Realizing that he had somehow returned to the past, Giovanni did not actually feel much joy.
Although in the future his identity as the Viridian Gym Leader had already been exposed by the League, and he had even been placed on a wanted list and hunted across the world, that had only restricted him personally.
The development of Team Rocket had never come to a halt because of it.
Over the years, Team Rocket’s assets and technological capabilities had grown at an astonishing rate, accumulating unimaginable wealth and power.
And that was what Giovanni truly valued the most.
What he had not expected, however, was that after nothing more than a single night’s sleep, he would wake up back at this point in time.
Although at this moment he was still the Viridian Gym Leader, and Team Rocket was in the most rapid stage of its growth, the thought that all the resources and accumulation he had built up over so many years had vanished overnight still stung.
To say he felt no regret would be a lie.
It was precisely because of this lingering frustration that Giovanni had decided to come to the Viridian Gym early in the morning.
He needed a place of absolute silence, somewhere he could rest alone and sort through his thoughts.
For that reason, in a rare moment of irritability, he had even granted the entirety of Team Rocket a full week of paid leave, just to ensure he could have some peace and quiet.
Still, returning to the past was not entirely a bad thing.
At the very least, after coming back, Giovanni unexpectedly recalled a key figure he had long since forgotten—Mewtwo.
That was a being created by Team Rocket of the past, forged with immense resources, possessing extraordinary learning capabilities, a Pokémon that could rival or even surpass most legendary Pokémon.
Unfortunately, his past self had been too careless, allowing Mewtwo to break free from its restraints and escape.
If it had merely escaped, that would have been one thing.
But before fleeing, it had erased the memories of Giovanni and everyone involved.
That was something Giovanni could not tolerate.
“Mewtwo…”
Giovanni murmured to himself, a dangerous glint in his eyes.
This time, things would not be so simple.
He thought silently as the crimson wine in his glass swayed gently.
Although frustration and a trace of excitement coexisted within him, Giovanni was ultimately someone who could let go of things.
He did not dwell excessively on the fact that he had returned to the past.
That was why he had come to the Viridian Gym today, to see whether any unfortunate trainer might come knocking and become the target through which he could relieve his mood.
This had always been one of Giovanni’s favorite ways to relax.
Nothing more than a form of release.
Just as Giovanni was thinking this, the heavy doors of the Viridian Gym suddenly creaked open, pushed apart with effort from the outside.
A somewhat unsteady voice followed, lively and slightly noisy.
“The Gym is open, isn’t it? So why did you say it was closed, Misty?”
“Huh? That’s strange… it shouldn’t be…” another girl’s voice replied, filled with confusion.
The moment he heard those voices, Giovanni placed the wine glass in his hand down onto the table beside him.
He leaned slightly forward, resting against the cold railing, and looked toward the Gym’s entrance.
Misty…
Of course he knew that name.
After all, she would become the Gym Leader who rebuilt the declining Cerulean Gym into one of the top Gyms in the Kanto region.
And if one of the visitors to his Gym was Misty, then the other person must be…
“Bang!”
The heavy doors were finally pushed completely open, and the brilliant morning sunlight burst into the dark Gym, cutting through the dusty air and forming clear beams of light.
A young boy strode in without hesitation, his steps bold and carefree.
The sunlight illuminated his face, revealing a youthful and energetic expression, and in that instant Giovanni recognized him.
“Excuse me…”
The boy’s clear voice rang out again, pulling Giovanni back from his brief thoughts.
“Is anyone here? I’m Ash from Pallet Town, and I’m here to challenge the Viridian Gym!”
A faint, almost imperceptible smile curved at the corner of Giovanni’s lips as he murmured to himself in a voice only he could hear, “Ash… I did not expect that the first one to come to my Gym would be you.”
Giovanni slipped his hands into the pockets of his tailored suit, and with that slight movement, Ash finally noticed the figure standing on the elevated platform across the battlefield, hidden within the shadows.
The design of the entire Viridian Gym was filled with a sense of oppression.
The high ceiling blocked out most of the light, leaving only the single beam from the entrance to illuminate a small portion of the battlefield.
At this moment, Ash stood within that light, his body outlined in gold, exuding the fearless energy and recklessness of someone who had just begun his journey.
On the platform opposite him, Giovanni was completely shrouded in darkness. New chapters come out on g.com first.
He seemed to merge with the shadows of the Gym itself.
Only the sharp outline of his suit and the faint glimmer reflecting off his polished shoes hinted at his presence.
The boundary between light and darkness split the entire Gym in two.
Ash and Giovanni faced each other from a distance, one bathed in sunlight, the other concealed within shadow.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
The air seemed to freeze, and the silence became almost suffocating.
In the end, it was Ash who could not hold back any longer.
He tilted his head up and called out loudly, “Um, mister, are you the Gym Leader of Viridian Gym?”
Being called “mister” by a young boy did not anger Giovanni.
At his age, it was not an unreasonable form of address.
What drew his attention instead was the orange-haired girl standing close behind Ash, half her body hidden as she looked at him with clear vigilance.
Although Misty had not yet officially taken over the Cerulean Gym, as the younger sister of its leaders, she should at least have some knowledge of the other Gym Leaders in Kanto.
Even if she did not recognize his face, there was no reason for her to show such strong caution toward someone she had just met.
Interesting…
Could it be that he was not the only one who was different?
Giovanni already had a preliminary guess forming in his mind.
However, he did not completely rule out another possibility, that she simply had not clearly seen his face in the darkness and found a man standing alone in a pitch black Gym suspicious.
With that thought, Giovanni spoke slowly, his voice deep and magnetic.
“Yes, that’s right.”
His voice echoed through the empty Gym, carrying an undeniable authority.
“I am the Gym Leader of Viridian Gym, known as Giovanni of the Earth.”
“Welcome to the Viridian Gym.”
(End of Chapter)
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