"...Old Man Giovanni, you've really given me an offer that's hard to refuse."
Hearing Ryuuske say this, Giovanni's smile deepened.
"However, while I agree with your proposal in principle, could we postpone the timing a bit..."
Ryuuske narrowed his eyes with a grin.
To be honest, it wasn't that he had no interest in Team Rocket. Gaining control of Team Rocket would mean gaining power, wealth, and technology—essentially reaching the pinnacle in one step.
For Ryuuske to achieve his goals, uncover the truth of this world, and fulfill his ambitions, he likely needed an organization like Team Rocket to serve him. But—
"Team Rocket lacks nothing, but the reason it has always remained in the shadows and never stepped into the spotlight, in my opinion, is that it still lacks decisive strength! My strength isn't enough, and neither is yours, Old Man Giovanni. Even if we join forces, we still wouldn't have the power to truly support the vision you described—a Team Rocket capable of replacing the League!"
Ryuuske sneered.
This was a world where one person could rival an army. While the size of an organization was important and could significantly reduce the time needed to accomplish things, in a world where individual strength could surpass collective power, the most crucial factor was still top-tier might!
On the surface, the world's highest-tier combatants were the Elite Four and the Champions undergoing League reforms. If that were all, Team Rocket and Giovanni's strength wouldn't be something to fear. But who could guarantee that true "Master-level" trainers didn't exist in this world?
No matter how strong Team Rocket's hidden power was, or how formidable Giovanni might be, if a genuine "Master-level" trainer appeared, they could likely wipe out Team Rocket single-handedly.
At this point, Ryuuske had already realized why Team Rocket sought to create Mewtwo and why they pursued so many Legendary Pokémon. For Team Rocket to truly reach a level without weaknesses and achieve their ambitions, Giovanni would either need to reach "Master-level" strength himself or rely on several Legendary Pokémon to ensure Team Rocket's absolute security.
So even if Ryuuske was tempted, he would never agree. Accepting something far beyond his current capabilities before he had the strength to match it would only bring him despair!
For Ryuuske, there was only one thing he needed to do: improve his strength. Either become a true Master-level trainer or subdue several Legendary Pokémon!
He had already found a path to the first method—becoming a Master—but achieving it would require immense time, effort, and exploration. As for the second method involving Legendary Pokémon, Ryuuske had also discovered clues. If his speculations proved correct, accomplishing what no human in history had ever done—making Legendary Pokémon completely obey him—would no longer be a fantasy!
Compared to the lofty and difficult goal of becoming a Master, taking a shortcut by using Legendary Pokémon to boost his strength was Ryuuske's current pursuit.
"...I don't know why you've chosen to reveal yourself now, Old Man Giovanni. Maybe it's due to the physical reasons you mentioned, or perhaps some other factor forced you to step into the spotlight prematurely. If you had laid low for a few more years, allowed Team Rocket to accumulate more strength, and found a way to control some Legendary Pokémon, no one would have been able to stop Team Rocket when you finally emerged. But you've chosen this exact moment—the worst possible time..."
Ryuuske sat on the sofa, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, lifting his head slightly to gaze at Giovanni with calm composure.
"...As the birthplace of humanity, the Kanto and Johto regions have always had a fierce and unyielding culture, producing countless powerful trainers. Because of this, the League's control over these regions has always been weak. But in other regions like Hoenn, the League's influence is much stronger. I refuse to believe that the Elite Four, Gym Leaders, or even the reforming Champions of those regions wouldn't understand the principle of 'when the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold.'"
"...Even if Team Rocket now holds the advantage in Kanto, as soon as powerful trainers from other regions intervene, that advantage will vanish in an instant. If I were to accept your offer now, only for you to throw me out as a scapegoat while you slip away to hide again, I doubt my current self could withstand the hostility of so many powerful figures. Don't take me for a fool, old man!"
Ryuuske snorted coldly. Right now, he indeed lacked the strength to face the combined animosity of all the region's Heavenly Kings, Gym Leaders, and even Champions. But that was only for now. Once his wings were fully grown and his power reached its peak, Ryuuske wouldn't hesitate to take on the entire world's Elite fours and Champions alone if it meant achieving his goals!
If Giovanni was offering him Team Rocket now, even if he later reneged, Ryuuske wouldn't hesitate to seize it by force!
Team Rocket was an organization with a history almost as long as the League itself—it was impossible not to be tempted.
