"Huh?" Lorze doubted if he had misheard something, but Mr. Stone simply repeated his words calmly.
"I, Mr. Stone, in the name of the President of Devon Corporation, invite you, Sir Lorze, to join our ranks of trainers."
The head of Devon Corp, Steven's old man, was extending an olive branch to him!?
But on second thought, there were probably very few people on this planet who could crush Steven's Metagross in a head-on fight.
With Big Sister Mewtwo around... I've never fought with such a massive advantage before; I need to be a bit more confident.
Lorze calmed himself down internally and asked quite composedly—
"What kind of organization is it, specifically?"
The elderly Mr. Stone rose from the sofa and began to pace with his hands behind his back.
His face was full of wrinkles, but his eyes hadn't lost their highlights; they shone with the wisdom of a man planning far into the future.
"As you can see, Devon Corp doesn't just manufacture products. Uncracked ancient fossils and the mysteries of Mega Evolution are also subjects of our research."
"And beyond that... lies the entirety of Hoenn."
He looked at the young man sitting on the sofa holding Kirlia and smiled.
"As the largest corporation in the Hoenn region, we also bear the responsibility of protecting this land. To that end, we invite powerful trainers from all walks of life to join us... I wonder if such an ambition can move you, Sir Lorze?"
Mewtwo frowned, because while this old man was droning on, she couldn't understand a single thing!
Looking at Kirlia's dazed expression, it was obvious she didn't understand either. Human society... what a pain!
Something else shocked Lorze: didn't this imply that the true fate of Hoenn was held by this private enterprise rather than the Hoenn League, which supposedly represented the highest authority!?
"Uh, if I may ask, is the Hoenn League aware of this?"
"Hahaha! Naturally, they fear us amassing too much power, so Gym Leaders, Elite Four members, and Champions are outside our recruitment scope. However... we are very interested in independent individuals as powerful as you, Sir Lorze!"
"Wait, does that mean Mr. Steven is also—"
Steven nodded with a smile: "Exactly. In fact, I have not joined my father's organization."
Lorze nodded; it seemed more like avoiding a conflict of interest.
Mr. Stone showed a shrewd gaze. An independent trainer with strength surpassing a Champion... they would be sought after regardless of where they were.
Since he had the chance to get in first, he had to fight for it—as for Lorze's background, he could set that aside for now.
Unless... he was the head of some criminal organization, but judging by his aura, he didn't look the part.
In Lorze's view, this old guy was really getting straight to the point. He glanced at Kirlia in his arms; the little girl was giving a sweet, somewhat dorky smile.
As for Mewtwo, she wore a "suit yourself" expression.
"But I still prefer traveling around. I don't want to be tied down to one place."
"Mmm, understandable... Then how about this? We invite you, Sir Lorze, to join as an Honorary Trainer. The compensation will be generous, and your personal freedom will be guaranteed."
"You won't be needed for daily tasks, but if a major incident occurs... we hope you can lend us your strength."
The conditions were very loose. Even Lorze was tempted; after all, this would eliminate all his financial worries.
"You are currently raising a Gardevoir, right? To show our sincerity... feel free to ask for any training resources you need."
It was clear President Stone had shown enough sincerity. There was no harm in joining them, and he could build a relationship with Steven and expand his influence from there. That was very important!
This deal was a guaranteed win.
"Alright, then we'll join!"
Mr. Stone immediately clapped his hands and had his secretary bring the documents.
After the young man quickly filled out the information, the President asked with a grin: "Sir Lorze, do you have any means of communication currently?"
Of course not! Since being picked up by Big Sister Mewtwo, I've been living like a caveman!
"I don't have anything like that on me at the moment... due to some unexpected events, I'm currently penniless."
Whether he was lying or not, this answer played right into Mr. Stone's hands. He had the secretary bring over a pre-configured PokéNav—essentially a smartphone manufactured by Devon Corp.
Lorze solemnly took it and flipped through the pre-set contact list, surprisingly finding the name "Ruby" among the entries!
"Huh, Ruby!?"
"Ah, Ruby. He's a good lad. Do you perhaps know this boy, Sir Lorze?"
"I don't know him personally, but I've had the pleasure of hearing about him..."
Speaking of Ruby, Steven became a bit excited, his pride clear in his voice: "Ruby is still very young, but he is certainly a trainer with a limitless future! That's why I recommended him to my father."
From what Lorze gathered from the two, Ruby seemed to still be on his journey across Hoenn.
Which means the clash between the two idiots hasn't happened yet?
In that case, when disaster strikes, President Stone will definitely ask me to get involved, right? It seems I'll have to shoulder some very heavy responsibilities...
Wait, wouldn't it be easier to just trash the hideouts of Team Aqua and Team Magma and skip all the bullshit?
I know exactly where their hideouts are!
With Mewtwo's power, doing something like that would be a breeze.
Not to mention I'm not alone anymore. I can use President Stone's trainer alliance and Mr. Steven's power, share the intel I have with them, and then formulate a complete combat plan.
For the sake of long-term well-being... it's feasible!
But this is risky, after all. Since there's no rush, Lorze planned to discuss it with Mewtwo and Kirlia first.
"Since everything is settled... Steven, could you please take Mr. Lorze to get acquainted with his residence?"
"Isn't the Champion busy?"
"Hehe, even a Champion needs to make time to hang out with friends. Well then, Sir Lorze, please follow me."
Lorze felt a bit embarrassed being called a friend by Steven, but he still gave a very polite bow to Mr. Stone.
Watching the two handsome young men leave together, Mr. Stone sank back into the sofa with a mix of melancholy and happiness.
This Lorze was equally humble and composed, with a very agile mind. Though not as mature as Steven, he possessed a youthful vigor that Steven lacked.
Talent truly emerges in every generation! An old bag of bones like me can only help clear the path for the youth!
Meanwhile, on the rooftop of the Devon Corporation headquarters, Lorze stared dumbfoundedly at the helicopter.
"Isn't the residence here in Rustboro City?"
"Staying here would be a waste of your talents, Sir Lorze. I happen to have an empty villa in Ever Grande City. You can stay there; it's my father's wish as well."
The wind on the rooftop was very strong; Lorze could barely hear what Steven was saying.
Is... is this the world of the wealthy!?