"Oh? A numbers advantage? Is that what you're hanging your confidence on?"
The mockery on Damian's face sharpened, and a nameless heat surged up Olivia's chest.
This guy was outrageous.
"No matter how many small-timers you bring, small-timers are still small-timers." Damian tilted his head, voice light, the insult landing like a slap. "And you look proud of it, too. Want me to pat you on the head for trying?"
Here it comes!!
Caitlin and Proton watched Olivia's face redden, then watched the uncomfortable flicker that crossed Kukui's and Hala's expressions. Damian's mouth—his signature, knife-twisting trash talk—had arrived right on schedule.
Late or not, it never missed.
Every time they went out to handle "serious business" with Damian, they ended up hearing his particular brand of verbal cruelty. As his allies, it was honestly entertaining.
The other side clearly didn't share that opinion.
"You—!!"
Olivia's chest heaved. She was a kahuna, and this brat was calling her "small-timers" to her face?
Her pride practically detonated.
"No need for 'you, you, you.'" Damian yawned through the words, as if she were a child having a tantrum. "I don't usually bother fighting minnows, but I'm in a good mood today. I can play with you for a bit."
He stretched his arms lazily, then tipped his chin at Tapu Fini.
Tapu Fini gave the faintest, barely concealed pout… then still floated forward to take position in front of Damian. The moment it moved, the lazy softness disappeared. Its gaze cooled, turning aloof and distant as it looked down at the four of them.
"I'll use Tapu Fini," Damian said, tone casual. "I'll entertain you for a while. As Alola's kahunas, maybe you haven't actually seen what a guardian deity can really do yet."
He smiled.
"I'm a kind-hearted person, you know."
The corners of his mouth curled up, teeth bright.
To Olivia and the others, that smile wasn't friendly at all. It was pure malice wearing a polite mask.
"You naturally evil Team Rocket brat!"
Olivia finally snapped and cursed him out loud.
It was bad enough that he'd called them small-timers again and again—now he was using Tapu Fini to fight them?
That was Alola's guardian.
How could a walking disaster like this even exist?
"Hm?" Damian paused, just for a second. The way she phrased that insult hit him with a hard sense of déjà vu.
"I will personally—"
Olivia reached for two Poké Balls.
"Easy, Olivia." Kukui's steady voice cut in, dragging her temper back by the collar for a brief moment.
"Sigh…" Nanu kept his palm on his forehead, already tired of existing.
"He's right," Hala rumbled. "Calm down. He's provoking us on purpose."
Hala's voice stayed low, but the warning carried weight.
"Don't lose your head because of Damian's mouth. And we can't ignore those two Rocket executives either—Caitlin and Proton."
As he spoke, Hala's gaze pinned Caitlin, who stood behind Damian's right side. His caution was obvious—too obvious to be pride.
Because he'd already tasted her strength.
He'd been beaten by Caitlin before. He knew exactly how dangerous that refined, well-bred-looking girl really was.
And Proton, on the other side—maybe they hadn't crossed hands yet, but if he was a Rocket executive from Kanto's inner circle, he wouldn't be weak.
While Kukui's group murmured and adjusted their positions, Damian casually pulled out a nail clipper and started trimming his nails.
Fine. Let them talk it out properly.
"Nanu," Kukui said, voice lowered, "you specialize in Dark types. You take Caitlin."
"…Alright," Nanu replied without enthusiasm. He didn't even lift his head. "But don't expect miracles. That girl doesn't look like an easy one."
He kept that half-dead, listless look—yet he still nodded.
"We believe in you," Olivia said immediately.
Nanu: "…"
What's the point of you believing in me? I don't even believe in myself.
He slapped his own forehead, annoyed at the situation and at his own mouth for having agreed.
That girl was a monster who'd put Hala in a hospital bed. And the rumors said she'd done it using only two of her main Pokémon.
Even with a clean type edge, Nanu didn't feel good about it. Among Elite Four-level trainers, his strength wasn't exactly the kind that inspired confidence.
"As for Proton," Hala said, eyes narrowing as they landed on him, "leave him to me. Kukui, Olivia—you two deal with Damian."
"Got it!" Olivia answered instantly.
With Kukui backing her up, how could they lose?
This arrogant, rotten Team Rocket brat—today she was going to smash him down and make him kneel.
Kukui considered it. The split was logical. Clean.
The most critical question was—
His eyes slid to Damian—handsome, relaxed, and wearing that wicked calm like it was a tailored coat—and then to Tapu Fini floating in front of him.
Was he really this confident just because he was arrogant?
Or was it because…
"Done whispering?" Damian asked, bored. "If you haven't finished your strategy, I can give you more time."
He sounded almost considerate.
"You brat… you really are arrogant," Olivia hissed through her teeth. She'd never seen anyone this smug in her life.
"Arrogant?" Damian raised an eyebrow. "No, no, no. Kahuna Olivia, you've misunderstood."
He spoke as if he were correcting a child.
"Have you ever seen an adult take a bunch of children seriously?"
"Fine. Fine!! Lycanroc! Gigalith!"
Olivia was practically laughing from rage as she threw two Poké Balls.
White light flashed.
A Midnight Form Lycanroc landed with blood-red eyes burning, standing upright like a savage brawler. Beside it, Gigalith hit the ground like a boulder dropped from a cliff.
Both were pure Rock types.
Olivia specialized in Rock—normally not the best matchup into Tapu Fini. But with Kukui beside her, she wasn't worried.
Kukui followed, releasing an Electric/Steel Magnezone and a Normal/Flying Braviary.
Nanu and Hala also moved, peeling off to face Caitlin and Proton in their lanes.
"I see," Damian said, glancing across the battlefield. "So you were deciding who gets to lose to whom."
He couldn't help the chuckle.
Caitlin looked at Nanu and offered a polite, faint smile—almost like greeting someone at a formal event.
Proton's eyes hardened as he met Hala's. Seriousness settled over him in an instant.
A kahuna was not someone he could treat lightly. Proton couldn't afford to drag down the Boss—or Executive Caitlin.
"Go on," Olivia spat, eyes hard. "Run your mouth while you still can. When we catch you, you won't have a damn thing to say."
Olivia felt victory sitting in her palm already.
"Weak small-timers always talk like that." Damian sighed lightly and shook his head, as if disappointed. "What gave you the courage to step up when I'm standing here with Tapu Fini?"
He tilted his head again, voice almost curious.
"Don't you have even a little self-awareness?"
"Fini."
Ignoring Olivia's tightening face, Damian called softly to Tapu Fini.
"Fini~"
Miss Shell spread her arms.
A ring of pink light bloomed from her body, then spilled outward—fast. The air thickened. The ground took on a faint haze as a layer of pink mist rolled across the area.
Misty Terrain—deployed by Misty Maker!
Tapu Fini lowered her arms and stared straight at the four Pokémon in front of her, gaze cold and aloof. Framed by the pale pink mist, the former guardian deity of Poni Island looked distant, noble, and chilling.
"Come," Damian said, smiling. "Let me show you what Tapu Fini can really do."