Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command! [144] [50 PS]

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The Mewtwo that Giovanni poured billions into creating had been defeated by Deoxys, a Pokémon Luo Yuan had "casually" captured on a work trip to the Sevii Islands.

Giovanni's feelings were… complicated.

Though he knew Mewtwo's defeat was largely due to its recent creation, which meant it hadn't yet fully mastered its powers, this battle also made him realize something else: even if Mewtwo had enough time to completely hone its abilities, the outcome of a fight against Deoxys would still be uncertain.

Still, Giovanni quickly composed himself and looked up at Luo Yuan.

Just as Luo Yuan had expected, Giovanni wasn't overly bitter about being beaten. Other than a slight sting to his pride, he had no further objections.

Luo Yuan knew Giovanni quite well, and Giovanni, in turn, knew Luo Yuan.

He was aware that Luo Yuan might have a habit of charging odd expenses to the Rocket Team's "event budget," claiming it was all in the name of "serving the organization." But Giovanni never doubted Luo Yuan's loyalty or sense of belonging to Team Rocket.

Giovanni also understood that Luo Yuan despised trouble and preferred to steer clear of any management responsibilities.

That's why he trusted Luo Yuan far more than the Beast Trio or the Four Generals.

Smiling, Giovanni took out a badge and handed it to Luo Yuan. "You won the gym challenge. Here's the Earth Badge."

The green badge, shaped like a tree, symbolized the Viridian Forest.

As Luo Yuan accepted the badge, a familiar prompt sounded in his ear.

[Ding! Congratulations, Host! Milestone unlocked: 'Defeated a Ground-Type Gym!' One Lottery Draw earned.]

[Ding! Congratulations, Host! Milestone unlocked: 'Defeated an Evil Organization Boss!' One Lottery Draw earned.]

The two consecutive system notifications made Luo Yuan raise an eyebrow.

Two milestones, two lottery draws—this was entirely different from his previous gym challenges.

But thinking it over, it made sense.

As the leader of Team Rocket, Giovanni deserved to carry some weight. Defeating him was worthy of a reward, even if it was just a single lottery draw.

In fact, Luo Yuan felt that two draws seemed a bit stingy—he didn't even get a separate reward for beating Mewtwo.

"So, what's your plan now?" Giovanni asked after handing over the badge.

He was curious about Luo Yuan's intentions for the upcoming Indigo League Tournament.

Putting aside thoughts of the lottery, Luo Yuan replied, "I plan to take first place in the Indigo League. Then, I'll use that as a stepping stone to join the Pokémon League."

It was a bold approach. As a Rocket spy aiming to infiltrate the League, Luo Yuan should, in theory, keep a low profile.

However, staying low-key would mean starting at a lower rank within the League, wasting time on gradual promotions—a big part of why Luo Yuan had initially declined Lance's invitation.

Moreover, as League Champion, he'd have the right to challenge the Elite Four within six months of victory.

Currently, the Kanto and Johto regions shared the same Elite Four lineup, with Lance, Bruno, Lorelei, and Agatha serving as both Kanto and Johto's Elite Four.

With Team Rocket's influence growing and their operations becoming increasingly frequent, the League's influence over the Kanto and Johto regions had waned significantly.

Within the League, there was already consensus to split Kanto and Johto into separate regions, establishing a dedicated Kanto League and Johto League, each with its own Champion and four Elite Four members.

To the League, Team Rocket, as the most extensive and well-structured organization in the Pokémon world, symbolized a failing on their part.

Rocket's growing power was a constant reminder of the League's inability to curb them.

To counter Team Rocket's expansion, the League's plan was to strengthen the original Indigo League, creating two regional leagues with a Champion and four Elite Four members each to stymie Team Rocket's influence.

For Team Rocket, this was a potential threat.

But for Luo Yuan, as a deep-cover agent in Team Rocket, it was an opportunity.

This expansion would create openings for two Champions and eight Elite Four members—plenty of room to exploit. By taking advantage of this transitional period, Luo Yuan might have a chance to secure an Elite Four position.

That was his plan.

"Mm!" Giovanni nodded approvingly.

This had been on his mind when he summoned Luo Yuan back from the Hoenn region.

In fact, Giovanni had been preparing for this transition for a while.

Koga, one of the three Rocket Executives, was already being groomed to pursue an Elite Four position, following Giovanni's orders.

"I'll arrange for our League contacts to assist you," Giovanni said. "But you'll also need to raise your public profile as a Trainer."

Luo Yuan's strength was undeniable; Giovanni had just tested that firsthand.

Counting Deoxys, Luo Yuan could even hold his own against Champion-level Trainers.

But, outwardly, Luo Yuan was still considered a rookie Trainer. His strength on paper was still far from Elite Four level, and reaching that rank would be a challenge.

Boosting his team's perceived power would be essential.

"I understand," Luo Yuan replied, patting the Poké Ball containing his Ditto with a slight smile.

Giovanni nodded and left, leaving Matori and Luo Yuan standing in the gym.

"Want to grab dinner together?" Luo Yuan asked, turning to Matori.

She scoffed in response.

"Some of us don't have that much free time… You've left the gym in ruins, and I still have to organize repairs. Go find your Sabrina."

With that, she turned away from him.

Watching her retreat, Luo Yuan raised an eyebrow, recalling her expression during their recent call from Cinnabar Island. Her reaction now seemed to confirm his suspicions.

A wry smile tugged at his lips. "Is she… jealous?"

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Having been turned down by Matori, Luo Yuan felt unbothered as he left the Viridian Gym, now in the early evening.

He made his way to his hotel in the heart of Viridian City.

After releasing his Slowpoke into the pool for a soak, he sat by the water, petting Eevee, while initiating the lottery draw in his mind.

"System, start the lottery!"

[Drawing… please wait.]

[Draw complete. Congratulations, Host! You have received 'Ground-Type Affinity.']

[Ground-Type Affinity: Enhances bond with Ground-type Pokémon. Slowly restores both Trainer and Pokémon's stamina when on solid ground, and increases the power of Ground-type moves during battles.]

The first draw was an affinity boost—nothing new. It was likely a reward for clearing the Viridian Gym, so Luo Yuan wasn't surprised.

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