"Right now, drawing a clear line between my identity and yours is the perfect excuse."
Giovanni shook his head.
"If I can become one of the Kanto Elite Four, I'll have far more control over League operations. That comes with a lot of advantages."
The League Elite Four and the League's Gym Leaders held completely different levels of status.
If Giovanni became an Elite Four member, the intel and classified information he could access would increase dramatically.
That alone would be an obvious boon for Team Rocket.
Of course, the downside was that his every move would be under the League's scrutiny.
But with Damian in control of Team Rocket, he wasn't worried.
"Then it all comes down to your performance when the time comes, Dad."
Damian had no objections at all.
Whether from an emotional or rational standpoint, Giovanni penetrating deep into the Indigo League was nothing but beneficial.
The only question now was: how high up the Kanto Elite Four ladder Giovanni could climb.
"Heh～" Giovanni let out a low chuckle.
After a bit more casual small talk, Damian hung up and opened a certain someone's chat window.
Damian: Babe, do you like Electric/Flying‑types more, or Ice/Flying‑types?
Selene: (confused Persian.jpg)
In the blink of an eye, the next day arrived.
Caitlin was the first to leave.
Damian and Lillie said their goodbyes.
He'd originally planned to escort Lillie back to Aether Paradise, but she insisted she was going to meet some friends and wouldn't be heading back just yet.
Damian understood and set off alone for Melemele Island.
Kukui's lab.
"Phew～ finally done."
Kukui rubbed his temples, exhausted.
He'd been working day and night these past two days, organizing Ultra Beast data and finally uploading all of it into the Pokédex database.
He just couldn't wait any longer.
Excitement surged in his chest.
With this Ultra Beast data, the Alola League would definitely be able to establish itself.
All thanks to Chairman Lusamine—she really was a great benefactor to Alola!
Ding‑dong～
Just then, the doorbell to the lab rang.
Kukui took a sip of coffee, forced himself to perk up, and opened the door—only to freeze at the sight of the boy outside.
"Hey there, Ku—" Damian lifted a hand with a bright smile.
But in the very next second, Kukui slammed the front door shut at lightning speed.
Was that an illusion?
Had he really just seen that Team Rocket executive?
Kukui's expression shifted uncertainly.
Had all‑nighters finally pushed his mind over the edge?
After a few seconds, he took a deep breath and cautiously opened the door again.
The same boy's smiling, handsome face filled his vision.
Kukui: "..."
One hand behind his back, Kukui quietly pressed down on his phone, already wondering if he should send an emergency call for backup to Miss Cynthia.
"How rude, Professor Kukui. Is that how you treat your guests?"
"That's how I treat friendly guests. You, on the other hand, are an uninvited wolf at the door, aren't you?"
Kukui calmed down and replied with a slight frown.
"So cold. Still, I didn't come today to banter with you, Professor Kukui. Aren't you going to invite me in to sit for a bit?"
Damian's smile was as sunny as ever.
On looks alone, you'd never guess this was a highly dangerous individual.
At the very least, no one would instinctively associate him with Team Rocket.
Kukui hesitated.
Letting Damian into the lab would basically be the same as inviting a predator into the henhouse.
"Relax, Professor Kukui. As long as you don't make a move on me, I won't lift a hand today."
Damian clearly understood his concern and spread his hands in a harmless gesture.
"I just came to discuss a new deal with you, Professor Kukui. I'm a man of my word, you know."
"…Come in."
Professor Kukui gave the boy a long, deep look, then stepped aside.
Once inside the lab, Damian sat down on the sofa and glanced around.
"Tsk~ Professor Kukui, your lab's kinda small, huh. Need our organization to sponsor you? We could build you a nice, spacious, fully equipped facility."
Damian teased him with a lazy smile.
"Appreciate the concern, but I'm perfectly happy doing my research alone." Kukui shook his head.
"So then, Mr. Damian…, what brought you here today?"
As the host, Kukui still fulfilled his basic duties.
He even poured Damian a cup of tea.
"Simple. I want to make a deal with you, Professor Kukui."
"???"
Kukui froze, staring at Damian in disbelief.
Wait, what had Damian just said?
"Mr. Damian, you really do love your jokes."
Snapping back to herself, Kukui rejected him without the slightest hesitation.
"Won't you at least hear what kind of deal it is?"
"If Mr. Damian is willing to release Tapu Fini back to Poni Island, I might be willing to talk."
Kukui laid out his condition.
"Professor Kukui, I'm being very sincere here."
Damian raised a brow. "You being this rude is honestly putting me in a bad mood."
"I have nothing to discuss with Team Rocket."
Kukui's response was blunt.
"Tsk~ It seems you've got a serious bias against us, Professor."
"Team Rocket is an evil organization. Everyone knows that."
Kukui didn't mince words.
He'd have to be out of his mind to make deals with Team Rocket.
"Evil and justice have always been defined by the strong, Professor Kukui.You say Team Rocket is evil—so tell me, exactly how are we evil?"
Damian let out a soft, mirthless laugh and shot the question right back at him.
Kukui's brows furrowed.
Did this even need explaining?
"After Team Rocket arrived in the Alola Region, the first thing we did was clean up and consolidate Team Skull, putting an end to their bullying and abuse of civilians."
You call that consolidation?
That was just swallowing them whole and seizing territory, wasn't it?
Kukui grumbled inwardly.
"The second thing we did was open the entertainment complex, boosting Hau'oli City's economy.
The Arceus Entertainment Complex has already become Melemele Island's second must‑visit landmark after the sunny coastal area."
Damian spoke with easy confidence.
His words left Kukui silent.
Once they'd confirmed Team Rocket had entered Alola, it hadn't taken long to trace the "boss" behind the Arceus Entertainment Complex.
The sheer amount of money and resources poured into it—especially the Dratini resources—was far beyond the scope of any ordinary conglomerate.
But was that really a good thing?
From a purely economic standpoint, sure.
The Arceus Entertainment Complex had unquestionably raised Hau'oli City's economic profile, even turning it into a must‑see destination for out‑of‑town visitors.
Kukui was still pretty sure it was all built on Team Rocket throwing money around to buy good reviews.
He himself was blacklisted from the Arceus Entertainment Complex.
Security wouldn't even let him in the door.
Because Guzma, the complex's first‑gen boss, hated Kukui's guts and had personally set the rule:
"No Kukui or dogs allowed inside the entertainment complex."
"Third, Team Rocket expelled the hunter organizations operating on each island and cleaned out the rats infesting those circles, leaving the Alola Region's environment thriving and renewed."
"Some of our members even protected ordinary civilians from the sudden appearance and attacks of Ultra Beasts."
Damian handed Kukui a folder.
Inside was a report from Ula'ula Island, where a Nihilego had suddenly appeared and nearly parasitized a middle‑aged woman—only to be stopped by a small Team Rocket squad that saved her.
Kukui stared down at the file, his brows furrowed into a deep frown.
"So go on, tell me, Professor Kukui.
On what grounds do you say Team Rocket is evil?"
Damian grinned, casually crossing one leg over the other as he watched Kukui with leisurely interest.
Kukui: "..."
~~~
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