Chapter 167: Petrel, One of the Four Generals

A Moment of Silence

For a while, the corridor outside the office fell completely silent.

Inside the office, Giovanni, seated at his desk, calmly set down his cup of coffee. He had already assumed that the intruder had been taken care of.

His subordinates were elite members of Team Rocket—surely, no mere child could have defeated them.

Turning his attention back to the elderly man seated in front of him, Giovanni's voice remained steady yet chillingly authoritative.

"The ones who came to save you have failed," he declared. "Now, tell me—are you still unwilling to give us the information? Either way, it's only a matter of time before we acquire it."

The old man in question—Ryan Silver, the president of Silph Co.—remained unmoved.

His stern face showed no fear, no hesitation.

"You can stop wasting your breath," Silver replied coldly. "No matter what threats you make, I will never give Team Rocket the data you're after."

A Race Against Time

Silver's gaze remained sharp as he studied the man before him. Then, a small smirk tugged at his lips.

"And tell me, Giovanni… how much time do you think you have left?"

The false Giovanni narrowed his eyes.

Silver continued, his tone carrying a quiet confidence.

"If someone managed to infiltrate this building, that means the Pokémon League and Interpol already know what's happening here. It won't be long before a rescue team arrives to stop you."

At these words, "Giovanni" remained silent for a moment.

Then, he chuckled softly.

"You're right," he admitted. "But I can guarantee one thing—before they arrive… you will be dead."

His once-calm expression turned into something far more sinister.

Unmasking the Truth

Silver, however, remained unshaken.

"Of course," he mused, "I believe you completely… Petrel."

At the mention of that name, "Giovanni" froze.

For a brief second, a flicker of amusement crossed his face before he let out a small, entertained laugh.

"I thought my disguise was perfect," he said, rubbing his chin.

Then, he tilted his head slightly.

"So tell me… when did you realize I wasn't Giovanni?"

Silver's smirk widened.

"From the very moment you walked into this office," he stated plainly.

There was a beat of silence.

Then, without hesitation, the false Giovanni reached up to his face…

And tore away a layer of skin.

The disguise peeled away effortlessly, revealing an entirely different face underneath—a sharp, angular face with a wicked grin, far thinner than Giovanni's usual imposing features.

But the transformation wasn't over yet.

With a press of a hidden switch at his waist, the rest of the disguise split apart, falling away like a discarded shell.

Now, standing in the center of the room was a tall, thin man with a wild, almost unhinged appearance.

His purple mohawk stood in stark contrast to his pale complexion, and his thick beard—also dyed purple—framed his smirking mouth.

There was no doubt about his identity now.

This was Petrel, one of the Four Generals of Team Rocket.

A master of disguise and deception, Petrel was known for his ability to mimic voices, appearances, and even body language so perfectly that he could fool even the most observant targets.

And he had nearly fooled Ash, too.

Until now.

An Unexpected Arrival

"BANG!"

The office door burst open, the sudden noise shattering the tense silence.

Both Petrel and Silver turned sharply toward the doorway.

Standing there, silhouetted against the dim hallway lights—

Was a boy.

The Boy Who Defied Team Rocket

Petrel's smirk vanished instantly.

"How is this possible?!" he snarled.

Because standing before him, alive and well, was Ash Ketchum.

And judging by the unconscious Team Rocket grunts lying in the hallway behind him…

It was clear that he had defeated every single one of them.

Silver's Realization

Ryan Silver, too, studied Ash carefully.

A boy.

A young boy, no older than ten or eleven—yet he had fought his way through eleven floors of Team Rocket's stronghold alone.

For a moment, Silver felt a strange sense of awe.

Who was this child?

Where did he come from?

And how was he capable of taking on Team Rocket by himself?

Ash stood firm, his determined eyes meeting Petrel's enraged glare.

On his left shoulder, Pikachu's cheeks crackled with electricity.

Beside him, Charmeleon's tail flame burned brightly, and Wartortle stood battle-ready, its shell gleaming under the dim office lights.

And behind Ash stood Mei, his secretary, who had followed him through this entire ordeal.

Her presence alone confirmed something crucial—Ash wasn't a Rocket member.

He was the rescuer.

A Battle of Words

Petrel's lips curled into a snarl.

"So," he spat, "you're the one who's been causing trouble."

Ash didn't flinch.

"Trouble?" he repeated, his tone cool and unwavering. "No. For Silph Co., the only troublemakers here are you—Team Rocket."

A flicker of amusement danced in Petrel's eyes, but there was an undeniable edge of anger beneath his smirk.

"Invaders, are we?" he sneered. "Funny, coming from you, kid."

Ash didn't let the words faze him.

He had seen through Petrel's disguise.

He had fought his way here.

And now, standing in front of one of Team Rocket's Four Generals, he was ready to finish what he started.

His hand tightened into a fist.

"This ends now," he declared.

Petrel's grin widened.

"Oh?" he mused, cracking his knuckles.

"Well, well… let's see if you've got what it takes to back up those words."

His fingers curled around a Poké Ball.

"Shall we?"

To be continued…