Giovanni looked back at the Indigo League headquarters, so close yet so far, and gritted his teeth in frustration. He knew that even without the fused Legendary Birds, Team Rocket still had the strength to fight. However, a head-on collision would result in a pyrrhic victory at best—a price he wasn't willing to pay. Thus, he made the executive decision to retreat.
"Team Rocket is pulling back. Should we pursue them and finish this?" Lorelei asked, her eyes fixed on the orderly Rocket withdrawal.
"No," Lance replied sharply. "Even if we commit everything, our forces would suffer heavy casualties. It's not worth the cost. We'll let them go for now. As long as Team Rocket remains a threat, Goodshow won't dare move against us. Didn't you see? They are consciously preserving their strength; eighty percent of their members are still battle-ready. Since we can't wipe them out here, we won't force a meat grinder. Let's consider it a favor to Giovanni."
"Pass the word: no one is to obstruct the Rocket retreat. Not even on the President's direct orders," Lance commanded his subordinates.
"Aren't you going back to lead the League?" Lorelei asked. "Though your mind is made up, leading the restoration now would earn you massive prestige."
"There's no need. As long as Goodshow is there, there's no place for me. Once this battle is over, I'm heading to Johto. I've already applied for a transfer to become the Johto Champion. I'll leave my Dragon Legion in your care; members of the Blackthorn Clan will come to collect them later." After saying this, Lance departed on the back of his Aerodactyl.
Indigo League Headquarters
"Dammit! We had them cornered, and Lance forbids the pursuit!" Goodshow's lungs felt like they were bursting with rage. "If they won't attack, we will! All remaining League staff, mobilize immediately! We take down Rocket ourselves!"
But not a single investigator moved. Even Hagen and Blaze stood motionless.
"What is this? A rebellion?! Why are you ignoring my orders!" Goodshow roared.
The Rocket invasion had sent Goodshow's reputation spiraling into the abyss. "President, who knows if Rocket has a hidden trump card?" Blaze suggested. "If we push them into a corner, they'll take us down with them. It's better to let them fade for now."
"Without the Elite Four's vanguard, attacking now is suicide," Hagen added, agreeing with Blaze.
Fine. I'll deal with you two once Lance returns, Goodshow thought, his petty nature surfacing. He suppressed his anger, planning to give these two Elites "small shoes" to wear as soon as the situation stabilized. I'll dump this whole mess on Lance's shoulders. When he finds the massive deficit, I'll claim ignorance, and he'll be forced to take the fall.
But Goodshow waited in vain. Instead of Lance, he received a transfer order from the Global League: Lance was officially the new Champion of Johto.
Goodshow was stunned. "High Priest Shamon... so this was your scheme all along!" he hissed. "Since you want to play dirty, don't blame me for being ruthless."
The Rocket attack had made Goodshow realize that without a Tier-1 Legendary, he was a sitting duck. He decided to act preemptively to secure his power. He planned to set a trap in the Sevii Islands to capture the Legendary Pokémon under Shamon's protection.
"Johto is held up by Shamon. If I remove him, Lance loses his backing. Then I can secretly control Johto and forcibly merge the two regions into 'Kanto-Johto.' A monumental achievement," Goodshow plotted, his eyes glinting with a sinister light.
The Road Back
"Dammit, we were so close. If Oak hadn't interfered, I would have razed that building," Giovanni fumed on the flight back.
"Boss Giovanni, look at the bright side," Feng Che interjected. "Our core strength is intact, and we've tested the League's true limits. As the saying goes, 'the bird that sticks its head out gets shot.' If we had actually occupied the Plateau, every regional League would have declared war on us. This way, Goodshow is broken, and they can't touch us for a long while. We've effectively snapped the League's spine."
"Why not move our operations from the surface back to the shadows? Let them search for ghosts while we expand our influence in secret," Feng Che suggested.
"Haha! Your analysis is spot on, Feng Che," Giovanni laughed, his mood improving. "We didn't lose; we made a tactical exit. We can strike again whenever we please. However, Goodshow has recognized me now. I can no longer hold the position of Viridian Gym Leader."
"Feng Che, you've reached the Gym Leader tier now," Giovanni noted. "Why don't you apply for the Viridian Gym position? Our headquarters is in Viridian; I don't want a nosy stranger sitting in that seat."
"A League Gym Leader?" Feng Che thought about it and nodded. "That works. I need a legitimate identity, and being the Viridian Gym Leader is perfect cover."
"For your service in this campaign, I'm promoting you to Executive," Giovanni said with a nod of approval. "Once you secure the Gym, you'll be a Senior Executive. We'll be a team of four then."
The Aftermath
The news of the Rocket attack eventually cooled, but the Elite Four emerged as the true heroes in the public eye. Strangely, Lance didn't become the Kanto Champion but left for Johto instead. Soon, rumors of the confrontation between Lance and Goodshow began to leak.
"That Goodshow is a piece of work." "He hasn't done a single good thing since he took office. Look at the state of Kanto!" "I heard there's a place called Indigo Prison under the Plateau where he makes people mine until they die. Their souls feed the Basculegion."
Goodshow's approval rating plummeted. Meanwhile, the Great Families that supported him had been decimated by Lance's "Rockets," leaving the President isolated.
"Did you hear? Goodshow is 'ill.' Agatha is temporarily taking over Kanto operations," the people whispered. "And she's already stripped Giovanni of his title as Viridian Gym Leader. The League is calling for powerful trainers to apply for the vacancy."
Team Rocket Base
Feng Che was currently being "tutored" by Sabrina for the Gym Leader exams. He sat with a faint smile, casually looking through a mountain of books while Sabrina stood before him in a teacher's outfit.
Sabrina wore gold-rimmed glasses and a tailored suit that accentuated her curves. Her long, flowing black hair and clear, cold eyes gave her an air of intellectual beauty.
"Pay attention. Stop smirking," Sabrina chided, tapping a pointer against the chalkboard. "I am your teacher right now."
"Very serious, I promise," Feng Che replied, flipping a page.
"The Gym Leader exam has three stages: Preliminaries, Primary Selection, and the Final Choice," Sabrina explained. "It tests your talent as a mentor and defender. You must be the strongest trainer in your city, capable of both testing challengers and protecting the peace."
"The Final Choice involves battling three current Gym Leaders from the Kanto region. You must defeat them to secure the position."
"Boss Giovanni sent me to ensure you don't fail," she continued, pushing her glasses up. "Word is, a brat from Pallet Town—backed by Professor Oak—is also applying. They are your biggest competition."
She handed him a stack of files. "These are the candidates and their signature Pokémon. Study their moves and their mastery levels. Don't underestimate them."
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