Leo's breathing hadn't changed much after the run. His physical condition was quite good, after all, even intelligence operatives underwent regular physical training after joining Team Rocket.
Cubone was another matter entirely.
For a Pokémon only about twenty centimeters tall, a 400-meter run was undeniably exhausting.
Even so, it never once let go of the bone club in its hand.
"Cubone, let's rest for a bit before continuing," Leo said as he took out the MooMoo Milk he had prepared earlier.
MooMoo Milk could be exchanged for points, but using points on something that could be bought directly with money wasn't cost-effective.
The ramen shop used small amounts of MooMoo Milk for soup bases and sauces, so Leo simply took advantage of the situation and brought some along.
Captain Yusaku didn't mind at all. In fact, he even reminded Leo to make sure Cubone received plenty of nutrition during the early stages.
After all, they were operating undercover for intelligence purposes, the ramen shop was just a cover.
Even if the shop made no profit, operating funds would still be provided by headquarters.
Yusaku was a good captain. He understood how to win people over.
Leo urgently needed to improve his strength, so he naturally accepted the goodwill without comment.
MooMoo Milk had a rich, creamy aroma. Cubone sniffed the air and couldn't help glancing over.
Leo didn't tease it and simply handed the bottle over.
Glug...glug...glug.
"Drink slowly. No need to rush."
Cubone sat on the ground, clutching the bottle with both hands and drinking with intense focus, as if facing a powerful opponent.
After downing half the bottle in one go, Cubone let out a small burp and handed the milk back.
"Cu~"
You drink.
Leo froze for a moment, then took the bottle and took a small sip.
The milk was rich but not greasy. A warm current spread through his body almost instantly, even easing the mental fatigue left over from last night's poor sleep.
A specialty of the Pokémon world, indeed, almost magical.
After a sip, Leo handed the bottle back.
"You're still young and need lots of nutrition," he said with a grin.
"Look, I'm already plenty strong."
He flexed his arm slightly to emphasize the point.
Cubone stared at Leo's muscles, then glanced down at its own short arms and legs before resolutely finishing the remaining half of the bottle.
Be strong.
The recovery effect of MooMoo Milk was excellent. Before long, Cubone stood up again, energy restored, looking at Leo with clear anticipation.
"The next step is move training," Leo said.
"We'll focus on Bone Club, Screech, and Curse."
Based on the inherited memories, Leo already knew Cubone's current moveset:
Growl, Tail Whip, Bone Club, Screech, and Curse.
Among these, the last three were the most valuable to train. Screech and Curse were inherited moves, used correctly, their effects could be extremely powerful.
Bone Club, meanwhile, was a prerequisite for the difficult and advanced move Bone Boomerang. Only by mastering Bone Club first could Cubone even attempt it.
"There are three core elements to any move," Leo continued.
"Power, accuracy, and release speed. All three matter. Let's start with power."
The manuals he had exchanged for a thousand points provided extremely precise training methods. Leo arranged the session methodically, constantly watching Cubone's condition and adjusting as needed.
Despite it being their very first formal training session, both Trainer and Pokémon performed exceptionally well.
By the time night fell, Leo returned to the ramen shop with Cubone fast asleep in his arms, completely worn out.
Captain Yusaku had just finished his own training and praised Leo for his hard work.
"We've hired staff today," Yusaku said casually. "Tomorrow, we'll be free. We can head out and look around."
The implication was clear.
Leo understood immediately.
Intelligence work was about to begin.
---
Another peaceful night passed.
Leo and Cubone were woken by an alarm clock. Starting today, morning training was mandatory, so they got up earlier than before.
The same park.
The same 400-meter run to warm up.
Compared to yesterday, Cubone's improvement was obvious.
Though it was still panting heavily by the end, its time had been shortened by nearly a third.
Pokémon really were incredible.
After stretching and another half hour of move training, Leo brought Cubone back to the ramen shop.
Four new employees had arrived, two men and two women.
"Let me introduce Leo," Yusaku said. "He's like a brother to me. If I'm not around, listen to him."
"I wouldn't go that far," Leo replied modestly. "Just listen to the boss."
Still, he understood Yusaku's intention.
This arrangement would make it easier for Leo to act freely during missions, and leave at any time without drawing suspicion.
With staff handling the shop, Leo followed Yusaku's plan and headed out to gather information about Oreburgh City.
Intelligence could be big or small.
Rare Pokémon, valuable items, celebrity movements, these were intelligence.
Street gangs, secret affairs, illegitimate children, these were also intelligence.
Individually, such details might seem useless.
But when properly connected, they could produce unexpected results.
Team Rocket's strong control over Kanto and Johto owed a great deal to its intelligence network.
Leo and Yusaku's task was to establish and continuously update Oreburgh City's intelligence database, laying the groundwork for Team Rocket's future operations in Sinnoh.
Of course, they were only two of many operatives planted throughout the region. Each was responsible for a specific town, Oreburgh City being one that barely even received a mention in the original story.
Beyond intelligence gathering, they could live normal lives.
Marriage. Children.
Even registering as official League Trainers and competing in tournaments.
If someone truly achieved results through their own strength, Team Rocket would have no issue promoting them and granting greater resources.
Walking along Oreburgh City's main street, Leo quickly found his destination.
Oreburgh Extraordinary Internet Café
Early intelligence gathering wasn't difficult. Public networks provided plenty of information, the real challenge was integrating it effectively.
Leo entered the café, found a private room without surveillance that still had a clear view of the monitor, and quietly began his first true intelligence operation.
The work lasted an entire day.
He organized and summarized everything onto a USB drive, then browsed the Pokémon League's official website before logging off.
High-quality intelligence couldn't be gathered in a single day.
Team Rocket demanded accuracy, but deadlines were flexible, after all, Sinnoh wasn't their main battlefield yet.
The information collected today alone was enough to submit gradually over half a month.
The original owner's habit of hiding his abilities also gave Leo ample time to move at his own pace.
Back at the ramen shop, Leo devoured a large bowl of tomato beef brisket ramen personally cooked by Yusaku, then subtly signaled that the mission was progressing smoothly.
After that,
Training.
Before he had the ability to protect himself, even knowing that a Shiny Metagross might exist on Rock Mountain wasn't enough to make him act recklessly.
And so, a peaceful, disciplined routine continued,
For half a month.