"This guy… he's kind of handsome…"
On top of a building at the edge of the battlefield where Lucas was fighting, Green and Marnie were watching everything unfold.
Green's sapphire-blue eyes shimmered with little stars as she gazed at Lucas standing proudly in the center of the chaos. At this moment, he looked impossibly confident, powerful, and dazzling—so handsome it almost made her heart skip a beat!
Earlier, Lucas had ordered them to rescue any surviving Team Rocket executives they could still save. By the time they finished and hurried over, the battle between Lucas and the League champions had already begun.
"Ahem…"
Marnie, who was holding a camera, cleared her throat loudly when she heard Green's lovestruck murmur. Her expression was subtle, but her tone carried an unmistakable warning—
That's my man you're drooling over, what are you getting starry-eyed for?
Green blinked, realizing what she'd just said, and quickly covered it up with a light cough of her own. She pursed her lips and stretched lazily, pretending to be relaxed.
"Looks like it'll be over soon," she said with a casual yawn. "Honestly, I'm kind of exhausted too."
Indeed, the Saffron City battle had been one of the most intense confrontations she'd ever experienced. She never imagined she'd actually end up fighting against official League trainers one day.
But… it wasn't all that bad.
Following Lucas, things always turned out exciting, and as crazy as it sounded, that thrill was addictive.
At least right now, watching all those so-called "League Champions" being completely crushed by Lucas, she couldn't help feeling a deep sense of pride.
If even those champions couldn't beat him… then following Lucas didn't seem like such a bad decision at all, did it?
"It seems you've finally lost the strength to dance."
Lucas spoke with an unhurried smile, his calm tone carrying an undeniable dominance.
At those words, Lance's expression turned icy cold in an instant. His sharp eyes locked tightly onto Lucas, and his voice came out between clenched teeth.
"Don't get too cocky, Lucas. We haven't lost yet!"
The bitterness of defeat burned in his chest like fire. Lucas stood right there before him but that overwhelming, crushing sense of powerlessness made Lance want to scream in frustration.
"Hm? That line…" Lucas raised an eyebrow and chuckled softly. "Cousin, I think you said the exact same thing last time in Celadon, didn't you?"
Now that he thought about it, it was familiar. Back in Celadon City, Lance's Dragonite had already been beaten down by Reshiram, yet he still refused to admit defeat insisting that because his Dragonair was still standing, the battle wasn't over.
Lance's face darkened immediately at the reminder.
"But cousin," Lucas continued with an innocent blink, "this time, you don't seem to have any Pokémon left, do you?"
He glanced casually around the battlefield and then gave a reminder.
Not only had Lance's massive Dragonite and Dragonair been taken out, even Leon and the others beside him had no Pokémon left standing.
In short—they'd all been wiped out.
Lance's face twisted in fury.
Was this brat mocking him just for the fun of it?
"I still have Pokémon! I can still fight you!"
He spat out the words through gritted teeth, his pride burning brighter than ever.
So, what if his team was down? He still had reserves!
Lance pulled out another Poké Ball his "Dragonite No. 2"—ready to throw it and continue the fight.
He was the Flyi-Dragon Master Champion of Indigo! He would not allow himself to be humiliated!
"Hey, hey, don't get so worked up. There's no need for that."
Lucas waved his hand casually, his expression one of amused indifference. "Honestly, I don't have much interest in continuing to play with you guys anymore."
He really didn't.
Teasing these Champions once in a while was fun, but only occasionally. Everyone had their limits, and Lance's pride was fragile enough as it was. If he kept pushing, the man might actually go berserk and throw everything he had at him.
"Anyway, it's been quite a pleasant day," Lucas said, smiling faintly as he looked around at the group. "Though it's a pity that none of you seem to be smiling. Come now, cheer up, everyone."
His tone was light and friendly—almost as if he were a caring friend offering encouragement.
"After all, you did win today. You defeated the Kanto branch of Team Rocket!"
He grinned broadly as he said that, his words carrying that same casual, teasing humor.
Leon and the others: "???"
Was that supposed to be comforting?
"Lucas!"
Lance's voice shook with rage. He ground his teeth so hard they nearly cracked. This damned cousin of mine—does he have to be so infuriating every time he opens his mouth?!
