Chapter 24:

As Cain passed through the entrance of the base, the view before him gradually opened up, revealing a scene not so dissimilar to the one he had left behind. The crowd had thinned, and a feeling of emptiness hung in the air. No doubt, thought Cain, many of those who had left had not yet returned, for the trial test was to take place on the morrow.

His own return had been prompted by the need to dispose of a Weedle egg, but as he took in his surroundings, Cain couldn't shake the feeling that the base was less a sanctuary, and more a prison. The coldness that permeated the air seemed to seep into one's very soul, causing hearts and minds to harden and, if one were to linger too long, even drive one to madness.

In a corner of the square, a teenage trainer busied himself with his Pokemon, and upon catching sight of Cain, a look of joy spread across his face before he vanished from sight. Cain took note of the boy but paid him little mind as he made his way towards the exchange center.

As he walked, he could feel eyes upon him, some filled with doubt, others indifference, and still others with a hint of malice. And then, as he entered the Trialists' special housing area, he came upon a house that stood out from the rest. Inside, in the center of a hall, a young man sat, a sly smile on his lips as he stroked the scales of an Ekans that coiled around him. On either side of him sat some eight people, each with their Pokemon, all of them too afraid to meet the young man's gaze.

"Boss, Boss Xander, that kid is back," a voice called out, as a figure rushed through the doorway. But as the words were spoken, the speaker's voice faltered and the thousand words he had intended to say died on his lips.

For the young man sitting in the center of the hall was none other than Xander, the first-place winner of the first test, and, if the original timeline held true, the undisputed champion of the entire trial.

"Oh? That kid who ranked second?" Xander's smile vanished as he sat up straight, his eyes becoming as sharp as knives as he fixed his gaze upon the newcomer.

The Ekans that had been coiled peacefully beside Xander's chair straightened as well, sensing the killing intent emanating from its trainer. Its long, narrow eyes now filled with an ominous aura, sending a shiver down the spine of the teenager who had come to report the news.

"Yes, yes, yes," he stammered, nodding stiffly.

Xander, however, seemed to relax upon hearing the affirmative answer, leaning back in his chair once more. But the Ekans beneath him remained tense, and the teenager couldn't shake the feeling that he had only narrowly avoided a terrible fate.

"As expected from the person I'm interested in," Xander said, a cold smile on his lips. "He stayed outside for that long and came back safe and sound. Haha."

One of the eight seated men, a strong teenager of about 17 or 18, suddenly stood up. "Boss Xander," he rasped, "it's just a kid who used a trick to get second place. Let me go and bring him to you." And with that, he turned to leave.

But Xander stopped him with a wave of his hand. "Rockwell, no need for that. I still want to see how he does tomorrow." The smile on his face belied the cold calculation in his eyes.

"Yes," Rockwell replied, his voice still raspy, and sat back down. On the surface, he seemed like a simple man, but in his heart, he was cunning and ruthless.

For in a place like this, where survival was key, strength was important, but even more crucial was the ability to be ruthless. And Xander had achieved this by defeating those who opposed him, killing their Pokemon, and making them watch as their beloved creatures were devoured by his Ekans. This brutal act, along with his strength, had quickly attracted a loyal following.

In this savage land, only the strongest will survive. The weak will inevitably be cast aside, and the only way to endure is to cling to those who hold power and become their servant. So long as one remains among the elite ranks, a chance to survive may yet be had. This is the privilege bestowed upon the mighty by the hand of Team Rocket.

This trial serves to bring new talent to Team Rocket, and those who endure shall be granted important positions within its various posts. For those who survive, the possibility to rise to great heights, to become a powerful trainer, supported by the might of Team Rocket, may yet be within reach.

For those born into the association, a path of growth awaits, and even if they do not become powerful, they may still live a life of respect as a Pokémon trainer, without want for food or shelter.

But for those born into poverty, this trial may be their only hope.

Most of those brought to this island are commoners, those who could not even afford a meal, like Cain, who grew up in the slums, scavenging for scraps. But there are also those, like Xander, born into privilege, who came to the island not to hone their skills, but to flaunt their talents.

Xander's brother, a senior officer in Team Rocket, was one who stood out on the trial island, and Xander felt that he was no less talented. Using his brother's connections, he was able to secure a place on the island, and even obtained his green aptitude Ekans through underhanded means.

As the unevolved form of Xander's brother's signature Pokémon, Arbok, Xander was already familiar with its training, and believed his Ekans had reached the peak of its abilities for its level.

Thus far, all had proceeded without incident. Like his brother before him, Xander was a man prone to temper, and through the use of cruel methods, he had amassed a loyal following, who assisted him in providing resources for his Pokemon, aiding in its training. And as for who would be left behind and who would be taken with him after the final trial, that decision was entirely at the mercy of his whims.

Seated at the head of the table, Xander lounged in his wide chair, his cold eyes scanning the room, taking note of the more powerful among his subordinates.

Those who had proven themselves, he would consider taking with him to form his own squad within Team Rocket.

For the ambitious Xander, being a mere foot soldier would not suffice, and as he participated in this trial, he aimed to be the best. His smallest goal was to surpass his brother, and the first step to achieving that was becoming a Team Rocket executive.

If he were to reach that rank, he would be at the top of Team Rocket, and with his talent, he might even ascend further.

At the thought of his future path, a twisted smile would spread across Xander's lips as he licked them in excitement.

Cain, as he walked straight towards the exchange center, was unaware of these machinations, and even if he had been, he would not have given them a second thought. His only goal was to become stronger, and anyone who stood in his way would be crushed.

As for Xander's true identity, Cain had not been able to uncover it in his previous life, and did not possess the strength to do so now. And even if he had, he would not have cared, for with the system already activated, he believed he could overcome any obstacle.

Undoing the cloth that bound the Weedle egg, he carefully placed it on the counter, drawing the startled gaze of the Team Rocket employee.

For this Pokemon egg, Cain had made the decision to exchange it for Team Rocket points.

Though the Pokemon that would hatch from it would not be weak, and as a Bug-type, it would grow quickly and become a formidable force in battle, Cain had still chosen to part with it.

For as an egg, there was no telling when it would hatch, and if it did so at the end of the trial, it would be of no use to Cain. Even if it were to hatch in the coming days, Cain could easily raise it, but only one Pokemon could be used in the final battle of the trial, and so not only would it not aid Cain, but it would also require resources to raise, becoming a burden. Most importantly, the lifespan of its final evolutionary form, Beedrill, was too short. By the time Cain had trained it to become a valuable fighting force, its body would begin to deteriorate.

And as for Beedrill's Mega Evolution, it was important to remember that even the Association was unaware of Mega Evolution at this time, and precious Mega Stones were not something that could be obtained easily. Even if one were to be obtained by chance, the likelihood of it being the Beedrill's Mega Stone was slim.

With these thoughts in mind, Cain had decided to exchange the Beedrill's egg for points, gaining important resources and allowing him to focus on training his Murkrow.

Ignoring the staff member's astonished look, he said blandly, "I'll exchange it for points."