Yuki took a step forward, her voice suppressed with excitement but also carrying a hint of the caution typical when reporting work.
"Lord Ruth, the mission has been successfully completed."
She paused for a moment, seemingly organizing her words to make the results sound even more impressive.
"Currently, every member of our Team Evil has at least two to three Elite Level Pokémon! A few lucky ones have even managed to get four!"
These words were spoken with great force, triggering a low collective gasp at the entrance of the empty limestone cave.
The forty-nine members stood even straighter, their faces filled with irrepressible pride.
They were no longer the minor characters struggling at the bottom of Team Rockets; they were now a force that could not be ignored.
Ariel's gaze swept over the "forest of steel" composed of nearly a hundred Elite Level Pokémon, before finally resting back on Yuki's face.
He didn't speak, only signaling with his eyes.
Yuki understood, a trace of difficulty flashing across her face, and her voice lowered.
"It's just that... we made a bit of a scene this time."
"Not only did we swindle and cheat within Team Rockets... cough, I mean, we integrated resources from many of our colleagues' Pokémon, but we also raided several wild Pokémon sanctuaries, some of which were areas under the special care of the higher-up Executives."
"So, several Executives... have a lot of complaints about us."
"Oh?"
Ariel finally spoke, his voice very light, showing no sign of joy or anger.
"A lot of complaints?"
Internally, however, he was laughing.
A lot of complaints? That was exactly right.
If he had worked so hard to build such a force and those pampered Executives of Team Rockets could still sit comfortably in their offices drinking tea, then that would mean he had failed.
Their unhappiness was precisely the best proof of Team Evil's rise.
"If they're unhappy, then let them be unhappy."
Ariel waved his hand, his tone as casual as if he were discussing today's weather.
"Just a bunch of old fogies waiting to die on their past laurels, no need to pay them any mind."
These words were said nonchalantly, yet they sent a jolt through the hearts of all the Team Evil members present.
Publicly showing contempt for the Executives!
Although Lord Ruth was also an Intermediate Cadre.
This was something unthinkable within the strictly hierarchical Team Rockets.
Yet coming from Lord Ruth's mouth, it seemed so natural.
A flame called ambition was quietly ignited in the heart of every member.
Ariel paid no more attention to the matter; with a flick of his wrist, ten Poké Balls appeared in his hand.
These were containers for Gym Leader Level Pokémon.
"No. 1 to No. 9, and Yuki, step forward."
Ten figures stepped out without hesitation, looking at Ariel with burning eyes.
Ariel didn't waste any words; with a flick of his finger, the ten Poké Balls traced ten precise arcs, landing steadily in the hands of the ten people.
Among them, the one flying toward Yuki was the Poké Ball containing Poliwrath.
Thud!
Led by Yuki, the ten people dropped to one knee in unison, as if their bones had been removed.
They held the Poké Balls in both hands as if holding the most precious treasures in the world, their foreheads almost touching the ground.
"We are willing to go through fire and water for Lord Ruth, and would not hesitate even in the face of ten thousand deaths!"
The synchronized roar echoed in the cave, carrying a near-fanatical loyalty.
The remaining forty members showed undisguised envy and desire in their eyes.
Ariel wanted exactly this effect.
Looking at those longing gazes, he spoke slowly, his voice not loud but clearly reaching everyone's ears:
"Today, the ten of them are the core. Tomorrow, some of you will also stand in this position. Gym Leader Level Pokémon are not the end; Elite Four Level, even Champion level... as long as you follow closely in my footsteps, everything is possible."
Ariel was painting a grand vision; he didn't use flowery language, but simply stated a possibility full of temptation.
After speaking, as if just remembering something, he casually pulled three more Poké Balls from his pocket; these three contained Elite Level Pokémon, surplus spoils in his hands.
"These three are rewards."
Without even looking, he tossed them randomly into the crowd.
The crowd instantly became restless!
Forty people, and only three spots!
This moment stimulated their nerves even more than the previous appointments.
