"My cousin?" Lance stumbled, nearly tripping.
If his two Dragonair hadn't been sensitive to energy and detected the powerful aura concealed on the person there, he wouldn't have guessed Aomori's identity.
Lance admitted that using him as a scapegoat was a bit unfitting for his role as a Justice Seeker, and he originally felt a slight twinge of guilt. But this guy dared to impersonate his cousin?
He felt that last trace of guilt vanish into thin air.
It was a good thing Lance didn't know that all his bad luck was due to Aomori; otherwise, he would have felt completely justified.
"So that's it. A member of the Dragon Master clan, no wonder he looks so talented. How about it? Do you want to join Team Rocket? We guarantee you great benefits, and if you want the title of Dragon Master, replacing Lance, it's not impossible." Archer keenly sensed the subtle distance between this 'Alan' and Lance, and attempted to sow discord.
"No need. I don't care about the title of Dragon Master. Although I look down on my little cousin, what can I do? I'm a Hunter who enjoys robbing the rich to help the poor," Aomori said, spreading his hands.
"Hunter?" Lance recalled Aomori's actions and demeanor, and the identity of a Hunter seemed plausible.
"Hunter?" Archer, who thought he was another League investigator, was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter. "If it's money you want, that's simple. Team Rocket has everything. Just tell us what you need. As long as you join us, anything is possible!"
"What did you say?" Aomori straightened up, and a formidable aura spread out. Many Pokémon retreated, and even the Houndoom by Archer's side whimpered and tucked its tail.
'This aura... he's no ordinary person.' Archer elevated Aomori's status to that of Lance, and no longer treated him lightly. "Join Team Rocket, and you'll be a Senior Executive just like me. Power, wealth, and Pokémon will all be yours to choose from!"
'Crap! I can't let him be recruited by Team Rocket.' Lance cleared his throat and also tried to win Aomori over. "You enjoy robbing the rich and helping the poor; you must be a man of justice. Join our Investigation Department! Everything Team Rocket can offer, we can offer too!"
This time, Aomori could no longer contain his "anger." "What do you take me for?! Do I look like the kind of weakling who depends on others' charity? I enjoy nothing more than snatching wealth from your hands and watching your crestfallen expressions."
"Is Team Rocket formidable? I like stealing from formidable people!"
Archer: "..."
"Don't laugh, Lance! I hear your League Investigation headquarters has many powerful people. I'll pay them a visit when I have time!"
Lance's smile froze: "..."
"Absurd!" Archer gave up on recruiting Aomori. Seeing the remaining grunts fully assembled, he waved his hand and commanded, "Capture both of them!"
"Yes!"
"Houndoom, use Flamethrower!"
"Arbok, use Poison Sting!"
"Crobat, use Hyper Beam!"
"..."
Dozens of Pokémon simultaneously launched their signature moves at Aomori and Lance. Flames, venom, and energy beams converged, forming an attack that even changed Lance's expression. The entire space seemed to be shaking.
"Dragonair, Flygon, full attack!" Lance decided to fight offense with offense.
The moves from both sides collided, creating an unparalleled shockwave that tore up the floor. If Team Rocket's construction quality hadn't been so good, the place would have already collapsed into a pile of rubble.
With lightning crackling around his feet, Aomori moved with unbelievable speed, leisurely strolling through the gaps between the attacks as if he were out for a walk. He effortlessly broke through Team Rocket's defense and stopped in front of the elevator.
"It's useless. I've had the elevator shut down. You're cornered," Archer said, despite his astonishment at Aomori's speed, still confident that he couldn't escape Team Rocket's pursuit.
"Is that so?" Aomori gave a slight smile, raised his fist, and, to everyone's horror, punched through the elevator entrance. Then, he waved goodbye:
"Bye for now!"
Seeing Aomori's figure disappear, Lance no longer hesitated. Aided by his two Dragonair, he released his Dragon's Might, frightening all the opposing Pokémon back. Seizing the opportunity, he recalled Dragonair and Flygon and sent out Dragonite again.
Riding the bulky Dragonite, he used Dragon Rage to carve a path, flying straight up and away through the ruined elevator shaft.
"You bastards!" Archer's face was livid, having been publicly humiliated by the two of them. However, he knew that once Lance escaped to the surface, it would be impossible to catch him; Dragonite's speed was no joke.
Now that things had come to this, Archer calmed down and commanded, "Destroy all data in the base! We're retreating!"
He decisively abandoned the now-exposed Team Rocket base.
…
Aided by Dragonite, Lance successfully escaped the Team Rocket base and left the Silph Co. headquarters building, where he ran straight into Aomori, who was still wearing the Team Rocket uniform.
"'Alan' isn't your real name. What is your name?"
"Heh." Aomori didn't turn back. He grabbed his uniform and pulled it up. The Team Rocket uniform was stripped away, replaced by a violet-gold suit of armor. A menacing helmet covered his entire head, leaving only a pair of pale violet eyes visible. A long cape extended from his shoulders, billowing in the wind.
"You can call me 'K,' Hunter K!"
The violet-gold figure vanished into the thick night, leaving only those words behind.
"That guy..." Lance stood on Dragonite's back, his body trembling slightly. "He's better at dramatics than I am!"
"Hunter K, I've memorized your name!"
…
Wearing the stylish armor, Aomori sped away on his Motorcycle, leaving Saffron City.
By the side of the road, a beautiful woman in red was standing gracefully. Beside her stood a canine-like Pokémon and a shadowy one.
Aomori executed a skillful drift, stopping beside her. He took off his helmet, revealing his devastatingly handsome face.
"What are you doing here?"
"Your movements were so loud, it would have been difficult not to notice." Sabrina's voice was flat. "I wanted to check, but I met them on the way, so we came together. Didn't you say you were leaving?"
It had only been a few hours, and he had already pulled off another major operation.
"Don't misunderstand, I was mainly robbing the rich to help the poor," Aomori said, glaring at the innocent-looking Darkrai. "Did you receive the things I had Darkrai bring to you?"
"Mm." Sabrina focused her gaze on his armor and cape. In her perception, neither of them was an ordinary item.
Aomori offered no explanation. He plucked at the cape, and the cape immediately squirmed and transformed into the pink, gooey form of Ditto.
"This is my newly captured Pokémon, Ditto."
Sabrina stared at Ditto for a while, until the Ditto was practically shivering, before she finally retracted her gaze and nodded gently.
"Where are you going next?"
"I think I'll find a place to level up Ditto," Aomori said, looking at its stats. He noticed it was only Level 10, but its sole move, Transform, was already at proficiency level 8.
So, Aomori wanted to take it to train and see if the stat increases from leveling up would affect it.
"I recommend the Safari Zone. There are many wild Pokémon there."
"The Safari Zone? I remember that's a privately-owned hunting ground, isn't it?"
"Just don't get caught," Sabrina said in a calm tone.
"Uh, that's a good point."
And so, Aomori bid farewell to Sabrina once more, taking his four companions toward the Safari Zone.
————
You can read the ahead chapter on Patr-eon if you're interested: p-atre-on.c-om/Overgod [Just remove the hyphen to access normally]