"This... what is this?"
Seeing the Pokémon wearing a helt that obscured its face, Will's eyes widened in shock.
It was the first ti he had encountered such a bizarrely structured Pokémon.
Karen shared the sa expression of astonishnt.
This creature's body structure was as if pieces of several different organisms had been stitched together.
Its body resembled that of a mammal, yet its front claws were sharp talons like those of a raptor, and its tail looked like that of a fish.
"This is Type: Null, an artificial Pokémon developed by the Aether Foundation to combat Ultra Beasts."
Although Lusamine had already been subdued, Faba still appeared a little uneasy.
"Roar!"
Just as Faba finished explaining, Type: Null suddenly let out a roar from inside its cage, startling him.
Well, it wasn't surprising. After all, Type: Null had only recently been created and was forcibly fitted with a mask to seal its power by Faba.
To make matters worse, it had been confined in this dark, gloomy basent all day. It was no wonder the creature held no goodwill toward its captors.
"Calm it down," Stephen ordered, signaling to Will with a glance.
Will nodded, releasing his Exeggutor, which began to use Hypnosis on Type: Null through the cage.
Under the mask, Type: Null's eyelids grew heavier and heavier until its head drooped, and it slumped to the ground, fast asleep.
Stephen casually tossed a Luxury Ball, capturing Type: Null inside.
"Stephen, is this your new partner?" Will asked curiously.
"No, it's just a research subject to help Umbreon break through her limit. The most suitable trainer for it will still be that edgy kid."
He had no intention of adding Type: Null to his team, as its role overlapped with that of his Umbreon. After his research, he planned to hand it over to Gladion.
"Let go of my mother!"
...
When Stephen and his group returned to the first floor with Faba, they were greeted by the sight of Gladion being held aloft by his collar, struggling and shouting as Petrel restrained him.
Not far away, Lillie was clinging tightly to Lusamine, burying her face in her mother's chest, too scared to look up.
"Shut up, brat!" Petrel barked, landing a heavy smack on the back of Gladion's head.
"You!" Lusamine's face turned ashen with anger.
However, feeling Lillie trembling in her arms, she dared not act rashly, fearing she might provoke the Rocket Team further.
"Mr. Giovanni, I have completed the mission you entrusted to ," Faba said, rubbing his hands together with a sycophantic grin as he approached Giovanni.
Lusamine's eyes burned with fury.
The Team Rocket was despicable enough, but Faba, the traitor, was even more deserving of death!
Faba, noticing the anger in Lusamine's eyes, swallowed nervously before continuing to address Giovanni.
"Mr. Giovanni, now that Lusamine and her group have seen your true identity, keeping them alive may pose a risk. Besides, they no longer have any value to us..."
"Mr. Faba! That's too much!" Wicke, usually mild-mannered, couldn't hold back anymore upon hearing Faba's words.
This was essentially a death sentence for Lusamine!
"Um, um... Excuse ... Mr. Giovanni," Wicke stamred nervously, addressing Giovanni,
"The President is the most well-known philanthropist in the Alola region and is also an acquaintance of Professor Kukui. Without her as a cover, the Team Rocket's actions today will soon be exposed. You... you still need her!"
Though Wicke didn't want to side with these criminals, her priority was to protect Lusamine and her family.
To her credit, her argunt made sense.
While Alola wasn't yet part of the Pokémon League, the League wouldn't sit idly by if the Team Rocket was involved.
If Lusamine, the highest authority of the Aether Foundation, were to disappear, suspicions would arise imdiately.
Even if Giovanni and Faba tried to emulate ancient conspirators by keeping her disappearance a secret, how long could they possibly hide it?
"Heh, heh... That's an easy fix," Faba smirked as he pulled out a Poké Ball and released a Pokémon.
It was a Ditto!
In the blink of an eye, Ditto's body wobbled and transford into a perfect replica of Lusamine—well, except for its signature beady Ditto eyes.
Under Wicke's incredulous gaze, Faba twirled his mustache.
"We prepared for this long beforehand. As for the President—oops, I an, the forr President's duties, I can handle them. And if there's ever a need for Lusamine to make a public appearance, we'll just send this little guy instead."
Stephen couldn't help but recall a plot from his previous life: in Alabasta, Crocodile had used a similar ploy, having a subordinate with transformation powers impersonate Cobra to deceive the populace.
He never thought he'd see the sa strategy play out in this world.
Wicke collapsed to her knees in despair.
There was nothing more she could do.
"Hmm?"
At that mont, Stephen noticed Lillie, her face half-hidden in Lusamine's embrace, glancing in his direction.
The pale pink lips moved slightly, and Stephen read the little girl's words from her mouth: "Help us, big brother."
In Lillie's eyes, that big brother must have also been forced to join Team Rocket. Yet, for the sake of his companions, he was willing to risk his life and beco a hostage.
In Stephen, Lillie saw a noble soul!
At this mont, Lillie could only place all her hopes on him.
"Sayōnara~ President Lusamine."
At this point, Faba had already sent out his Alakazam, preparing to deliver the final blow to Lusamine.
For the sake of my future, I can only sacrifice you.
Lusamine closed her eyes in despair.
And at this critical mont—
"Wait."
Stephen suddenly spoke.
Hearing this, Giovanni signaled to Nidoqueen with a glance.
Nidoqueen intervened in a flash, firmly grabbing Alakazam's arm.
Lusamine's eyes shot open, and everyone's attention turned to Stephen.
"Uncle, this woman still has value."
Stephen raised his hand and pointed at Lusamine.
"Oh?"
Giovanni raised an intrigued eyebrow. "Go on."
"From now on, the Aether Foundation will beco Team Rocket's Alola division, and we'll establish Rainbow Rocket Corp. here. But I don't have any experience managing an organization, let alone a company."
As he spoke, Stephen turned his gaze toward Lusamine. "And now, isn't there soone perfect for the job right here?"
"Exactly! Exactly!"
Before Giovanni could respond, Wicke—though not related by blood to Lusamine's family but as close as one could get—nodded fervently.
"President Lusamine would be of great help! She's a legendary entrepreneur who won the Alola Influential Won's Award nine years in a row and single-handedly developed the Aether Foundation into what it is today!"
As she said this, Wicke cast a grateful look at Stephen.
What a good young man. He must have said this for the sake of Lusamine and her family.
"Shut up!"
Faba hurriedly stopped her, exclaiming anxiously:
"Mr. Giovanni, I can handle this kind of thing! I've been working here for so many years; I know everything about how this place operates like the back of my hand. There's no need for anyone else!"
Faba knew very well—if Lusamine survived today, there was no way she would spare him!
"What do you think, Stephen?"
Giovanni turned his eyes to Stephen.
How would I know? I'm not Jesus.
Stephen made a joke in his mind, then calmly replied:
"Uncle, betrayal happens either zero tis or countless tis."
Faba's face turned deathly pale on the spot.
Stephen's aning was clear—he was pointing directly at Faba and saying, "I don't trust this guy."
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