Those who weren't chosen wouldn't be jealous of the ten core members because the gap was too large. But for these three random spots, everyone felt they had a chance!
Several hands crossed in the air; finally, amidst the chaotic scramble, three lucky winners clutched the Poké Balls tightly to their chests, their faces filled with ecstasy and disbelief.
The atmosphere of the entire team was completely controlled by Ariel through this combination of rewards and punishments, of pulling and pushing.
Everyone's emotions were stirred to the peak.
Only then did Ariel turn to Yuki, the smile on his face vanishing, replaced by a businesslike expression.
"Where is the item?"
"It's ready, My Lord!"
Yuki hastily stood up, ran to the depths of the cave, and together with several members, dragged out a massive metal creation.
The thing looked like a crude metal cage, yet also like a torture bed covered in various wires and electrodes.
In the center of the machine was a platform that could accommodate a medium-sized Pokémon, with a large, helmet-like metal cover hanging above it; countless thick cables connected the headgear to a nearby control console.
The dashboard on the console flickered with a ghostly green light, and the entire machine hummed, emitting a dangerous aura.
Ariel looked at the machine with a calm gaze.
He knew better than anyone what the biggest problem for Team Evil was right now.
These Pokémon, whether obtained through deception or caught in the wild, had not undergone a long period of bonding and training.
Especially the ten Gym Leader Level Pokémon he had just handed out; some even belonged to other Trainers just a moment ago.
Loyalty was a laughable empty talk.
Yuki introduced from the side:
"Lord Ruth, this is the latest model of the Thunder Shock Device personally supervised and built by Lady Ariana. It uses special Variable Frequency Bio-currents to act directly on the Pokémon's Cerebral Cortex, improving their cognition and greatly reducing hostility toward the Trainer."
She pointed to the complex wiring:
"Because it's bio-current, it's equally effective on Electric-type and Ground-type Pokémon. According to lab data, for Pokémon that have been improved, the probability of attacking their master or disobeying commands will be reduced by more than ninety percent!"
"Very good."
Ariel nodded, quite satisfied with this result.
What he needed was an army of absolute obedience.
"Begin."
With a wave of his hand, he issued the cold command.
The members of Team Evil did not hesitate in the slightest.
They immediately stepped forward, half-forcing and half-soothing their newly captured Pokémon to the metal platform one by one.
Those powerful Elite Level Pokémon, and even Gym Leader Level Pokémon, were somewhat uneasy at this moment.
They sensed the ominous aura emitted by the machine and began to struggle, letting out low Growls.
But their masters showed no mercy.
"Hold it down!"
"Don't let it escape!"
As the first Pokémon was secured to the platform, the metal headgear slowly lowered.
Sizzle—!"
A blinding blue electric arc instantly erupted, illuminating the entire cave in a deathly pale light!
That Pokémon let out a shrill scream, its body twitching violently, but soon its Growl weakened, and its eyes changed from struggle and fear to empty and vacant.
A few seconds later, the current stopped.
The metal headgear rose.
The Pokémon stood up wobbling, and when it looked at its Trainer, there was no longer any defiance in its eyes, only a strange sense of closeness and subconscious obedience.
Its master stepped forward and patted its head; it nudged back submissively, as if everything before had never happened.
Seeing this scene, the look in all the members' eyes changed.
Shock, mixed with a trace of inexplicable chill.
But soon, this chill was replaced by fanaticism.
The way they looked at Ariel became even more reverent.
Next was a baptism on an assembly line.
One Pokémon after another was sent onto the platform, and amidst bursts of electrical crackling and brief wails, their wildness and hatred were gradually erased.
Ariel just stood there quietly, watching this scene.
There was no expression on his face, and no ripple in his heart.
He was building an army.
An army that belonged only to him, that took orders only from him, and that could sweep away all obstacles for him—an army of absolute loyalty.
When the last Pokémon stepped off the platform, nearly a hundred Elite Level Pokémon and ten Gym Leader Level Pokémon stood quietly in the clearing, their gazes submissive and uniform.
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