"You've really got some nerve."
Peony couldn't help but laugh.
"Do you know what Rose's status is now?"
Peony rarely paid attention to the Galar League anymore, but even so, he knew what kind of status Rose held in Galar now.
Saying Rose was the best League chairman in Galar Region history wasn't wrong at all.
And now that Macro Cosmos practically monopolized the entire market, trying to surpass Rose on Galar's soil?
No exaggeration—that was pure fantasy.
"So what?" Damian asked back.
"Even if Rose can cover Galar with one hand, he's still just a local tyrant of Galar in the end."
Damian's lips slowly curled upward.
"But, Mr.Peony, do you understand Team Rocket?"
"We started in the Kanto Region. In Alola, Hoenn, Unova, Sinnoh, and Kalos, our flag has been planted all over those regions."
"Leagues and Champions can't stop Team Rocket's growth. Team Rocket will one day become an organization equal to, or even above, the League."
Damian's tone wasn't heavy, and even carried a hint of casualness.
But precisely because of that, the overwhelming confidence in his words made Peony's pupils shrink.
"This is impossible!"
Peony cried out in disbelief.
Yes, it should be impossible!
The Pokémon League had ruled the world for over a hundred years, spreading over nearly every region. Even if some underground organization did manage to grow, Pokémon would never have trouble suppressing it.
"Why is it impossible? Mr. Peony, your understanding is too shallow."
Damian tilted his head and looked at Peony.
"Take when you became Galar Region Champion, for example. What a great opportunity that was. You proved your ability and became the person standing at the very top of Galar Region."
Peony's dark face sank again.
"But what happened after that? After Rose became chairman, what did you do?"
"You didn't think about using your Champion identity to keep proving yourself to everyone. Instead, because you didn't want to work with Rose, you gave up the Champion position and fled the Galar League."
"Do you know why you've always fallen short of Rose? Because your perspective is too narrow."
Damian said coldly.
"You bastard!!"
Peony clenched his fists and stared daggers at Damian.
But Damian didn't care at all. Although his body wasn't as bulky as Peony's, this flesh of his had been blessed by Arceus.
If it really came down to hand-to-hand combat, even with all those years of adventuring, Peony still wouldn't be his opponent.
Not to mention, were the Gengar and Marshadow in Damian's shadow just for show?
"Even Rose, when he entered the Champion Cup, only made runner-up. But you actually became the real Galar Champion. Didn't that already mean there was something you were better at than Rose?"
"If you hadn't left the Galar League back then, and instead had properly done your Champion work and kept improving the region, people would've been proud of you too. How exactly would you have been worse than Rose?"
Damian's question made Peony freeze.
That's right. In truth, the moment he became Galar Champion, hadn't he already been stronger than Rose?
But he himself had given up that honor because of his grudge against Rose.
Seeing her father suddenly go silent, Peonia pressed her lips together, still not saying anything.
In truth, Peonia didn't understand the conflict between Peony and his uncle Rose, but she respected her father's choice.
"A person's life has many opportunities, but many people pass them by for all kinds of reasons."
Damian continued.
"Mr. Peony, you gave up that opportunity yourself, and then kept running away weakly. Until now, the gap between you and Rose has only gotten bigger and bigger."
Damian didn't want to dwell too much on the feud between Peony and Rose. After all, that was between the two brothers. It meant nothing for an outsider to say who was right and who was wrong.
Besides, it was precisely because of his disgust toward Rose that Peony was easier for him to win over.
"Look at you now. You used to be the Galar Region Champion, and yet how many people in Galar even remember you anymore?"
Damian said with a smile.
That wasn't him talking nonsense. Although Peony had been the previous Galar Region Champion, his reign had been far too short.
He did have some fans, but by now, the people of Galar practically only remembered the current undefeated Champion, Leon.
Peony? He really had become unknown.
Not to mention Peony, even the previous Galar Champion, Mustard, was more famous than Peony.
After all, although Mustard retired earlier, in his youth he was still Invincible Under the Heavens, and to this day he still held a record no one could break.
Unbeaten for 18 years!
That was Mustard's undefeated record. No Champion had been able to break it to this day, and Mustard was also the world's only known Trainer of Urshifu.
Urshifu was a legendary Pokémon.
So among Galar Region's three Champions, Peony was the least famous.
"So what?"
Peony said calmly.
"I don't care about that empty title."
"You don't care, huh? But are you really willing to stay this quiet forever, even when such a clear opportunity is right in front of you?"
Damian asked Peony bluntly.
Peony's breathing grew heavier again.
"You've already missed one chance, and now I can give you another, Mr. Peony."
"Accept this badge and join Team Rocket, and I'll give you resources and capital so you can go all out one more time."
"Otherwise, you can keep being your obscure adventurer, living out your days peacefully with your daughter and running away from your own brother forever."
