"Is this luck, or misfortune?"
With no other choice but to follow Pryce to an unknown destination, Ryuu Shiro took a deep breath to calm the turmoil in his heart.
His emotions were complex—a mix of worry, unease, excitement, and anticipation.
Who is Pryce?
In the Pokémon Adventures, Pryce is an unprecedented and unparalleled boss—no, he is one of only two trainers in the entire Pokémon franchise, including main games and spin-offs, who has defeated and captured high-level legendaries using ordinary Pokémon.
Yes, one of only two. The other is Red!
In the Pokémon Origins anime, Red, using his Charizard X, defeated and captured the wild Mewtwo. Pryce achieved a similar feat, and arguably even more effortlessly…
If there were a trainer ranking system, Pryce would undoubtedly be the "Pokémon Master" that Ash Ketchum from the TV series always talks about.
Below Pryce and Red, the most impressive trainers are those like Lance, Giovanni, Cynthia, and Leon, who have faced wild high-level legendaries head-on with their teams.
"Following him might truly allow me to step into the ranks of top-tier trainers…"
Having solidified this thought in his mind, Ryuu Shiro stared intently at Pryce's slightly hunched and cold figure ahead.
In this world, Ryuu Shiro had no other dream—he wanted to reach the pinnacle! He had already lived one life; if he didn't have some ambition, what was the point of being reborn?
And following Pryce would allow him to grow at the fastest possible rate!
Because, at this moment, Pryce is undoubtedly the world's strongest trainer. Even former Kanto Champion Professor Oak and Elite Four member Agatha, who were once Pryce's close friends, have been surpassed by him.
While the Dragon Clan could provide Ryuu Shiro with excellent resources—after all, he was seen as the clan's hope—how could those resources, which could be bought with money, compare to the guidance of a master?
Although Pryce specializes in Ice-type Pokémon, his strength is undeniable. Under his tutelage, even if Ryuu Shiro didn't focus on Ice-types, his growth would still be incredibly rapid!
"If Karen can become a Champion, there's no reason I can't!"
Ryuu Shiro glanced at a girl with aqua-blue hair not far away—the future head of the Johto Elite Four, Karen!
Karen, who specializes in Dark-types, even managed to surpass the Fighting-type Elite Four member Bruno to become the head of the Johto Elite Four, showcasing her immense strength.
And if we're talking about the Pokémon Adventures version of Bruno, whose power is enough to destroy cities, Karen still managed to outshine him. This speaks volumes about her strength.
And Karen's mentor? None other than Pryce!
If Pryce could train Karen into a Champion, why couldn't he do the same for Ryuu Shiro?
Ryuu Shiro's red eyes burned with determination. There was no mistake—following Pryce was the right path!
---
Ten years passed in the blink of an eye.
Ecruteak City, Johto—a town known for its rich historical and cultural heritage.
Aside from its historical landmarks, the city is home to the Bell Tower and the Burned Tower, where Ho-Oh and Lugia once resided.
It also boasts the Ecruteak Dance Theater, one of the most prestigious dance halls in the Kanto region.
The Ecruteak Dance Theater is owned by the five beautiful Kimono Sisters, whose fame has spread far and wide. Many visit this ancient city just to witness their performances.
In the top-floor private room of the Ecruteak Dance Theater, elegant classical music played softly.
A handsome young man in a white robe lay comfortably on a long chair, eyes closed, holding a phone. His lazy and nonchalant demeanor gave off a somewhat flippant vibe.
This was Ryuu Shiro, now grown up.
"Ah~ You've found Entei's trail? You've done well. Keep it up~"
Yawning, Ryuu Shiro lazily replied to the person on the other end of the phone.
"Shiro, we put in a lot of effort to find Entei. What's with this attitude?"
A slightly gloomy male voice came through the phone, expressing dissatisfaction with Ryuu Shiro's dismissive tone.
And what did he mean by "keep it up"? Was Ryuu Shiro planning to sit back and do nothing for the Entei mission?
"Boss Giovanni stationed you, our strongest executive, in Johto, not to freeload!"
Carr, one of the Three Beasts of Team Rocket, suppressed his anger. Arrogant and dictatorial, Carr had a hard time tolerating Ryuu Shiro's attitude.
Or rather, he had been tolerating it for far too long!
This brash and cocky kid, relying on his strength, had always looked down on everyone, treating Carr, the leader of the Three Beasts, as if he were nothing. What the hell was his problem?
Carr's chest heaved with anger. He was a true power player in Team Rocket!
Damn it, those from the Dragon Clan are all the same—that Kanto Champion was insufferably arrogant, and this Shiro is exactly the same!
"What attitude should I have, dear Carr?" Ryuu Shiro Carrled, completely unfazed by Carr's brewing rage.
"You…"
"It's just an Entei. Surely you have it under control, right? Or are The Three Beasts only capable of this much?"
Cutting off Carr's impending outburst, Ryuu Shiro taunted him.
Entei was indeed a decent target, but things needed to be put into perspective. Ryuu Shiro had recently set his sights on a far more perfect goal.
The young man opened his eyes and looked out the window, a wicked and confident smile spreading across his face.
In a distant direction lay a vast continent known as Galar.
And Ryuu Shiro's target was the legendary Pokémon that nearly destroyed Galar thousands of years ago—the source of Dynamax!