"Damian, how about you become the Unova Champion?"
Alder thought for a long time, and suddenly such a sentence popped up.
Hearing this, Damian froze, including Caitlin behind him and Leon and the others.
Wallace widened his eyes, staring at Alder in shock.
Do you know what you're saying—asking Team Rocket's Damian to be the Unova Champion??
"Champion Alder, are you serious?" Damian, coming back to herself, half-smiles at Alder.
"Of course, I'm serious." Alder answered without hesitation.
He had indeed given it deep thought. Fighting with Team Rocket? That's a path he could pass.
The Unova League is not strong enough to handle it, after all Damian is too powerful, and the Team Rocket he leads is elite.
Moreover, it was never realistically possible to go head-to-head with Damian; Alder's original aim was simply to drive Damian and Team Rocket out of Unova.
Otherwise, if Damian truly got pressed, Damian has a "do-or-die" card.
Unless there's a way to suppress the Primordial Sea, forcing Damian into a corner could trigger him to "flip the board."
And right now the Unova League's situation is that there's no capability to drive Team Rocket out.
But Alder pauses and asks himself, why must he drive Damian away?
"If you're willing, I can hand over the Unova Champion title to you at any time." Alder speaks earnestly.
In Unova official promotions of Team Rocket's enterprises… to be honest, this is a difficult matter.
Endorsing Team Rocket's enterprises is something that's almost an obligation, and there are excuses to tell Kanto that they're truly out of options.
But promoting Team Rocket's enterprises is a different matter in nature.
Even Kanto wouldn't know how to explain it.
But if Damian joined the Unova League, then everything would be easier.
After all, Damian is Unova League Champion, and Unova Team Rocket would be Damian's force; promoting it would change the story, wouldn't it?
As for making the Unova Champion title available to an original evil-team admin—wouldn't that draw criticism…
Alder felt he had a say too; how could he give the Unova Champion to an evil-team admin? It's obviously the Unova League courting and luring an evil-team admin!
As long as he's the Unova Champion, he's benevolent!
And with Damian aboard, wouldn't Unova ascend on the spot?
After all, Damian is not only the incredible Invincible Under the Heavens in combat power, but also "bringing capital into the team"!
Caitlin, N, Zinnia, Colress—wouldn't they be the perfect Unova Elite Four?
"Ha— Champion Alder, you're really funny." Damian can't help but laugh.
"Indeed, it's a very tempting suggestion, but I'm sorry, my goals aren't to become an Unova Champion."
Damian rejects without the slightest hesitation, what kind of joke is it to tempt him with a Champion title? As if he's begging?
If he wanted to be Champion, he'd go back to Kanto and challenge Lance, right?
It really didn't work.
Although Alder guessed the chances were low, Damian's reply still left him a touch disappointed.
And for this, Steven and the others aren't surprised; if the Champion title could recruit Damian, even Alder, Steven, Cynthia, and Leon would be very willing to yield their Champion title.
After all, this would allow Damian to "land" and would yield a qualitative leap in their own region's strength!
"...Fifty billion we can offer you, but promoting your enterprises is something I need to take back to the chairman." Alder paused a moment, then replied to Damian.
"Damian, you should know this is a matter of great importance; I can't make the call alone."
"Of course, I can give you time, but I hope Champion Alder will discuss this well with your chairman."
Damian tilted his head slightly, a smile carrying a hint of danger.
"After all, I have a temper too; the Kyurem matter has made me very unhappy."
Alder tightened his heart.
This is a threat, right? This is a blatant threat!
"Our Team Rocket still hopes to get along with your Unova League; personally, I just want to do business and make money."
Before Alder could speak, Damian's smile returned to normal, and he waved at Alder and the others.
"Then we'll take our leave for now. See you next time."
Watching Damian turn away with Caitlin and the others, Alder rubbed his temples in exhaustion; his mood is heavy.
"Damian, this guy, his strength and ambition are growing stronger and stronger." Wallace frowned, his most direct feeling.
Back in Hoenn, Damian was clearly more restrained.
Now, Damian even directly demands Unova official promotions of his Team Rocket enterprises, a clear sign.
In other words, Damian's attitude toward the League has grown more and more arrogant.
"His power is growing; this guy's ability and talent are unprecedented." Steven sighed.
The key is that Damian isn't just incredibly powerful individually; his Team Rocket is also terrifying.
So many Champion-tier Trainers—what league in the world has this many?
"Yeah, but what is his goal, exactly?" Leon turned away silently.
"That's my problem." Giovanni's expression dimmed.
"Not entirely your problem, Gym Leader Giovanni; you don't want this." Wallace consoled.
"Let's leave this place first. Who knows how long it will take for things to return to normal here."
Alder scanned around, helpless.
This League old site has been completely transformed.
Alder and the group head to Lacunosa Town, the nearest big town, but as they approach, Alder is stunned.
Lacunosa Town's locations are mostly flooded, a flood!
Without a doubt, this is the effect of Primordial Sea.
But not only floodwaters; the town is also covered in a silver frost—ice and snow!
"Is this because of Primal Kyogre and Kyurem?" Alder takes a deep breath.
"It must be, but this is the result of Primal Kyogre reining in its power; I didn't expect Kyurem's power to affect here as well." Steven said.
If Primal Kyogre unleashed Primordial Sea without restraint, Unova would relive Hoenn's catastrophe.
But unexpectedly, Kyurem's power has affected Lacunosa Town as well.
The battlefield at the League old site has become a frozen plain, and the weather has snowed under Kyurem's influence.
Yet Kyurem doesn't have a celestial ability like Primal Kyogre, so the ice and snow here are purely Kyurem's power.
