A passenger ship bound for the Hoenn region was currently cutting through deep blue waves, leaving a long white wake on the surface of the sea.
The ship's name was the "wave chaser." It sounded majestic, but in reality, it was an old cargo-passenger vessel.
The sides of the hull were covered in rust and dents from collisions; in its old age, it looked like an elderly sea turtle.
Its only redeeming quality was its cheap price, which attracted a large number of cash-strapped travelers and workers heading to Hoenn to find jobs.
Of course, for Team Rocket, it had a second advantage.
It was inconspicuous and relatively low-profile.
At this moment, on the deck, Leon stood facing the sea breeze.
The sea breeze carried a slightly cool moisture, messing up the black hair on his forehead and dispersing the last trace of gloom in his heart.
He took off the cold mask that had followed him for four years, letting the sunlight and sea breeze brush against his cheeks.
This feeling was both strange and familiar.
In Team Rocket's 15th training camp, everyone was just a code name, with a mask isolating everyone's true face.
Names, appearances, and the past were all taboos; oppressive, bloody, and cold rules were everything there.
But now, he had survived and become the number one winner.
Leon let out a long breath, as if exhaling his stress along with it. Listening to the whistling sea breeze in his ears, a feeling of being reborn welled up in his heart.
"Feels pretty good, doesn't it? Number one of the 15th class."
A steady male voice sounded beside him.
Leon turned his head and saw a man in a black suit standing side-by-side with him.
The man was about thirty years old with a dignified face. His meticulously combed hair didn't move an inch in the sea breeze, clearly held by a large amount of hair gel.
His name was Laic, a Intermediate Cadre of Team Rocket, a direct subordinate of Athena, and Leon's future immediate superior.
Athena—this name represented absolute power within Team Rocket.
She was a High-level Executive on the same level as Apollo, Lance, and Petrel, and one of the most trusted confidants of that legendary boss, Giovanni.
"I've heard of your deeds. Coming out of that place alone is quite remarkable. To be honest, I think highly of you."
"This feeling really is quite nice."
"Officer Laic, thank you for your appreciation."
Leon responded.
"Back in the day, I also came out of that hellhole. So, how is it? The taste of rebirth is pretty good, right?"
Laic paused, his gaze shifting toward a few Wingull circling in the distance, and continued.
"However, I don't quite understand why you didn't choose any of the great positions in the Kanto region and instead applied to come to this godforsaken Hoenn region."
"But don't worry. Although our Hoenn branch is short-handed, it's not as bad as others say. As long as you're willing to work hard, there are still plenty of opportunities."
Laic's voice paused before he continued.
"Of course, the usual missions will be a bit dangerous. You should know the reason; Hoenn is not a peaceful place. Just among the large organizations on the surface, there's Team Aqua and the Magma Team."
"A bit dangerous?" Leon repeated the phrase in his mind, the corner of his mouth twitching involuntarily.
It was more than just 'a bit' dangerous.
One wanted to submerge the world in water, and the other wanted to return the continents to drought; both were organizations of lunatics who would do anything for their so-called ideals.
To call their territory "a bit dangerous," this Executive Laic certainly had a big heart.
However, Leon's face remained calm as he responded.
"Danger also means opportunity."
Laic gave him an appreciative look.
"It's best that you think that way. People with strength never fear challenges."
From the briefcase he was carrying, he took out a black carrying case and handed it to Leon.
"Inside are your new identification documents, a set of combat gear, a space ring, as well as the Poké Ball and pokédex provided by the organization. Keep them safe."
"Your current rank is Ordinary Executive. However, as you know, Hoenn is short-staffed, so there are temporarily no subordinates for you to command."
Leon respectfully took the case with both hands and voiced his thanks.
He didn't care about the temporary lack of subordinates.
He was used to being alone; if he were suddenly saddled with a few burdens, he would actually find them a hindrance.
Taking the case, Leon turned and walked toward his cabin.
Seeing this, Laic smiled and remained on the deck to enjoy the breeze.
Back in his small but relatively clean single cabin, Leon locked the door.
His brow furrowed slightly.
From the current perspective, this Intermediate Cadre of the Hoenn region, Laic, consistently seemed to appreciate him.
As for the reason, was it simply because he was the number one of the 15th class?
In his impression, Team Rocket executives should be a bit more villainous and prone to bullying others with their authority.
Leon shook his head; based on the current clues, he couldn't figure it out.
He opened the carrying case.
On top was a neatly folded set of black combat gear. The fabric was tough, with extra protective layers on key areas like joints; its practicality far exceeded those flashy, useless uniforms.
When worn under casual clothes, it wouldn't be visible from the outside at all.
