"You're leaving your last words now? What—do you want me to avenge you too?" Reiji laughed. Two hundred million and this guy thought he could buy a revenge job against Team Rocket? Not happening.
That deal was a joke. Using Reiji's own spoils to hire him for revenge—what a shameless fantasy.
Besides, once those valuables landed in his hands, they were his. Even if the bank's two hundred million couldn't be withdrawn, it didn't matter. If it wasn't truly his to begin with, he didn't care about losing it.
"How could that be possible? I don't even have the guts to raise a blade against Team Rocket. How would I talk you into avenging me? I don't even know who you are…"
"Don't give up so fast. Want to join my organization? I can make sure you get revenge with your own hands." Reiji lifted his cup toward Naoki, offering him a way in.
Naoki wasn't useless. If Reiji ever had to clash with Team Rocket—or with local forces in the Orange Archipelago—someone burning with hatred like this could be put to work.
And yes, hatred or not, he counted as capable. He'd started from nothing, clawed his way up to quasi–Elite Four tier, carved out territory, owned a mine, and kept a loyal group of hardened elites at his side.
If Naoki kept developing, breaking into Elite Four tier wasn't a stretch. His Golem had already reached Elite Four tier. The rest weren't far behind either—when your Pokémon eat rocks, you can always throw better ore at the problem.
A trainer who made it this far was already "talented" in this world. He had some leadership experience too. Sure, he was a gang boss—and he'd blown up his own situation halfway through—but he was still worth pulling up instead of letting rot.
Reiji had originally planned to take the goods and let Naoki sink or swim. But Naoki had even handed over the password to the bank card with two hundred million—and the Pokémon Egg for Aggron.
Reiji couldn't just take everything and leave without a word. He couldn't listen to a man's whole story and walk away with that sour, unsettled feeling stuck in his chest.
"You? If you say you can do it, fine—I'll believe you. But 'revenge with my own hands'? Forget it." Naoki waved him off and took another sip of the bitter liquor. He watched Reiji closely, searching for cracks, and came up empty. The man never gave anything away.
"You used to be the Rock Gang's leader. How did you end up this broken?" Reiji sighed. He should've mouthed off less earlier.
"I'm not broken. I've faced an Elite Four tier trainer. I know what that level means. One exchange—just one—and Proton crippled four of my Pokémon. Quasi–Elite Four tier is a joke." Naoki laughed, harsh and hollow. "A joke that shatters on contact. Hahaha…"
"How do you know you can't become Elite Four tier?"
"Even if I reach Elite Four tier, it won't matter. Team Rocket's influence runs through several League regions. They've got more than one Elite Four tier trainer. Even if I make it, I still can't beat them."
"You're forgetting something." Reiji kept his tone steady. "Join me, and you won't be alone anymore. Team Rocket has Elite Four tier trainers—do you think we don't?"
He was selling smoke, of course. They didn't have a damn Elite Four tier trainer.
He wasn't even an Advanced-tier trainer yet. By the League's rough standards, you needed three fully evolved Pokémon before anyone would call you Advanced tier.
That was just the broad rating. If you wanted something more precise, you could get your Pokémon's energy levels tested—hit Advanced-tier output, and you counted.
"Gym Leader" was basically another name for an Advanced-tier trainer, but only for Gym Leaders recognised by the League. Everyone else still got called Advanced-tier.
Elite-tier had its own labels too—Gym Trainer, Gym apprentice.
And when a Gym Trainer travelled to challenge a Gym elsewhere, the referee would announce their Gym name. That was how Gym Trainers got separated from ordinary trainers.
Reiji, at best, counted as high-end muscle. If level 20 with a second-stage evolution lined up with Elite tier, and level 40 with a fully evolved Pokémon lined up with Advanced tier…
Then he only had two at Advanced tier: that Poliwhirl and Darkrai, both in the forties. He was still one Pokémon short of qualifying.
Even as "high-end muscle," he was a bit of a paper tiger—he couldn't even scrape together three level-40 Pokémon. He'd only been a trainer for a bit over two months since transmigrating. He'd pushed hard, training almost every day and cramming knowledge whenever he could.
But he also knew he couldn't force it. Pokémon needed time to grow. He could only raise them step by step—no cheating the season.
As for Elite Four tier… he had no clue when he'd reach it. But he wasn't about to say "we don't have one" and crush Naoki's last sliver of hope.
"Then what's your organization called?" Naoki's eyes sharpened. "What team are you?"
If they really had Elite Four tier trainers inside, then once he reached that level, he could call on them to help him take revenge.
Wiping out Team Rocket was a fantasy. But the Black Ship? That sounded possible. And the girl's family too—once he became Elite Four tier, he wouldn't have to swallow so much humiliation.
"What team? That sounds awful." Reiji paused for half a beat, then spoke anyway. "We're called Spider—like a web stretched over the entire world…"
He nearly choked on his own line. The name came to him only because he used Spinarak so often. He'd invented it on the spot, and it was sloppy as hell.
