"It… exploded?"
Apollo didn't even react to the blast in front of him. He simply stood there, completely stunned.
In his mind, he replayed the final number that had flashed on the combat power analyzer just before it was destroyed.
It had appeared only for an instant—but he had caught it clearly.
Six digits.
While combat power readings didn't necessarily reflect a Pokémon's true strength in every aspect, a six-digit value was something Apollo had never encountered in his life.
Even that artificial Pokémon—the one that had consumed immeasurable manpower, resources, and cutting-edge technology from Team Rocket over countless years—
According to Boss Giovanni, before removing its power-restricting armor, its combat power still remained only in the five-digit range.
Even so, that godlike Pokémon was already close to invincible.
It was said that only after shedding its mechanical armor and truly awakening could it possibly break into six-digit combat power.
And yet—
Apollo had just seen a six-digit reading.
His heart plunged and soared like a roller coaster, a chill running down his spine.
If earlier he had still believed he and Ash were evenly matched—or that he was only slightly inferior—
Then now, Ash stood before him like a towering mountain reaching the heavens… or a bottomless abyss with no visible end.
Terrifying. Absolutely terrifying.
What now?
Should he cancel this entire "team-building operation"?
Apollo pressed a hand to his forehead. His face flushed with anxiety, his expression growing increasingly warped.
"No… he hasn't made his stance clear yet. Maybe I could recruit him into Team Rocket?"
"No—if someone with his strength joined, the next successor of Team Rocket would undoubtedly be him!"
He argued himself into a contradiction.
That left only one option.
Apollo's eyes turned colder than ever before, a dangerous glint flickering within them.
That's right—no matter how strong a Pokémon is, a human body still has its limits.
Once the Trainer's head hits the ground, even the strongest Pokémon becomes meaningless.
The confident expression of a master strategist returned to his handsome face. He snapped his fingers.
"Pass the order. Maintain a low profile—avoid any conflict with the three Trainers from Pallet Town."
"Also, over the next few days, record every Pokémon they release. I want all the data."
"Yes, sir!" the tuxedo-clad subordinate replied solemnly.
Nearby, three figures who had been pretending to push a service cart crept closer.
To be precise—two humans and a cat.
Apollo frowned and barked, "Who are you?"
That single sentence seemed to trigger something. The three suddenly began trembling, then struck a dramatic pose in unison.
"Since you asked us so sincerely—"
"We'll answer with boundless mercy—"
"—You idiots, meow!!"
Jessie and James were cut off mid-introduction as Meowth frantically clawed at them.
Startled, the two hurriedly pulled their half-removed uniforms back on and laughed awkwardly.
"Sorry, sorry—muscle memory,"
"Occupational hazard…"
Apollo clasped his hands behind his back, completely ignoring them.
Judging by appearances, they were just low-level grunts—not worth his attention.
Seeing this, James steeled himself and stepped forward again, cautiously asking,
"Ahem… sir, we overheard that you're planning to take action against that Trainer from Pallet Town?"
Apollo's interest was piqued. He glanced sideways.
"Oh? Is he from your hometown?"
"No, no! That boy—Ash—is actually our target."
"We've been tracking him for ten years."
The trio clearly had no intention of letting their prized target—that bizarre Pikachu—be stolen by this flashy superior.
They were counting on capturing Pikachu to skyrocket up the ranks and become Boss Giovanni's right-hand subordinates.
"Oh? You've got some insight after all."
Apollo nodded approvingly.
When you discover a secret no one else knows, you feel an irresistible urge to share it.
And when someone else reveals the same secret—
Your excitement reaches its peak.
Apollo slowly asked,
"So. Which unit are you from?"
The three exchanged glances, then straightened up and bowed sharply.
"Sir! We are direct subordinates of Team Rocket's Kanto Headquarters, under Boss Giovanni!"
"Our current rank isn't high—still stuck at Stubborn Iron tier!"
"We are Jessie, James, and Meowth!"
"Direct subordinates?"
This time, Apollo finally looked at them properly.
Team Rocket was divided into multiple factions, each commanded by a core executive.
And the most authoritative among them were undoubtedly Giovanni's direct subordinates.
But as far as Apollo knew, even the lowest of Giovanni's personal troops were at least Gold-tier.
How were these three still at the very bottom?
Nepotism?
Interesting. Very interesting.
As Team Rocket's foremost strategist, Apollo quickly devised a plan. He turned to the subordinate behind him.
"Give the three of them a raise. Promote their待遇 to Bronze-tier."