In fact, most Trainers wore this kind of combat gear to some extent. After all, when battling in the wild year-round, this thing could sometimes save one's life.
Moreover, the combat gear did not have Team Rocket's typical 'R' logo. Clearly, in the Hoenn region, Team Rocket was not arrogant enough to print their icon on their gear; everything was focused on being low-profile.
Wearing this type of combat gear wouldn't cause other Trainers to suspect his identity because, no matter how one looked at it, it belonged to the most common category of black combat gear that many Trainers would choose.
But Leon knew that the performance of this combat gear was not something those common versions could compare to.
Underneath the combat gear was a brand-new identity card.
The name on it was Leon, an ordinary resident of the Hoenn region whose parents died in a pokémon riot, and who was a Rookie Trainer of the League.
Further down were ten red-and-white Poké Balls, a compact pokédex, and an exquisite dagger.
Leon opened the pokédex, and the screen lit up. From the outside, it looked like a perfectly ordinary, commercially popular pokédex.
But as long as the buttons were pressed in a specific pattern, it could establish a connection with Team Rocket's strongholds. Of course, the sequence was different for everyone.
If the pokédex were to be dismantled, the programs related to Team Rocket would begin to self-erase; Team Rocket was professional to the extreme in this regard.
Leon pulled out the dagger from the case and casually performed a few knife tricks.
"Not bad, very handy, and the craftsmanship is top-notch."
This kind of dagger could easily handle everything from camping in the wild to killing people and stealing treasures.
As for proficiency, Leon had used them quite a bit during combat training in the camp; he was already an expert.
Finally, his gaze fell on a small velvet box at the bottom of the case.
Opening the box, a simple, pitch-black ring without any patterns lay quietly inside.
A space ring.
Leon put the ring on his index finger; the size was just right. He focused his mind. Instantly, a storage space about two cubic meters in size appeared in his perception.
With a thought, he stored the carrying case beside him inside, and with another thought, the case appeared out of thin air on the bed again.
"What a convenient thing."
Leon couldn't help but marvel. This item was a rare treasure that couldn't be bought even with money on the black market. For Team Rocket to be willing to equip a newly appointed Ordinary Executive with one showed the depth of their resources.
He swept the previously exchanged berries, pokéblock-making tools, and other sundries into the ring, and the room instantly became empty.
Next, he changed into the black combat gear. It fit perfectly, allowing him to move freely without any sense of restriction.
In the mirror, a young man with a cold gaze and a capable aura replaced the previously somewhat green newcomer.
Leon touched the Poké Ball pinned to his waist; inside was his partner, Sandile.
Recalling the last night at the training camp and the fate of Number 7, Leon's eyes didn't flicker in the slightest.
Number 7 had relied on his strong physique and had bullied others quite a bit.
Once he lost his only pokémon, Nidoran, those who had been bullied by him and now also possessed pokémon did not hesitate to seek revenge.
Under the cover of night, several Rattata and Zubat, under the command of their Trainers, easily took the life of a person who had lost their protection.
Leon was not surprised by any of this. In that man-eating place, weakness was the original sin. Number 7's death was just another victim under those cruel rules.
He didn't even know what Number 7's real name was.
And he, Leon, would never let himself fall into such a situation.
"Ku ku..."
The Poké Ball at his waist shook slightly, as if responding to his inner thoughts.
The Hoenn region, Team Aqua, Magma Team... and those legendary pokémon hidden in the deep sea and volcanoes.
This world was far broader and more exciting than he had imagined.
Just then.
"Screeeech—!!!"
An ear-piercing noise, like a giant beast's claws scraping across an iron plate, suddenly pierced through the entire passenger ship!
Immediately following, a violent impact shook the hull. Leon was thrown forcefully to one side by a massive force, slamming heavily against the wall.
Boom!
The table and chairs in the cabin instantly overturned, and luggage scattered everywhere.
The ship underwent a terrifying tilt of over forty-five degrees, and the sea level outside the window instantly rose halfway up the sky.
A piercing alarm sounded in every corner of the ship, and shrill screams and the sound of chaotic running came from the hallway outside.
"What happened?"
Leon quickly stabilized himself; his reactions far exceeded those of an ordinary person. Without the slightest panic, the combat instincts honed over years of training put him into a state of high alert immediately.
He dashed to the door in a single stride, his hand already on the Poké Ball at his waist.
Did we hit a reef? Or... were we attacked?
Bang!
The door was forced open from the outside, and a man in a sailor's uniform tumbled in, his face written with terror.
"Pi... Pirates! It's pirates! And... and so many... so many fierce pokémon!"
The sailor shouted incoherently, his eyes vacant, clearly scared out of his wits.
Leon's pupils suddenly constricted.
Pirates? On such a regular route?
....................
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