Still—sloppy was enough for someone this desperate.
"That powerful, and I've never heard of you?" Naoki frowned. Something didn't sit right, but he couldn't find the thread to pull.
"Of course you haven't. We stay buried. Every member carries a Spinarak on their shoulder. We either don't show up at all—or when we do, the world tilts with us." Reiji went all in. If he was lying, he might as well lie big.
"That sounds like the League. Are you League people?" Naoki pressed.
"Don't overthink it. We wear all kinds of faces—including Team Rocket." Reiji said it without blinking.
Once Shun and Tai grew up a bit, he could drag them in. Then he'd have "Team Rocket infiltrators," wouldn't he?
What if Tai refused?
…Well. His sister really is cute.
Shun was simpler. If Reiji asked, Shun wouldn't refuse. Reiji was his teacher.
"What? You even have someone inside Team Rocket?" Naoki stared like his eyes might pop out.
In his world, the League was the biggest force there was. Now he'd run into something that sounded even larger.
"Answer one last question, and I'll join you," Naoki said, suddenly standing straighter. Revenge didn't feel impossible anymore. If Spider could hide this deep and still talk about steering the world…
This was his last chance. He had to grab it, become Elite Four tier, and make up for more than ten years of regret over that girl.
"Fine." Reiji nodded calmly.
On the outside, he looked unshakable. Inside, he was sweating. Please don't ask how many members we have. If Naoki found out it was basically a handful of people, he'd laugh himself sick.
"Who's your leader?" Naoki asked. "How strong are they?"
He waited, tense, hoping for a name big enough to stand beside Giovanni.
"I'm Spider's leader," Reiji said.
He wasn't "revealing" anything. He just knew he could keep Naoki under control, so he said it outright.
"You?" Naoki froze. The leader himself was recruiting him? That was unreal. Buy a random ticket, sneak into a random seaview cabin, and somehow end up in Spider's leader's room? The odds were absurd.
"What?" Reiji raised an eyebrow. "Don't look like it?"
"Didn't you say you were a small fry?" Naoki caught the contradiction immediately. "Now you're the leader?"
"You didn't believe me, remember?" Reiji snapped back. "If you're going to doubt everything I say, what's the point?"
"Cough… sorry. I was jumpy. I suspected everyone…"
Naoki's face tightened. And then it hit him—Reiji had said this was a dream. If that was true… how did he build a dream world, drag someone into it, and keep them awake enough to talk?
In the end, Naoki stopped chasing the answer. He inhaled slowly, like he'd made a decision, and spoke with a hard edge to his voice.
"As long as you prove you have the strength to let me take revenge with my own hands, I'll believe you're Spider's leader. I'll submit. I'll swear loyalty. I'll become your subordinate and follow your orders…"
"Huh." Reiji's mouth curved slightly. "Funny. When Proton told you to submit, you'd rather die than bend."
Once Naoki's mental defenses collapsed, the pride and bite he used to carry got ground down by despair. All that remained was revenge. For revenge, he could pay any price—even the dignity he once treated like his life.
That kind of person was worth taking. Reiji had just stumbled into another bargain.
"It's not the same," Naoki said, shaking his head. "I know Proton. His methods are brutal. I don't trust him."
Years of doing business with Proton had taught him exactly what kind of man he was. Naoki would never hand his life to someone like that.
"I'll prove it," Reiji said. "But you should understand this too—betray me, and I can kill you whenever I want."
Naoki was serious, so Reiji matched him. He decided to take him in as muscle.
"As long as you let me take revenge with my own hands, my life is yours." Naoki's gaze burned—cold, steady, absolute. He'd already suffered one total defeat, clawed his way back from the edge. If revenge was possible, he'd do anything.
To him, it was only one life. Life wasn't the biggest stake anymore. He didn't want to keep losing. Even if it cost him everything, he wanted one win—just once.
"Good." Reiji snapped his fingers. "I like that look. I can see the fire in your eyes." He called into the empty living room, "Gengar…"
"Gen-gen." Gengar drifted down from above, looped around Naoki once, then returned to Reiji's side with a grin.
"Not enough." Naoki shook his head. Gengar was rare, sure—but rare wasn't the same as convincing.
"Darkrai." Reiji let Darkrai step out. Darkrai was only in the forties, but scaring Naoki wouldn't take more than that.
"Darkrai… the Sinnoh Region Mythical Pokémon. The one said to bring nightmares…" Naoki murmured, dragging up what he'd read. He liked browsing the Pokédex—especially entries on Legendary and Mythical Pokémon. He remembered this one.
"Human." Darkrai rose slowly from the shadow in front of Reiji. "This dream world was created by me."
This dream had lights. It had shadows. For Darkrai, that was nothing. And it clearly didn't appreciate being doubted.
