At a quiet stream on the outskirts far from Saffron City—
Karen sat with her back against a tree, using a clean white handkerchief to wipe the dust and dirt off her body. After a few motions, she sighed softly and closed her eyes, resting against the trunk.
Nearby, Sabrina was staring blankly at the rippling surface of the water, lost in thought.
Archer, on the other hand, sat heavily on the ground. His expression was dark, his sharp eyes shadowed by gloom. No one knew exactly what was going through his mind.
But one thing was certain—
The air among the three was unbearably heavy.
And that was only natural.
They had lost.
Team Rocket had lost.
Out of all the high-ranking executives, only the three of them had managed to escape alive. Ariana, Proton, Petrel, Lt. Surge, Koga and Will had all been captured back in Saffron City.
It wasn't just a defeat—it was a crushing, absolute loss.
The League's strength had once again proved far beyond their expectations.
Maybe one single region couldn't stand against Team Rocket's influence.
But what about three or four regions united together?
Even though the Pokémon League was divided by region, in essence, it still operated as one massive whole.
And against that kind of unified power… what could Team Rocket possibly do?
A loud, resonant dragon's roar suddenly echoed from the sky—
"ROOAAAR!"
A streak of red light descended rapidly from above it was Rayquaza, the shiny crimson Sky Lord.
Archer and the others immediately looked up.
On its back stood two figures.
"Boss! Mr. Lucas!" Archer's eyes lit up instantly.
Perched upon Rayquaza's back were Giovanni and Lucas.
"You all look rather gloomy," Lucas said casually as he jumped off Rayquaza, returning it to its Poké Ball. He glanced at the three with a faint, knowing smile.
"Ariana and the others have all been captured," Archer replied through gritted teeth. "Boss, what should we do next?"
He was asking the question everyone was afraid to voice aloud.
Kanto's entire Team Rocket branch had been obliterated, its foundations destroyed in Saffron City.
As someone who had managed Team Rocket's operations for years, Archer knew better than anyone that rebuilding from this kind of devastation would take many, many years—if it could even be done at all.
So, what now? What should they do?
"For now, we'll head to Johto," Giovanni said, his voice still deep and magnetic as ever. "Kanto isn't suitable for us anymore—not for the time being."
Though Kanto's branch of Team Rocket had fallen, the Johto branch still remained.
And as long as even one branch lived, Team Rocket could never truly die.
Archer fell silent. He knew Giovanni was right—retreating to Johto was the most logical move.
But emotionally… he simply couldn't accept it.
To have lost everything they had built and to abandon Kanto entirely, it made his blood boil with unwillingness.
"Keep your spirits up," Giovanni said, noticing Archer's dark expression. "We may have lost this battle, but it's only a temporary setback. As long as we're still here… Team Rocket will rise again."
Archer straightened immediately, his eyes flashing with renewed determination.
"Yes, Boss! I understand!"
As long as Giovanni lived, the soul of Team Rocket endured.
Archer had long regarded Giovanni as his faith, his guiding star. For him, Team Rocket wasn't just an organization—it was life itself.
And if it came down to it, he was ready to sacrifice everything for its sake.
"Boss, Koga, Lt. Surge, and the others have been captured by the League as well," Sabrina said quietly, her tone calm but her eyes unreadable.
"And Will too," Karen added from beneath the tree, her voice bitter.
She was in a foul mood. After all, during the battle in Saffron City, she had been teamed up on and crushed by Lorelei and Bruno!
That damn woman!
And on top of that, Will that useless fool had gotten himself captured again!
He really was beyond saving.
"Don't worry," Giovanni said, shaking his head slightly. "Even though Team Rocket has fallen, I still have ways to get them out."
If Kanto's Team Rocket had collapsed, that also meant those corrupt League council members who had once cooperated with him would now distance themselves as quickly as possible.
But Giovanni wasn't worried.
He had far too much dirt on those so-called "honorable League officials."
Once their identities and scandals came to light, Chairman Loki would no doubt begin purging the entire League Council.
And when that happened—Giovanni's "evidence" could easily be used as leverage against them.
If they wanted to save their own lives, they'd have no choice but to cooperate.
