Once the new recruits had grown familiar with their starter Pokémon, the Rocket Grunt cleared his throat.
"Alright. Return your Pokémon to their Poké Balls. We're heading to the base."
As he led the way, he added, "Remember your duty. Once you arrive, work hard for the organization. Team Rocket does not mistreat its people."
"Yes, sir!"
The man who had received Zubat answered enthusiastically, fully immersed in his role already.
The group followed the concrete path out of the Team Rocket reserve training facility.
Eight people split into two groups and boarded separate vehicles bound for different destinations.
Armin's group consisted of the chubby guy, the skinny lean young man, and the short-haired girl who had drawn Squirtle.
When the chubby guy heard about the Squirtle, he clicked his tongue in admiration. "Lucky pull."
The skinny lean guy smiled at the two newcomers. "Let's introduce ourselves. Looks like we'll be teammates for now. My name's Floyd. This is Rento. We've cleared three instances already."
The short-haired girl replied politely, "Hannah."
"Armin."
Floyd narrowed his eyes slightly. "Nice name. So… what's your mission?"
In some instances, players' objectives directly conflicted with each other. When that happened, they became enemies.
Failing a mission meant losing a large number of points. If your points dropped into the negative, you would be stripped of your Infinite Player status and sent back—to the moment of your death.
So understanding other players' main quests was crucial.
Especially when it came to newcomers.
New players tended to be less cautious.
At least, that's what Floyd believed.
First, he needed to confirm that these two posed no threat to his objective.
"I don't mean anything by it," he added casually. "Just thought I could offer some advice based on your mission."
Armin saw straight through him.
He had read enough novels in his previous life to recognize probing tactics when he saw them.
But instead of exposing him, Armin feigned ignorance.
"Our missions are different?"
"Of course," Floyd replied smoothly. "Everyone's mission is different."
Armin widened his eyes deliberately. "Then what if two players' missions conflict?"
Rento looked at him like he was an idiot. "What else? One of them fails. Fail the mission, lose points. Go negative, and you're out of the Infinite World."
"Oh."
That was the confirmation Armin wanted.
He closed his mouth and said nothing more.
Only then did Floyd realize he'd been led into revealing information. A trace of frustration flashed in his eyes, though he maintained a pleasant smile.
"Don't worry. Newbie missions are usually simple."
The bus rolled onward through a tense silence, each of the four harboring their own thoughts.
Eventually, the scenery outside shifted.
A modern metropolis rose before them—towering buildings, neon signs, endless movement.
The bus pulled into the parking lot of a luxurious high-rise.
The four followed the Rocket Grunt out.
Armin lifted his head—
And saw the sign at the entrance.
Welcome to the Celadon Game Corner!
Oh.
He knew exactly where they were.
Celadon City. Kanto Region.
One of Team Rocket's most famous secret bases lay directly beneath this very building.
Inside the brightly lit arcade hall, the Rocket Grunt exchanged a smile with one of the attendants.
In full view of the crowd, the girl opened a concealed door.
Rento muttered under his breath, "The evil team in Kanto is ridiculously bold."
Armin glanced around at the employees who seemed utterly unfazed.
"Clearly," he said calmly, "everyone working here is part of Team Rocket."
Floyd looked around curiously, then remarked, "Back when I watched the anime, I always wondered—are regular Team Rocket members brainwashed? Why are they so loyal to a criminal organization?"
No one could answer him.
But the answer revealed itself soon enough.
As Armin examined a massive promotional board and an "Outstanding Employee" wall, he finally understood what the Grunt had meant when he said, The organization won't mistreat you.
Team Rocket was no ordinary villainous group.
They operated in both the criminal underworld and legitimate business fronts.
A standard grunt earned 10,000 Poké Dollars a month. Add in hefty commissions for capturing rare Pokémon, and monthly income could easily reach 30,000 Poké Dollars.
On top of that, they provided comprehensive benefits—insurance, retirement contributions, medical coverage.
If you were arrested by Officer Jenny, Giovanni himself would pull strings to get you released.
The treatment was outrageous.
Rento cursed openly. "Damn it. These employees must be living the dream!"
Floyd sighed enviously. "In my previous life, I worked overtime until 10 p.m. every night and still didn't make that much. Ended up dying from overwork."
…
Before officially taking up their positions, new recruits had to undergo three days of training.
The curriculum included:
How to train Pokémon effectivelyType matchups and move advantagesIdentifying rare PokémonOne hundred and eight efficient methods of acquiring Pokémon
Armin, who once worked as a summer factory laborer, stared at the familiar corporate-style onboarding process.
…Some things transcended worlds.
The four sat in an underground conference room, waiting.
No one came.
Rento glanced at the wall clock every few minutes.
"I'm losing it. This is worse than my old boss."
The door opened instantly.
A woman with fiery red hair stepped inside.
She wore a white uniform. Beautiful. Composed.
Her voice was sultry—yet devoid of warmth.
"Oh? Is that so? Then your former boss and I must have quite a lot in common."
Rento froze.
The red-haired woman swept her gaze across them. Her eyes paused briefly on each face—
And then stopped at Armin.
For the first time, a faint smile curved her lips.
"Well now… seems this batch has produced at least one decent-looking specimen."
Decent-looking?
Was she complimenting him?
Armin knew he was handsome. Girls had chased him throughout his school years.
He simply never agreed to date any of them.
Wasn't Pokémon and gaming far more appealing?
Women only slow down the speed at which I draw my sword, he thought solemnly.
His gaze drifted past her to the mirrored wall behind.
The young man reflected there had sharp features, a straight nose, and that slightly rebellious charm that made hearts race.
Armin raised an eyebrow.
His reflection mirrored him perfectly.
The red-haired woman noticed the subtle movement and sighed theatrically.
"A pity. He doesn't look very bright."
Armin: …
He felt personally attacked.
He wasn't stupid.
Really.
But saying so would sound exactly like a lunatic insisting they weren't insane.
Floyd muttered under his breath, "Wow… this NPC's a total perv."
Rento added sourly, "So what if he's handsome? Big deal."
Hannah, the only other woman present, couldn't suppress a soft laugh.
The red-haired woman narrowed her eyes, absorbing every reaction.
When she spoke again, her tone shifted—no longer teasing.
Serious.
"Formal introduction. My name is Ariana."
"I will be your instructor for the next three days."