Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command!

Boom!

An explosion erupted from the top floor of the Devon Corporation's headquarters, flames bursting outward.

The wail of sirens grew louder, echoing through the streets as the League enforcers hurried to the scene.

Standing calmly by a gaping hole blasted into the wall, Luo Yuan flipped a coin into the air.

Clink!

"Dragapult, what do you think? Heads or tails?" Luo Yuan asked his companion beside him.

Dragapult's two eyes darted between Luo Yuan's hand and the coin, pondering for a moment. Then it tilted its head, wagging its tail twice.

"Tails?"

Luo Yuan smirked, lifting his hand to reveal the coin's face to Dragapult. "Wrong again—heads!"

"Rawr!"

Dragapult let out an annoyed growl, clearly frustrated.

Luo Yuan chuckled, patting Dragapult on the head. He opened a small box, pulling out two Pokéblocks and offering them to the two little Dreepy peeking out eagerly from Dragapult's head.

Just then—

Bang!

The doors of the lab flew open with a loud crash.

Leading a squad of Trainers into the lab was Azalea, wearing a sleek black dress uniform, her eyes fixed on the figure standing by the wall, clad from head to toe in black.

"You're surrounded!" Azalea shouted. "Surrender now, intruder, whatever your purpose for breaking into Devon Corporation!"

Yet the figure by the wall didn't seem the least bit flustered.

"Disappointing. I'd expected you to arrive a bit sooner."

The distorted voice, altered by a voice changer, seeped through the mask.

Luo Yuan handed the Pokéblocks to the Dreepy nestled on Dragapult's head, casting a glance over his shoulder at the ragtag team pursuing him.

"Honestly... I wasn't expecting Steven Stone, but not even an Elite Four member? Hoenn League, I expected more."

His tone was unmistakably scornful.

Azalea bit her lip, unable to refute him. She knew full well he had every right to talk down to them.

The "Mossdeep Space Center Break-in," the "Theft of Vital Research from Old Mauville Holdings," and the "Attack on Slateport Shipyards"—all orchestrated by the man in front of her.

In just six months, this rogue—the infamous "Tech Hunter"—had launched repeated raids on Hoenn's manufacturing giants, seizing high-tech research data. Despite multiple capture attempts, he'd managed to evade every one of them.

His reputation within the League was clear: only an Elite Four member could possibly match him.

If she could avoid it, Azalea would never have chosen to confront such an adversary.

Seeing her uneasy expression, Luo Yuan smiled faintly.

"No point in wasting more time. Since the big players aren't here, neither am I." He gestured to Dragapult at his side.

Dragapult lowered itself, offering Luo Yuan a seat on its back.

"Don't let him get away!" Azalea shouted as she instinctively called out her ace, Nosepass.

But before Nosepass could act—

Luo Yuan snapped his fingers, turning his back to Azalea. "Dragapult, Shadow Ball!"

Dragapult, crouched on the ground, twisted its head, instantly forming a Shadow Ball in its mouth.

Feeling the immense energy emanating from the attack, Azalea's expression shifted. "Not good, take cover!"

Whoosh!

The Shadow Ball landed.

Boom!

The Devon Corporation headquarters trembled once more, suffering a second blast just after the first.

Without lingering, Luo Yuan and Dragapult disappeared into the rising dust and spectral energy, piercing through the clouds and vanishing within seconds.

Cough, cough

As the dust settled, Azalea and her squad of Trainers stared at the empty hole in the wall, a sense of helplessness washing over them.

---

Route 116, Granite Gorge

An area teeming with Steel-type Pokémon.

Their aggression and territoriality made it a place seldom visited, perfect for a hidden base for those wanting to evade the League's watchful eye.

Whoosh!

Dragapult dived toward the ground.

Just before impact, the rocky terrain below split open, creating an entrance that closed quietly as they passed through.

---

Back at the base, Luo Yuan removed his helmet, revealing a face that would turn heads wherever he went.

"Ugh, this thing's unbearable. Can't Truebird make a mask that's a little more comfortable?"

Though it had ventilation, wearing it for so long was exhausting.

"Your complaints have been noted."

The screen along the wall—a towering display that took up most of it—flickered to life. Truebird's calm but irritated voice filled the room.

"Truebird? Long time no see!" Luo Yuan greeted the figure on the screen casually, as if he hadn't just survived a high-stakes mission.

Truebird merely stared, tempted to throw a punch through the screen.

Under other circumstances, he'd have exchanged barbs with Luo Yuan. But there was pressing business.

Truebird stepped aside, allowing space for a new figure to appear. Seated in a rotating chair, petting a Persian, was none other than Giovanni.

"Luo Yuan! How did it go?"

"It's done, but it's a shame I didn't get to fight anyone at the Elite level." Luo Yuan clicked his tongue, feigning regret.

Giovanni's eye twitched ever so slightly at Luo Yuan's attitude. He could understand Truebird's frustration now.

Luo Yuan pulled a disk from his pocket, inserting it into the nearby computer as he began transmitting the data. "I get why we're after the research, but… doesn't Kanto already have fossil restoration technology? Why come all the way to Hoenn for it?"

He'd infiltrated Devon Corporation to seize data on their fossil revival research. Luo Yuan knew Rocket Team's goal: cloning Mewtwo from Mew's DNA.

But this method seemed... excessive.

Rather than appearing annoyed at Luo Yuan's question, Giovanni replied calmly. Luo Yuan's contributions had proven his worth—enough to rival even Rocket's three commanders and four generals.

Giovanni finally answered, "Are you aware of the recent World Biotechnology Symposium?"

Luo Yuan nodded. "Yeah, I remember."

The event gathered top biologists from around the world; the press had covered it extensively.

"A researcher in Galar demonstrated a hybrid fossil revival—fusing two different Pokémon species."

"The League managed to suppress the scandal, but it forced us to re-evaluate fossil safety to prevent such 'accidents.'"

"Ah, got it."

In his previous life, Luo Yuan had played Sword and Shield and knew of the notorious "hybrid fossils." He hadn't expected it to have real-world implications.

"What's my next mission?" Luo Yuan asked, knowing Giovanni would always follow up with a new assignment after each completed mission.

"Operations in Hoenn will pause for now. Your recent activities have drawn the League's attention. I have word that Steven Stone himself is organizing a task force against you."

Luo Yuan raised an eyebrow. "The Champion, huh?"

What he'd initially joked about had turned out to be true.

"So, you're going back to Kanto."

"Back to Kanto?"

"That's right. The League has been active recently, and Rocket requires a clean-slate infiltrator within the Kanto League."

"Wait, hold up..." Luo Yuan massaged his temples. "Boss, are you serious?"

To his knowledge, Rocket already had spies within the League. Why would they need him to go undercover?

"Most are compromised or dormant, unable to act freely. Given the crucial times we're in, we need someone trustworthy and with a spotless record," Truebird explained.

In short, it was a command from the top.

"... Fine."

There was no arguing with orders. Besides, it'd be good to lay low in Kanto for a while.

---

T/N: Another Luo, Another Pokemon story... Coincidence? I THINK NOT