"Da… Darkrai. It's real. You actually caught Darkrai…" The moment it appeared, Naoki jolted so hard he went cold, sweat breaking across his forehead as he sat rigid on the sofa.
He'd thought Reiji was just talking big. But there it was—Darkrai, a Mythical Pokémon. He remembered people even calling it the "Nightmare God." That was what the books said.
"Well?" Reiji took a small sip of the bitter liquor. Darkrai carried real pressure. Watching Naoki get rattled, Reiji felt satisfied. That was exactly what he needed.
"Leader… I want revenge." Naoki looked at Darkrai, then at Reiji. His eyes hardened, the fire inside them burning brighter.
He stood at once, dropped to one knee before Reiji, and bowed his head—solemn, resolute.
In that instant, Reiji's strength and composure convinced him completely. Naoki believed this mysterious Spider leader could help him take revenge—and could help him climb the peak called Elite Four tier.
"Remember what you said today," Reiji said. "This is a transaction. I help you get revenge, you give me loyalty. If you ever think about betraying me, I'll kill you myself. Forget revenge—I'll make sure you die full of regret."
"I wouldn't dare, leader. As long as I can get revenge, my life is yours." Naoki's heart raced. Reiji was scolding him, but he couldn't stop smiling inside. Revenge finally felt real.
"Get up. Inside the organisation, we use code names. From now on, call me Zero. 'Leader' sounds terrible." Reiji waved a hand, telling him to stand.
"Yes, Zero. Then what should I be called?" Naoki rose and stood straight, not daring to sit casually. He didn't even dare stare directly at Reiji.
Reiji's face seemed hazy, as if a thin veil covered it, making his true features hard to catch.
"Whatever you want. Pick one." Reiji sighed. He wasn't used to this stiff dynamic. He preferred things relaxed.
"Don't be so tense. We don't have that many rules. Just remember I'm the leader. The rest doesn't matter. Come—drink with me."
"Yes, leader." Naoki sat and carefully lifted his cup, taking a small sip with Reiji.
The liquor didn't taste bitter anymore. It tasted sweet—because his heart felt sweet. And he'd already decided on his code name. "Leader… is there a 'One' in the organisation?"
"There is," Reiji said. "Plenty of numbers. When you meet them, fight for it yourself if you want "One"."
Later, he could pull Shun and Tai in… and whoever else he met down the line.
Let them fight over One. Nobody was fighting him for Zero.
"I understand, leader. Then I'll be One." Naoki made the decision silently. The leader was clearly travelling, recruiting people as he went.
If that was the case, Naoki had to claim One. He had to become the closest subordinate at Reiji's side. For revenge. For the girl he loved. Whoever showed up, he'd challenge them.
"Suit yourself. This ship is heading for Sunburst Island. We'll talk revenge tomorrow. Get some sleep." Reiji yawned. He truly couldn't hold on anymore.
Spinarak had woken him earlier, when it was barely past three in the morning. He was exhausted.
"Leader… I heard Sunburst Island has the legend of a Crystal Onix." Naoki trained Rock-type Pokémon. He'd bought this ticket hoping to test his luck.
"That kind of rare Pokémon is all luck," Reiji said. "And even if you caught it, you couldn't keep it." He had Darkrai conjure a large bed and prepared to sleep inside the dream.
It sounded strange, but he was used to it. Darkrai couldn't fully control its nightmares. As long as Reiji stayed here and didn't think too much, it still counted as sleep.
"Yes, leader." Naoki watched Reiji fall asleep in the dream. They were already asleep in reality too, which made the whole thing feel off in a way he couldn't explain.
But Reiji was resting. Naoki didn't dare disturb him. He asked Darkrai to let him leave, returned to his own dream—and jolted awake.
"Hff… hff…" Back in reality, Naoki's mouth was still stuffed with spider silk. He breathed through his nose, eyes sweeping the cabin. He immediately spotted Reiji asleep on the bed, then turned to the window and the sea beyond it, dawn close at hand.
Waves. Seagulls. The ship was real. And he'd been caught the moment he climbed up. Which meant everything in the dream was very likely real too.
"Human." Darkrai emerged from the shadows. "What are you doubting?"
Naoki was drenched in sweat and staring at Reiji. Darkrai's presence carried a clear warning: don't get ideas.
"Darkrai… hff." The instant Naoki saw it, he finally relaxed. He'd been afraid it was just a dream—wake up, and everything disappears.
But it wasn't just a dream. What happened there was real. And he wanted it to be real. Hahaha…
Team Rocket. Proton. The Black Ship. Riku. And that girl's family who always looked down on him…
Just wait. Wait for me.
Naoki will be back. I'll be back.
Trovitopolis—I will be back.
And A-Yan… I'm coming back. Wait for me.
[End of Chapter]
[100 Power Stones = Extra Chapter]
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