If Team Rocket's intentions were truly nothing more than recognizing his outstanding Trainer talent and attempting to eliminate him in order to suppress the League's development, then Ash would show them no mercy.
He would not hesitate to use the secrets he knew—
that Giovanni, the Viridian Gym Leader, was Team Rocket's Boss,
that Team Rocket was conducting experiments on New Island, using Mew's genes to artificially clone the mythical Pokémon Mewtwo—
as leverage to threaten Team Rocket directly.
As for why a six-year-old child knew all this?
Explaining it to the Pokémon League might be troublesome.
But telling an underground criminal organization like Team Rocket?
That would be much simpler—
because there was no need to explain anything at all.
If Team Rocket's goal wasn't to stifle the League, but instead to recruit him, or to covet his supernatural abilities, then Ash wouldn't mind letting the relationship grow a little… ambiguous.
Of course, dealing with a dark organization like Team Rocket meant one thing above all else—
he had to ensure his own safety.
And the countermeasure he had chosen
was to deliberately expose his strategic value—
the ability to help Magikarp learn Tackle.
Why had the League never been able to completely eradicate Team Rocket?
Because Team Rocket maintained countless tangled ties with powerful aristocratic families and financial conglomerates across Kanto and Johto.
Every time the League prepared a major operation,
those upper-class families who held positions within the League Council or other power structures would learn of it first—
and immediately leak the information to Team Rocket.
The League was not absolutely pure or righteous.
Team Rocket was not absolutely filthy or evil.
Under the manipulation of profit-driven elites and corporate forces,
both sides existed in shades of gray.
The League was light gray.
Team Rocket was dark gray bordering on black.
So what did all this have to do with Ash revealing that he could help Magikarp learn Tackle?
Everything.
Hadn't the League failed to take him seriously before?
The moment Ash exposed this strategic ability, the League instantly began treating him like a priceless heirloom—
protecting him with extreme caution, terrified that anything might happen to him.
As for those upper-class forces who were already wearing the same pants as Team Rocket—
Once they signed contracts with Ash and established cooperative, profit-sharing relationships,
they too would have a vested interest in his safety.
At that point, everyone would be part of the same—
the same circle of interests.
If Team Rocket wanted to touch Ash,
whether it was the League that wanted Team Rocket eradicated,
or the elite families who secretly benefited from Team Rocket—
Both sides would be the first to object.
With this layer of interest-based protection in place, Ash's safety while interacting with Team Rocket would increase dramatically.
Even if Team Rocket played dirty and ignored rules,
Ash's immense value ensured one thing—
They wouldn't dare harm him.
This was the adult world.
Not constant bloodshed and righteous crusades—
but self-interest.
One moment, blades could be drawn and guns pressed to each other's heads.
The next moment, the same people might be sitting together discussing cooperation.
And if the deal was good enough?
They might even pop champagne to celebrate.
Ash hated this.
Despised it.
But before he possessed absolute power,
for the sake of protecting himself and those he loved,
he didn't mind playing along with these filthy games for now.
Once he grew strong enough—
He would settle accounts with every single one of them.
In truth, even with the protection created by exposing the "Magikarp learns Tackle" strategy, approaching Team Rocket was still dangerous.
But compared to putting his mother in danger—
Ash would rather take the risk himself.
And today, Professor Oak's visit had given him an unexpected gift.
Oak had left a Champion-class Charizard by his side as a personal bodyguard.
That was simply… perfect.
Interest-based protection.
Value-based protection.
Personal combat power.
Now—
Ash finally had enough confidence and leverage to engage Team Rocket directly.
Giovanni was powerful, yes.
But he wasn't alone—
he was the head of a massive organization.
And the rest of Team Rocket's members were not all Giovanni-level Trainers.
Ash, on the other hand, had nothing to lose.
With a Champion-level Charizard at his side,
and with the secrets he held about Team Rocket—
The ones who should feel fear
were Team Rocket, not him.
Jessie, James, and Meowth—
an elite Team Rocket unit directly under Giovanni—
the very team that once chased Ash until he had to flee for his life—
Now?
One Flamethrower from Charizard would be enough to burn them to ashes.
As for Team Rocket's four senior executives—
Archer, Ariana, Petrel, and Lance,
said to rival the League's Elite Four?
Charizard could still greet them with a Flamethrower.
Of course, that was an exaggeration.
Pokémon numbers, Trainer experience, personal strength, even modern weapons—
all these factors could decide a battle's outcome.
But there was no denying it—
With elite-family interest protection,
the League's attention,
his irreplaceable value,
his knowledge of Team Rocket's secrets,
and a Champion-class Charizard guarding him—
Team Rocket would no longer dare act recklessly.
The ones who should be cautious now
were Team Rocket.
That said, Ash's current intention was still one of "sincere goodwill".
If possible, forming a "friendly" cooperative relationship would be even better.
Before he could rise above this web of interests and personally crush these evils—
Ash had no interest in clashing head-on with Team Rocket.
After all, everything he had done so far had only one purpose—
To protect himself.
To protect his family and friends.
Not to play some grand hero fighting evil.
It wasn't unwillingness—
Just limited strength.
And limited time.
…
"With the League increasing its security around Pallet Town, and with my Charizard staying by your side,"
Professor Oak said calmly,
"I believe no one will be able to harm you."
"So the crisis caused by you revealing that you can help Magikarp learn Tackle has more or less passed."
"Now let's talk about the opportunities."
"Magikarp is the most numerous Pokémon species in the world. If their training difficulty can be lowered, allowing them to evolve into Gyarados, then whether it's the League or other forces—everyone will want to cooperate with you."
"Money, rare Pokémon, precious items… if handled properly, you can obtain almost anything."
"Just this morning, many Kanto powers contacted you seeking cooperation."
"The League asked me to come not only to verify the truth of this matter, but also to see if you'd be willing to give the League priority in cultivating Magikarp."
"So, Ash—"
"What do you think?"
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T/N:
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