Thus, just how strong Kyurem is, is terrifying.
"Good thing Primal Groudon was caught by Gym Leader Giovanni; Desolate Land didn't expand." Wallace exclaimed.
Along the way to Lacunosa Town, they also saw streams and small forests dried by Desolate Land.
"Honestly, Steven, your Hoenn's ancient environment surviving the Groudon-Kyogre war is miraculous."
Alder joked coldly.
In Hoenn's ancient times, Rayquaza would descend only when Hoenn was in despair to stop it.
So Hoenn's ancient environment should have been ravaged.
Yet that's how Hoenn people learned despair.
Steven forced a smile; truthfully, although Kyurem's power in Unova is strong, Groudon and Kyogre are far more dangerous.
After all, Kyurem's personality is brutal, basically a loner dragon; even if it's released, it only causes trouble for Zekrom and Reshiram.
Not like Groudon and Kyogre, which on waking can unleash a catastrophe.
Thanks to Rayquaza balancing them, Hoenn hasn't become history.
"Let's head back to Vertress City; I need to discuss with the chairman; anyway, thank you, Steven, for your help." Alder shifted topics, sincerely grateful to Steven and the others.
"Senior, please; we're all part of the League; helping each other is natural." Steven shook his head.
"Moreover, we didn't really help in any substantive way."
"No, if not for your assist, I don't know what to do." Alder knew, though the result shows they didn't accomplish much.
Even Team Plasma was defeated by Team Rocket.
But Alder knows Steven, Leon, and the others helped Unova a lot.
If not for Leon's reinforcements, Alder's mindset would have collapsed under this huge pressure.
Neither Team Plasma nor Team Rocket are things Unova can deal with alone.
"If you're not in a rush to return, why not stay a couple of extra days in Unova to relax? Consider it a visit." Alder suggested.
At the same time, Alder also contacted Officer Jenny to ask about Lacunosa Town's flood relief work.
There's still a lot to do.
...
Meanwhile, elsewhere, Damian and the others have returned to the Castle.
"Damian, did you catch Kyurem?" Zinnia asked curiously.
"Not yet. It's not that easy," Damian muttered, sounding a bit sour.
He really wanted to, but Kyurem wouldn't cooperate.
"Hey? What a pity." Zinnia sighed; she loves dragons.
Even if she didn't Catch it herself, if Damian Catched it, she'd be happy.
"Damian, thank you for saving Zekrom; really, thank you." N said solemnly, expressing his gratitude to Damian.
Zekrom is back, and the world around him shines again.
"No need for thanks, this is our agreement."
"No matter what, I am grateful," N shook his head seriously.
"From now on, whenever you give me a command, as long as it doesn't touch my bottom line, I'll do my best to fulfill it."
N pressed his lips together, assuring Damian.
He knows he'll likely be sold to Team Rocket for life, but he doesn't regret it. Still, he has his bottom line.
Harm to Pokémon? Never.
"Once you join the organization, everyone becomes teammates. Don't worry, N, none of the things you worry about will happen here."
Damian smiled, understanding N's meaning.
"What you should do next is get stronger, as a top-tier Admin in the organization; you can't just rely on Zekrom to hold the fort, you must raise your own strength."
Damian told N.
N is indeed a highly talented Trainer, and in the game, because he dislikes using Poké Balls and treats Pokémon as friends, most of his battles involve nearby Wild Pokémon.
Because of his unique nature, he can sense Pokémon's emotions and is naturally close to Pokémon; he's basically a "Pokémon enchantress" in N's words. Even Wild Pokémon are willing to battle for him.
That's why in the game, N's main roster changes with the seasons all year round.
Strictly speaking, N doesn't have his own formal main roster besides Zekrom.
But the Zoroark he uses now is a close friend and can be considered part of his main roster.
Yet N hasn't done much special training with them, so his Trainer potential hasn't been fully explored.
"I understand," N nodded quietly.
"And as a top-tier Admin, you can have one Pokémon under the organization, of course Legendary Pokémon cannot be chosen."
"But Ultra Beasts and Pseudo-legendaries are fine; pick one to train, it could become your core main roster."
Damian spoke again to N.
"… Okay." N pondered for a moment and didn't reject.
Today's battle didn't feature Zekrom; losing to Cynthia was a fact, and N planned to improve anyway.
After all, not every region's Champion is like Alder.
This world is vast.
"Later, download an organization app; Concordia and the others will teach you how to operate it; they know how to use it."
Damian looked at his phone, thinking as he spoke to N.
An organization app?
N froze; Team Rocket has its own app?
When it's downloaded and you land using your identity info, N is astonished even more.
Because the app is incredibly well-made, it even has a forum!
Most surprising is that the forum is quite active; N even spotted two familiar names in the hottest thread—
Rosa and Hilda!
Wait, are they both Team Rocket members too?!
N is shocked; he actually met Rosa and Hilda a few months ago.
For these two Pokémon-loving rookie Trainers, N knows they're pure-hearted girls.
Could they really be part of the League of Team Rocket?
N's thoughts are tangled.
Meanwhile, Damian doesn't know what N is thinking; he's contacting Carr right now.
"Carr."
"Yes, Lord Damian, what are your orders?" Carr speaks respectfully.
"I have a mission for you: secretly take the Radio Tower."
"Yes, leave it to my subordinates. Lord Damian, what do you want with the Radio Tower?"
Carr frowns; the Radio Tower is Johto Region's second or so, a broadcasting tower.
But it's just a tower, for broadcasting.
"I want to proclaim it to the world! I shall ascend to the throne!"
"Huh?"
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