After only a few seconds of hesitation, Silas made his decision.
He stepped forward first.
Time wasn't on his side, and more importantly, there was no real choice to begin with. The situation had already pushed him to the edge, but even beyond that… this path made the most sense.
Compared to the League, Team Rocket offered something far more direct.
Opportunity.
In the League, strength alone was never enough. One needed background, connections, reputation, and lineage. Without those, even if he worked for years, climbing to a high position would remain extremely difficult.
But Team Rocket was different.
Here, power spoke louder than status.
If he couldn't rise through the "light"… then he would walk through the darkness instead.
Silas was never someone bound by rigid ideals.
His goal had always been simple.
To grow stronger. To stand at the top.
No matter the path.
A firm glint flashed in his eyes as he pressed his hand onto the device.
A faint sting followed.
When he lifted his hand, he saw a small trace of blood had already been drawn.
Fingerprint recording.
DNA extraction.
Then came facial recognition.
For a moment, he thought the process was over But Lucian stepped forward and handed him a sheet of paper.
"Read this," he said calmly. "And use your real name."
Silas glanced at the contents.
The words were… extreme.
If the League ever saw this, it would be more than enough to brand him a traitor for life.
Still, he didn't hesitate.
He activated the recording device.
"I, Silas, am acting of my own free will."
"I have not been coerced."
"From this day forward, I officially join Team Rocket."
"I will stand against the League and fight its rule."
"The League is corrupt. Team Rocket will rise."
As the final words left his mouth, Silas slowly lowered his gaze.
That was it.
There was no turning back anymore.
His identity, his data, even this recorded declaration—everything now tied him completely to Team Rocket.
If even one of these records were exposed, his path within the League would be permanently severed And yet… he felt no regret.
On the contrary, there was a faint, unfamiliar sense of excitement stirring within him.
Even he found that surprising.
Soon after, the remaining three stepped forward one by one.
Each of them completed the same process—fingerprints, blood samples, facial data, and recorded pledges.
Silas observed quietly.
The twin brothers, like him, only had given names. No surnames. It was obvious they came from common backgrounds But Rose She had a surname.
Which meant she likely came from a family.
A small detail but one worth remembering.
"Good."
Archer spoke as he casually placed several blurry photographs onto the table.
Everyone's attention shifted instantly.
The images showed a violent thunderstorm.
Dark clouds filled the sky, lightning tearing through the air And within that chaos–A faint, yellow silhouette.
Lucian stepped forward and spoke calmly.
"This is your target."
"The Legendary Pokémon Raikou."
The room fell silent.
For a brief moment, no one spoke.
A Legendary Pokémon?
With their strength?
That wasn't a mission… that was suicide.
Archer seemed to notice their expressions and let out a faint chuckle.
"You're not fighting it head-on," he said.
"It's injured."
"You only need to collect a small sample of blood or fur."
That explanation didn't ease the tension.
If anything, it made things even more unsettling.
A Legendary Pokémon… injured?
What kind of force could even accomplish something like that?
The four exchanged glances.
Shock.
Doubt.
But none of them dared to question it.
"Yes."
"We will complete the mission."
Their voices were firm, almost instinctive.
Whether it was genuine loyalty or simply survival… it didn't matter.
Silas remained calm.
Unlike the others, he wasn't entirely surprised.
Somewhere deep down, he had already anticipated something unusual behind the strange storm.
....
After leaving the office, Silas returned to his dormitory.
He lay down on his bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.
"…So this is it."
"I've officially joined Team Rocket."
Before this, he still had an escape route.
No records.
No proof.
No chains tying him down But now Everything about him was in their hands.
His face.
His fingerprints.
His blood.
Even that recorded declaration.
There was no longer any way to separate himself from this organization.
A faint, self-aware smile appeared on his lips.
"…No going back."
And yet, instead of fear He felt clarity.
"At least…"
"I'm under Archer now."
If he completed this mission successfully, the rewards would be immense.
Resources.
Status.
Power.
Lucian was proof of that And perhaps… in the future Even a pseudo-legendary Pokémon.
Silas closed his eyes briefly, letting out a slow breath.
"…Let's see how far this path goes."
At the same time, beyond Silas' quiet room.
...
The entire Hoenn Region was already beginning to stir.
In Mauville City, dark clouds blanketed the sky.
Thunder roared without pause.
The air itself felt heavy.
Oppressive.
Even ordinary civilians could sense it.
Something was wrong.
Shops were emptied as people rushed to stock supplies.
Prices surged.
Fear spread quickly.
Across news networks and online forums, discussions exploded.
Strange weather.
Unnatural lightning And countless theories.
Some claimed it was divine punishment.
Others believed a powerful Electric-type Pokémon had broken through to an unimaginable level.
But one rumor stood above the rest.
The appearance of a Legendary.
Raikou.
Blurry images circulated everywhere captured during lightning storms.
A yellow figure.
Fast. Elusive. Surrounded by thunder.
Panic and curiosity spread together.
With Ho-Oh absent for so many years, people had already begun to doubt.
Now, the reappearance of one of its legendary beasts reignited everything.
Even distant regions like Kanto and Johto began sending investigators And in EcruteakCity, officials were already mobilizing.
Because if the rumors were true Then this wasn't just a storm.It was the beginning of something far bigger.
A storm was gathering And soon It would shake the entire region.
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(End of chapter)