Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command!

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Truthfully, Luo Yuan hadn't expected Giovanni to lend him Mewtwo.

Giovanni's reasoning was solid, but if Luo Yuan put himself in Giovanni's shoes, he doubted he'd be able to loan out a Legendary Pokémon—even if the other person already had one just as powerful.

Giovanni's actions once again made Luo Yuan reconsider the scope of the man's character.

The show of trust even stirred a faint sense of gratitude within Luo Yuan.

He pushed that feeling aside, though, as he turned to look at Mewtwo.

The M2 restraints, which Deoxys had previously damaged, seemed to have been upgraded. Not only did they look more durable, but Luo Yuan could feel a subtle aura of Mewtwo's psychic energy being drawn into the device, stored as though awaiting a trigger.

Mewtwo, for its part, regarded him with a cool indifference, which didn't surprise Luo Yuan. After all, it wasn't long ago that Deoxys had given it a sound defeat.

If Mewtwo had shown no resentment at all, Luo Yuan would have found it strange.

Since Giovanni had more matters to attend to, Luo Yuan didn't linger. He led Mewtwo through the hidden path connecting Viridian Gym to the depths of Viridian Forest.

…

On the Airship

Hunter J eyed Mewtwo curiously as it stood beside Luo Yuan.

As one of the top Pokémon hunters in the world, J was highly knowledgeable, familiar with nearly every species in existence.

But twice now, she had seen creatures at Luo Yuan's side that she'd never encountered.

"Is this another Legendary?" J wondered to herself.

Since Luo Yuan wasn't offering any information, she decided not to ask.

As the airship headed toward Celadon City, Luo Yuan turned to J. "Your new assignment has come through."

"What?" J blinked, caught off guard.

"I need you to go to the Hoenn region to establish a Rocket outpost there."

"The Hoenn branch? We're expanding into Hoenn?"

J was quick to adapt, already thinking in terms of "we" when referring to Team Rocket.

Pleased with her change in attitude, Luo Yuan nodded. "The Hoenn League is busy dealing with Team Aqua and Team Magma. They won't have the resources to pay attention to us, making it an ideal time."

"No… What I mean is, are we doing this with only a handful of people?" J asked.

Hoenn's Team Aqua and Team Magma, though less developed than Team Rocket, were formidable. With so few people, J doubted they could compete for territory.

Luo Yuan shook his head.

J's hopes rose, thinking perhaps Team Rocket was sending reinforcements to Hoenn.

But Luo Yuan's next words dashed those hopes. "It won't be 'we.' It's just you, along with the team already on the airship, heading to Hoenn to build the branch."

"???"

J's face was a picture of disbelief.

After her previous encounter with Luo Yuan, J had gained a realistic view of her own abilities.

She'd been optimistic about Rocket's expansion into Hoenn—assuming they'd send enough people.

If no reinforcements were available, she'd hoped Luo Yuan would at least be joining her to take on Team Aqua and Team Magma.

But now he was suggesting she go alone, with her limited crew, to take on both factions. Wasn't he just sending her on a suicide mission?

She stared at Luo Yuan for a long moment, trying to gauge if he was joking.

But when she realized he was completely serious, J felt as if she'd boarded a ship she couldn't get off.

And even if she tried, Deoxys would never let her leave.

Luo Yuan could read the doubt on her face and addressed it calmly.

"There's no need to worry. I'm not sending you to wage open war on Team Aqua and Team Magma with such a small crew."

"Rocket already has a hidden base in Hoenn. Your job is to expand from that base and quietly build up our numbers."

"As a front, your identity as a Pokémon hunter can be an asset. True, it's notorious, but it's also perfect cover."

"While Hoenn's League may keep an eye on you, Team Aqua and Team Magma will be too pleased with Hunter J stirring up trouble to worry about you," Luo Yuan explained.

J had to admit his plan was reasonable.

Hoenn wasn't like Kanto—neither Team Aqua nor Team Magma held an iron grip over the region as Rocket did in Kanto. That left room for a Pokémon hunter to operate.

"And another thing… You'll have a budget of ten billion for this mission." Seeing J's cautious expression, Luo Yuan delivered the final blow.

Ten… billion!?

J's eyes widened.

Most people couldn't comprehend what ten billion really meant.

To put it in perspective, the airship they were on had cost her close to seven billion to build—funded by every last coin of her savings and a significant loan.

Now Rocket was offering her ten billion just for operating costs in Hoenn. The figure boggled her mind.

"These are just operating funds," Luo Yuan added casually. "Any salaries for new recruits will be covered by headquarters."

This, too, was a part of Giovanni's strategy to maintain loyalty within Rocket.

By controlling the paychecks, Giovanni ensured the loyalty of Rocket's operatives.

It was also the reason he could confidently delegate places like the Sevii Islands and Johto to commanders like the Beast Trio and the Four Generals.

"…I understand," J replied, almost numb with disbelief.

Thinking back to her days working for a few hundred thousand or, if she was lucky, a million per hunt, she couldn't help but feel her past was painfully modest by comparison.

Team Rocket's sheer wealth was making her optimistic—and motivated.

Money could solve ninety-nine percent of problems in the world.

If it couldn't solve something, then clearly, there just wasn't enough money involved.

With ten billion in funds, J felt confident she could make a name for herself in Hoenn.

Seeing the determined look on J's face, Luo Yuan knew he had her full commitment.

He walked to the airship's window, peering through the clouds to spot Celadon City below, with the massive Celadon Department Store standing tall.

They'd arrived.

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