Not to mention, when they took control of Silph Co., a large portion of its assets had been discreetly transferred into Giovanni and Lucas's offshore accounts through multiple layers of laundering and dummy corporations.
Even if the League froze some of their assets, those funds were untouchable.
As long as they had money and connections, Giovanni was confident he could buy their captured members back out eventually.
No organization no matter how righteous was free of rot.
And the Pokémon League, being the largest and most powerful organization on the planet, was certainly no exception.
Of course, with the public focus now heavily on Team Rocket's destruction, they would have to keep their heads down for a while.
For the time being, their captured comrades would simply have to suffer in silence.
"That's good enough for me," Karen muttered, finally easing a bit.
Although she had rather enjoyed her time working with Team Rocket, she and Will had originally joined with a specific mission.
But not only had they failed to locate Ho-Oh or Lugia, Will had ended up jailed by the League again!
If the Masked Man ever found out about this fiasco, she honestly didn't know how she'd explain herself.
"I'll have our Johto subordinates continue searching for Ho-Oh and Lugia," Giovanni said calmly, looking toward Karen. "And if you no longer wish to remain in Team Rocket, we'll help you withdraw cleanly—no strings attached."
He wasn't lying. For all their effort, Karen and Will had gained absolutely nothing from this collaboration.
Especially Will, poor guy really drew the short straw in life.
He was an Elite 4 level Trainer, someone of real strength and status. Anywhere else, he would've been a respected figure.
But ever since joining Team Rocket in name, he'd been arrested three times.
Truly, a tragic tale worthy of pity.
"No need," Karen said indifferently. "I'll just hang around for now."
Truthfully, she didn't particularly dislike Team Rocket. It was just that the League's power was far greater than she'd expected.
Giovanni then turned toward Lucas, eyes narrowing slightly.
"Lucas, what about you? What are your plans now?"
Although Lucas had officially left Team Rocket, their relationship remained cordial. And Giovanni was genuinely curious about what the young man intended to do next.
Lucas stretched lazily, his lips curling into an amused grin.
"I guess I'll go home and be the Young Master of the Blackthorn clan again. After all, I am the heir of the clan, right?"
"Now that the League won't be targeting me anymore, I might as well join a few ranking matches for fun."
Both Archer and Sabrina froze.
Wait—Team Rocket loses and this guy just… goes home to inherit his family fortune?!
Lucas truly was built different!
Even Giovanni couldn't help but smile faintly.
"In that case, I suppose Lance's position as the 'first of the Blackthorn clan' might not last much longer," Giovanni said with a teasing smirk. "But tell me—are you really planning to stop there?"
He knew Lucas far too well.
The man wasn't the kind who could sit quietly in comfort for long.
Maybe he didn't crave power in the traditional sense, but his ambitions—whatever they were—ran deep and complex.
Lucas was not someone who could be content living a peaceful, uneventful life.
"Ha~ Boss, you really do know me best." Lucas grinned, eyes glinting playfully.
"Tell me—don't you think the Indigo League is a little too big?"
"…Oh?"
Giovanni's sharp mind immediately caught on.
He narrowed his eyes slightly, realization flickering behind them.
Their thoughts seemed to move along the same wavelength.
If they were to think about the future, they might as well think big.
"Uncle, I've been meaning to say this for a while now," Lucas began, absently rolling Rayquaza's Poké Ball between his fingers. His gaze drifted toward the distant Indigo Plateau.
"I think… Team Rocket's goal was wrong from the very beginning."
"What?" Archer frowned deeply. "Boss's goal is to conquer the entire world! What could possibly be wrong with that?"
A goal that grand—how could it be wrong?
What, was he suggesting something ridiculous like flooding the world like Team Aqua or drying it up like Team Magma?
Lucas shook his head slowly.
"Overthrowing the League and ruling the world—sure, that sounds impressive. But it's not realistic."
Giovanni's eyes flickered with intrigue but he remained silent, listening.
"As long as we defeat the League, it's not impossible!" Archer argued stubbornly.
"Defeat them? And then what?" Lucas interrupted him, his tone calm but firm. "Even if we destroy the League… do you really think that means we'll rule the world?"
Archer froze.
"The League's power doesn't come just from its armies or Champions," Lucas continued. "It comes from the people's trust."
