For the next two weeks, Aoki was exceptionally busy.
However, as he gradually delegated tasks, he became increasingly relaxed. Aside from occasionally needing to make decisions on important matters, he had control over the rest of his time.
Aoki often told himself that a leader's role isn't to micromanage everything, but rather to assign tasks to the right people.
For example... Steven.
In short, after two weeks at the League Headquarters, Aoki disappeared, but his work continued in an orderly fashion.
There was no other way; things needed to be done. Since he didn't want to do them, he could only entrust them to others.
No one knew where Aoki went after he disappeared. With the Psychic methods of the Divine Cult concealing him, Aoki's presence was even more elusive.
It was only when he appeared in Mauville City, at the Sky Team's headquarters, that Rose, Skye, and the others learned of Aoki's whereabouts.
The Sky Team, now the largest force in Mauville City and a well-known underground organization in the Hoenn region, had grown to an enormous size.
They had tens of thousands of official members spread across various parts of the Hoenn region.
Furthermore, due to the downfall of Team Magma, Team Aqua, and numerous other underground forces, many people, out of desperation, chose to join the Sky Team for protection.
But truthfully, despite the Sky Team's current large scale, it was, after all, an underground organization established less than three years ago. It lacked sufficient foundation and a true leader with the hard power to genuinely deter everyone.
Rose was highly capable at handling matters, but a significant portion of her strength was forcibly boosted by Aoki. Her combat ability was relatively average. While she could certainly intimidate ordinary members, and even squad leaders and platoon leaders had witnessed her methods and dared not act recklessly, it wasn't enough.
However, among the newly joined members, there were quite a few individuals whose strength had reached the Elite Four level.
Initially, when these people first joined, they were very sincere. After all, they were like stray dogs, and they also had some reservations about the Sky Team's elusive leader, who rarely appeared, and whose only spokesperson was a woman of relatively average strength.
Human ambition is boundless, and so these people's mindsets gradually began to change.
This was also the main reason Aoki appeared here immediately after leaving the League.
Because Rose said she was almost unable to keep the people below her in check, and some had even started to harbor thoughts of usurping power.
After all, the Sky Team's daily income at this time was enough to make most people envious.
There are always some people who act one way to your face and another behind your back, and their methods are disgusting.
In a small conference room at the Sky Team headquarters, seven or eight people were seated. These were the core members who established the Sky Team: Skye, Miyamoto, Alec, Rose, and so on. Except for Rose, all of them had followed Aoki from the Trial Island.
In just over a year, Skye and the others had reached the Quasi-Elite Four level, something they could never have imagined. Their improvement speed was incredibly fast, even within Team Rocket, they could have started to try to become junior executives.
However, their current strength, as part of the management of such a vast underground organization like the Sky Team, was indeed somewhat insufficient.
Even Kaitou, who had just reached Elite Four strength, and Rose, who had Elite Four strength with Aoki's help, were still somewhat lacking.
After all, they were all at the same level. Why should others be in charge of them? Just because they joined later? Some people whose strength was even below theirs were in charge, how could those who were originally executives of large organizations, or even leaders of small organizations, tolerate this?
The only reason they didn't immediately rebel was due to the deterrence of Aoki, their leader who was rarely seen.
After repeated provocations did not receive the expected warnings, these people grew bolder.
However, Aoki didn't blame them. After all, not everyone could keep up with his pace. Was the Sky Team supposed to produce another genius like Steven, Wallace, or Juan?
The Sky Team's development had indeed been too rapid during this period.
But there was no other way; the opportunity had presented itself. As one of the temporary decision-makers, Rose couldn't possibly ignore such an opportunity, could she?
It's worth noting that even for the former Team Magma and Team Aqua to reach the Sky Team's current scale, Maxie and Archie had taken a full five or six years, or even more.
The main focus was on cultivating core members, such as Tabitha, Courtney, and Blaise, who were personally trained by Maxie, and Shelly, Matt, and Amber, who were personally promoted by Archie.
When the framework is large and stable, filling it with muscle will be more stable.
The Sky Team's framework was currently too small and thin, but it had too much muscle and fat. And because it had eaten too much at once, there was an excessive amount of fat.
But after all, it was all meat, and it would be too wasteful to discard it directly. Besides, how could something that had been eaten be so easily spit out?
It had already integrated with various parts of the body.
Obesity then followed.
Aoki wore a form-fitting black suit, somewhat resembling Steven.
However, he used psychic power to conceal his face, preventing anyone from seeing his current expression, making him appear very mysterious.
And he wasn't alone; a person completely shrouded in a black robe stood behind him. Their appearance was indistinguishable, but the only thing that could be discerned was that this person was a woman.
She stood silently behind Aoki, not uttering a word.
From Rose and Kaitou to Miyamoto and Alec, everyone sat with their heads bowed, not daring to look at Aoki's face.
It was only after Rose finished recounting the Sky Team's changes and the difficulties they had encountered during this period that she reluctantly looked up at Aoki, and out of the corner of her eye, glanced at the woman standing behind him.
The young man's fingers tapped incessantly on the table. After listening to Rose's account, he actually smiled.
"Raise your heads! What's wrong? Are you embarrassed that you can't keep the people below you in check?
But this can't be considered your fault. The fault lies with this series of opportunities, which were simply too good!
Since you know your strength is insufficient, then train hard and become stronger. You all still have a chance!" With that, Aoki took out many Poké Balls from his pocket. These were either Pokémon with decent potential that he had caught during this time, or fully evolved Pokémon he had obtained from defeated opponents.
"Alright, I understand the general situation, Rose, go and call a meeting." Aoki said to Rose again.
"Yes!" Rose respectfully replied, her heart slightly agitated. Aoki was back, and their biggest backer was also back!