Although he was technically an enemy at this point, Surge's carefree grin and bold personality somehow made it hard to hate him. Even though his tone was brash and a bit mocking, he came off more like someone who just said what was on his mind without sugarcoating it.

But the moment Logan laid eyes on the man, his brain instantly pulled up all the data he had on him. With a grim expression, he muttered:

"...Surge, the Gym Leader of Vermilion City. I didn't expect you to be part of Team Rocket too."

Logan had always associated Team Rocket with comic-relief villains—thanks to the anime. But in this reality, Team Rocket lived up to its name as a fearsome and evil organization. Beyond the countless inhumane experiments they conducted, even their members alone were terrifying.

From what Logan had seen so far, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that half of the Kanto region was already under Team Rocket's shadow.

"Hahaha! Kid, since you know I'm the Gym Leader of Vermilion City, you should also know what I specialize in—Electricity! I can sense the slightest spark. So give up on your little tricks!"

Surge stood confidently behind his Electabuzz. Both it and Raichu crackled with lightning, their bodies wrapped in blinding arcs of electric energy. The air sizzled around them with static. It was obvious—these weren't Pokémon chosen for a friendly gym battle. These were Surge's true elite, trained to dominate.

Electabuzz stood just over two meters tall—not quite as towering as Gabite—but size didn't mean everything. Power in the Pokémon world had never been about appearance. Even a well-trained Rattata could knock out a Tyranitar if handled right. That's how unpredictable battles could be.

But in this case, Gabite didn't stand a chance. Not against Surge's Electabuzz—his long-time partner, trained to perfection.

Logan let out a soft snort. He reached up to his collar and unclipped a tiny camera pinned there. It was a precaution he had taken in case he ran into someone like Sabrina—someone with public standing but a dark side. Accusing a Gym Leader of being a Rocket agent wasn't easy—but video evidence could force the League's hand.

If he could expose one of them with proof, other Gym Leaders might step in. Even if Team Rocket had agents within the League itself, it would still draw attention. Maybe even stir up the interest of the Elite Four—especially the ones who weren't exactly loyal to the League either.

"I didn't realize your sensitivity to electricity was that impressive, Surge. You detected such a weak signal?"

The device had already been fried by the ambient electromagnetic field. Logan casually tossed the ruined camera aside—it was useless now.

"Electricity is my pride and joy!" Surge bellowed, stretching his muscled arms wide. Even through his clothes, the outline of his built physique was clear. "Even the tiniest current can't escape me. That's the power I've developed alongside my precious partners!"

Both Raichu and Electabuzz bared their fangs in matching, brutal grins.

Say what you want about Surge's allegiance—he was a phenomenal Trainer.

"Wait a sec!! Isn't Surge supposed to be a Gym Leader?! How is he a Rocket member?!"

Red, visibly shaken, blurted out in disbelief.

Logan replied coldly, "What you see is what you get. Surge is the perfect example. A Gym Leader moonlighting as a Team Rocket executive. Sounds crazy, but it's the truth. For all we know, every Gym Leader in Kanto could be part of Team Rocket."

The implications were chilling.

Red remembered Blaine from Cinnabar Island. While he'd defected from Rocket, he was once their top scientist. Then there was Sabrina in Saffron,Lt. Surge in Vermilion, and of course, Giovanni in Viridian. The reach of Team Rocket was horrifying.

These Gym Leaders weren't just figureheads—they held real power, serving as leaders of their regions. It was terrifying to think about how deep the corruption ran.

Giovanni had taken Team Rocket from a low-level syndicate—once a puppet of Silph Co.—and turned it into an underground government that now controlled half of Kanto. In a twisted way, Logan had to admire him.

Meanwhile, Caitlin's face alternated between pale and green. She felt fear—and shame. If Logan hadn't warned her earlier, she might have been killed in a single strike just like Surge had intended. There would've been no time to react.

It finally clicked for her—this was real battle. This wasn't a friendly duel back in her castle. This was war. There were no rules, no boundaries. Victory didn't rely solely on Pokémon—it relied on Trainers too. Surprise attacks, brute force, deception—anything went.

Real battles required the Trainer and Pokémon to fight in sync.

Until now, Caitlin had been a pampered child raised in a glass tower. She'd never seen the real world.

People like Logan, Red—even Cynthia—had all walked through fire and blood to reach their strength.

She remembered Surge's earlier sneak attack. Logan and Red had reacted instantly. She hadn't even noticed it.

Her breath quickened. She wasn't sure if it was anger at Surge or fury at her own helplessness. Gritting her teeth, she reached for a Poké Ball—ready to fight back.

But suddenly, a strong hand gripped her delicate wrist, turning it red from pressure. She gasped and looked up at Logan in confusion.

"Caitlin," he said with a cold, sharp tone—sharper than anything he had ever used on her before, "when facing a Gym Leader who intends to kill you, don't recklessly throw out your Pokémon. I told you—there are things you can do, and things you can't. And right now, this is something you can't do."

"...Learn to assess the situation. If you release your Pokémon now, you won't help. You'll just throw them into danger."

His words cut deeper than a blade. She flinched. Even when he rejected her confession before, Logan had never spoken to her like this.

"But… but…" she stammered.

She wanted to explain—if she didn't fight, wouldn't that make her completely useless?

But one look in Logan's eyes said it all—right now, she was dead weight.

The humiliation burned. But it wasn't anger toward Logan—it was toward herself. She, the so-called noble trainer from Sinnoh, couldn't even qualify to stand on the battlefield.

The desire to become stronger exploded within her like wildfire. She didn't just want power—she needed it. For him.

In that moment, Caitlin began to transform. From a sheltered caterpillar to a butterfly desperate to spread its wings.

To gain strength, something had to be sacrificed.

Logan didn't speak further. He exchanged a glance with Red—an unspoken agreement passed between them.

"Retreat—we can't fight here. The terrain is too narrow!"

Without hesitation, Logan scooped Caitlin into his arms and leapt onto Gabite's back. The dragon roared and launched forward. Red and Pikachu weren't far behind—despite being on foot, they moved with blazing speed, trained by years of wilderness survival.

"You little brats! We almost had them surrounded! After them—don't let them escape!!" Surge roared.

From the corners of the steel passageways, dozens of Magnemite floated into view. If Logan and Red had been even a second slower, they would've been trapped for good.

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