Had his cheat old man finally shown up?!
That ridiculous thought flashed through Colress's mind.
Was this really about to turn into one of those bargain-bin novel tropes?
He remembered the pile of cheap light novels he'd stumbled across in Team Plasma's lab. That one titled Reincarnated: I Became a Professor in Unova had practically made him sick.
Some "old man inside a ring," some "spirit mentor"—a setting that violated conservation of energy, and they dared call it sci-fi?
Heh…
Ghost-type Pokémon, at least, fit within science.
Colress sneered to himself, his bound hands twitching nervously.
Those so-called "cheats" were nothing more than alternative Gimmighoul—things trainers raised by feeding them life force, only for them to demand payment later.
Like Litwick siphoning the flame of life—the stronger the "cheat," the more terrifying the price it demanded…
The transport vehicle suddenly jolted violently, snapping him out of his spiraling thoughts.
Colress bit down hard on his lower lip. A rusty taste spread through his mouth.
I'm losing it—why am I thinking about this right now?!
What he needed wasn't some cursed old man. What he needed was a laser cutter that could slice through these damn restraints!
"I'll ask again, human—do you want freedom?"
When that voice rang out again, Colress's breathing stopped.
This was absolutely not a hallucination.
Each syllable hammered directly against his nerves, carrying a presence that couldn't be ignored.
"Who…?"
Colress swallowed with difficulty, his pupils shrinking sharply behind his lenses.
A scientist's instincts made him rule out auditory delusion immediately.
But something this clear was like… someone had implanted a speaker inside his skull.
Like bone conduction.
Inside the cabin, the only sound was his own breathing.
Yet the voice was undeniably there.
Like a virus hiding deep in a data stream, it slipped past every layer of Colress's rational defenses and knocked directly on the most primal thing inside him—his will to live.
"I want freedom!"
Whether it was some soul-possessing old man or a Pokémon that fed on life force, Colress didn't care—he wanted to survive.
To live, he would do anything.
"Good. Then I will grant you a freedom."
"But…"
The voice deliberately dragged out the last word.
"But what?!"
Colress nearly sprang from the seat. The nylon rope cut into his flesh, and he didn't even feel it.
Sweat fogged his lenses. The pale skin of his face flushed bright red.
The air inside the cabin felt frozen solid.
Only when the vehicle rattled over another pothole did the voice finally drop its ultimatum.
"You will join Team Rocket."
Team Rocket?!
Team Rocket was inviting him?
Why would Team Rocket even know about him?!
Colress couldn't believe what he was hearing in his own head.
But then reality caught up with him—right now, the only ones who could save him were Team Plasma back in Unova… or the vile, infamous Team Rocket.
And only Team Rocket would accept someone like a "dark scientist" without blinking.
Deep in the forest—
Mewtwo kept pace with the transport vehicle.
It floated forward, its psychic power piercing steel plating and wrapping around the fraying nerves of the man on the verge of collapse.
The e-book The Art of Social Leverage: The Man-Eating Tree still glinted in its memory like a blade.
First, offer hope.
Then, manufacture anxiety.
Finally, present the only solution.
Like a Carnivine luring prey with sweet scent, then slowly tightening a cage made of digestive fluids.
Mewtwo watched the "dark scientist" in the cabin unravel, each step of the psychological assault calculated with precision—placing that olive branch called "Join Team Rocket" at the exact instant Colress's defenses were weakest.
In the front passenger seat—
Giovanni's eyes flicked to the rearview mirror.
Seeing Colress like that, a faint curve flashed at the corner of Giovanni's mouth and disappeared at once.
He knew Mewtwo's psychic power better than anyone.
That unique frequency was moving like invisible hands, guiding prey step by step into the trap.
Sure, lately that creature's behavior had been baffling.
For example, turning into a human and competing with psychics in Saffron City, and obsessing over social psychology.
But at least when it came to executing orders, it still delivered efficiency that satisfied him.
Just like now—through the steel walls of the vehicle, Giovanni could feel that practiced finesse: emotions being manipulated with surgical accuracy.
The tires crunched over gravel, and Giovanni calmly adjusted the rearview mirror.
Mad scientist or Legendary Pokémon—it didn't matter.
In the end, they were all obedient pieces on his board.
Under his leadership, Team Rocket would shine.
"I choose to join Team Rocket."
After completing the mental exchange with Mewtwo, Colress slumped back against the seat. His prison uniform was soaked through with cold sweat.
The rational mind he prided himself on screamed warnings, but his survival instinct had already strangled every path except one.
"Very good. The deal is complete. The contract is established."
Mewtwo's telepathy cut off, the icy presence withdrawing like a knife pulled free.
BOOM!!!
The next second, a brilliant cobalt beam slammed down from the sky, striking the front tire with pinpoint precision.
The armored vehicle was tossed into the air like a toy. Its metal frame warped under a psychic field, and the bulletproof glass exploded into countless glittering shards.
In the weightless moment, Colress watched his lenses fly off his face, catching the light—reflecting a faint purple silhouette on a distant treetop.
Giovanni's shout mixed with the scream of tearing metal… yet his mouth still lifted in an almost imperceptible curve.
This meticulously designed "prison break" matched the plan as perfectly as laboratory data.
"Nidoking—save the driver first!"
Giovanni roared mid-flight, and a Poké Ball at his waist snapped into motion.
"Nido!"
The muscular Nidoking stomped down hard. Seeing the driver staring blankly, not even understanding what was happening, it surged forward and caught him securely.
And with Mewtwo's help, Giovanni landed smoothly—bearing only relatively light injuries.
"Gym Leader Giovanni…"
After being saved by Giovanni's Nidoking, the driver's eyes filled with tears.
He hadn't expected Giovanni to send out a Pokémon to rescue him while willingly taking injuries himself!
So Gym Leader Giovanni really was a good person!
Whoever dared claim Giovanni was Team Rocket's boss—he'd be the first one to fight them.
Giovanni's actions had left an unforgettable impression on the League-assigned driver.
Giovanni could've ignored him.
But he didn't.
A Gym Leader who protected people like this—there was no way he could be the Team Rocket boss who treated lives like dirt.
"Slinking around. Hiding in the shadows. Is that Team Rocket's style?"
Giovanni stood up and brushed the dust off. Nidoking loomed at his side, slamming its fists together with a sharp crack.
"Giovanni of the Earth. Champion-tier strength… but still lacking a bit of refinement."
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