"Yes, sir!"
Watching the trio instantly light up with gratitude and joy, Apollo merely smiled with the refined warmth of a high-ranking executive.
"From today onward, you three will monitor that Trainer from Pallet Town exclusively."
"But for these seven days—do not take action."
"Yes, sir!"
The Team Rocket trio left in tears of joy.
At last—someone who truly appreciated their talents!
Only after they departed did Apollo allow a cold smile to surface, gently swirling the wine in his glass.
Good.
Let these three expendable pawns test that prehistoric monster for me.
Half an hour later, the reporters, fans, and idle onlookers finally dispersed, returning to the banquet to chat and drink.
Having eaten his fill, Ash waved his hand and left the table.
Pikachu, also full, flicked its ears knowingly. With a kick of its hind legs, it tried to leap onto Ash's shoulder.
Thud!
Due to poor spatial judgment, Pikachu slipped and fell flat on the floor mid-jump.
Ash: "…"
…Yeah. Maybe it really does need to lose weight.
Ash hoisted Pikachu back onto his shoulder.
It felt heavier.
Nearby, Leaf was still standing in place, eyes spinning in a daze even after the crowd had dispersed.
After hesitating for a moment, Ash walked over.
"I'm the Tree-Chopping Queen… autographs on the left… photos on the right… loved before, not available…"
She responded mechanically to anything that approached her.
Ash sighed, placed both hands on her head, and shook it left and right, thoroughly "mixing" her brain.
"Wah!"
After a moment, Leaf blinked rapidly and finally snapped back to reality. She immediately looked toward the stage.
Her eyes gleamed like she could pluck stars from the sky. Puffing out her cheeks, she regained her boundless energy.
"Wait—where did that flea go?!"
On the stage, the gentlemanly host had returned. The arrogant, laughing flea was nowhere to be seen.
"Gary's slippery like a loach. He ran ages ago," Ash replied helplessly.
Given Gary's caution, he clearly wasn't going to give Leaf any chance at revenge.
"We're heading back to sleep," Brock and Misty said as they approached.
"Tomorrow morning, Deck Two will host a fishing competition. The three of us are joining."
Ash wasn't particularly interested in fishing—it was just a way to catch a Water-type Pokémon, and he already had a Squirtle.
A bit dim, but full of potential.
Still, first place sounded tempting.
As for Brock, while Water-types weren't his specialty, he might reel in something like an Omanyte or Kabuto.
Both Rock-types—right up his alley.
Misty, meanwhile, wished she could scoop up the entire ocean and stuff it into Cerulean Gym.
Leaf's stomach growled loudly. She blushed and said sheepishly,
"Oh—uh—then you go sleep first. I'll come find you later."
They were full.
She'd been starving all day!
After the three left, Leaf finally began eating to her heart's content.
"These people are so dumb—no one's eating."
As she spoke, she tossed out a Poké Ball. In a flash of red light, a small Clefairy appeared on the table.
"Eat more, Clefairy. The more you eat, the healthier you get!"
"Clef~!"
Before long, Clefairy's body also began to round out.
Suddenly, a voice echoed in Leaf's mind.
Gentle and melodic, yet carrying an unquestionable authority—like a queen gazing down from her throne.
"Little Blue, this ship isn't simple. Be careful."
Leaf swallowed an entire chicken leg in one gulp, her mouth full as she replied indistinctly,
"Sister Viridian, if I don't eat more, I'll starve. That's even more dangerous."
Viridian: "…"
"Besides, as long as I can bury that flea alive, I'd gladly sink into the sea the next day."
Viridian: "…"
After a long pause, the voice sighed.
"Fine. It's just small-scale trouble anyway. Have fun."
"Okay~!"
Leaf nodded vigorously, smiling cutely as she and Clefairy continued stuffing themselves.
It had only been a few days since she'd truly communicated with Viridian for the first time.
Before that, Leaf had thought the voice was a divine revelation from the heavens.
Maybe even an ancient god.
Even now, whenever she heard Viridian's voice, she felt the urge to kneel, light incense, and pray.
She was a woman of faith!
Viridian: "…"
After hesitating for a while, Viridian decided she should at least strike back verbally.
"Oh, right. Your current strength isn't enough."
"I still have a Ditto stored in my system. You can take it and use it as… silicone."
"Secrets make a woman more of a woman, you know."
Leaf: "???"
Her gaze subconsciously dropped to her chest. Her pretty face instantly flushed red.
I'm only ten years old!!
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