Everyone needs Poké Balls.
It can be said that the Silph Co has good social relations with all parties, especially the Pokemon League.
If they moved against Silph Co., it would be fine as long as they weren't discovered. But once exposed, Team Rocket would instantly become the target of every trainer in the world!
At that time, the Pokémon League would without a doubt go even crazier than now, relentlessly cleansing every trace of Rocket's existence.
After ending the call, Lucas shook his head slightly.
"Boss is still far too cautious. Silph Co.? Such a mere company, for Team Rocket to seize it should be nothing more than child's play."
He muttered this complaint casually, but deep down he understood very well why Giovanni's considerations were so different from his own.
After all, Giovanni had to shoulder responsibility for the entire Team Rocket organization. If a single major decision went wrong, it would not just be him paying the price, but the collapse of the whole organization itself.
"You really dare to say that, huh? Silph Co. is not so easily touched. You're practically wishing Team Rocket to go deliver itself into the League's jaws."
Hearing his words, Karen couldn't help but laugh dryly. He spoke so lightly, but in truth, Silph Co. was a company with enormous influence across the entire world—second only to the Pokémon League itself.
She could fully understand why Giovanni was being so cautious.
"Now, now, you've misunderstood me, Karen. How could I possibly not have Team Rocket's best interests at heart?"
Lucas feigned innocence, his sharp eyes sweeping over Karen's figure, a sly smile curving on his lips.
Because of the torrential downpour earlier—brought about by Lance's Dragonite summoning rain—Karen's clothes were still damp.
Though she already wore a fitted outfit, the water made certain details faintly visible.
For instance, the faint outlines of her bra showing through the fabric…
"Karen, not that I want to be rude, but you really ought to eat more. You're not exactly well-endowed."
Lucas gave his critique with the air of a connoisseur. To him, Karen had a tall and elegant figure—but alas, her chest size was a little lacking.
"…Could you please stop letting your attention linger on a lady's body in such a manner? It's extremely impolite. Thank you."
For a moment, Karen froze. Then, realizing exactly where his eyes were wandering, her face darkened like thunderclouds.
She forced an awkward but still polite smile, and through gritted teeth she responded one word at a time.
So, my chest is smaller—what the hell does that have to do with you?
Besides, small? Who said this was small? Doesn't he know the saying that the most exquisite treasures are those that fit perfectly in one's palm?
"Karen, those words are far too distant. You and I—we grew up together as childhood friends, did we not?"
"Oh, how humble of you! No, really, I could never dare to climb as high as the great Lucas himself."
Karen sneered back coldly. Now he remembered she was his childhood friend? Then why was it, every other time, he delighted in mocking her at every turn?
"Although what I said was the plain truth, I admit perhaps I should have kept it to myself. Still, compared to that useless trash Will, Karen, I've always considered you full of potential."
Lucas raised an eyebrow. As expected, this sharp-tongued woman just couldn't stop bickering with him.
"Hmph!"
Karen's pretty face darkened instantly. With a sharp snort, she turned on her heel and stormed off, unwilling to waste another breath arguing with him.
After all, Lucas's ability for sarcastic, passive-aggressive remarks far surpassed her own. Competing with him was utterly pointless.
"Pfft."
Lucas chuckled softly, making no effort to stop her. There was no rush. Slowly but surely, he'd bring her around.
The skies gradually cleared, sunlight breaking through as midday approached.
-----------------
"How is it looking?"
Back at the ruins of the Game Corner, Lorelei stood before the rubble, her face calm but her eyes betraying that her mood was anything but.
Because the underground Team Rocket base had just been blown to pieces.
Yes, not long after Lucas had left, the already-buried base erupted in a violent detonation.
Lorelei, of course, immediately understood what this meant—Team Rocket had deliberately destroyed their own research facility, ensuring nothing would remain.
But that knowledge only stoked her frustration, even anger.
She could not be sure if there had still been surviving experimental Pokémon trapped inside.
And now…
"In a nearby building, we located Gym Leader Erika. As for the remaining Team Rocket members who resisted, all have been apprehended."
Officer Jenny reported to Lorelei. Erika hadn't been abandoned underground as a hostage but instead dragged out, clearly intended to be used as a bargaining chip.
Yet amidst the chaos, she had bolted and only now been recovered.
"Lock them all up. And make sure to excavate this entire base."
Lorelei's tone was faint, almost detached. She didn't particularly care whether Erika lived or died. What she did care about was whether any Pokémon inside had survived.
"Yes, ma'am!"
Jenny saluted and hurried off to carry out her orders.
In truth, this victory over Team Rocket was only the beginning. The influence of this battle had only just started to ripple outward.
Since the Pokémon League's establishment, it was exceedingly rare for open conflict to erupt inside major cities.
And Celadon City was one of the most famous in Kanto.
The S.S. Anne incident had barely concluded when suddenly, in quick succession, another battle exploded in Celadon—this time between the League and Team Rocket.
Two back-to-back crises of such magnitude within a short span? The eyes of the entire world were now upon them.
Other regional Leagues especially—those leaders were perfectly aware this was merely the start.
