Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command! [470]

"According to our agreement," Cynthia said, "you released the League trainers you captured, and we didn't interfere with Team Rocket's takeover of Galactic."

Her meaning was simple: the deal between them was over.

At this point, the last thing Cynthia wanted was to get entangled with Team Rocket again.

The inquisition she'd just gone through had already left her exhausted. If something like that happened a second time, she might not even remain Champion of Sinnoh.

"You seem a little tense. Want me to give you a hand?" Luo Yuan smiled as he offered.

At his words, Cynthia's expression shifted sharply—instinctively guarded. She stared at his holographic image, eyes narrowing as though trying to pierce the mask he wore.

"What scheme are you planning this time?"

She would never naively believe that the Tech Hunter would help her out of kindness.

"No need to be so defensive," Luo Yuan said, spreading his hands. "As collaborators, isn't it only natural to lend a hand when a partner's in trouble?"

"Besides," he added, "I think the Pokémon Association is an outdated institution. Bureaucrats doing a job that Champions and Elites could do better—and without having the strength to back it up. Honestly, watching a bunch like that lead the League... even as a Rocket, I find it hard to stomach."

He meant it. Coming from someone who still held the title of a Johto Elite Four member, Luo Yuan truly had little regard for the Pokémon Association.

Cynthia heard this and, though she couldn't deny that his words echoed some of her own private frustrations, it only made her more wary.

So now he's trying to drive a wedge…

"The answer is no."

Luo Yuan let out a helpless sigh. Cynthia's hyper-vigilance was a little much, even for him.

Yes, he did have the intention of stirring the pot—of deepening the rift between Cynthia and the Pokémon Association.

But from his perspective, he was offering real help. If Cynthia were willing to accept it, the Association wouldn't be a threat to her at all.

Too bad she refused.

Still, it didn't matter.

He'd only made the call because he'd caught wind of the League's inquiry against her and figured it was a good opportunity to sow some discord. Now that the seed of conflict had been planted, whether she accepted or not wasn't all that important.

In a fractured Sinnoh League, unity was already impossible.

And for Luo Yuan, that was enough.

He smiled faintly. "If you change your mind, give me a call. Same number."

And with that, he hung up.

Cynthia stared at the now-black screen, silent.

Her thumb hovered over the "delete number" button for a long while… but in the end, she saved it.

It's not about cooperating with Team Rocket, she told herself. It's just so I can get more intel from him later.

That's all. Just information gathering. Nothing more.

---

Luo Yuan tucked away his communicator.

Standing beside him, Matori had watched the entire exchange, her expression amused.

"She's pretty, huh?" Matori said with a smirk.

At her comment, Luo Yuan couldn't help but recall that moment—Cynthia clinging to him as they rode on Rayquaza, trying to steady herself midair. He nodded. "Yeah… and she's got a great figure, too."

Matori narrowed her eyes dangerously at that.

But Luo Yuan didn't flinch in the slightest. It wasn't like anything had happened between him and Cynthia, so what was there to be afraid of?

Even if something did happen someday… Luo Yuan wouldn't panic.

He feared nothing.

Matori didn't quite buy it, but her trust in him was strong enough that she let it go.

This mission had yielded more than she ever expected—she'd just accepted a massive portion of Galactic's assets from the Sinnoh side.

Over 3 billion in liquid assets alone. Not to mention a staggering amount of real estate and shares in various Sinnoh-based companies.

With this injection of capital, Team Rocket's financial reserves had been replenished significantly. Several internal projects that had been shelved due to funding shortages could now resume without a hitch.

"Everything's wrapped up here in Sinnoh. Are you heading back with me?" Matori asked.

"Of course."

Luo Yuan had already accomplished every goal he set before coming here—and then some.

Now that Sird was overseeing operations in Sinnoh, there was no point in him lingering. If anything, his presence here would only keep the Sinnoh League up at night for the foreseeable future.

Still, there was one more thing he needed to do before leaving.

With that in mind, he retrieved Cyrus from the prison, ignoring Matori's puzzled look.

Then he summoned Rayquaza, grabbed Cyrus in one hand and Matori in the other, and took off for Spear Pillar.

...

"So this is the damage from your last fight?"

At the summit of Mt. Coronet, Matori looked out at the ruined landscape. Even for someone like her, who'd seen countless catastrophic scenes, the sight was awe-inspiring.

The entire mountaintop looked like the aftermath of an apocalypse.

"You're not even going to ask why I brought you here?"

"Does it have something to do with Cyrus?" Matori glanced at the man he was still hauling around and instantly guessed the core of it.

If Luo Yuan had brought her here just for the view, there'd be no need to drag Cyrus along.

Luo Yuan nodded and gave Rayquaza a small signal.

With a mighty roar, Rayquaza unleashed a [Dragon Pulse] toward a distant section of the ruins.

The mountain thundered with the sound of impact.

All the Pokémon living in the Mt. Coronet range—who had finally been enjoying a few days of peace—heard the now-familiar sound of destruction from the summit and instinctively bolted in every direction.

Just as the mountain had begun to settle, chaos erupted once more.

Luo Yuan had no idea that with a single command, he had once again plunged the entire Mt. Coronet range into chaos.

Right now, he was focused on the ground below.

There, a dark vortex was slowly unfurling.

A guttural, furious growl echoed from within.

Giratina had emerged, breaching the veil between the Distortion World and reality.

"D!"

The legendary Pokémon was absolutely livid.

It had taken heavy damage in the last battle. After retreating to the Distortion World, it had just barely managed to recover—was finally ready to relax—and then it discovered that its home had been wrecked. Again.

What is this? Lose one fight and suddenly everyone thinks I'm an easy target?

Now, for the second time, someone had come knocking at its door. The rage that Luo Yuan had barely suppressed before now surged back with full force.

Swearing it would make whoever was responsible pay, Giratina charged out of the Distortion World in a seething fury…

And then—

---

T/N: Cynthia... no girlie dont keep his number...