Contacting Matsuda

Now that Team Rocket's branch was on the horizon, the core members of Team Sky—Aoki and the others—remained its backbone, with no formal hierarchy yet in place. However, once Aoki successfully applied for Team Rocket's branch, a structured system would be implemented according to their regulations.

At that point, these current regular members would at least hold mid-tier ranks within the branch. Striker understood this well, which is why he would ensure that the transition went smoothly.

Although he had once been the third-in-command of the Black Snake Gang, the difference between that gang and the current Team Sky was immeasurable.

Whether in terms of strength, management, or resource allocation, the gap was undeniable.

Striker was no fool—he had vision. If he lacked foresight, the Black Snake Gang wouldn't have entrusted him with critical responsibilities.

He could tell that Aoki was dead set on taking over Verdanturf Town, and something about Aoki and his people felt... different. It was as if Verdanturf Town was only the first step in something much bigger.

When the time came, an "official member" of Team Sky would carry far more weight than it did now.

"Yes!" Alec responded, then sat down.

Laying the Foundations

The main purpose of this meeting was to discuss the establishment of the hunting group and how the organization would operate in the coming months.

One thing was clear—the framework was gradually taking shape. The next steps couldn't be rushed; it would take time to flesh it out properly.

"I'll make some arrangements in the backyard," Aoki instructed. "Don't let anyone get too close. It's best to build a wall between the backyard and the front house—some things still need to be handled cautiously."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

From now on, the backyard would be considered Aoki's private space.

Even without this order, none of them would dare to wander in carelessly. However, there was always a risk—whether from an unintentional intruder or someone with ulterior motives.

It wasn't about hiding anything—Aoki's Pokémon were strong enough to handle any threats—but he needed a secure, undisturbed place.

A private area where he could store and train Pokémon.

Up until now, Aoki had kept all of his captured Pokémon with him at all times. While this helped strengthen their bond, it was not always practical.

A trainer needed a dedicated space to house and nurture Pokémon. As his collection grew, it would be impossible to keep twenty or thirty Pokémon out in the wild for meals at the same time—it would take until nightfall just to finish feeding them.

Ideally, Aoki would prefer the isolated island he had discovered in the ocean. The environment there was perfectly suited for his needs, but it wasn't feasible just yet.

For now, Verdanturf Town would be his base of operations. He would establish a Gym, securing the area both aboveground and underground.

Perhaps, one day, Aoki would be the one to decide the true nature of Verdanturf Town.

If this were ancient times, he might have been regarded as the ruler of a region.

After the meeting, Aoki left immediately.

He had too many things to handle, so once the foundation was in place, he would leave most of the operations to his subordinates. His primary focus would remain on increasing his own strength.

The next time he intervened directly, it would either be for:

The establishment of the underground black market in Verdanturf Town.

The creation of the Verdanturf Gym.

Everyone understood this.

Aoki's priority had always been Pokémon training. Unless absolutely necessary, no one would disturb him.

The world only respects strength.

Influence and authority were secondary—they could only serve as tools to enhance one's power.

Take Team Rocket, for example. Without Giovanni, who could stand against a Champion or even defeat one, the organization wouldn't have expanded as smoothly as it did.

Even if Giovanni was alone, wherever he went, would anyone dare to underestimate him?

If not for the League's surveillance in Kanto, Giovanni might have already led Team Rocket to Hoenn, and in less than three months, the region would be under their control.

But the League wouldn't allow Team Rocket to expand further.

They would rather keep Hoenn divided and unstable than watch Team Rocket gain another foothold.

That was why Team Rocket's expansions in other regions had been met with constant resistance—because the League feared a true rival.

Even though Hoenn's underground forces were numerous, they weren't unified. If Team Rocket launched a full-scale invasion, they could crush them, though at a considerable cost.

But the League would never let it happen.

They had already struggled to contain Team Rocket's current strength—if the organization expanded into even one more region, the balance of power in the Pokémon world might shift permanently.

Back in his room, Aoki sat down in front of his personal video phone.

For the first time, he took the initiative to call his teacher, Liu Shenggang.

After thirty seconds, just as Aoki was about to hang up, the call finally connected.

On the screen, he saw Matsuda—his mentor—looking completely disheveled.

His white lab coat was stained and slightly yellowed, his hair and beard were messy, his eyes were bloodshot, and he looked utterly exhausted.

When Matsuda realized it was Aoki calling, he looked genuinely surprised.

"Boy, I'm in the middle of some experiments," he said. "If you've got something to say, make it quick. I need to get back to work."

Despite being as strong as an Elite, Matsuda's true passion lay in Pokémon breeding and research.

As long as he had enough funding, he would spend almost all of his time in the lab, working on new and improved Pokéblock formulas.

Of course, not every Pokéblock he created was a success.

But he loved the process nonetheless.

It could even be said that his own Pokémon had reached Elite-level strength largely due to his relentless investment in breeding techniques.

If a Pokémon's aptitude was strong enough, a top-tier breeder could train it to quasi-Elite level purely through superior nutrition and resources.

However, the cost of raising a single quasi-Elite Pokémon through this method could have funded the training of three or four Pokémon through traditional means.

And even then, these Pokémon lacked true combat experience—their strength was superficial at best.

Breaking through to true Elite level, however, required more than just resources.

A trainer's role was just as critical.

Seeing his mentor's worn-out state, Aoki frowned.

"Teacher," he said seriously, "I know your research is important, but you should take better care of yourself. If a top-tier breeder ends up collapsing from exhaustion, won't that be a joke?"

Matsuda's current condition was clearly due to his obsessive work ethic—he hadn't slept properly in a long time.