"Pass down the order: Team Galactic is to enter maximum alert status. All three Commanders are to pull back to HQ immediately. We cannot allow any intruders or Pure Heaven cultists to slip through our net."
Cyrus sat in his command chair, his expression unreadable. He was wary of the Pure Heaven Sect; after the fall of the Pope, he didn't want a "knife in the back" to end his mission before it even reached its peak.
"The Pope..." Cyrus paused, a rare moment of reflection crossing his face. "Once I command the Lords of Time and Space, I will erase the Pure Heaven Sect, Celestic Town, and the Garden family as a sacrifice to your spirit. I will finish your dream—I will rule the world."
The Strategy Meeting
In the Celestic Town briefing room, Cynthia, Dr. Carolina, and the various elders gathered around a holographic display.
"Latest reports confirm that the Pope was assassinated by High Priest Shaka during the ritual," Dr. Carolina began, her tone animated. "Currently, the three primary Priests—Sol, Luna, and Nova—are locked in a bloody civil war for the throne. The Temple is in total chaos, which gives us much-needed breathing room to recover."
"However," Cynthia interrupted, her expression grim as she slid a new dossier across the table. "I believe our greatest threat is no longer the Temple. While investigating Chairman Boldo's ties, I uncovered a terrifying secret."
"Cyrus, the leader of Team Galactic, is actually the former Sol Priest of the Great Temple. He founded Galactic under the Pope's secret directives to capture the Lake Guardians and control Dialga and Palkia. He has been a devout loyalist to the Pope's ideology for decades."
"If he secures the Lords of Time and Space, Celestic Town will be the first target on his list for 'purification.' And given that they possess the Galactic Bomb—a weapon capable of vaporizing Lake Verity—we cannot afford to wait."
The room fell silent as the weight of her words sank in. "The Three Guardians are the keys. Their core gems provide the material for the Red Chain. In ancient Hisui, there were records of humans attempting to bind the deities with such a device. If Dialga and Palkia are enslaved, the entire fabric of Sinnoh will unravel."
"Cyrus likely has the summoning rites," Carolina added, rubbing her temples. "We are short-staffed, even with the Garden family's help. Many of our allies from other regions have returned home."
She turned to Mishiko, who sat quietly at the head of the table. "Elder Mishiko, I must ask for your strength in this. We must stop them at the Spear Pillar."
Mishiko nodded solemnly. "The safety of Sinnoh is paramount. I will go."
The Kingpin's Command
Meanwhile, Feng Che was in a secure communication channel with Giovanni.
"Boss, I am currently in Sinnoh. The local underground leader, Cyrus, is moving toward the Spear Pillar. I believe this is the perfect opportunity for Team Rocket to expand our influence here."
Feng Che summarized the chaos: the Temple's civil war, the League's leadership transition, and the weakened status of the local clans.
"Feng Che, our resources are currently stretched thin with the Rainbow Rocket expansion," Giovanni replied, his eyes bloodshot from lack of sleep. Matori, his secretary, stood behind him with a tray of black coffee. "Contact Saiki; she is our operative in Sinnoh. See what units she has available."
"That brings me to my next point, Boss. My investigation has confirmed that Saiki is a double agent. She is a high-ranking Commander of Team Galactic and has been funneling Rocket data to Cyrus for years."
Feng Che presented the encrypted logs he had 'found' through the Garden family's intelligence network. Giovanni's face turned a dangerous shade of crimson as he reviewed the evidence.
"I see. Feng Che, I am appointing you as the General Manager of Sinnoh Operations. You have full authority to recruit and build your own team. As for Saiki... I will deal with that traitor personally once my current matters in Johto and Kanto are settled."
Matori stepped forward, handing Giovanni another communicator. "Apologies, Boss, an urgent priority-one call from the Johto branch."
"Feng Che, I have to go. Keep an eye on the Unova region as well; things are heating up there. Good luck." The screen went black.
Giovanni is spread thin, Feng Che thought with a smirk. Perfect. This gives me the autonomy to grow the Garden family and my own branch of Rocket without oversight. He's too focused on the Deoxys project in Hoenn and the Johto takeover to notice I'm building my own empire.
He had leaked the information about Cyrus's past as a Priest to Cynthia's team earlier. He knew Cynthia's moral compass wouldn't allow her to ignore a man who used "Galactic Bombs."
While the Champion and Team Galactic tear each other apart at the Spear Pillar, the Garden family and Hunter J will swallow the region's market whole.
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