Team Rocket had entrenched itself in Kanto for over a decade. Their fangs were only beginning to bare. The only question was whether the Kanto League had the strength to suppress them.
Though the League had won both incidents, these were merely opening moves. Team Rocket still hid much of its true strength.
Most frightening of all: the Team Rocket Boss's true identity remained unknown.
And their strongest executive—
The Trainer of the White Dragon Reshiram!
The fact that such a legendary Pokémon's trainer had aligned himself with Team Rocket could not possibly go unnoticed.
The Indigo League desperately wanted to downplay the event's influence, but how could they?
During the battle in Celadon, not every civilian had evacuated. Some had even dared to stay and watch.
Suppress the news? Impossible.
Already, countless posts and blurry videos were spreading across Kanto's online forums.
Fear. Excitement. Doubt. Indifference. Every possible human reaction was on display.
-------------------------
"It's getting livelier and livelier, isn't it?"
Watching the forums, Lucas's smile grew gentle.
The world was finally starting to stir with chaos.
How wonderful.
"Lucas."
In the forest outside Saffron, Marnie and Green approached quietly.
"Looks like everything went without surprises," Lucas greeted them with a smile.
"Don't underestimate us. What surprises could there possibly have been?" Green rolled her eyes.
Their task had been simple but crucial: at the moment Team Rocket neared defeat, they used special equipment to trigger the TNT buried within the underground base.
After all, while the genetic-fusion research data had been copied, the base still contained plenty of secrets. If exposed to the League, it would be disastrous.
The best solution was simply to erase the facility completely.
"You both worked hard. Come, let's find a place to bathe and rest properly."
Lucas laughed softly, taking Marnie's hand and leading the two girls away.
The matter was essentially finished now. Remaining in Celadon any longer would only invite risk.
Leaving the city, they traveled to a small nearby town, where they checked into a hotel. After so long being drenched in rain, a hot bath was more than welcome.
"Lucas, where do we go next? You're planning to search for Mew's genetic material, aren't you?"
Inside the private room, Marnie sipped her milk and asked curiously.
Lately, she'd developed quite a liking for milk.
And oddly enough… recently, her figure had noticeably improved in a certain area.
Perhaps it was Lucas's nightly massages? Whatever the reason, bigger was always better!
"Mew won't be so easy to find, though. I've never even heard of anyone actually seeing it."
Green peeled a prawn, speaking casually.
At least Ho-Oh and Lugia had once been captured by the Masked Man. But Mew… that was truly a creature like a phantom—appearing and vanishing without trace.
"Mew's genes are essential for creating cloned Pokémon. Without them, the experiment cannot proceed."
Lucas nodded. With the Celadon incident behind him, it was time to focus on his true objectives.
But as Green had said, searching for Mew in Kanto was close to impossible.
The region was vast, and Mew could cloak itself in invisibility. Even if one spent decades wandering in hope, the odds of a chance encounter were slim.
And who could even say for sure if Mew still resided in Kanto?
"…We're going to Hoenn."
Lucas made his decision firmly.
Rather than gamble aimlessly in Kanto, far better to head straight to the World Tree in Hoenn—at least there, the likelihood of finding Mew was tangible.
Not to mention, Hoenn promised many intriguing events as well.
"Huh?"
Blue blinked in surprise. Why suddenly Hoenn of all places?
Marnie, however, simply nodded calmly. She trusted Lucas's judgment completely.
-----------------------
Indigo Plateau.
"Guardian of the Seas… Guardian of the Skies …"
Inside the office of the Elite Four, Lance pored through ancient tomes preserved by the League.
Most of them, however, detailed Lugia and Ho-Oh—their histories, their legends. Records even traced why, centuries ago, Ho-Oh abandoned the Bell Tower of Ecruteak City.
But this was not what Lance wanted.
Lugia and Ho-Oh were not dragon-types.
"No… If I seek dragons, I must travel to other regions!"
Slamming the heavy tome onto his desk, Lance's sharp gaze burned with determination.
What he needed was a legendary dragon. Only then could he defeat Lucas!
With no further hesitation, Lance rose, his champion's cape swirling dramatically as he strode for the door.
"Where are you going, Lance?"
Seeing his sudden departure, Agatha frowned and called out.
"To Unova. I must go there." His voice was calm, but his eyes were steel.
Lucas had gained the Lucas Dragon, Reshiram, in Unova. Then Lance would go to Unova as well—to seek the Black Dragon, Zekrom!
"You're the Champion of Kanto. If you intend to travel to Unova, you must first inform the League."
Agatha's frown deepened. She had no idea why Lance was suddenly intent on going, but as Champion, his movements mattered greatly.
Relations between regions were not as harmonious as they appeared on the surface.
For a Champion of Kanto to suddenly cross into another region without notice—it could spark political uproar.
This would only hand those scheming League council members fresh ammunition to attack him.
If the Pokémon League were likened to a giant corporation, then the regional Leagues were its semi-autonomous departments.
Outwardly cordial, yet inwardly each prayed for rivals to falter.
The League Chairman, Logi, held office not by inheritance but by merit. One day, when he retired, which region wouldn't covet the position?
Even the weakest regions, Unova and Kalos, would seize the chance to contend.
(End of Chapter)