Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command! [237]
In response to Matori's question, Luo Yuan shook his head.
"No need to act for now."
"?"
Matori's face showed clear confusion.
However, knowing Luo Yuan as well as she did, she understood there was more he wasn't saying, so she refrained from pressing him.
As expected, Luo Yuan smiled and explained:
"There's no need for us to take unnecessary risks. If anyone should be panicking right now, it's Malva, not us."
Matori thought for a moment before nodding in agreement.
Kanto was Team Rocket's home turf. Previously, Team Flare had relied on their secrecy and unpredictable movements to gain an advantage.
But now, most of Team Flare was trapped on a remote island, subjected to constant "tentacle play" from the Tentacruel. The only one still active, Malva, was already under Luo Yuan's surveillance.
Indeed, it was Team Flare that had more to worry about.
After discussing recent events in Kanto and Johto with Matori, Luo Yuan tidied up and returned to his hotel.
---
That evening, after Misty left, only Luo Yuan and Sabrina remained in the suite.
Although the departure meant less fun, it added a certain intimacy to the atmosphere—an exchange of gains and losses that left Luo Yuan undecided.
---
The next morning, Luo Yuan had barely picked up his phone after waking when he saw a news notification.
The bold headline made his face darken immediately.
"Breaking! Indigo League's Top Seed and Kalos Elite Meet at a Café for This Scandalous Reason!"
The title made it sound as though he'd done something outrageous with Malva.
If he actually had, he wouldn't have minded.
But the reality was, he had done absolutely nothing.
Sighing, Luo Yuan silently noted down the website's name, deciding to have Matori arrange for a few Trubbish to "visit" their offices later.
Switching to a more credible news outlet, Luo Yuan found a less exaggerated title.
"Exclusive Interview with Kalos Elite Malva: Unveiling Indigo League's Top Seed, Luo Yuan!"
Though still a bit clickbaity, the content was much more reasonable, earning Luo Yuan's approval.
"Now this is more like it," he muttered, putting his phone aside.
At that moment, his Eevee, having just finished breakfast, hopped onto the table and nuzzled his hand.
"Eevee~!"
It nudged him with its head, clearly asking for a pat.
Obliging, Luo Yuan stroked its head. The Eevee closed its eyes contentedly, sprawling out lazily on the table.
"What are you planning to evolve Eevee into?" Sabrina asked, using her psychic powers to pour herself a glass of Moomoo Milk.
Luo Yuan raised an eyebrow.
"Is your Eevee about to evolve?"
Sabrina nodded as she gently petted her own Eevee.
"I think it'll happen within the next couple of days."
As a psychic, Sabrina could sense that her bond with Eevee had reached the threshold for evolution. It was only a matter of time before it became an Espeon.
"Eevee~!"
Sabrina's Eevee chirped happily in response.
"So it's evolving soon?" Luo Yuan glanced at Sabrina's Eevee thoughtfully before pulling a Everstone out of his bag.
"You should probably have it wear this at night, just in case..."
He didn't finish, but Sabrina immediately understood what he meant.
If her Eevee evolved into an Umbreon at night, she'd likely be devastated.
Taking the Everstone, Sabrina tied it into a makeshift necklace and placed it around her Eevee's neck.
She then turned back to Luo Yuan.
"What about your Eevee? What are you planning to evolve it into?"
"My Eevee…" Luo Yuan looked at his companion and pondered.
Water, Fire, and Electric types were ruled out immediately—they didn't match his aesthetic preferences.
That left Espeon, Umbreon, Leafeon, Glaceon, and Sylveon.
Seeing how affectionate Eevee was, Luo Yuan felt that Sylveon suited it best.
After all, Sylveon was known for using its ribbon-like feelers to affectionately cling to its Trainer, much like his Eevee already loved clinging to him.
Communicating his thoughts to Eevee, Luo Yuan used telepathy to project an image of Sylveon into its mind.
Eevee's eyes sparkled with excitement, and it nodded enthusiastically.
No Eevee could resist the charm of Sylveon's elegant appearance.
Having settled on their decision, Luo Yuan turned to find Sabrina checking her watch.
"It's almost time. I need to head to the headquarters. Misty said she'll be at the arena today to watch your match," Sabrina informed him.
"Huh? She's done dealing with her gym's issues? Why didn't she tell me?" Luo Yuan asked, baffled.
The fact that Sabrina knew before he did gave him an odd sense of being left out.
Seeing his expression, Sabrina chuckled softly, said nothing, and left the hotel with her Eevee in her arms.
Luo Yuan remained in the room, lost in thought.
Even his Eevee tilted its head, mirroring his pensive expression.
---
As the Indigo League tournament progressed, the matches were speeding up.
The first round of eliminations had just concluded yesterday, and the second round was already underway the next day.
This not only tested the participants' endurance but also the depth of their Pokémon roster.
While Pokémon Centers could heal injuries quickly, severely injured Pokémon might still need time to recover, forcing Trainers to rely on backups.
Of course, none of this applied to Luo Yuan, whose undefeated streak left his Pokémon with only minor scratches.
Even if the intensity of battles doubled, Luo Yuan's energy remained unwavering.
Misty and Sabrina could both attest to that.
---
At the entrance to the arena, Luo Yuan spotted Ash and Gary locked in a fierce staring contest, each trying to intimidate the other.
Nearby, Brock looked exasperated, as if on the verge of yelling, "Can you two stop already?"
"You're both here early. Aren't your matches scheduled for the afternoon?" Luo Yuan asked.
Unlike the original timeline, Gary had devoted more time to training his Pokémon under Luo Yuan's influence. Consequently, his strength had significantly improved, and he'd made it to the top 16.
"I wanted to scope out my future opponents," Gary replied, brushing his bangs aside dramatically.
"I'm doing the same!" Ash chimed in.
"Stop copying me."
"I'm not copying you!"
Seeing them about to argue again, Luo Yuan quickly waved his hand.
"Alright, enough. My match is about to start, and I don't have time to listen to your bickering. You'd both be better off studying your opponents' strategies for today."
---
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