"Talent, connections, resources, intelligence, and the ability to handle people and situations…"
"Do you really think someone like that is an ordinary person? Even though Ash has now come to Kalos, to our territory, do you honestly believe you can deal with him so easily?"
"He is only seven years old, yet he already possesses Pseudo-Elite Four-level strength. Do you understand what that means?"
"This is one of the most outstanding prodigies the Pokémon world has ever seen. More importantly, he is a prodigy who has already survived the most difficult stage of his growth and truly established himself."
"A person like that can only be won over and befriended. He must never become our enemy."
"That is precisely why, when I assigned this mission to you, I specifically warned you to maintain a good attitude. If he were merely some ordinary genius, do you think I would have taken the trouble to warn you so seriously?"
On the other end of the communication device, Celosia was kneeling on one knee, listening respectfully to Lysandre's analysis.
For the tenth time, a trace of reproach appeared on Lysandre's usually calm face, accompanied by a faint hint of disappointment.
"Director… I was wrong. This mission was my fault. I am willing to accept any punishment."
"But I beg you, Director, give me one more opportunity to make amends."
After hearing Lysandre's words, Celosia finally understood just how foolish and ridiculous her previous arrogance and contempt toward Ash had been.
If her Director's analysis was correct, then Ash was absolutely not some lucky brat who had happened to possess a little talent and gained fame after doing a few eye-catching things.
Ash was a genuine heaven-blessed prodigy.
His intelligence, judgment, and methods were all extraordinary, and he had relied on his own abilities to reach his current position. Someone like that was absolutely not a person an ordinary individual could afford to provoke or offend.
Making a mistake because she had temporarily lost her judgment wasn't the most serious issue.
What Celosia truly regretted was that her actions had disrupted Lysandre's plans and needlessly created such a dangerous enemy for Team Flare.
That was something she absolutely did not want to see.
"Make amends for your mistake? Yes. We do need you to make amends."
"You mentioned it yourself just now. Before Ash left after the battle, besides making that threat against you, he also said something else."
"'As for Mega Evolution, if you want to cooperate and want me to provide assistance, then show me sincerity. If your offer is sincere enough, I don't mind contributing my own strength to the advancement of science.'"
"Since he hasn't completely closed the door on friendship and has deliberately left us a way forward, we need to make contact with Ash—whether it's to apologize and repair our relationship, or to continue our cooperation regarding Mega Evolution."
"Celosia, go personally to Ash and apologize. Then give him an invitation and invite him to visit Lysandre Labs. I will also take a private aircraft from headquarters and head there shortly."
Lysandre had made his decision.
"Understood, Director."
But just as Celosia was about to end the call, she suddenly remembered something.
"Oh, Director, there's one more thing I forgot to mention."
"Oh? What is it?"
Lysandre nodded and looked at her.
"It happened during my conversation with Ash after our battle. I never revealed my identity to him, yet he somehow knew my name."
"And regarding you, Lysandre Labs, and our Team Flare organization… he seems to know quite a lot of information about all of us."
Celosia hesitated as she spoke, a trace of worry appearing on her face.
"Oh?"
The moment he heard this, the calm expression that Lysandre had finally managed to regain changed once again.
A trace of surprise flashed across his otherwise composed face.
After carefully investigating everything following the incident, Lysandre had gained a much deeper understanding of Ash's talent, strength, intelligence, and methods.
He had originally believed that he already understood Ash well enough.
He had already held Ash in extremely high regard, and his evaluation of the boy was already exceptionally high.
Yet now, Lysandre realized that even his understanding of Ash was still insufficient.
This seven-year-old boy…
was far more mysterious than he had imagined.
"It's fine."
"It's the same as I said before. Even after the unpleasant confrontation between the two sides, Ash was still willing to leave us a way forward. That clearly means he still holds a certain degree of goodwill toward us."
"Our relationship can still be repaired, and there is still a possibility of establishing a friendship."
"Since that's the case, Celosia, do exactly as I just instructed. Go personally to apologize to him, and deliver the invitation."
"Yes, Director. I'll take care of it immediately."
Celosia respectfully bowed her head.
Lysandre nodded before taking the initiative to terminate the communication.
Inside the underground Team Flare base in Lumiose City, Celosia let out a long breath after the communication ended.
She didn't hesitate for even a moment. She immediately began preparing everything necessary for her personal visit to Ash to apologize.
Meanwhile, along the southern coast of the Kalos region, deep inside an extremely remote and uninhabited fjord, stood a sprawling complex of futuristic buildings.
The structures resembled an enormous technological fortress, their appearance completely out of place with the surrounding natural landscape.
This was Team Flare's headquarters.
At this moment, inside a massive laboratory at the heart of the headquarters, Lysandre had just ended his communication with Celosia.
But unlike his usual calm and composed appearance—the expression of a man who seemed to have everything under control—his face was now noticeably more serious.
After learning from Celosia that Ash most likely knew his identity, as well as the connection between Lysandre Labs and Team Flare, Lysandre could no longer remain completely at ease.
There was no way to confirm it with absolute certainty.
Team Flare had always operated in secrecy. Unlike the underground organizations in other regions that often acted openly and aggressively, Team Flare had deliberately kept its existence hidden from the public.
What Lysandre couldn't understand was how Ash had discovered their existence.
But Team Flare could not expose itself to the world yet.
Therefore, after learning that Ash might already possess information about Team Flare, Lysandre couldn't help but become somewhat wary of the seven-year-old boy.
Of course, Ash knew nothing about the uneasiness he had planted in Lysandre's mind.
Even if he did know, he wouldn't have cared.
After all, the reason he had deliberately revealed those vague clues and planted those seeds of suspicion was precisely because he had intended to do so.
It was the same principle he had followed when dealing with Team Rocket.
When dealing with underground criminal organizations like Team Rocket and Team Flare—organizations that operated in the shadows—endlessly swallowing insults and backing down would only make them look down on you.
In the underworld, strength was everything.
This was where the principle of "might makes right" truly manifested itself.
In the legitimate world, absolute power could still be weakened or constrained by various external factors. Laws, alliances, public opinion, interests, and countless other considerations could all restrict the use of force.
But in the underworld?
Everything ultimately revolved around one simple rule.
If your fists were hard enough and your strength was overwhelming enough, you were the one who called the shots.
It perfectly embodied the truth that overwhelming power was the foundation upon which one could move without fear or restraint.