"Viridian Gym Leader, Son of Giovanni, last year Indigo Plateau Conference Champion Damian, joins Team Rocket and becomes Team Rocket's boss!"
This news swept through the entire Kanto Region like a gale, a hurricane blowing through.
The Kanto Region forum was almost all discussing this, and even news editors were burning the midnight oil to push out articles.
Without question, Damian exploded onto the scene! Big time!
"Ahhhhh! My idol, how could this happen..."
"Unbelievable, Damian is truly that kind of person, joining a villain organization like Team Rocket—why?"
"Suggest rigorous investigation! And is there any possibility that Damian joined Team Rocket and Gym Leader Giovanni is behind it?"
"Last year I already felt something off about Damian; that arrogant, swaggering guy just screams 'not good'."
"I think Damian must have a reason! Maybe he joined Team Rocket to change Team Rocket—Team Rocket could become better."
"Idiot fans, just drop dead already!"
The online chatter in the Kanto Region has erupted.
After the announcement, Damian left Radio Tower with Caitlin and the others, while Goldenrod City's Chief Jenny could only watch helplessly.
What else could she do? There's nothing she can do.
Indigo Plateau immediately convened an emergency meeting; Damian and Team Rocket have caused a huge impact.
To announce it openly via Radio Tower "to the world" is simply arrogant!
In the conference room, Goodshow sits in the head chair, glancing around at the Indigo League upper echelon gathered here; even the Elite Four are present.
"So, how do you all view Damian's public proclamation this time?" Goodshow asked gravely.
"That's so arrogant! I can't tolerate it! To seize Radio Tower in broad daylight and incite panic with his speech! He clearly doesn't put the Indigo League in his eyes!"
"That's right! Team Rocket are indeed a gang of lawless madmen!"
"Team Rocket, this evil organization, should be wiped out with greater force!"
League lawmakers fume with righteous fury, their faces red as beets, clearly angry.
And this is natural: Team Rocket seizing a broadcast tower to make a public proclamation is a direct challenge to the Indigo League!
Today they broadcast across the whole region; tomorrow what will they do?
But not all of it is mere noise.
Lance folds his arms, expressionless; Lorelei simply smiles coldly; Bruno keeps an unwavering gaze; Agatha holds a pen, flipping through an ancient text.
Goodshow rubs his temples, his head pounding.
"Quiet, Mio, you speak." Goodshow cut off the lawmakers' chatter, turning to Jenny, the overall commander Mio.
The conference room quiets again.
Jenny . Mio rise, looking at the data in their hands, faces stern.
"Everyone, I think you all know that lately Damian has been leading Team Rocket across every region, right?"
Jenny . Mio sighs.
"I've gathered a lot of information; let's go over it briefly so we can clearly judge the current scale and strength of Damian and Team Rocket."
Jenny . Mio steps up to the projector screen.
The Elite Four in Kanto cast their eyes toward Jenny . Mio .
The projector shows Damian's portrait.
"First, last year, when Damian started his journey at sixteen, that time Damian was a rookie; according to Gym Leader Giovanni, he seemed normal, even returning to Viridian Gym in mid-year."
"By year-end, Damian had shown astonishing strength, crushing all opponents and winning the championship."
Jenny . Mio explained calmly.
"Then early this year, Damian somehow joined Team Rocket and became one of Team Rocket's executives."
Jenny Mio paused, noting that with Damian's strength, becoming an executive isn't strange.
Because at that time he hadn't caught a legendary yet, but his strength was already champion-tier. Intel from Hoenn indicates Damian even used Mega Tyranitar to take on three opponents at once, battling Cynthia, Steven, and Giovanni—the three of them.
This shows how strong Damian is.
Jenny . Mio believes that even Lance's ace Dragonite could only achieve something similar.
"He led a portion of Team Rocket members into the Alola Region, and grew rapidly, pulling in two trusted aides: Caitlin, the former Sinnoh Battle Castle owner, and Gladion, heir to the Aether Foundation."
"These two are young, highly talented Trainers."
"The Alola Team Rocket grew very smoothly because there's no League there, and top-tier Trainers are scarce; Damian succeeded in getting Team Rocket established in Alola."
Jenny . Mio 's tone remains calm.
Listening to this, some lawmakers could not help muttering that the Alola Region is useless.
Goodshow remains silent; can we blame Alola? After all, early in the year, Alola had no regional League, so Damian had little to fear.
