Lysandre Labs.
"I see. So this boy is the new boss of Team Rocket?"
Lysandre watched the video end and fell into thought. He remembered him. He had seen him before at Café Soleil.
Of course, back then, Lysandre did not know Damian. He only felt that the boy's presence was unusual.
"Oh? You've seen him before, Boss?"
Next to Lysandre, Malva, who was wearing pink sunglasses, felt quite surprised.
Yes, she was the one who found this video. She came to Lysandre Labs specifically to let Lysandre watch it too.
After all, Lysandre usually only cared about his own ideals. He didn't have time to watch popular videos on the internet.
He wasn't that bored.
"Ah... we met once by chance, but we didn't talk," Lysandre said calmly.
"So, Boss, what do you think?" Malva cared a lot about his opinion.
"What do you think?" Lysandre asked back.
"Team Rocket is a major variable," Malva answered.
"But just looking at this video, the leader of Team Rocket seems to have strong ideals just like us, doesn't he?"
Team Rocket's strength was truly shocking. Malva had to consider this possibility.
Otherwise, with Team Flare's current actions, Team Rocket would definitely not leave them alone.
"No, Malva. You are only seeing the surface."
Lysandre's face remained steady. A sharp light flashed in his eyes.
"Is a person's appearance in front of a camera their true self? This leader of Team Rocket is very smart."
Lysandre's tone was very casual.
"Based on the current information, he leads Team Rocket. Their footprints have already spread to four regions: Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, and Alola. Adding their home base in Kanto, Team Rocket's power is already massive."
"Plus, they have many powerful trainers within the organization. You could say they are strong enough to fight the League directly."
"With a force like that, do you really think this Damian has no ambition?"
Although Lysandre had never actually spoken with Damian and didn't know him, he did not believe a single word Damian said in that interview.
"That's impossible," Malva shook her head.
"Exactly. Not only does he have ambition, but his ambition is very large. He knows very well that the basic foundation of this world is built on the League's system."
"So, he does not want to fight a real war to the death with the League. He is using this interview to flip the image of Team Rocket from a villain team in the minds of the public."
"This way, Team Rocket is no longer a villain team. People won't hate them everywhere, and the League has no reason to attack them."
Lysandre spoke coldly.
"But the League won't believe Damian's words," Malva frowned.
"Does that matter?" Lysandre gave a low laugh.
"Team Rocket is too strong now. How much would it cost the League to completely destroy them?"
"If Team Rocket was still that old villain team that did whatever it wanted, the League might decide to fight them even if the cost was high."
"But this interview, the 'story' told by Team Rocket's boss, is not just for the foolish public. It is also a peace offering sent to the League."
"It says: 'From now on, Team Rocket will stop doing evil. Instead, we are Dark Knights. We will clean up other villain teams and keep the underworld peaceful,'" Lysandre said coldly.
Malva licked her dry lips. She suddenly understood.
"Powerful strength and a public ideology... Team Rocket used these two things to successfully coexist with the League."
"This Damian is too smart."
Lysandre's eyes kept flashing. He praised him without holding back.
"But the League must know the threat of Team Rocket. If they let them keep growing, what if Team Rocket wants to overthrow the League one day?" Malva still had doubts.
"That depends on the private contact between Team Rocket and the League. They will definitely make secret deals. But even if they don't attack them directly, the League won't just stand by and watch Team Rocket grow out of control," Lysandre said.
"However, all of that is useless. This world... must be cleaned."
Lysandre agreed with the ideals Damian mentioned in the interview, but Lysandre thought Damian was still too shallow.
Is the darkness and filth of the world only those villain teams and hunters?
No!! It is much more than that!
Those foolish, greedy, and vulgar people are the true root of this world's problems. If they aren't removed, how can this world ever be truly beautiful and clean?
"..." Malva opened her mouth, but she didn't say anything.
As a Team Flare Admin, she knew Lysandre's goal clearly. But was that really right?
Malva wasn't sure. Actually, she didn't know. But either way, she didn't think there was anything wrong with Lysandre's ideals.
So, she just accepted it.
"The plan is almost ready for the final stage. Malva, you should return to Team Flare then," Lysandre said.
"So soon?"
"Yes. The Zygarde experiment has entered the final stage. Xerosic is already tuning the program. It is under control."
"But the other Zygarde Core hasn't been found yet?" Malva frowned.
"We have found traces of it. Besides, even if it is not complete, Zygarde's power is unbeatable."
