Silas followed closely behind the young man as they continued deeper into the base.
Along the way they passed through multiple checkpoints, each requiring identity verification and questioning.
Eventually they stopped in front of a heavily fortified door leading to the innermost layer – the fourth level.
The door was clearly mechanical.
The young man entered a password, pressed his fingerprint onto the scanner, and allowed the system to scan his face.
Password. Fingerprint. Facial recognition.
Only after the three layers of authentication were completed did the door slowly begin to open.
The level of secrecy and caution was obvious.
The young man spoke respectfully to the communication screen beside the door.
"Sir, the person has been brought."
After waiting a few seconds, the door finally opened with a low mechanical creak.
Silas quietly observed everything from the side.
He hadn't expected that even after three levels of verification, the person inside still had to approve the door manually.
At the same time, Silas began forming a guess about the identity of the "sir" the young man had mentioned.
....
The Fourth Level
After entering the mysterious fourth floor, the young man led Silas into an office.
The office was extremely simple.
The first thing that caught Silas' eye was the large "R" emblem of Team Rocket on the wall.
Next to it was a projected map of Mauville City displayed on a screen.
Behind the desk sat a man in a white suit.
He had short blue hair and a refined appearance. He looked elegant and composed.
Silas scanned the room casually.
Then his gaze suddenly froze.
In the corner stood three familiar figures.
They were the same people who had previously formed a temporary alliance with him:
the twin brothers
the alluring woman known as Rose
The young man from Team Rocket immediately knelt on one knee.
"Sir, everyone has arrived."
The elegant man glanced at them indifferently.
Then he waved his hand, dismissing the young man.
Soon only four squad leaders from Kanto remained in the room.
.....
The Pressure of a Strong Trainer
The atmosphere became heavy.
Silas lowered his head slightly and remained silent.
Facing such a mysterious figure, he didn't dare act carelessly.
After a long moment ,A soft chuckle sounded.
"Ha…"
The elegant man slowly walked across the room.
An invisible pressure spread through the space.
Silas' mind reacted instantly.
Strong.
He had only felt a similar aura from one person before Norman, the Petalburg Gym Leader.
It was the aura unique to true powerhouses.
Trainers who stood near the top of the pyramid gradually developed a certain presence over time.
An intangible pressure that slowly became tangible. People called it aura.
The elegant man wiped a Luxury Ball in his hand with a handkerchief and spoke calmly.
"You four don't need to be nervous."
"You managed to stand out among the organization's many squad leaders."
"You can already be considered the elites."
Then he tightened his tie.
"You may have heard my name."
"I am Archer."
...
Archer
The four of them were instantly shaken.
Archer was a famous figure within Team Rocket.
Not only had he recently been promoted to Executive, but he was also a newly advanced Elite Four–level powerhouse.
More importantly ,He was a trusted subordinate personally cultivated by Giovanni.
The four immediately knelt on one knee.
"Your subordinate Black Sky–"
"Rose–"
"Shinichi–"
"Shinji–"
"Greetings, sir!"
Silas followed their example perfectly.
His expression revealed nothing.
He looked like a loyal subordinate through and through.
Archer walked over and sat down on a nearby sofa.
The pressure surrounding them suddenly disappeared.
The four subconsciously exchanged glances.
Each of them felt lingering fear.
Archer nodded slightly.
"Not bad."
"You are promising talents."
After all, it was impressive that people of their relatively low strength could still remain composed in front of him.
At the very least ,Their temperament and courage were acceptable.
Archer had only recently arrived in the Hoenn region.
He didn't yet have his own trusted subordinates.
These four could potentially be cultivated.
.....
Team Rocket's Expansion
"The organization intends to expand its influence in the Hoenn region."
Archer spoke meaningfully.
"You four are from Kanto, just like me."
"So perform well."
Silas and the others immediately understood what he meant.
Archer was clearly recruiting loyal followers.
Since the four of them were from the same region, they had a slight advantage.
They had already entered Archer's candidate list.
Silas took a deep breath.
He knew this situation left him no real choice.
So he spoke decisively.
"It is my honor to serve you, sir."
"I, Black Sky, am willing to die for you!"
The other three were momentarily stunned.
Silas had pledged loyalty before they could react.
Inside, They cursed quietly. The original "Black Sky" had always acted cold and silent.
Who would have guessed he was actually such a flatterer?
Ignoring the subtle disdain in their eyes, Silas remained calm.
A true man knows when to bend and when to stand.
Soon the other three hurried to express their loyalty as well.
Their words carried the same meaning:
They were willing to serve Lord Archer.
...
Archer's Gift
Archer opened a drawer and took out four black medals.
He placed them on the table.
"You do not need to obey any base commanders."
"From now on, you will communicate directly with me through these medals."
Silas lowered his head but glanced sideways.
The medal had a black base with white accents.
Its design was surprisingly elegant.
Archer waved his hand dismissively.
"You may leave."
He had no intention of continuing the conversation.
This disappointed Rose, who had clearly hoped to deepen her relationship with him.
....
After Leaving
Once outside the room, the four looked at each other.
At the same time They all exhaled deeply. They wiped nonexistent sweat from their foreheads.
Silas also breathed a sigh of relief.
Being in the presence of someone so powerful created pressure that ordinary people couldn't understand.
In the past, whenever Silas read novels describing a strong person's aura, he had scoffed.
After all, he had previously met two Elite-level trainers:
Norman
Sidney
Yet he hadn't felt anything special.
Now he realized his mistake.
The aura cultivated by true powerhouses over many years could indeed form an invisible pressure.
Inside that office earlier ,Silas had felt an overwhelming sense of helplessness. It was like a knife pressed against his throat.
Painful.
Suffocating.
It was the first time he had ever experienced such pressure.
This…is the tragedy of the weak.
Silas sighed silently.
His desire to grow stronger had always existed. But this experience made his determination even firmer.
As a transmigrator, he always carried a certain pride within him.
On the surface he appeared gentle and refined.But deep down He possessed a quiet sense of superiority.
He believed that with the memories of his previous life, he held a massive advantage.
Except when facing exceptional figures like Steven Stone. But now This humiliating experience became fuel for his determination.
Silas walked through the dim corridor.
His eyes had never been more resolute.
<><><><><><>
At every 50 power stone= 1 bonus chapter
(End of chapter)