"Later Damian returned to Kanto for a while; he obtained Shadow Mewtwo from Team Rocket manufacture, fought Lorelei and Bruno in Celadon City with it, but it wasn't his opponent."
Lorelei's brows furrow briefly, but she doesn't rebut.
"Then Damian led another trip to Hoenn; first he swallowed Hoenn's evil organizations Team Aqua and Team Magma, then recruited the Draconid people Lorekeeper, and the Dragon-type Champion-tier trainer Zinnia."
Lance's eyes shimmer; Dragon-type Champion-tier Trainer?
"Meanwhile, Caitlin also became Champion-tier, and most importantly, Damian caught Kyogre, the deep-sea king from Hoenn legends!"
"During this period, Damian's Team Rocket, including himself, boasted three Champion-tier Trainers; Damian's strength reached a remarkable peak."
Hoenn League is feeling useless!
Lawmakers curse inwardly.
"And then the third move, Damian again took his inner circle to Unova, swallowing Unova's Team Plasma, and recruiting two more Champion-tier Trainers: N and Colress."
Projector shows two more portraits: N and Colress.
"Originally, Team Plasma's lead N, Ideals Dragon Zekrom, and Colress, the 'scientist'; according to Unova intel, these two are strong Champion-tier Trainers."
"Also, Damian caught Reshiram, the Truth Dragon, and a Rayquaza too."
"And now, Damian has returned to Kanto; internal revolt likely happened, he defeated Team Rocket boss and claimed the position for himself."
Jenny . Mio finishes.
"So, that means Team Rocket now has five Champion-tier Trainers!"
An elder lawmaker speaks in shock.
"Yes, and it's unclear whether the original Team Rocket executives and members have joined Damian, but no matter what, the new Team Rocket is far more dangerous than the old one."
Jenny Mio affirms.
This is a simple, undeniable comparison: five Champion-tier Trainers led by Damian are far more dangerous than the former Team Rocket.
The power of a Champion-tier Trainer is legendary!
For example, a top-tier Champion like Lance could sweep Vermilion City in no time with two main roster Dragons.
The power of Champion-tier Trainers is incredible.
Not to mention Damian's possession of Primal Kyogre and other legends, while even his subordinates have Zekrom.
The entire conference room becomes deathly silent.
"Then what do we do now?" a lawmakers asks, voice changed.
"Hoenn and Unova Regions are useless! They let Damian grow to this extent," another lawmakers grumbles.
Is that not true?
"So our main task now is to clearly determine Damian's goals." Jenny . Mio sighs.
"Team Rocket's boss change will shift their organization's goals; it's crucial to figure this out."
"Yes, if they still were the same evil Team Rocket, Indigo League would fight them to the end!" Jenny . Mio declares.
"Even if Team Rocket is strong now, if they're still the same evil organization, we will fight and wipe them out! Even if Damian holds Kyogre, we will wipe him out! Even if it costs us dearly."
"That's right—tighten security everywhere; guard against Team Rocket's movements." Goodshow mulls.
"Also, bring Gym Leader Giovanni back soon; Kanto needs his leadership to hold the fort."
After all, Giovanni has Primal Groudon to help counter Primal Kyogre.
Elsewhere, in Goldenrod City's underground base.
Carr has left a room for Damian and others, but Sird knocks on Damian's door.
"Boss, I'm sorry, I deceived you."
Into the room, Sird lowers her head in apology.
"Oh?" Damian raises an eyebrow; he understands.
"I used to be a member of Sinnoh Region's Team Galactic; Cyrus had me come to Team Rocket as a spy."
Sird declares her true identity.
"Spy, huh." Damian narrows his eyes slightly: "Sird, you've hidden this well."
Indeed, Sird has hidden her strength well; to become a member of The Three Beasts speaks volumes.
Sird's strength is truly outstanding, much stronger than Carr.
In the Special manga, she's the one who sidelined Red and the other Dex holders into petrification.
And on Sevii Islands, she defeated Lorelei when she was in retreat, showing her prowess.
"But now I understand, Team Rocket and boss, you are my true belonging; I will serve you!"
Sird kneels, sincerely addressing Damian.
Damian half-smiles, looking at Sird.
"This is my expression of loyalty to you."
Sird pulls out a Poké Ball from her pocket.
"This is the Mythical Pokémon I obtained in Sinnoh Region; its strength is too great for me to control; boss, you're the best Trainer for it."
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