mount Silver's long-standing stability had been disrupted by an intruder, which threw the mountain's ecosystem into chaos and displaced its native Pokémon.

Territory disputes broke out as various species were forced to reshuffle their domains, leading to the current turmoil.

As for Officer Jenny and her team... it seemed they had uncovered the truth and been attacked by the unknown Pokémon as a result.

The mystery of Mount Silver's disturbance was slowly becoming clearer.

"Do you know what this unknown Pokémon looks like?" Luo Yuan asked.

Fearow shook its head frantically, terrified that its lack of an answer might provoke Luo Yuan's wrath.

Luo Yuan wasn't particularly disappointed. He had only asked out of curiosity and hadn't truly expected Fearow to know.

Given Fearow's strength, it was unlikely to have ventured into Mount Silver's core area.

With Fearow no longer of use, Luo Yuan released it, watching as the bird Pokémon bolted away in blind panic.

Ignoring the fleeing Fearow, Luo Yuan turned his gaze toward the mountain's center and pressed on.

Along the way, he encountered several waves of aggressive Flying Pokémon. Under Luo Yuan's guidance, Dragonite easily fended them off each time.

However, the constant interruptions began to wear on Luo Yuan's patience.

These Flying Pokémon, clearly embroiled in territorial disputes, attacked without regard for their opponent.

Frustrated and needing to track Officer Jenny's team, Luo Yuan decided to abandon aerial travel and proceed on foot.

After landing, he located the team's trail and followed the marked route deeper into Mount Silver.