"Ah, well then, I suppose that's that." Lucas shrugged, seeing Lance about to explode. "Let's leave it here. I'm sure we'll meet again someday."
"You think you can just walk away—"
"What are you planning to do next?"
Before Lance could finish, a calm yet gravelly voice interrupted him.
It was Agatha.
Lance frowned, his brows tightening as he gave a cold snort.
"Madam Agatha, still worried about me, I see?"
Lucas turned his head, looking at her with a half-smile that was neither mocking nor friendly.
"Well, I am much older than you," Agatha replied in a soft, deceptively kind tone that nevertheless carried a chilling weight. "It's only natural for me to care about the future of a promising young man, isn't it?"
Her murky eyes fixed intently on Lucas. "And since you're also Lance's cousin… tell me, Lucas—what do you plan to do next?"
That was the question everyone wanted to know.
Team Rocket's Kanto branch had been utterly crushed.
Even if they couldn't stop Lucas from taking Giovanni away, the organization's power had been all but obliterated. The Johto branch of Team Rocket was nothing compared to what Kanto had been.
But what about Lucas himself?
Would he continue to stay with Team Rocket or walk a different path?
This was what Agatha feared and cared about most. After what she had witnessed today, she understood perfectly well—
Lucas was not someone you could afford to make an enemy of.
The eight Champion Level trainers had all witnessed it with their own eyes.
You could only ally with him… never oppose him head-on.
At Agatha's words, everyone present—Leon, Cynthia, Steven, and the others turned their eyes toward Lucas.
For a moment, all attention rested solely on him.
"My, my…" Lucas's smile deepened slightly as his eyes narrowed in amusement. "If you all keep staring at me like that, I might start feeling nervous."
"As for what I'll do next…" He took a slow drag of his cigarette, lowering his head as though in thought.
"I haven't quite decided yet. But I think I understand what you're really asking, Madam Agatha."
He lifted his gaze again, eyes settling on Giovanni.
Giovanni met his eyes and gave a small, understanding nod.
Lucas's smile widened.
As expected, he and Giovanni shared the same wavelength.
"From this moment on," Lucas declared, his tone calm yet resonant, "I am leaving Team Rocket. I'm no longer one of its executives."
The words weren't loud, but they carried clearly through the quiet battlefield.
Everyone heard them.
Steven and Cynthia exchanged looks, each seeing the same spark of surprise and disbelief in the other's eyes.
Lucas… had actually quit Team Rocket?
Just like that?
Lance frowned slightly.
From everything he'd seen so far, Lucas wasn't the type to lie for convenience. And right now, there was no reason to—what would he gain by deceiving them?
So… had he truly left Team Rocket?
He looked to Giovanni for confirmation. The man's expression showed no surprise clearly, he had already expected this.
Lance's frown deepened further.
Giovanni, too, understood.
Team Rocket was no longer a suitable home for Lucas.
Sometimes, parting ways peacefully was the best outcome.
Though it was a loss for Team Rocket, Giovanni knew better than anyone that Lucas was not someone who could be controlled. Everyone had their own path to follow.
"I see."
Agatha's lips curved into a faint smile. That was all she needed to hear.
Lucas leaving Team Rocket was, without question, a tremendous relief for the Pokémon League.
"Indigo League will always welcome you, Lucas," Agatha said sincerely. "I think you already understand our goodwill."
Since they couldn't defeat him, the only choice was to win him over.
"And if you were to work alongside us, I'm sure Lance would be very pleased as well."
If Lucas was no longer part of Team Rocket, then he was a free man.
And if he ever joined the League, his immense power could easily turn the tide of the world itself.
Lucas's combat prowess had already been proven beyond doubt in the Saffron City incident.
"No wonder they say Agatha is as cunning as she is wise," Blue muttered under his breath, glancing at her.
"Why do you say that?" Red asked curiously.
He didn't think there was anything wrong with what she said.
"She specifically said Indigo League," Blue whispered, rolling his eyes. "Isn't that obvious enough?"
Red blinked, then suddenly understood.
Of course. They themselves were from Indigo, so they had no complaints—but…
Steven, Cynthia, and Iris, who were standing beside them, had all overheard.
Steven's expression twitched slightly as he realized what Blue meant.
