Silas was unaware of that conversation as he moved through the base.
Jessie, James, and Meowth were still hard at work training, so they would not be joining him this time. That suited the mission.
A desert infiltration involving senior Elite Officers was not the place for them yet, not unless Viper specifically assigned them.
Jason, however, would come along. He had proven adaptable and capable of following orders without unnecessary argument.
He was the only person with decent combat power that Silas could rely on.
Although Silas had Jessie, James, & Meowth, they were far from strong enough in the serious battles.
They might even be used as hostages or distractions. Silas couldn't allow that.
They were also part of his future foundation. He couldn't allow them to get hurt or die early.
He intended to cultivate them well, Silas envisioned a stronger and smarter Rocket trio than who they were in the anime.
For now, Jason would have to be enough extra manpower.
They met in the dining hall.
Jason sat down beside Silas with a drink in his hand.
"So where are we going exactly?"
"We have a mission in the desert. Prepare accordingly. We leave in an hour."
Jason blinked once, then quickly finished his drink.
"Got it."
He stood and left to prepare.
Silas remained seated for a while, eating calmly as he organized his thoughts.
The desert mission would require different supplies than the rainforest.
The desert environment was unlike anything Silas had experienced before.
They would have to plan for hydration, food & emergency shelter.
He would need to consider the roles of each of pokemon before reaching Victor's group. This would be Silas' first real combat mission.
Although he had participated in the past, the stakes weren't as high.
Although the initial battles during the trial were ferocious and many died, this was different.
He'd have to work with other Rocket members. In Team Rocket, one had to guard against everyone however during a mission, it is all about unity.
The reason why Team Rocket was able to rise to the top of the criminal underworld was because of this sentiment.
Although they were just as distrustful of each other as other criminal groups in general, they could come together when it counted.
Rocket members also showed real loyalty to their organizations. The members that were willing to flip never knew anything serious.
The only real actionable information they got was snitching from rival criminal factions or spies within the organization.
While he was thinking, he overheard an angry Elite Officer speaking several tables away.
"The man's Pidgeot was more powerful and dangerous than any Pidgeot I've ever seen before,"
His voice was tight with humiliation.
"It combined Hurricane, Air Slash, and Air Cutter to massacre my squad. It was like every attack couldn't miss."
Another Rocket frowned.
"How were you caught off guard like that? I remember the mission intel had a warning about a Pidgeot."
Several nearby members went quiet.
They were all thinking the same thing.
To be ambushed that badly meant one of two things: either the intel had been incomplete, or there was a spy. Neither possibility was pleasant.
The angry officer slammed a fist on the table.
"The intel we had said it was a pseudo advanced pokemon. But it displayed the power of an advanced pokemon. It looked mutated too. The tips of its wings were blue, and it had some giant red feather or fur sticking out of its head. I've never seen a pokemon like that before."
"Haha boohoo, if it were me? My Electabuzz would have zapped that bird out of the sky in 1 shot! Maybe your Pokémon are just too weak."
In Team Rocket, the weak receive no respect from others. This officer didn't realize that by telling this story sounding so weak and like a victim, he painted a target on his back.
Some of the surrounding officers looked at him with pity. They understood that the man's good times in Team Rocket were effectively over.
Advanced pokemon were far above pseudo advanced pokemon. Being caught by that kind of sudden power jump would destroy most squads before they could properly adjust.
If the report had said pseudo advanced and the pokemon had suddenly fought at the advanced level, then the disaster was understandable.
Silas, however, was not looking at the officer with pity. They weren't closely acquainted so Silas felt no affinity with him. Instead, he was shaking with excitement.
Only he understood the implications of the description given by the hysterical officer.
Blue wing tips. A large red crest. A Pidgeot suddenly jumping from pseudo advanced strength to advanced level power.
Mega Pidgeot.
The Luminary Court's connection to Kalos had already been suspicious, but Silas had not expected them to be capable of Mega Evolution.
That changed everything. Mega Evolution was not merely a temporary power boost. It was a qualitative transformation, a forced elevation of potential and battle capability.
If the Court possessed Mega Stones and Key Stones, their threat level rose dramatically.
Silas quickly estimated the Pidgeot's strength based on the report.
