loyalty.
Just one word, but it contains so much meaning.
It was impossible for Jarvis to commit based solely on Aoki's words alone.
"Putting aside other things, even if I were to speak of loyalty, whether you could believe it is a significant question. And why should I trust you? You are just an outsider," Jarvis asked, his tone skeptical.
Aoki nodded calmly. "It's very simple. As the person closest to Nikola, your father must have done extensive research on Nikola's findings. Then you should have inherited all the 'wealth' he left for you. Have you ever heard of something called the 'Soul Heart'?"
"Soul Heart!"
Hearing these two words, Jarvis' pupils suddenly contracted. His hand, holding the wine glass, trembled subconsciously, spilling some of the wine which wet his fingers, but he did not seem to notice. "You actually know about the Soul Heart?!" Jarvis exclaimed, his voice laced with shock.
Aoki merely smiled, offering no further explanation. "Now, do you think I am qualified?" Aoki asked, his gaze steady.
"…"
Jarvis fell into a heavy silence.
"As for what you said about not believing in the loyalty in my words, you are correct, I cannot achieve that through words alone. However, I have a method to make you believe," Aoki stated matter-of-factly. He then stood up and walked over to stand directly in front of Jarvis.
"How..." Jarvis began to ask, but Aoki raised his right hand.
"Don't resist!" Aoki commanded. As he spoke, he pressed his right palm against Jarvis' forehead, gripping his head firmly. In an instant, Jarvis felt a strange, invasive sensation, as if something foreign was attempting to enter his mind. He instinctively wanted to fight it, but he remembered Aoki's instruction not to resist. During his moment of hesitation, Aoki successfully implanted a Psychic seed into his brain, similar to the one he had placed in Rose's mind, but far more potent due to Aoki's now advanced-level psychic powers. This seed could be detonated by Aoki at any moment, should he wish it.
"What... what did you do?" Jarvis asked, his hands clutching his head as a dull throb began to pulse within his skull.
Aoki smiled faintly. "I have obtained the loyalty I require." He then explained coolly, "I have planted a Psychic seed deep within your mind. Whenever I desire, I can detonate it. And aside from me, no one in this world possesses the capability to remove it." This was true even when his powers were at a mid-level; now that he had reached an advanced level, it was an absolute certainty.
"You!! I hadn't even agreed yet!" Jarvis's face paled dramatically. This meant his life was now entirely in another person's hands.
"No, no, no. You agreed the moment you allowed the implantation to occur. The Psychic seed cannot be planted without a certain level of acquiescence," Aoki corrected, waving a dismissive hand.
Jarvis's expression shifted through a range of emotions. Aoki was technically correct. He had been hesitant, but not wholly resistant, and Aoki had simply made the decision for him.
"I can sense any malicious thoughts directed towards me. If you doubt this, you are welcome to test it," Aoki said, his smile not quite reaching his eyes. The veracity of this claim was something Jarvis would have to take on faith. Then, Aoki snapped his fingers sharply.
Immediately, as if a trigger had been pulled, a violent, sharp pain erupted inside Jarvis's head, so intense he nearly lost consciousness. "This is merely a demonstration of my control. Do not worry; when the seed is truly detonated, you will not feel pain. Your head will simply... bang!" Aoki's closed palm snapped open in a vivid miming of an explosion.
Gasping and still reeling from the shock of the pain, Jarvis no longer doubted the terrifying reality of Aoki's power. Being controlled in such a direct and inescapable manner left anyone feeling cornered and grim. His life was unequivocally held by the man standing before him.
"Please keep this medal. In the near future, a steady stream of personnel will arrive in Azoth. They will become your subordinates, assisting you with your duties. Your primary focus should be on your research, working diligently to become the true head minister," Aoki instructed, pulling a medal from his coat pocket and handing it over. It was the distinct captain's badge of Team Flare. Aoki planned to have Lysandre arrange the necessary support. Although Jarvis's value was not yet fully apparent to the world, Aoki knew his potential. He simply needed the right guidance and opportunity, which Aoki could provide.
Jarvis took the medal, its weight feeling significant in his hand. From this moment, he was a captain of Team Flare. The specifics of the role, the rules and structures, would be explained to him by others; Aoki was not concerned with such minutiae.
"Additionally, here are three Poké Balls. The Pokémon contained within are each no weaker than your current Gengar. I expect you to capture and command them as soon as possible. I trust this will not pose a significant difficulty for you?" Aoki stated more than asked, placing three Poké Balls on the table between them.
Jarvis was momentarily stunned, then a wave of ecstasy washed over him. He nodded repeatedly, eagerly collecting the three Poké Balls. He understood their immense value perfectly. Three more Pokémon at the Champion level! While the people of Azoth held mystical science in the highest regard, they were not disconnected from the reality that Pokémon were the foundation of a nation's power, the primary force ensuring the kingdom's security.
"Thank you... sir," Jarvis said, a note of genuine respect entering his voice for the first time. The combination of the carrot and the stick was a classic tactic, but its effectiveness was undeniable, especially when the carrot was so desirable and the stick so absolute.
"Bring me all the information you have on Nikola. Then, go and subdue these three Pokémon. Once you have familiarized yourself with them, we will have a performance to stage," Aoki ordered with a wave of his hand.
Jarvis immediately set about gathering all the data, notes, and research results related to Nikola, stacking them into a small mountain of books and papers on the table before Aoki. Looking at the formidable pile, Aoki felt a slight twitch in his eye; the absence of digital data storage was truly inconvenient. Nevertheless, he began to read through them methodically, his enhanced cognitive abilities and the scanning function of his internal system allowing him to process information at an incredible rate, absorbing ten lines at a glance. To truly analyze the Soul Heart, a deep understanding of both mystical science and Nikola himself was essential. Furthermore, mystical science might yet yield some surprising insights beneficial to Aoki's own goals.
Meanwhile, Jarvis left to subdue the Pokémon given to him by Aoki. These Pokémon were part of the spoils from the Three Gods Island incident, originally belonging to the Jinchua family. Aoki had allocated two to Rose, three to Jarvis, exchanged one for resources, and kept the remaining one to reward another subordinate in the future. While these Pokémon, not raised from infancy, might not reach their full combat potential under a new Trainer, a Champion-level Pokémon was still a formidable force, capable of exerting significant power even with a partial synchronization.
Now that Aoki was establishing a foundation of strength and loyal operatives, he could begin to execute his plans step by step, setting his grand design into motion.