Moreover, Ryuuske suspected that whoever had forced Giovanni to reveal himself prematurely must be incredibly formidable. After all, this was Giovanni they were talking about!
Giovanni had listened quietly to Ryuuske's words, only clapping softly once he finished.
Clap—Clap—
"Brilliant, absolutely brilliant. You're far too rational, Ryuuske—so rational it's almost frightening. I admire your caution, and I admire your ambition! You've revealed your desire to claim everything Team Rocket has to offer, yet you've also soberly reminded yourself that you lack the strength to take it now... What a dangerous person. Given a few more years, you might actually find a way to steal Team Rocket from me."
Giovanni sighed. "...You have the ability, the ambition, and most importantly—the luck! This time, I'll have to go all out to see if I can seize this opportunity to keep you here. It's almost laughable—I actually feel a sense of crisis from a sixteen-year-old boy."
"...I truly admire your ambition, whatever it may be. I can sense that it's the kind of ambition that seeks to take on the entire world alone. It's just a shame I won't live to see it."
Suddenly, Giovanni grabbed Mr. Silph beside him and threw the old man at Ryuuske's feet.
Under Ryuuske's puzzled gaze, Giovanni coldly explained:
"...This old man once treated my mother like a 'dog'—a mere tool to achieve his goals. My mother wasn't strong enough to resist him. Even though she contributed greatly to the rise of Silph Co., he never spared her, simply because she held too much evidence of the company's crimes."
"...A world-class corporation couldn't afford such a stain, so he had my mother killed. Then, he tried to raise me like a dog as well."
Giovanni's smile turned savage. "...But he forgot one thing—this world belongs to the strong. Only powerful trainers are the foundation of this world, not money or power! He treated me like a dog, but I treated him the same way. Now, Silph Co. no longer needs to exist."
"His family—all 107 of his blood relatives scattered across the world—were executed by my undercover operatives the moment Team Rocket attacked Saffron City!"
Ryuuske's eyes widened at Giovanni's ruthless words. Damn—this guy really doesn't hold back. Wiping out the entire family tree!
The bound old man, upon hearing Giovanni's words, began thrashing violently, his cloudy eyes burning with madness. Anyone who heard their entire family had been slaughtered—especially an elderly man—would lose their mind.
"Don't look at me like that. This is just your retribution. In your lifetime, you've committed countless sins and ruined countless families. If you hadn't treated my mother the way you did, you wouldn't have ended up like this."
Giovanni rested his chin on his hands, adopting a classic "commander" pose.
"...If I hadn't eradicated the Silph family, your descendants might have sought revenge on mine, leading to an endless cycle. For the sake of my descendants' safety, I had no choice but to sacrifice your entire family."
Ignoring the struggling old man, Giovanni turned back to Ryuuske with a smile.
"...This is a stray dog who's lost everything. But the more someone loses, the more deranged they become. He's still the chairman of Silph Co. and controls vast resources. If he survives, he'll come after both me and you like a madman. Even if you're not afraid of him, you must have people you care about. Dealing with him would be a nuisance."
Giovanni's smile was eerily calm yet terrifying. To Ryuuske, this was the true face of a behind-the-scenes boss—a genuine villain: ruthless, decisive, cold, and calculating.
"Oh? So you're asking me to kill him with my own hands?"
"You can choose to spare him. But the consequences will be yours to bear."
Giovanni stared at Ryuuske, forcing him to kill someone he had no personal grudge against. In Giovanni's eyes, Ryuuske was just a sixteen-year-old boy. If killing an innocent man left a psychological scar, all the better.
But if Ryuuske chose to spare Mr. Silph, Giovanni would be equally pleased. As he'd said, Silph Co. had stood at the pinnacle of global capital for fifty years. Its intricate web of connections and influence was something even Giovanni couldn't fully unravel.
This old man, who had lost all his descendants, would undoubtedly mobilize every resource at his disposal to exact revenge on both Giovanni and Ryuuske.
Expecting someone who'd lost everything to remain rational was impossible.
But Giovanni had Team Rocket backing him—he couldn't care less about the vengeance of a stray dog.
"You're underestimating me, Old Man Giovanni."
Ryuuske sighed. Why does everyone think I'm just some naive sixteen-year-old with underdeveloped morals?
I'm a college graduate, damn it!
To be continued…