"Do you know why the Pokémon League has remained unshaken for centuries—why it still holds absolute authority even today?"
"Because it's the League that protects the world's peace. They safeguard the people's safety and happiness. They maintain order. And because of that—they have the people's support."
"For most Trainers, their dream when they set out on a journey isn't to conquer the world—it's to become the Champion of the League."
"That goal represents not just honor—but faith in the League itself."
Lucas's voice was calm but carried weight.
He had no intention of overthrowing the League.
In his mind echoed a truth from his previous life:
"He who wins the hearts of the people wins the world. The water that bears the boat can also capsize it."
Was the League truly wrong?
No. Absolutely not.
The Pokémon League had always been the symbol of order and protection in the eyes of humanity.
It was their guardian deity.
And its rules—strict, fair, and protective had ensured global peace for generations.
How could such an institution ever be toppled?
To the people, Team Rocket was nothing but an evil organization—criminals, villains, terrorists.
How could such an image ever hope to "rule" humanity?
Even if, by some miracle, they did defeat the League… what then?
The people would rise in rebellion. And even if Team Rocket's tyranny forced them into submission, resentment would only fester beneath the surface.
Sooner or later, someone else would rise to tear them down and Giovanni would share the fate of every tyrant in history.
"So then, Lucas what's your idea?" Giovanni finally asked, waving Archer into silence.
He didn't dismiss Lucas's reasoning. On the contrary, he found it… compelling.
But Giovanni also believed—
If one possessed absolute power, even the League could be replaced.
Lucas smiled faintly.
"Indigo is vast," he said slowly. "Too vast for a single League branch to manage effectively."
"I see…" Giovanni's eyes gleamed as he nodded thoughtfully. After a long pause, he sighed softly.
"As expected of you, Lucas."
So that was it—Lucas had his sights set not on Kanto… but Johto.
"The League calls me the 'The Darkness of Kanto,' a man devoured by ambition," Giovanni said with a wry smile. "But it seems your ambitions aren't any smaller than mine."
Lucas chuckled.
"No, no. I'm not particularly interested in ruling the League. I just… like doing things that feel 'meaningful.'"
He stretched again, glancing at Giovanni with a teasing grin.
"Besides, as a member of the Blackthorn clan, it's only natural that I strive to bring my clan more prestige and influence. Don't you agree?"
Giovanni smiled wordlessly.
The Blackthorn family's prestige wasn't small already—Lance, after all, was the number one ranked trainer on the global Master Class Trainers.
That alone had already brought their family immense glory.
And with Lucas's departure from Team Rocket, he could now act openly under the Blackthorn name.
Given his power and influence, it was only a matter of time before his name spread across the world.
But still… to think Lucas wasn't satisfied and was already planning to expand the clan's influence into Johto—it truly spoke to his boldness.
"Speaking of which," Lucas said suddenly, tilting his head with a mischievous smile, "how about you come to Johto yourself? Interested in becoming an Elite Four member? Or maybe… a Champion?"
"???"
Archer's eyes widened in shock, his mouth falling open.
Even Karen and Sabrina turned to stare at Lucas in disbelief.
Was this man serious?!
Inviting Giovanni, the boss of Team Rocket to become a League Champion?!
"Do you honestly think the League would agree to that?" Giovanni asked after a stunned pause, chuckling softly.
Forget about resigning from Team Rocket—his identity alone was already public knowledge.
He was certain that within a few days, wanted posters bearing his face would cover every corner of Kanto.
And as for Lance… that fiery nephew of his would rather die than let Giovanni anywhere near a League position!
If Giovanni somehow became the Champion of Johto, Lance might just start a war himself.
"Well~ there's no such thing as 'impossible,' Old man," Lucas said with a grin. "With your strength, being an Elite Four would be underselling you. Why not aim straight for the Champion's seat?"
He shrugged lightly, as if the idea weren't utterly insane.
To him, it wasn't entirely impossible—just very, very difficult.
In fact, his original idea had been to let Lance become the next Johto Champion.
Why?
Well, because if things followed the usual pattern… wasn't Lance about to get dethroned by Red, Blue, and Green this very year anyway?
(End of Chapter)