Its true level was likely around 40 to 43. After Mega Evolving, it had reached roughly level 50 in practical combat power. That was an enormous jump, especially for a pokemon already trained well enough to combine Hurricane and Air Slash lethally.
Silas immediately fed Hermes every piece of data he could remember about Mega Evolution.
Because Hermes was part of him, it could review any memory Silas deliberately granted access to.
Images, names, evolutionary conditions, known Mega Stones, battle traits, visual changes, all of it flowed into a growing database. He included every Mega Stone he could recall clearly.
Some of the newer Mega Stones from Legends Z-A lacked stable images in his memory, but the concept alone mattered.
Greninjite and Excadrillite. The thought made Silas' pulse quicken.
Greninjite would allow Frogadier, once evolved into Greninja, to ascend even further. Excadrillite would do the same for Excadrill.
Originally, Silas had caught Excadrill partly for convenience. A strong digging pokemon was incredibly useful for traps, travel, and terrain control.
Surprisingly, Excadrill had proven to have a real knack for battle. He was creative, fierce, and increasingly central to Silas' strategy.
Now he was an integral member of the team. Excadrill was fiercely loyal too, their bond was definitely strong enough to trigger the mega evolution.
Silas needed more information.
He stood and walked toward the table where the Elite Officer was still complaining.
"Friend, do you mind sharing where exactly you fought the mutated Pidgeot? I can pay you 2,000 Trial Points."
The officer looked up at him with irritated disdain.
"Why don't you get lost? I have no reason to chat with a lesser trainer."
The dining hall quieted.
Several people recognized Odin immediately and tensed. Others looked between him and the angry officer, waiting to see what would happen.
Silas had given the man a polite option.
Since kindness did not work, he changed methods.
His expression cooled, and his aura began to circulate through his body. The shift was subtle at first, then oppressive. Before the officer could fully react, Silas was already in front of him.
His hand closed around the man's throat.
A heartbeat later, the officer was pinned against the wall.
They were roughly the same height and size, but the man could not resist at all. Silas' aura enhanced strength locked him in place like a clamp.
The officer's hands grabbed Silas' wrist, trying to pry himself free, but his strength was insufficient.
His face reddened then paled.
Only when his eyes began to flutter shut did Silas release him.
The officer dropped to the ground, gasping desperately for air.
Silas looked down at him coldly.
"I don't appreciate being looked down upon, especially by someone who was just defeated. My offer still stands, but if you continue to disrespect me, you and I will have a problem that can only be solved on the battlefield."
The officer stared up at him in horror.
Despite Silas' sturdy frame, his face was still that of a young man. The officer had made the mistake of assuming youth meant weakness. It was a common mistake, but not one Silas intended to tolerate.
The man swallowed, still clutching his throat.
"It was on the outskirts of the desert area. There is a cave nearby with crystals around the mouth. That was where we were attacked."
Silas nodded.
"Thank you. You see how easy that was? Treat your fellow Rocket members with respect. You never know who you might offend."
"Yes sir, I understand."
He transferred the promised points anyway.
Then he turned, walked back to his seat, and resumed eating as though nothing had happened.
The surrounding Rockets watched in silence.
Team Rocket, like any dark organization, contained fools among its ranks.
Some people believed strength gave them the right to bully everyone beneath them while bowing instantly to anyone above.
They mistook cruelty for authority and arrogance for power. In Silas' opinion, people like that were a cancer wherever they went.
To save himself trouble in the future, he needed to establish himself clearly.
He showed real personal strength on purpose. While having powerful Pokémon was the ultimate currency anywhere in this world, there were other means of power.
Personal power was important because you could take action directly. People with aura and psychic power were both rare abilities and Silas possessed them both.
Although he wouldn't reveal all specific powers, it was still important to show that he wasn't someone who could casually be messed with or attacked.
Between the battles earlier, Tyson's recognition, and this display of personal strength, Silas felt he had done enough deterrence work for one day.
Anyone who still sought trouble with him after this would indeed find it.
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Thanks for the continued support on my first fanfic!!
Moving forward, every 50 Power Stones, I will release a bonus chapter.
I will also be releasing bonus chapters for milestones. The next ones are 100k views and chapter 100.
Finally, I will be releasing 3 extra chapters once we reach 10 reviews. 5 star reviews are appreciated but not required, I want honest feedback so I can improve.
Once again, thanks for all the support and feedback!