Chapter 63: Preparation

"Are you all set?"

Hearing Sabrina's slightly concerned tone over the phone, Maki couldn't help but smile, offering reassurance.

"Do I look like someone who needs you to worry about me? The real question is, are you okay? Today's situation will inevitably require you to use your psychic abilities. Are you sure you can handle it?"

Compared to his own situation, Maki was more worried about Sabrina's psychic powers. Even though she had rested for several days, psychic energy going out of control wasn't something anyone could predict. It wasn't just a matter of willpower—Sabrina couldn't simply control it at will.

"I could say the same thing to you."

Sabrina's voice carried confidence, even a hint of arrogance.

"Alright, I understand the specifics on my end. You should focus on what you need to do. With Agatha around, don't contact me unless it's absolutely necessary. If you're close enough, try to use psychic communication when possible… Can Agatha sense it?"

"If she's right next to me, she will definitely detect my psychic fluctuations."

Her abilities were too strong—so strong that precise control to completely conceal them was almost impossible. With Agatha's level of perception, there was no way she wouldn't notice.

"…Then play it by ear. If Lance changes his course of action, find a way to let me know."

"Got it!"

Sabrina took a deep breath. Though a little displeased, she knew this was the plan they had agreed upon. Fortunately, Lance was a guy—otherwise, Maki would have had to find a different target.

As for why they needed to confirm Lance's whereabouts… well, that was to prepare for their upcoming 'accidental' encounter, of course!

Maki had no qualms about fully utilizing a resource once it proved useful. So in the end, he chose his close friend as his point of entry. He did feel a little guilty, but at most, he could only apologize in his heart.

After hanging up with Sabrina, Maki's next destination was—the Game Corner!

For a metropolis like Saffron City, operating under Team Rocket's influence, how could there not be a Game Corner? While it couldn't compare in scale to the Celadon Game Corner, which was fully under Team Rocket's control, it was still a lucrative business.

Unlike Celadon, where Team Rocket held absolute dominance, Saffron City had multiple gaming parlors of various sizes. Team Rocket hadn't gone as far as monopolizing everything—doing so would only make them an obvious target. It was better to keep a lower profile; after all, they weren't desperate for money.

Compared to how deeply Giovanni had embedded Team Rocket into Saffron City, the Game Corner was a minor detail.

As for the extent of Giovanni's influence here… Maki was certain that if Giovanni wanted to, he could take over the entire city in a single day, and the League wouldn't be able to stop it.

However, for now, the tension between Team Rocket and the Pokémon League hadn't escalated to that point.

This operation wasn't just about keeping Team Rocket's Saffron dealings under wraps—it was also an opportunity tailored for Maki.

The particular Game Corner Maki was headed to was under the control of Gregor.

To make his presence seem more natural, Team Rocket had even arranged for him to "accidentally" win two 1,000-coin vouchers from a department store lottery.

And who owned this department store? Naturally, Silph Co. As for who was pulling the strings behind Silph Co.… well, that was hardly a mystery.

Even though Charmander preferred the outdoor environment, given today's plan, Maki returned him to his Poké Ball for the time being.

Upon arriving at the front desk, Maki exchanged one of his vouchers for Game Corner coins, then took the box filled with coins and headed inside.

Gregor's Game Corner wasn't exactly deserted, but it wasn't particularly busy either—foot traffic was below average compared to typical gaming establishments.

Not that it mattered to Maki—it wasn't his business, after all. He casually picked a seat and sat down.

There was still plenty of time. Since he had nothing better to do, he figured he might as well play a few rounds.

After about an hour, Maki had a pretty good idea why this Game Corner didn't attract many customers.

Either his luck was abysmally bad, or the machines were rigged—because in just thirty minutes, he had already lost 500 coins. That was 5,000 League coins!

If this wasn't bad luck but an intentional setup, then this place was a complete scam!

People didn't come here to play games—they were just here to donate money. A room full of philanthropists, really.

After sitting for a while longer—losing another hundred or so coins—Maki finally spotted the person he was waiting for.

Acting as if he hadn't noticed anything, he casually inserted another coin into the machine—only to lose again, instantly.

Standing up, he stretched as if looking for another game to try. And in that exact moment, he turned his head—locking eyes directly with the approaching Lance.

Lance had clearly put effort into his outfit today. Instead of his usual high-collared, dramatic attire, he was dressed in plain, everyday streetwear—probably knowing that his usual look wasn't exactly inconspicuous.

At the sight of Maki, Lance froze for a moment. Then, his eyes widened in disbelief.

"Maki, you…?"

Lance hadn't expected to run into Maki here, at this time.

Maki, however, was completely prepared. He reached into his pocket, pulled out his remaining voucher, and waved it in front of Lance.

"I won a prize while shopping yesterday. Wanna join me? My treat—play whatever you like."

Lance: …

Before he could even react, Maki had already pulled him down into a seat.

"Wait, wait, hold on!"

Snapping back to reality, Lance grabbed Maki's shoulder, his expression turning serious. After a brief moment of contemplation, he lowered his voice and whispered,

"There's something I've never told you… The truth is, my real identity is—"

"A Pokémon League Investigator?"

Before Lance could finish, Maki cut him off.

"Wait… I never told you that, did I?"

Lance blinked, momentarily thrown off. As far as he remembered, he had never mentioned this to Maki before. Was his memory failing him?

"Oh, I just guessed."

"You… guessed?"

"You're from the Dragon Clan, aren't you? And lately, you've been looking super busy. If there's anything in Saffron City that might interest you, it'd have to be the Gym. But given your personality, if you had gone there, we would've already heard reports of yet another challenger being flung out of the Gym and spinning three and a half times around the city."

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