Countermeasures

At Bill's underground engineering lab, Red—still recovering and unable to speak without triggering agonizing mental static—communicates using text-to-speech glasses and gloves. Bill shows Red his latest invention: an anti-psychic helmet utilizing cloned umbreon muscle suspended in a nutrient mesh. The Dark-type tissue successfully blocks psychic connections. Red tests it by merging with his pikachu, discovering that the helmet creates a directional, concentrated beam of psychic awareness through its visor. Bill then reveals a proof-of-concept half-shell that applies the same tech to a pokeball, granting it temporary immunity to telekinesis. Bill explains that Silph Co. recently aggressively pushed to fund this development. Connecting the dots, Red deduces that Silph intends to incorporate this anti-psychic technology into the Master Ball. Since Dr. Fuji was developing the Master Ball and knew about the psychic hybrid, Red realizes the ultimate weapon is being specifically designed to capture the Dreamer.

Later, in the mountainous terrain outside Viridian City, Blue continues rigorous wilderness training with his new machamp and incineroar in preparation for Victory Road. He receives an urgent message from Red requesting an isolated meeting. Red arrives on his charizard, demonstrating a profoundly deepened, instinctual merge with his starter. Leaf soon joins them on her pidgeot. Before addressing the urgency, Leaf shows Red a recent article by investigative journalist Zoey Palmer. The article publicly questions how Red conveniently happened to be at Cinnabar mere moments before the unown disaster began, highlighting his suspicious pattern of being present for Kanto's major crises. Recognizing the growing risk that the public might suspect Red of precognition or conspiracy, Blue and Leaf advise him to get ahead of the narrative, but strongly warn him against revealing his connection to the Dreamer.

Red then shares a shocking revelation: during his coma, the Dreamer visited him, helped heal his shattered mind, and confessed to manipulating the unown researchers. Crucially, the Dreamer did not deny being a pokemon hybrid, and also revealed they were once a student of Sabrina.

Red argues that the Dreamer is acting out of fear and desperation, and proposes a peaceful resolution. He hopes that once Blue becomes Champion, they can bring Kanto's leaders together to negotiate a compromise. However, Red drops another bombshell: he intends to warn the Dreamer about the Master Ball. He argues that true negotiation requires trust and honesty, and that withholding the existence of a weapon specifically designed to capture them is a betrayal.

Blue vehemently rejects the idea. He argues that the Dreamer is an existential threat who is already mind-controlling citizens, and that revealing Kanto's ultimate countermeasure would strip Indigo of its only leverage. He accuses Red of prioritizing one individual's life over the safety of the entire region, pointing out that as Champion, he cannot afford such favoritism when millions of lives are at stake. Leaf sides with Red philosophically, believing that using the Master Ball on a sapient being is akin to slavery, but she agrees with Blue that warning the Dreamer immediately is a terrible tactical risk.

The argument escalates, exposing a deep ideological rift. Blue feels isolated and betrayed, sensing that his friends view his pragmatic, protective mindset as monstrous. Before the fracture deepens, Leaf intervenes. She reminds them of their vow after the Vermilion and Celadon incidents to remain united despite their disagreements, insisting that they are on the same side. She proposes a compromise based on game theory: rather than making a unilateral decision now under unequal information, they should systematically gather intelligence. They agree to confront Sabrina together to learn what she knows about her former student, and then consult with others before deciding what to offer the Dreamer. Red reluctantly promises to keep the secret for two weeks—giving Blue the time he needs to conquer Victory Road and claim the Championship. Their friendship strained but intact, Blue resumes his lonely ascent toward Indigo Plateau, feeling the isolating weight of leadership more acutely than ever.