Chapter 353: Alec's Surrender
Though Cain despised those who avoided direct kills, he wasn't a savior out to avenge Alec.
"That orange-haired girl said you'd cause trouble for Vexor. If I want revenge, I have to seek you out," Alec murmured.
Cain raised an eyebrow. Did Aurelia say that? Was she so certain he'd go after Vexor? Or had someone mentioned it to her? Miyamoto, perhaps? Or could Aurelia be exactly what he suspected?
Were Ariana's subordinates always so cunning?
"And then?" Cain neither confirmed nor denied anything.
At his words, Alec seemed to lose strength. Each movement caused some of his wounds to reopen, spilling blood. His face grew even paler.
Plop!
Alec fell heavily to the ground, uncaring of the rocks, branches, or anything else beneath him.
But the impact caused many of his wounds to fully open.
The Mightyena at his side whimpered, sticking out its tongue to lick Alec's wounds as if trying to stop the bleeding.
"Don't worry, Mightyena," Alec forced a smile. The pain from his burned face made even the smallest movement of his facial muscles excruciating.
Then he looked directly at Cain. The physical pain hadn't dulled his resolve; rather, the humiliation Vexor had inflicted on him was seared into his mind.
"If... if you can kill Vexor, from now on, I, Alec, will follow only your orders, Cain. I will serve you as my leader!" Alec spoke in a calm tone, but the determination in his words left no room for doubt.
"Oh, aren't you worried the Officer behind you will cause you trouble?" Cain asked with an ironic smile.
Alec remained silent for a moment before replying, "He... has already been eliminated by the person backing Vexor."
An Officer had already been taken out by Vexor's superior, Lucius?
Were those superiors really this impatient?
Cain didn't deny his intention to confront Vexor.
There was no need to deceive himself or others. He didn't have a good impression of Vexor or the one backing him.
They had tested him without care. If not for his own strength, he might have been eliminated long before returning to the trial island.
Furthermore, he wanted to take first place in the trial to prove his worth and utility to Umbra; otherwise, he wouldn't survive.
Vexor also aimed to claim the top spot in this trial, making a showdown between them inevitable.
"How much strength do you have left? Why do you think you'd be useful to me in the future?"
"On the trial island, though you've kept a low profile, you've gathered some loyal followers and provided them with enough resources to survive. That shows you've always intended to recruit followers."
"You're not someone who settles for mediocrity; you don't seem like a simple trainer. Everything you do has a plan and purpose."
"You, Cain, will not go unnoticed within Team Rocket!"
"Since you want to climb the ranks, you'll need loyal followers with great potential. And I, Alec, possess both that loyalty and potential!"
Alec said all this in one breath, his breathing labored from the effort.
"You have a clear vision; anyone in the top five on the trial island isn't a fool. Even if you had support, not just anyone gets chosen for this mission," Cain praised him.
"Additionally..." Alec paused before continuing, "my starter Pokémon is Mightyena. Doesn't that strike you as curious?"
Hearing this, Cain looked at him in surprise. It seemed Alec knew more than Cain had assumed.
"Tell me more."
"Mightyena, as you probably know, isn't a Pokémon from the Kanto or Johto regions but from Hoenn. I'm the only participant on this trial island with a Pokémon from Hoenn, and many have found that strange—surely you did too."
His breathing grew heavier.
"That's because the Officer backing me was one of the first sent by Team Rocket to the Hoenn region."
One of the first to be sent to Hoenn?
Team Rocket had attempted to infiltrate Hoenn more than once. Was Alec's backer among the earliest?
Those secrets, known to only a few, Alec understood because he had been that Officer's direct subordinate.
"And the first place in this final trial will receive Team Rocket's support to infiltrate the Hoenn region, establish a base of operations, and eventually launch a coordinated assault, helping Team Rocket gain a foothold in Hoenn."
"It's precisely because of this reward that those superiors have flocked here, and even some Officers have decided to risk everything."
"But those Officers are either desperate or have backing from superiors, while the Officer supporting me had no choice. He was simply the first to attempt to invade Hoenn."
"That's why he was also the first Officer eliminated by one of those superiors."
"And that's the main reason Vexor treated me as he did. He wanted information about Hoenn from me."
"If you kill Vexor, I can tell you everything I know. I can even help you infiltrate Hoenn faster, develop more quickly."
"Although my Officer couldn't complete the invasion, some resources and contacts were already established. Before entering the trial island, he suspected things might not end well for him, so he told me everything in advance. Those resources are what Vexor desires so much!"
"Give me one day to recover, and I'll help you eliminate Vexor! I know your goal is to take first place."
Alec had revealed much.
No wonder Vexor had treated him so cruelly.
"So you used that information to negotiate your life?" Cain asked.
"Heh, I gave him half-truths. He didn't dare kill me because he feared that if he did so before verifying the information, he'd never get it. So I seized the opportunity and escaped."
Cain nodded; he believed most of what Alec said.
If there were lies, they were few. This also explained why Alec had shown no interest in forming a faction on the trial island: he was simply looking to protect himself, not compete for first place.
"Take this pill and take it easy. I warn you, it's a poison. If you don't take the antidote I'll provide at regular intervals, you'll die of organ failure. Think carefully." Cain pulled out the same pill he had given Miyamoto.
Alec had convinced him.
Without hesitation, Alec took the pill from Cain's hand and swallowed it.
(End of Chapter)