Damian's tone was very calm.
And as soon as Damian finished speaking, the entire room fell silent.
Peony lowered his head and looked at the gold badge in his hand, his expression changing again and again. Clearly, he was in a frenzy of thoughts right now.
If he joined Team Rocket, then this quiet life would naturally be taken away from him.
But if he refused?
Damian's words had really moved him.
Was he willing to accept it?
How could he be willing? If he had truly let it go, how could he have such a huge reaction just from hearing the name "Rose"?
He really wasn't reconciled!
Why? Why did he have to live his whole life in the shadow of the name Rose?!
Peonia couldn't help but grab her father's hand, giving him silent encouragement and support.
Peony looked at his daughter, and Peonia nodded at him, indicating that no matter what decision Peony made, she would support it.
"Why should I believe you can really help me?"
Peony took a deep breath and said in a low voice to Damian.
"Why? Because my name is Damian!"
Damian's lips curled up. He lifted his chin slightly, and his proud voice reached Peony and his daughter's ears.
How arrogant!!
"There's nothing in this world I can't do, and nowhere Team Rocket can't reach!"
"That does sound pretty imposing. In that case, as long as you can beat me, I'll join your Team Rocket."
Peony stared at Damian with deep, heavy eyes. Though his instincts told him this boy was extremely strong, no matter what, trying to win him over with just talk was far too naïve.
"Of course."
Damian shrugged.
A battle was definitely necessary. After all, he had to show Peony his strength and make him feel safe enough to join.
"Damian, let me handle the battle with Mr. Peony."
Suddenly, Caitlin spoke to Damian with a faint smile on her lips.
"Consider it a welcome for a new colleague."
She also wanted to show off the strength of a former Galar Region Champion.
"I don't have a problem with that."
Damian raised a brow and looked toward Peony.
Originally, he had planned to use a Legendary Pokémon to properly show off his power, but letting Caitlin do it was fine too.
Peony frowned slightly and studied Caitlin with a measuring look.
She did look gorgeous, but a Trainer's strength wasn't something you judged by appearance alone.
"Caitlin, one of the organization's six top-tier Admins, would like to ask Mr. Peony for some guidance."
Caitlin ignored Peony's rude stare and gave him an elegant little bow.
"Fine."
Peony didn't have much else to say.
Top-tier Admin? So, Champion-tier?
Perfect. He could also see what the other top-tier Admins of Team Rocket were capable of.
Everyone came to a nearby energy point outside Freezington. As long as there was an energy point, it meant Dynamax could be used.
"Mr. Peony specializes in Steel types, right? That gives Caitlin-san a bit of a disadvantage in this battle."
Dawn looked at Peony and Caitlin, who were already prepared, and was still a little worried for Caitlin.
After all, Caitlin specialized in Psychic types, while Peony was an expert in Steel types.
Although Steel doesn't beat Psychic, it is resistant to Psychic.
After all, the Steel type is really too noble.
Just how noble is it? It has resistance to a full ten types! And it's immune to Poison type, too.
There are only eighteen types in total. It doesn't do well against ten of them, and Poison is even nullified by it. The types that beat Steel are only Ground, Fighting, and Fire.
It was terrifying.
"Caitlin, right? I'm not much for bullying women, but sorry—I won't be going easy in this battle."
Peony took out a Poké Ball and said to Caitlin in a deep voice.
"Don't worry, Mr. Peony. I'm not some fragile girl."
Caitlin still had that elegant, composed demeanor, and her tone was calm and unhurried.
"Also, you don't need to show me any mercy either. Please do give it your all, or you might end up losing in a pretty ugly way."
Caitlin said with a faint smile.
How did she manage to be this elegant and this arrogant at the same time?!
Peonia's eyes lit up as she looked at Caitlin. She was seriously beautiful!
"Oh? Confident, huh? It's been a while since I ran into such an interesting opponent."
Peony grinned at that, and his blood seemed to start boiling at this moment.
How many years had it been?
Ever since he stepped down as Galar Champion, he hadn't been able to go all out in battle. But today, it looked like he could.
"Hahaha—just don't disappoint me!"
Peony laughed and heavily threw out his first Poké Ball.
"Perrserker!"
The Poké Ball opened with a flash of white light, and a gray, bipedal Pokémon landed in front of Peony.
It was Perrserker, evolved from Galar Meowth, a pure Steel type.
"Come on! Let me see what Team Rocket's top-tier Admin can really do!"
"I'm looking forward to this!"
Peony looked at the elegant Caitlin across from him with full battle spirit, hoping she wouldn't disappoint him.
Pokémon Trainer Peony, here to challenge!
~~
Get early access to 200+ advanced chapters on Patreon!
patreon.com/PokemonStoryWeaver
~~~