So, Agatha just completely ignored Hoenn, Sinnoh, and Unova the moment Lucas became a free agent?
The Indigo League is already strong. If Lucas joins Indigo League, what chance will all the other regions have?
He turned his eyes toward her, feeling both helpless and exasperated.
He'd come all the way from Hoenn, fought tooth and nail, even lost three of his main Pokémon to Lucas and now, before the dust had even settled, she was already trying to recruit him for Kanto?
Iris tilted her head in confusion, while Cynthia's beautiful face took on a pensive look.
Unlike the others, she was already thinking about how to contact Lucas privately.
Alola didn't even have an official League and is therefore excluded.
Hoenn has two Champion Trainers, Wallace and Steven, Unova has Alder and Iris, and Galar has Leon and Raihan.
Only Sinnoh and Kalos, the two of them, are pitifully supported by one champion each; it's so pathetic.
And now, a "wild" Lucas had just appeared before her eyes… one whose power dwarfed them all.
Meanwhile, Lucas himself smiled faintly.
"Thank you for your kind offer, Madam Agatha. I'll give it some thought."
It was the perfect diplomatic answer—graceful, polite, and giving nothing away.
He glanced at Lance, who was still watching him. But this time, there was no longer that shadow of hostility in his cousin's eyes—only a quiet, complicated acceptance.
One change in identity… and everything between them had shifted.
"Hmph!"
When Lance realized Lucas was looking his way, he immediately turned aside with a cold snort.
Still, deep down, he felt a faint relief. If his cousin had truly chosen a new path, perhaps that was enough.
"Well then," Agatha said, satisfied, "that would be best. If you're willing to join us, the Indigo League will offer you the finest terms possible."
No one could have blamed them for thinking ahead. They all knew that if Lucas ever turned against them again, there would be nothing they could do to stop him.
But for now, at least, they could hope.
Lucas smiled lightly and raised a hand in farewell.
"Well then, everyone… goodbye."
"ROOAAAR!"
With a thunderous roar, the Mega Rayquaza beside him lifted off into the sky, its serpentine body spiraling upward until it disappeared into the horizon taking Lucas and Giovanni with it.
"It's over," Agatha murmured softly, watching the distant sky.
Her tired eyes reflected the fading light as she exhaled a long breath.
She was old now—too old for battles like these.
Unlike these fiery young Trainers, she could no longer keep up with monsters like him.
Moreover, the changes that occurred during the Battle of Saffron City were simply far too many and far too drastic.
Giovanni's true strength had completely surpassed their expectations, and right after that, Lucas had forcefully overwhelmed and defeated them all.
If it hadn't been for Lucas's final declaration that he was "withdrawing from Team Rocket," this entire battle would undoubtedly have ended in an even more disastrous way.
Giovanni the leader of Team Rocket was the most important player, the one that mattered most. Yet, unfortunately, they hadn't been able to keep him here.
"At the very least, Team Rocket has been wiped out. From here on out, the Kanto branch of Team Rocket will vanish from the public eye," Steven said as he walked over, trying to offer some comfort.
Although Giovanni had managed to escape, the Kanto branch of Team Rocket was indeed destroyed. Even if there were still a few scattered remnants—some small fry hiding throughout Kanto they posed no real threat anymore.
As for the Johto branch of Team Rocket, considering the Kanto division had just been annihilated, would those in Johto really dare to step out and cause trouble at such a time?
"Let's just hope that Giovanni knows what's best for him," Agatha murmured, nodding slightly before narrowing her eyes in thought.
Giovanni was still a tremendous hidden threat!
His individual strength was almost flawless, and with his ruthless, calculating ambition, there was a very real chance that he might one day rise again.
"Then let's issue a wanted notice for him. He truly is a dangerous man," Leon suggested. Only after fighting him personally could one truly understand just how difficult and terrifying Giovanni was to deal with.
Though he couldn't be compared to Lucas, Giovanni, with Mewtwo under his command, was still formidable enough that even Leon and Lance would have difficulty matching him in personal strength.
"That filthy rat… I won't let him off so easily," Lance said coldly, folding his arms as a glint of icy determination flashed in his eyes.
Something like Team Rocket an organization built on corruption and cruelty had no place in the present world. It was something that should remain buried in memory, never to resurface in reality again.
(End of Chapter)