Ula'ula Island. This was the island in the eastern part of the Alola Region, and also its largest.
The guardian deity of Ula'ula Island was Tapu Bulu, and the current Island Kahuna was Nanu.
Of course, none of that was important. What mattered was that, according to the intelligence gathered by Domino, Team Skull's base was located in Po Town on Ula'ula Island. This wasn't exactly a secret; Team Skull was loathed by everyone in the Alola Region, and it was easy to find out where their base was located.
Po Town was essentially a town that had been completely taken over by Team Skull.
Damian brought Caitlin and Proton to Po Town, along with two ordinary Team Rocket members.
Proton had originally been quite worried. After all, they were going out to fight another evil organization—to put it in thug terms, they were there to raid their turf. Was bringing so few people really enough?
However, Damian said that they didn't even need to bring the two ordinary Team Rocket members; the three of them were more than enough.
Proton remained skeptical. He had already decided that if a real fight broke out, he would make sure to protect Damian and help him escape first.
But now...
"This place is way too run-down," Proton said, shocked by the sight before him as they entered Po Town.
Po Town was a town surrounded by high walls. While it was said to be "occupied" by Team Skull, that was just a nice way of putting it. Po Town lived up to its name; it was a completely dilapidated town. The streets were in ruins, covered everywhere in ridiculous, abstract graffiti, and not a single soul could be seen.
The original residents of the town had moved out long ago, which was why Team Skull was able to run wild here.
"It is truly... in a state of ruin."
Caitlin's eyebrows furrowed. As an aristocratic young lady with a slight case of mysophobia, she felt a physical sense of disgust at the trash scattered all over the roadside.
"Is this how Team Skull treats their own territory? How disappointing."
Proton felt he might have overestimated Team Skull.
"It's just an organization founded by a loser. How good could it possibly be?"
Damian wasn't surprised at all. He walked leisurely toward the northern part of Po Town.
"Calling Team Skull an evil organization is actually giving them too much credit. At the end of the day, they're just a bunch of thugs and punks."
Damian didn't hide his contempt for Team Skull in the slightest. He had never taken them seriously from the start.
What was Team Skull, exactly?
The composition of Team Skull was actually quite laughable. Their leader, Guzma, had participated in the Island Challenge alongside Kukui years ago, but in the end, neither of them became Trial Captains.
Ever since then, Guzma had been resentful. He wanted to overthrow the Island Challenge system, so he established Team Skull to destroy everything. As for the members of Team Skull, they were actually just a group of Trainers who had failed to complete their Island Challenge.
In short, Team Skull was an organization made up of "losers" who had given up on themselves. The leader was a failure, and the members were even bigger failures.
Damian looked down on Team Skull from the bottom of his heart. In his eyes, not only was their strength lacking, but their ideology was also ridiculous.
An evil organization? They didn't deserve the title.
Just because they failed a trial, they let themselves go and took pleasure in destruction? It was hilarious. Even evil organizations had standards, and Damian felt that groups like Team Skull were ruining the "reputation" of evil organizations.
Therefore, it was better to just clean them out.
Damian and his group headed toward a suspicious mansion in the north of Po Town. It didn't take long before they arrived in front of a dilapidated estate.
"This is it. Team Skull's base," Damian confirmed their destination.
"..." Proton was at a loss for words.
He even began to wonder if there was something wrong with his own perception. This was the notorious Team Skull of the Alola Region? Their base actually looked like this?
"Hold it right there! Who are you people!"
Suddenly, two young men dressed in black jumped out from the side, blocking the path in front of Damian's group.
"Don't you know this is Team Skull territory?"
These are Team Skull members?
Caitlin scanned the two men with her eyes. These two Team Skull members were both male—one skinny and one fat. Both wore black tank tops with skull patterns, skull-patterned bandanas on their heads, and masks over their faces.
"Those uniforms are so ugly. Which 'genius' designed them?"
Damian couldn't help but scoff as he looked at them.
Caitlin nodded in total agreement. She certainly couldn't compliment their taste in fashion. However, as an elegant girl, such crude words didn't suit her. Damian had spoken the thoughts in her heart.
"What did you say? You brat! Say that again if you dare!"
Hearing this, the two Team Skull members became enraged. How dare someone call the uniforms they were so proud of ugly?
"Coming to Team Skull territory to act wild? I think you've got a—"
The fat Team Skull member shouted, spit flying everywhere, as he took a large step forward as if he were about to physically attack Damian.
But before the fat grunt could finish his sentence, a large purple cobra suddenly appeared. It swung its tail violently, slamming it into the man.
The fat grunt only had time to instinctively raise his arms.
Thud!
With a dull sound, the fat man was sent flying, crashing heavily onto the ground and howling in pain.
This sudden scene happened so fast that the skinny grunt didn't even have time to react.
"Fatty, are you okay?"
After snapping out of it, the skinny grunt rushed to the fat one's side, trying to help him up.
"Don't... don't touch my arm..."
The fat man's face was deathly pale and drenched in cold sweat. He was trembling all over, and his right arm was completely limp.
"Huh?"
"My... my arm... it's broken... it hurts so much..." The fat man spoke in a halting, tearful voice.
The skinny Team Skull member panicked, losing his composure instantly.
"..."
Caitlin glanced at the cobra that had attacked. It was a Poison-type Arbok, released by Proton.
Caitlin looked at the fat Team Skull member who had been struck. Attacking the person directly with a Pokémon? She bit her lip; she had to adapt quickly.
"You piece of trash. Who gave you permission to speak to Damian like that?"
Proton's expression was dark and cold as he stared at the whimpering grunt.
"Arbok!"
Proton clearly had no intention of letting the guy off easily.
As one of the four Executives of Team Rocket, Proton actually appeared to be the most polite and handsome among them. He usually used honorifics and gave off a kind impression. But in reality, Proton was the most cruel of the four Executives, and it was common for him to strike with ruthless force.
"Proton, don't be so angry. A small lesson is enough."
Damian stopped Proton with a light laugh. It wasn't that he was suddenly feeling kind; these Team Skull members were useful to keep around.
Those with decent potential could be recruited into the organization, and those with poor quality could be sent to the mines to work. There were plenty of places that needed labor, and he couldn't let them go to waste.