Chapter 615 - Regis' Identity

Sailing at sea for a whole day.

Team Rocket's protective measures in this regard are still quite good.

Successfully arrived in Viridian City.

Aoki found that the atmosphere in Viridian City was somewhat tense.

Residents in the city were in a hurry and unwilling to stay too long on the streets or outside their homes.

It seemed that Team Rocket had gathered many powerful members in Viridian City.

That is to say, Aoki was from Team Rocket, and he had a good grasp of Viridian City, so the League didn't find anything unusual.

Aoki received the news and went to the Team Rocket base in Viridian City.

In a secret room, Aoki sat opposite Shadow.

After learning that Aoki had returned from Neverland, Shadow left a message for Aoki, telling him to meet after returning to Viridian City.

It happened that Aoki also had some questions and wanted to ask Shadow.

Although the strength and status of the two were still far apart, they were much better than before.

Aoki was no longer someone Shadow could kill at will, at least not without Sakaki's consent.

After all, Aoki had shown enough potential now, and he had also demonstrated sufficient loyalty to Sakaki. Sakaki had already mentioned Aoki favorably in many internal meetings.

As one of the important benchmarks within Team Rocket, a role model for civilian members.

Now Aoki could say he was a direct subordinate of Sakaki, and he could completely avoid the faction struggles within Team Rocket.

It could be considered that his hidden status had been greatly elevated.

"How is it? The harvest was okay this time?" Shadow asked Aoki with a half-smile while holding a book.

Aoki nodded, "It was acceptable, but that island was indeed dangerous. The opportunities were good though - are you interested in going to the island?"

"The island hasn't been developed and has been hidden for unknown years. The resources there must be massive. If you can return alive, your improvement afterwards would be rapid.

As for going to the island, I'm still considering it."

Shadow didn't have the pretentiousness from before, as he and Aoki had worked together long enough to be somewhat familiar.

"My lord, if you wish to go to the island, I can suggest some good locations where you could obtain considerable resources. The Pokemon in those areas are relatively strong - beyond my capabilities, but with your strength, it should be manageable." Aoki said.

Though Aoki could now be considered part of Sakaki's inner circle, he still had many enemies in Team Rocket and didn't intend to leave Shadow's faction.

"Oh?" Shadow's eyes brightened slightly.

If Aoki's suggestions were valid, it could save him significant time and yield greater resources.

But then Shadow waved his hand, "Don't worry about that yet. I heard you were the only one leaving the island that day. What do you have to say about that?"

Aoki's heart tightened slightly, but he remained calm outwardly.

"The departure rule specified I was the only one leaving that day, but others must have survived on the island - they likely chose not to leave then for special reasons."

"Correct. Right after you boarded the departure ship, the island sent a signal, and people gradually left afterwards. Seven survived in total."

"Seven?" Aoki was surprised. Besides himself, Drake, Steven, and Qingfeng, three others had hidden on the island.

He wondered if they were too weak and hid, or simply had no interest in the ruins at the island's center.

"Yes, seven! You seem too surprised. Is it because too many survived?" Shadow's expression turned curious.

"No, I was thinking too few survived." Aoki lied without blinking.

Shadow smiled and continued, "I heard young Regis and his companion were seriously injured, their strength greatly diminished. Many Pokemon died from untimely treatment, losing their potential. The elders in his family apparently gave him a pseudo-champion Nidoking as a trump card, but even that Pokemon died in the end.

When asked what happened, he refuses to speak - probably ashamed.

Do you know about this?"

Aoki remained expressionless. "I don't know. I'm not familiar with him."

He was blatantly lying.

Shadow probably suspected something, but no one addressed it directly to avoid complications.

Only a few like Shadow might suspect Aoki's involvement - most executives wouldn't believe Aoki could defeat a pseudo-champion Nidoking.

Moreover, Drake and Regis were clearly working together, making it unrealistic for Aoki to fight both.

Strictly speaking, Aoki had fought against three.

Shadow's smile widened, but he said nothing more.

"My lord, what is Regis' actual status? Team Rocket's records say he's Renda's direct subordinate, but it doesn't seem that simple." Aoki inquired about Drake's background.

"Oh? This isn't secret within Team Rocket. Regis is under Renda, but not a direct subordinate - more like affiliated.

His true identity is Team Rocket's...

To explain differently - do you know the former Team Rocket leader?

Boss Sakaki's mother was the former leader. Do you know who his father was?

Never heard?

Boss Sakaki's father was from a minor family - Regis is that family's current heir.

Though that family followed Team Rocket, they've now become a major Kanto family.

Thus he holds special status in Team Rocket. Even Boss Sakaki mostly ignores him, letting him survive on his own.

But knowing his status, wouldn't he take advantage?"

After Shadow's explanation, Aoki understood completely.

Sakaki's father was obscure - said to be a brilliant researcher who contributed greatly to Team Rocket's development, but died young from overwork.

His family climbed Team Rocket's coattails during their rise, becoming a powerful Kanto family.

Thus Regis, with his special status, was tolerated within Team Rocket.

Theoretically, Regis even had claim to Team Rocket's leadership, though with Sakaki in his prime, such matters were uncertain.

Aoki vaguely recalled that manga Sakaki had a son, but had never seen him in this world or his previous life.

He wondered if Sakaki hid his son, sent him away for training, or if the character was purely fictional.