Lysandre had incredible confidence in Zygarde.
"Yveltal's Cocoon of Destruction has also been found. I will have people move it to Geosenge Town to start the Ultimate Weapon."
"The purification of this world! It will start from the Kalos region!"
Lysandre's tone was no longer calm. It was full of fanatical energy.
His dream was very close!
"Once the Zygarde experiment is fully finished, we will announce to this land that Team Flare's 'purification' has arrived!"
Malva stayed silent. Could it really succeed?
Malva looked out the window. She had a bad feeling.
"By the way, how is that boy Alain doing?"
"His training is almost done. His strength is quite good."
Malva replied casually. Alain was a young man with potential that Lysandre liked.
She had to admit Lysandre had good eyes. But in Malva's view, the boy was still a bit green.
His strength grew very fast, though. He was already at the Elite Four level.
"Good. I hope he doesn't disappoint me," Lysandre nodded.
After saying goodbye to Baraz and his sister, Damian's group of three returned to Lumiose City.
When they arrived at Lumiose City, Serena was already waiting in the villa.
"Damian, you're back."
As soon as the door opened, Serena came to meet them. Behind Serena, there was a girl with pigtails.
"I haven't seen you for a few days, and Serena is still so cute," Damian teased her first. Then he looked at the girl next to her.
Right now, this girl was looking at him with excited eyes.
She had healthy, tanned skin. Her features were pretty, and she had large eyes. She wore a pink short-sleeved shirt and denim shorts.
Her chestnut hair was tied into pigtails.
"Who is this?"
"Hello, Damian! I'm Shauna! I'm from Vaniville Town. I'm your fan!"
The girl named Shauna introduced herself with an energetic and excited voice.
"Thank you very much for your support," Damian replied with a smile.
He remembered now. Shauna was one of Serena's rivals in the games. However, she wasn't as good as the other rival, Calem.
"Shauna is my good friend. After she heard I joined Team Rocket, she wanted to join Team Rocket too. So I brought her here. Damian, what do you think?"
Shauna's talent was quite good. Serena felt this was a way to help Team Rocket get a good member.
"Yes! Damian! I like Team Rocket very much! Please let me join! I will definitely work hard for Team Rocket! I'll give my heart to the cause!"
Shauna patted her flat chest and promised. Her voice was very loud.
Yes, "giving your heart" was a very popular line online lately. No one knew where it came from.
Clearly, Shauna spent a lot of time on the internet.
"Alright, alright. There's no need to give your heart. It's not that dramatic. As long as our ideals match and we work together to stop villain teams, that's enough."
Damian couldn't help but laugh too.
"Oh! Then I'll fight!" Shauna gave a cute salute. She said the line Damian used in his interview.
"Damian, I am a very good fighter! Please give me any mission!"
Shauna was full of energy. Even though she was small, she felt she was very capable.
"Alright, alright. Have Serena help you download the app. Then you can go pick some missions yourself."
Damian looked at the bouncing pigtails of this girl. They probably felt good to touch.
"Hehe! Thank you, Boss!"
Shauna's smile was very cute. She changed the way she addressed him immediately. She thought "Boss" sounded much cooler than "Damian."
"What an interesting girl," Caitlin commented.
"Yes. She has a lot of energy. Since she is Serena's friend, her talent is probably very good too," Damian said with a smile. But just then, his phone beeped twice.
"Hmm?"
Damian looked at it. It was a message from Gladion.
"Tsk tsk tsk... is it finally starting?"
Damian looked at it for a moment. A smile slowly appeared on his face.
Gladion's message was simple. According to a spy in Lysandre Labs:
The Zygarde experiment has reached its final stage. Team Flare has already started secret movements!
In other words, the time for Team Flare to reveal themselves was not far away!
"I have been waiting for this moment..."
Damian laughed softly. So next...
In the Unova region, Nimbasa City.
"Man... on days without missions, I feel like something is missing."
Rosa had just finished training with Hilda. She was wearing pajamas and leaning against the dressing table. Her chest was pressed flat against the surface.
On the other side, Hilda's eyes twitched. She complained wildly in her mind, "You cow!!"
"I'm so bored..."
"Stop being bored! A mission is here!"
Suddenly, Hilda shouted.
"What?" Rosa came back to life instantly. She took out her phone. Sure enough, a pinned message was active at the top of the app forum.
[Epic Large-Scale Mission: Lumiose City!]