The battle between Ditto and Absol raged with increasing intensity.
With blinding speed, Ditto dodged Absol's Slash attack. The three arcs of white light released by Absol's horn clean-cut the ancient tree behind Ditto in half. Leaves rained down as forest Pokémon fled in terror.
In a counter-move, Ditto whipped its Iron Tail upward, launching Absol into the sky. Coiling its body like a compressed spring, Ditto launched itself after the Dark-type, baring fangs crackling with frost. Ice Fang—Ditto's most proficient elemental strike (likely due to its love for frozen berry juice)—connected squarely.
Absol was instantly encased in a massive block of ice, plummeting from the air and slamming into the ground with a heavy thud. The "Disaster Pokémon" lay motionless, completely incapacitated.
"Utsugi, you lost," Feng Che said lazily. "Tell your people to move."
"Who gave you permission to leave?" Utsugi sneered, his eyes narrow and cunning. "My Absol may be down, but your Arbok has surely exhausted its stamina fighting her. Everyone! Release your Pokémon! We take him down together!"
"Haha! I knew the Boss wouldn't actually play fair!" "Nothing beats a good old-fashioned ambush. I love how despicable we are!"
Utsugi's lackeys hurled their Poké Balls. A Cloyster, Pinsir, Tauros, and Weepinbell emerged. Utsugi himself released a Mankey—his original assigned starter.
"Surrender, Kongjian! You're strong, but you can't fight a whole squad at once!" Utsugi barked. Then his face darkened as he looked at Jiro and Yin Yin, who were standing idly by. "Jiro! Yin Yin! Why aren't you attacking?!"
"Utsugi, Jiro and I have officially quit your team," Yin Yin said, blowing a bubble and popping it. "Your actions have nothing to do with us anymore."
"Hmph! Fine! Then don't expect a single point from the loot. Stay out of the way!" Utsugi growled, wary of Yin Yin's Galarian Weezing and its penchant for self-destruction.
"Be my guest," Yin Yin shrugged.
Feng Che sighed. "So you're going to be stubborn. Let's finish this quickly then. Come out, Linoone!"
Feng Che threw a Poké Ball, and the sleek, powerful Linoone burst forth. It became a white blur instantly, weaving through the enemy Pokémon and knocking them aside with surgical strikes.
"Crap... we're finished!" Utsugi gasped.
Before he could even reach for another ball, Ditto-Arbok had already coiled tightly around his neck. Utsugi's face turned beet-red as he struggled for breath.
"So," Feng Che said with a thin smile. "Do I beat you senseless, or do you hand over every point you have?"
"Cough... wait... I'll give them to you! Just... don't kill me," Utsugi stammered. "You... you can just demote us to Handymen."
"Demote you? Why would I leave you alive to seek revenge?" Feng Che asked coldly.
"No, it's a new rule!" another recruit shouted, sweat pouring down his face. "Instructor Viper added an option at the Psychic merchant spots. You can choose to spare a defeated opponent and have them 'recycled' as Handymen. It preserves 'elite talent' for the organization."
"And what's in it for me?" Feng Che asked.
"You trade us to the Psychic merchants for 50 points per person," the recruit added quickly.
Feng Che looked toward Jiro and Yin Yin. "Is this true?"
"It is," Jiro confirmed. "If you don't want to play executioner, you can sell them. Their Pokémon also fetch a high price." Then he added ruthlessly, "But honestly? I'd suggest cutting them down. If they die here, no one knows it was you. If they live, their backers might come looking for you."
"Jiro, you traitor!" Utsugi screamed.
"Backers?" Feng Che asked. "If they are demoted to Handymen, how do they have hope of returning?"
Feng Che pulled out the bent spoon Alakazam had given him and funneled a pulse of psychic energy into it.
"Rules are rigid, but people are flexible," Yin Yin explained. "A 'Handyman' with a powerful enough background just changes their name and reappears as a formal member a month later. Rocket is short on manpower; Boss Giovanni looks the other way as long as the surface rules are followed."
"I see. Even Team Rocket has its 'hidden rules,'" Feng Che mused.
Moments later, the air rippled. Alakazam teleported into the clearing. It took one look at the tied-up recruits and chuckled. "Ho ho! Caught another batch, little guy? That's 50 points per head, plus the value of their Pokémon."
Using psychic ropes, Alakazam bound the group. He systematically stripped them of their hidden treasures and Poké Balls before handing Feng Che 750 points. Then, with a Role Play swap, the recruits vanished.
"Will they really become Handymen?" Feng Che asked.
"That depends on if their families are rich enough to 'lobby' for them," Alakazam said meaningfully. "The weak die; the strong—or the well-connected—survive. By the way, your total points now practically guarantee you a Top 20 spot. I'm sorry about the public leaderboard, but the instructors insisted on real-time updates."
"I understand. It won't affect our partnership," Feng Che reassured him.
"Good. But be careful. More teams are coming for you. I don't want my investment to go to waste."
"Old Hu, do you know someone named Starhunt?" Feng Che asked.
Alakazam's expression shifted instantly.
[Alakazam: Oh no. Why did this kid provoke Starhunt? That's Lady Athena's top-seeded prospect.]
"He is a very dangerous person with a backer you shouldn't provoke," Alakazam said curtly, closing the topic immediately. He looked nervous, sweat appearing on his brow. "Anyway, the Snowy Peaks are empty of people. If you want to hide, buy a Cold-Weather Suit from me and go there. No one goes to the mountains; there's nothing but snow and ice."
Feng Che agreed and traded for a mountain survival kit. As the thirty-minute window closed, Alakazam vanished.
Yin Yin walked over, her high heels clicking on the dirt. "Rank 1 of the trials... you really are something."
"If I give you more intel, will you forgive Jiro and me for the 'disrespect' earlier?" she asked coyly.
"Depends on the quality of the intel," Feng Che replied.
"I'm here for treasure, not a feud," Yin Yin said. "Regarding Starhunt: his backer is indeed Executive Athena. He's a mystery; no one has seen his face. But even as a recruit, his Pokémon could defeat a Captain's team. He only stayed a recruit to wait for this specific trial."
"What's so special about this trial?" Feng Che asked.
"This is an Elite Selection. Boss Giovanni wants spies to infiltrate the League. They recently purged our sleeper agents, and our intelligence network is paralyzed. The Rank 1 winner will be given a formal League identity, a Cyan-potential Pokémon, and promoted to Major. Starhunt thinks you stole his seat, and he wants it back."
She reached into her bracelet and handed Feng Che a beautifully crafted box. "This is my apology. I'm a Rocket info-broker; keep me in mind if you need anything in the future."
Feng Che opened the box to find a Kebia Berry—an extremely rare berry that boosts defense for Steel and Rock types. It was as valuable as a Salac Berry.
"Interesting. This island really is a goldmine," Feng Che muttered. He stowed the berry and turned back toward the Pidgeot's territory. He had a delivery to make.
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