To Silas, the young man from earlier was nothing more than an arrogant, spoiled brat. Such a minor incident didn't affect his mood in the slightest.
After changing into the standard black robe and mask used in the black market, Silas once again entered the black market of Mauville City.
Where there was light, there was always darkness.
In terms of prosperity alone, Mauville's black market was among the most bustling Silas had ever seen.
As one of the most economically developed cities in the Hoenn region, its influence extended far beyond the surface–even the gray and black markets thrived under its shadow.
The moment he entered, Silas subtly revealed the Team Rocket emblem beneath his robe.
Here, that symbol carried weight.
After all, the true force controlling the black market from behind the scenes was most likely Team Rocket itself. Otherwise, they wouldn't have established a base here.
With that identity, one could avoid many unnecessary troubles and even gain certain advantages.
.....
The market was lively and crowded.
Stalls stretched endlessly, filled with rare items.
Precious materials, rare held items, high-level Pokémon—everything was displayed openly.
Here, as long as you had enough money, you could buy almost anything.
A paradise for the rich.
But money alone wasn't enough.
You also needed the strength to walk out alive with what you bought.
Otherwise you wouldn't even leave bones behind.
This place followed the most primitive rule of all:
The strong devour the weak.
...
Silas first visited several shops and sold off the miscellaneous Pokémon he had captured earlier. It took quite some time, but once everything was done, his funds had risen to around 4 million Pokédollars.
Following information he had obtained through Team Rocket channels, he entered a dim alley and eventually stopped in front of an old wooden house.
He raised his hand and knocked on the door in a steady rhythm.
Creak…
The door opened.
An old man stood there—his face pockmarked and unpleasant to look at. His sharp eyes scanned Silas from head to toe.
Silas understood immediately.
He lifted a corner of his robe, revealing the "R" emblem.
Only then was he allowed inside.
....
The room was dim, lit only by a single candle.
The old man sat on a wooden chair and spoke in a flat tone.
"You know the rules?"
"Mm."
Silas's voice was low, his face hidden behind the mask.
The "rules" were simple—handling illegal funds or cracking savings cards, in exchange for a high commission.
Silas took out Kiera's savings card.
"There's 1 million Pokédollars in this. Crack it, clean it… and half is yours."
The old man's expression immediately changed.
Deals like this didn't come often.
"Wait here."
He took the card and disappeared into a side room.
.....
Silas sat quietly, arms crossed, waiting.
He wasn't worried.
No one in the black market dared to cross Team Rocket.
And this old man had been operating here for over a decade with a solid reputation. He had even been invited to join Team Rocket before but had refused.
After a long wait, the old man finally returned, looking satisfied.
He tossed a new anonymous card toward Silas then immediately ushered him out.
"Strange temper…" Silas muttered.
.....
At this point, his total funds had surpassed 5 million Pokédollars.
For a long time, he wouldn't need to worry about money.
'It's time to improve my Pokeblock cube crafting skills,' Silas thought. 'I can't stay stagnant forever.'
As the saying went—once you had money, you'd want to spend it.
And Silas was no exception.
Money sitting idle was useless.
It had to be invested in growth.
....
He entered a high-end store.
The difference was obvious—better decor, better goods.
After politely declining the receptionist's approach, Silas browsed on his own.
The shop sold a wide range of items, Pokeblock Cubes, rare materials, medicinal herbs, and even certain Pokémon-derived components.
Silas eventually stopped at a counter displaying Pokeblock cube machine parts.
His current machine was already decent, thanks to the Breeders Guild but better was always welcome.
He selected a component worth 300,000 Pokédollars.
Installing it would significantly increase production efficiency.
"Also give me a batch of black berries, ebony wood, dark flowers, and evil-type fruits," Silas said calmly. "High quality only. Don't try to pass off inferior goods."
Since the shop's quality was good, he decided to purchase everything at once instead of wasting time elsewhere.
The receptionist smiled politely, but asked carefully:
"Sir… are these materials for personal use, or a gift?"
Silas casually revealed the Team Rocket emblem again.
The message was clear.
Don't pry.
The receptionist's expression stiffened slightly.
After all, anyone who could build Pokeblock cubes ,even a beginner was extremely valuable.
A walking money-making machine.
A talent every faction wanted.
Silas glanced at him and spoke coldly:
"Tell whoever's behind you to stop thinking too much."
"Team Rocket isn't someone you can afford to provoke."
After spending nearly 600,000 Pokédollars, the freshly cleaned money from Kiera's card was gone just as quickly.
...
At present, Silas's remaining valuable Pokémon were:
Ursaring
Persian
Shiny Pichu
Emolga
These were worth far more than the others ,so he hadn't sold them.
In addition, he still had the Magnet item.
"No rush," Silas muttered.
"We're not short on money anyway."
He adjusted his robe slightly.
"Let's go take a look at the Team Rocket base first."
<><><><><><>
(End of chapter)