No one knew whether Kanto would be fine, but the Team Rocket members at the Vermilion Gym were definitely not.

  "A squad at the Vermilion Port was ambushed! Requesting backup!"

  "The team sent near the Pokémon Center hasn’t reported back—suspected loss of contact."

  "Support squad transmitted footage from the scene. Only battle traces remain—no sign of the distress team."

  …

  One piece of bad news after another reached the Vermilion Gym, throwing Team Rocket into turmoil.

  Vermilion City was supposed to be their territory, yet overnight, it had become an unfamiliar battlefield, as if enemies lurked in every corner.

  "Can anyone tell me where the enemy is? How many of them are there?!"

  With a furious sm of his fist against the chair’s armrest, Lt. Surge roared.

  It had been a full two hours since the first squad went missing. Thirteen three-person squads under his command had been ambushed and disappeared.

  And all he had to go on was the assumption that the enemy was the so-called Masked Corps—the same group that attacked Cedon Game Corner recently. Beyond that, he had no clue about their numbers, strength, or even the Pokémon they used.

  Faced with Lt. Surge’s fury, his subordinates were silent, frozen in fear.

  They weren’t just terrified of their boss’s anger—they were even more terrified of the unknown enemy.

  The attackers struck without warning, and no team that encountered them was spared.

  Some squads had called for backup mere minutes before vanishing, but by the time reinforcements arrived, there wasn’t a trace of them left—neither enemy nor ally.

  "H-how about… we pull our forces back?" one of the subordinates hesitantly suggested.

  It wasn’t an ideal solution, but rather than being picked off one by one, they might stand a better chance defending the gym together.

  Everyone believed that as long as Lt. Surge was here, the enemy wouldn’t be able to take the Vermilion Gym.

  However, to Lt. Surge, this suggestion was nothing short of infuriating.

  "Hah? Pull back?"

  As if he had just heard the most ridiculous thing in the world, Lt. Surge grabbed the colr of the subordinate who spoke.

  "You expect me to abandon the captured men?!"

  "Or are you telling me to surrender to a bunch of cowards who don’t even have the guts to face me head-on?!"

  Under Lt. Surge’s piercing gre, the subordinate frantically shook his head. "N-no, Boss Surge, that’s not what I meant!"

  Lt. Surge shoved him aside. "Then shut up. This is my city. My turf! A mere Masked Corps isn’t enough to run wild here."

  He stood up, slung an ammo belt over his shoulder, and hoisted a rocket uncher.

  "This time, I’m handling it myself."

  With that, he stormed out, his Electabuzz crackling with electricity as it followed closely behind.

  His subordinates opened their mouths as if to protest but ultimately didn’t dare to stop their enraged boss.

  ---

  "Eevee! [Tackle]!"

  "Bui—!"

  A small-bodied Eevee charged straight at the towering Machoke.

  Seeing its tiny opponent, Machoke scoffed with a smug, human-like expression.

  This little thing? It could take it down with one hand—

  BANG!

  A thunderous crash echoed as Machoke, caught mid-motion, was sent flying. Its face twisted in utter disbelief.

  From the perspective of an onlooker, its arm had even been dislocated by the impact.

  "[Swift]!"

  Eevee’s fluffy tail flicked, unleashing a flurry of star-shaped energy that rained down on the stunned Machoke.

  Without missing a beat, the opposing Trainer was swiftly knocked out, and along with another subdued by Gardevoir and Blue, they were teleported to their hotel room by Gardevoir’s Teleport.

  Forty-two. August counted silently.

  They had taken down 14 full Team Rocket squads so far.

  He had to admit, Lt. Surge was worthy of his rank as one of Team Rocket’s Three Executives, and Vermilion City truly was his stronghold.

  Even after capturing this many Team Rocket members, the streets were still crawling with them. And now, after losing so many comrades, the remaining members were clearly more cautious.

  It would only get harder to capture them from here on out.

  "Eevee, hold still."

  August cradled Eevee, preparing to use his [Viridian Power] to restore its stamina.

  But before he could, Blue’s voice rang out from a distance. "August! Lt. Surge just left the gym!"

  That was her assigned task—to alert him the moment Lt. Surge left.

  August turned his head, and Blue immediately passed him a tablet.

  The screen showed live footage from a surveilnce camera facing the gym entrance.

  Lt. Surge was marching out, Electabuzz in tow.

  Even through the screen, August could feel his anger.

  Finally.

  This was exactly the outcome August had been waiting for.

  The entire reason he had been hunting down scattered Team Rocket members was to force Lt. Surge out of the gym.

  "I thought he’d hold out a little longer…" August shook his head.

  Lt. Surge had even less patience than he expected.

  Then again, it made sense—Lt. Surge had always been this way. Just as votile as lightning itself.

  If their opponent had been Koga instead, this pn would never have worked.

  "What now? Do we go after Lt. Surge directly?" Blue asked eagerly.

  August shot her a surprised look.

  "Why would we do that? Lt. Surge is a Gym Leader of the Kanto League."

  Blue: "…?"

  Weren’t you the one who told me he was a Team Rocket Executive?

  And now you’re calling him a League Gym Leader? Don’t you think that’s a bit contradictory?

  Seeing the skepticism in her eyes, August shook his head.

  "Those two things aren’t contradictory at all. Until he’s convicted, Lt. Surge is just a suspect. As members of the International Police, we don’t have the authority to strip him of his Gym Leader title."

  "As w enforcers, we have to follow proper procedures. Until we have solid evidence proving his guilt, he remains a member of the League." August decred with righteous conviction.

  Blue: "…"

  If she hadn’t spent the past few days watching August sck off at work and teaching her how to file expense reports on the League’s dime, she might have actually believed he cared about procedure.

  You have the higher rank, so whatever you say goes.

  Feigning agreement, she asked, "Then what’s next? We’re not just going to sit here and watch, are we?"

  Lt. Surge was out hunting for them, after all.

  Hearing her question, August smirked and casually pulled out a search warrant bearing Lance’s signature.

  "Of course not. We’re going to search Vermilion Gym."

  "A search warrant? You really think that’ll work…?" Blue highly doubted they’d be let in just because they had a warrant.

  More likely, they’d get attacked on sight.

  "Obviously not," August replied. "But that’s not the point. The warrant is evidence—proof that we’re conducting a wful investigation rather than trespassing. If they attack us, it’ll be assault on League officers."

  ---

  T/N: piackhu...