In a private lounge of a restaurant in the black market, four people sat around a large round table.
Regi, Glacius, and Aurelia, whom Cain had met on Trial Island, were present, and across from them, hidden under a black cloak, was Cain.
Originally, Cain thought he would only meet with Regi, but he hadn't expected the other two to be there waiting for him as well.
"It's been a long time, Cain. Among old friends, there's no need to hide," Regi said with a smile.
Cain removed the black hood, revealing his true face, which he hadn't shown in a long time.
"I never thought all three of you would be here," Cain responded coldly.
Glacius, seated to Regi's left, held a book in his hands, absorbed in reading as if the conversation had nothing to do with him.
Aurelia, on the other hand, rested her head on one hand, observing Cain with curiosity.
They had heard of Cain's recent exploits through Regi. If on Trial Island they had accepted Cain into their small circle for his potential, now they fully embraced him for his skills.
"Ha ha! Of course, we're here for the first official meeting of our Supreme Circle of Incredible Trainers of the Universe," Regi said with a hearty laugh.
Supreme Circle of Incredible Trainers of the Universe?
What kind of ridiculous name was that? Both Cain and Aurelia felt slightly embarrassed hearing it, though Glacius maintained his composure.
"This time, we're all participating in the mission. If we meet inside, it would be helpful to support each other. There will be many different factions, and plenty of people will want to attack us," Regi said, seemingly oblivious to the absurdity of the name.
However, as he began talking about the mission, Cain's expression grew serious.
"Glacius, give the information to Cain," Regi said, addressing his bookish companion.
Glacius looked up for the first time and took a notebook from under his book, sliding it toward Cain. His pale blue, emotionless eyes met Cain's.
Cain took the notebook and flipped through it quickly. Each page contained information about a different individual, all of them at least at the advanced trainer level.
It was unclear if some were hiding even greater power, as the notebook didn't provide too many details in certain cases.
The first page was dedicated to Regi, featuring a striking photo and a brief description.
Since these were trusted individuals within the group, Regi hadn't gone into much detail describing them. After all, this circle was still just a verbal alliance, without any real cooperation so far.
If they managed to complete this mission without betraying or attacking each other, the group would solidify for real.
The notebook contained about thirty pages, indicating that roughly thirty advanced-level Team Rocket trainers would participate in this mission.
Some were veterans at that level, while Cain, a newcomer to the advanced level, ranked in the middle-lower tier of the hierarchy.
After quickly skimming through the notebook, Cain closed it and stored it in his inventory space. He then looked up at Regi.
"Tell me, what else is there? I don't think you called me here just to talk about this. Even though my strength is modest, I have enough confidence that I'll survive this mission," Cain said firmly.
Regi looked slightly surprised but then burst out laughing.
"Ha ha ha! I wouldn't expect any less from someone trusted by the Boss. You speak with great confidence."
Regi didn't know Cain's hidden cards, so he couldn't fully believe his assertion.
"In short, this mission involves exploring an ancient island, but more specifically, we'll be investigating an ancient ruin at the island's center," Regi continued.
"Team Rocket scientists have used aerial scanners and data simulations to identify an ancient structure at the heart of the island, and that's what Team Rocket is really after."
"Our goal in joining forces is to collaborate within the ruin to find the most valuable things and, upon leaving, acquire the resources we need most."
Regi paused before adding:
"I know you don't lack anything now, but when you reach the Quasi-Elite or Elite level, you'll need far more resources. This is a great opportunity—if we succeed, we might obtain what we need to become Elite-level trainers."
Aurelia and Glacius, also hearing these mission details for the first time, sank into thought.
Cain, however, was pondering more deeply. How did Regi know so much about this highly confidential information?
Both Glacius and Aurelia were protégés of high-ranking Rocket officials. Although they weren't as favored as Regi, the gap in their knowledge shouldn't be this large.
There were two possible explanations: either Regi had an overwhelmingly superior ability compared to the other two, or his status was far higher than Cain had imagined.
Although he wasn't sure which was true, Cain knew Regi wasn't as reckless as he appeared. Likely, much of what he showed was just a facade.
After exchanging information and updating their contacts, Cain left the private lounge.
"Glacius, what do you think?" Regi asked once Cain and Aurelia had left.
Glacius, who was no longer reading, was now frantically writing in a notebook. Without looking up, he replied coldly:
"He's good."
Upon closer inspection, Glacius was jotting down characteristics and data about Cain, trying to deduce his strength and thoughts based on his actions.
Hearing Glacius's response, Regi smiled with a touch of mischief.
(End of Chapter)