Red rushed forward, blocking Logan's path with his arms spread wide, protecting Blue who lay motionless on the ground.

Logan rolled his eyes. Of course… Red shows up now. He waits until I've already beaten Blue to a pulp before jumping in. Where was this heroic act earlier when the fight was at its peak?

This guy was more cunning than he looked.

"Don't mind me!" Blue groaned from the ground.

It was always the same between him and Red—never seeing eye to eye. Even though he had endured Logan's relentless beatdown without a single word, the moment Red appeared, his pride flared up immediately, forcing him into his usual stubborn arrogance.

"Have you cooled off yet?" Logan asked, staring down at him.

Blue nodded.

"Can you talk like a normal person now?"

Blue nodded again, slower this time.

"In that case, stand up."

Logan reached down with his hand. Blue hesitated for a moment, then finally lifted his head and took it, allowing Logan to pull him up from the grass.

"Pfft—"

Watching Blue's swollen, pig-faced features as he rose, Green couldn't hold back her laughter. She quickly covered her mouth, realizing it was rude, but the sparkle of amusement in her eyes was impossible to hide.

Blue, naturally, had no intention of giving her any leniency for being a girl. He glared at her fiercely before closing his eyes with irritation.

"So… where are we going now?" Blue asked in a low, heavy tone, rubbing his face. Unconsciously, he had already begun treating Logan as the backbone of their group. He knew now wasn't the time for tantrums; when crisis loomed, what mattered was finding solutions—not complaints.

Logan didn't answer immediately. Instead, he opened up his Pokédex and activated the network function. As he suspected, the net was in total chaos. Opening a random feed, he was greeted by the frantic voice of a reporter.

"This is a special report from the Pokémon Association. I'm here live in Saffron City bringing you the latest updates! The notorious criminal organization—Team Rocket—has launched the largest terrorist attack in history! They've taken over the Silph Co. headquarters, seized Saffron Gym, and captured the city's communications and transportation hubs. They are waging war on Saffron!"

The camera shook wildly as the reporter and cameraman ran for their lives. Shattered glass littered the streets, alarms from smashed cars screamed, terrified citizens shrieked, and chaos ruled every corner. Though some local Trainers tried to resist, against tens of thousands of Rocket members, their efforts were futile—defeated, captured, or left gravely injured.

While Rocket didn't target civilians directly, demanding only that they remain indoors or seek shelters, the collapse of order had already brought casualties. Saffron—once the grand, beating heart of Kanto—fell silent in just hours. Streets emptied, life vanished, and Rocket patrols roamed freely, their Pokémon and Poké Balls at their belts serving as weapons more terrifying than any guns or tanks.

Even the Pokémon Center had been seized, its healing machines now Rocket property. With them on rotation, Rocket's fighting force was virtually limitless—unless their members or Pokémon were killed outright, they could fight endlessly.

Logan narrowed his eyes. He hadn't lived through wars in this world, but even he could see the horrifying reality. Wars here weren't fought with soldiers and tanks—they were fought with gods and monsters, where powerful Trainers clashed like superheroes tearing the sky apart.

"You've seen it," Logan finally said, showing Red and Blue the broadcast. "Saffron is completely under Rocket control. And considering its location, once they've drained its resources, their next target will be Celadon. If they succeed, with both major cities falling like dominoes, the entire Kanto region will collapse soon after."

Red and Blue clenched their fists in silent fury.

"Saffron was supposed to be impenetrable—guarded by surrounding cities and built in Kanto's very heart. No outside force should've breached it. But the founders never imagined the city would be conquered from within," Logan muttered bitterly as he continued scanning the video feed.

Suddenly, the screen shook again.

"Wait… what is that?! A massive barrier is closing in on the city—this must be a Psychic-type technique, Light Screen! It's covering the entire Saffron region, nearly forty kilometers in diameter! This… this could only be achieved by thousands of Psychic Pokémon working together!"

At that moment, Logan's Pokédex vibrated. He glanced at Red and Blue before answering.

"Logan!!" Professor Oak's furious voice exploded through the device. "I know everything that's happened in Pallet! I'm in Sinnoh right now and can't return quickly, but I'll make my way back to Kanto as fast as I can! Red, Blue—you're both with him, right? Listen carefully! Go to Saffron City first. Find the citizens of Pallet and Daisy. Get them out! Don't confront Rocket directly—you can't win that fight yet. Hold on until I return!"

For once, the usually warm professor was seething with barely contained rage, his voice shaking with both fear and fury.

"Yes," Logan replied firmly. "Red and Blue are here. Don't worry, Professor—we'll go to Saffron City and try to save them. I'll avoid head-on conflict if possible, but… with Rocket, nothing is ever certain."

After some urgent reminders from Oak, Logan ended the call.

Almost immediately, new messages flooded his Pokédex—Misty, Erika, and Blaine. All had heard the news. The Pokémon League's supreme chairman had named Erika the temporary commander of Kanto, granting her full authority. Gym Leaders across the region were mobilizing with their forces, converging on Saffron from all directions to surround the city.

Even if they couldn't take it back, they would not let Rocket march on other cities.

"You both know what this means," Logan said evenly. "Blue—your sister Daisy is among the captured. Red—your mother and the rest of Pallet's people are prisoners too. You don't need me to tell you that sitting back is not an option."

He tapped his Pokédex against his palm, his expression calm but sharp.

"This is a trap. Rocket is forcing us to walk straight into it. But if we don't… our families and everyone we care about are finished."

For Logan, there was another layer. He had no personal reason to join this fight. But Rocket had already marked him as an enemy for life. If he didn't take this chance—while the whole world saw them as villains—he'd never have peace.

This was the moment to end Team Rocket. To crush them completely. And perhaps… to make Sabrina bend her will to him once and for all.

"For my mom, and the people of Pallet," Red said, adjusting his cap with a hard stare. "I'll follow your lead, Logan!"

Blue didn't speak. But with a grim, stormy expression, he gave a firm nod.

The three of them were united.

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T/N:

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