Hoenn League Headquarters, top floor of the Ever Grande City administration tower.
This building was ridiculously tall; the conference room at the top seemed to hang right on the edge of the clouds.
Outside the massive floor-to-ceiling windows, a churning sea of clouds pressed down firmly on the outline of the vast city below. Occasionally, a gap would tear open in the clouds, catching a glimpse of a dense expanse of gray roofs, like an ant colony's nest.
The air was stagnant, suffocatingly oppressive.
The shirt on the back of the League's Advanced assistant, Vincent, was already soaked through with cold sweat, clinging tightly to his skin and bringing waves of sticky chill.
He stood in the center of this conference room, which could accommodate a hundred people, yet he was facing only four individuals.
The Elite Four of the Hoenn region.
Phoebe had just returned from her training at Mt. Pyre. Dressed in a purple gown, she was barefoot, leaning lazily against the back of her chair, her fingertips tapping lightly on the tabletop.
She displayed undisguised curiosity toward the unheard-of Pokémon evolution method used by Team Rockets.
Glacia, sitting beside her, was a face of frost.
This Ice-type Elite seemed to radiate cold air from her entire body. She felt extremely dissatisfied with the almost insulting arrogance of Team Rockets, viewing it as the most naked trampling of the League's authority.
Meanwhile, the Dark-type Elite, Sidney, appeared somewhat absent-minded.
He was sunk into the soft sofa, his fingers flicking the frame of his sunglasses on and off. His attention seemed entirely captured by the small team named "Team Evil" mentioned in the report.
What truly made Vincent feel suffocated was Drake, sitting in the primary seat.
This Dragon-type Elite, the anchor of the Hoenn League, had a face so gloomy it could drip water.
He did not speak, but the tangible pressure was already making Vincent's legs feel weak.
"Enough!"
Drake finally spoke, his voice low but striking the conference table like a heavy hammer, emitting a dull thud.
"Vincent, I don't want to hear that bureaucratic nonsense. The League must immediately order a full-scale sweep of Team Rockets!"
His eyes were as sharp as Dragon Claw,
"They actually dared to attack the city directly! This is a declaration of war against the entire Hoenn!"
Vincent swallowed, then spoke with difficulty:
"Elite Drake, please calm down. With the Ever Grande Conference imminent, all the League's security forces have been deployed. If we mobilize large-scale manpower to purge Team Rockets now, it will inevitably affect..."
"Ever Grande Conference?"
Drake sneered, interrupting him,
"Letting this pack of mad dogs run wild on Hoenn soil? Do you know that this will only leave the people of Hoenn in deep water and scorching fire?"
"Besides, Jade Valley has been taken over. Do you think those guys can sit still?"
Jade Valley!
Vincent's heart sank.
That place had no direct connection to the Elite Four, but it was the backyard of the true top brass of the League, and the complex interests involved were staggering. The losses caused by this stunt by Team Rockets were immeasurable.
This was the root cause of the top brass's fury and the immediate convening of the Elite meeting.
"The top brass of the League has already issued the highest directive."
Vincent braced himself against the pressure and said word by word,
"Once the Ever Grande Conference concludes, the plan to completely eradicate Team Rockets will be initiated immediately! Please rest assured, Elites!"
"That had better be the case."
Drake's knuckles tapped on the tabletop, making a dull sound,
"For the sake of the Ever Grande Conference, I can endure it one more time. But this is the last time."
He stood up slowly, his tall figure casting a heavy shadow that enveloped Vincent.
"Once the sweep begins, I will call on a few old friends. This time, I will personally eradicate Team Rockets, this malignant tumor, from the land of Hoenn!"
The unquestionable determination caused the temperature in the conference room to seemingly drop a few degrees.
Seeing this, Vincent hurriedly threw out the second bombshell, attempting to divert this suffocating atmosphere.
"Elites, there is one more piece of news. Professor Birch's team has worked through the night to crack the secret of the new type of evolution used by Team Rockets."
He took a deep breath, paused deliberately, and only continued after seeing everyone's gaze focused on him:
"The professor has named it Mega Evolution. According to research, achieving this evolution requires two key items—a mega stone, and a special item called a Key Stone."
"Regarding this intelligence, the top brass's intention is to ask for your opinions: is there a need to disclose it to the entire League immediately?"
"Of course we must disclose it!"
Phoebe was the first to express her stance, her eyes sparkling with excitement,
"This is a brand-new possibility belonging to Pokémon, and every Trainer has the right to know."
"I agree."
Glacia chimed in coldly,
"Keeping secrets to ourselves will only make the League become just like Team Rockets. Disclose it, and let everyone possess the power to oppose them."
Drake pondered for a moment and also nodded:
"Disclose it. Power itself is not guilty; the key lies in the person wielding it."
The three pairs of eyes fell simultaneously on the silently remaining Sidney.
This Dark-type Elite seemed to have just come back to his senses from his own world. He adjusted his sunglasses, met everyone's gaze, and pulled a nonchalant smile at the corner of his mouth.
"Me? Whatever."
His attention wasn't on this at all.
Mega Evolution?
Sounds cool, but far less interesting than the mastermind behind that "Team Evil".
That kind of pure, undisguised malice.
He really wanted to meet that guy.
Vincent felt like he had been granted amnesty and immediately bowed:
"Yes! I understand. Then the League will immediately arrange for major news media to officially disclose the secret of Mega Evolution to the entire Hoenn region!"
***************************
Enjoying the story? Don't forget to drop a review, leave a comment, and smash that like button! Every Power Stone helps push the story further—thanks for reading and supporting! 🚀