The atmosphere of silence carried no sense of disagreement between the two.
"I'm not surprised that Viper knows what's happening so quickly. This is his domain. Everyone is under his control. It would be surprising if he didn't know this," the mysterious man mused.
After a brief pause, a deep hum emanated from the mysterious man.
Viper laughed upon hearing the response. With the scar on his face, his laugh was enough to make a child stop crying.
The two were relatively familiar with each other. Viper, a high-ranking member of Team Rocket, had some understanding of the mysterious man and the shadow group. Since the mysterious man had taken notice of Aoki, it was clear there was something unique about the boy. However, since the mysterious man didn't elaborate, Viper didn't pry.
As if sensing Viper's thoughts, the mysterious man hesitated before saying, "I felt a darkness and a little familiarity from that boy." After a pause, his tone turned solemn, "He reminds me of him!" Chapters first released on novel(ꜰ)ire.net
Viper, who had been leisurely polishing a luxury ball, suddenly froze upon hearing the last word from the mysterious man. Both men remained still, as if someone had pressed the pause button.
After a moment, Viper's hands trembled slightly before he resumed his polishing. His shaken demeanor betrayed the impact of the mysterious man's words.
Understanding the gravity of the statement, the mysterious man ceased speaking.
"Truly unexpected," Viper finally murmured after a long pause.
Indeed, it was unexpected. The person referenced wasn't just anyone—it was the leader of the shadow group, directly under Giovanni. The most enigmatic and powerful figure in Team Rocket, second only to Giovanni, outranked even the three cadres, four generals, and the three beasts.
Outsiders only knew of Team Rocket's visible structure—the powerful cadres, invincible generals, and the wild beasts—but few were aware of the shadow group, which was far more terrifying and mysterious.
Viper, seemingly unwilling to dwell on the subject, coughed lightly to mask his unease. "It's said you obtained a high-quality Pokémon egg from him?"
Even the deputy leader of the shadow group didn't want to delve too deeply into his top boss's affairs. The mysterious man nodded slightly and, from his wide robe, produced an egg—the green-qualified Weedle egg Aoki had exchanged for points.
"Weedle?" Viper immediately recognized the egg's species.
Placing his two-fingered hand on the egg, he felt its warmth. "Yes, Weedle. Its final evolution into Beedrill suits my transitional needs," the mysterious man admitted. Having escaped from a confrontation with the elite league members, he had lost three main Pokémon, and the rest were severely injured. Recovery would take time, and he couldn't afford to be idle.
"Beedrill has a rapid growth cycle and can quickly become combat-ready. With some training, it could reach pseudo-Elite strength. Although its lifespan is short, it's sufficient for my purposes," the mysterious man continued, aware of Beedrill's weaknesses but intending to use it as a temporary asset.
"Your Pokémon will be out of commission for a while?" Viper asked, surprised. Although he knew the mysterious man's Pokémon were gravely injured, he hadn't expected the need to train a transitional Pokémon.
The mysterious man sighed. "Indeed. My Pokémon are poisoned. I have no idea when they'll recover. This egg was a fortuitous find when I woke up."
Understanding the situation, Viper said no more and continued polishing the luxury ball.
Silence descended once again.
In the blink of an eye, night passed.
Neither Aoki nor Murkrow had stopped training, moving from the wide forest to the small dormitory.
Aoki personally equipped Murkrow with the weight-bearing device. When not activated, it was as light as clothing. Designed like a small backpack, it could adjust to fit snugly, ensuring it wouldn't fall off during use.
Once the device was activated, Murkrow felt the added weight, making flight more challenging. However, compared to the previous wooden weights, which placed all the strain on its wings, the new device distributed the weight evenly across its body, offering more comfortable and comprehensive training.
Adjusting quickly, Murkrow embraced the new device, its compact form hidden beneath its feathers, making it nearly undetectable.
Aoki set the weight to 10 kilograms, Murkrow's usual training load. "We'll start with this. Increasing the weight too quickly isn't good. Once you're used to it, we'll increase it gradually," Aoki advised, pleased with Murkrow's adaptability. "From today, unless necessary, you'll always wear this. Get used to it slowly."
"Caw! Caw!" Murkrow cried excitedly, feeling stronger with the added challenge.
After a simple morning workout, Aoki prepared Pokeblocks for Murkrow and ate some rations for breakfast.
When they stepped outside, the sun had already risen, and people were heading toward the central square.
It was the seventh day—the time for the second test. Nearly everyone had returned, gathering in the square.
Team Rocket staff appeared, and soldiers maintained order.
Of the original 150 participants, only about 120 remained. The rest were either lost in the wild or would never return.
The survivors' faces had changed. The innocence was gone, replaced by cold, indifferent expressions, tinged with a hint of madness. The trials had stripped away kindness, beauty, and innocence, leaving behind hardened individuals.
The square was divided into four areas. Aoki stood in the largest group, where most participants were solitary, though a few paired up warily. This group made up nearly half of the trial participants.
The second-largest group was in the southern part, led by Guga, whom Aoki recognized. Guga's eyes met Aoki's, and he smirked before turning away.
Aoki didn't give Guga much thought.
The third-largest group was in the west, led by a woman with a notably large Zubat. Aoki remembered her because of her unique Zubat.
The smallest group was in the eastern corner, consisting of nine people. The leader was a smiling young man whose cold eyes betrayed his sinister nature.
As time passed, the square grew quiet. Viper and his team arrived on the high platform. Unlike before, there were two chairs. Viper sat on one, and the mysterious man, cloaked in black, took the other.
Aoki's eyes narrowed at the sight of the mysterious man, the one who had given him the shadow team reserve medal.
"I didn't expect him to be here," Aoki thought.
Sensing Aoki's gaze, the mysterious man turned towards him, though his face was hidden. Aoki could feel the man's eyes on him.
After a few seconds, the mysterious man's gaze shifted away, and Aoki exhaled in relief.
Facing such a powerful figure, Aoki felt the weight of the encounter, knowing he still had much to grow before he could stand on equal footing.