While Silas enjoyed the rest of his meal, Jason returned and sat down across from him.
"I am ready whenever you are. Let's do this."
Silas nodded and finished the last few bites of his meal before standing.
"Good. We leave immediately."
The two headed toward the base exit, but Silas slowed to a stop before they reached the doors.
A beautiful woman with long crimson hair stood surrounded by a growing circle of spectators.
Silas recognized her immediately, it was Andra. They had a fairly good rapport. It was hard not to appreciate a beautiful and competent woman like her.
The atmosphere around the group was tense enough that he decided to walk closer.
"Miss Andra, I defeated your Combusken openly and fairly, so according to our agreement, you belong to me now."
An unfamiliar broad shouldered tall man with an arrogant grin was pressuring her.
Andra's expression hardened. She looked extremely uncomfortable like the mere mention of being with that man made her throw up.
"Our agreement was that you would battle Combusken with a pokemon of the same tier," she replied coldly. "Using an advanced class pokemon violated that agreement. Besides, I agreed to work with you not become yours, whatever the hell that means."
Her voice dripped with disgust during the last sentence.
The man most definitely noticed her disgust but he merely laughed.
"Andra, baby, don't be like that. Being my woman comes with plenty of benefits. I promise I'll treat you well."
Silas watched quietly.
The wicked smile on the man's face told him everything he needed to know. This wasn't simple flirting. The man viewed Andra as something to possess.
The commotion had already attracted dozens of Rockets. This was a common sight in the lower ranks of the organization.
Giovanni was known to be extremely vicious against members that tried to use force with the women of the organization but there had to be evidence.
This was why the man tried to get to her through a wager instead of using his power to force her.
Normally no rockets would dare try something like this with Andra due to the threat of Ariana behind her.
However Ariana didn't come to the Trial Continent so Andra's safety net was gone.
One of the men standing beside the arrogant trainer fanned the flames.
"Andra, he isn't wrong. You and Darius would make a great couple. I can already see it now, the new power couple of Team Rocket!"
Several others joined in.
"Just accept him! He's handsome and strong m!"
"Darius will climb the organization's ladder. You need to cling to his thighs!"
"You'll live comfortably within Team Rocket with a backer like him!"
The crowd treated Andra's opinion as an afterthought. Silas found that mildly irritating.
Silas didn't consider himself a white knight or anything but watching a man try to use force even indirectly annoyed him to the core.
Looking through the crowd, Andra suddenly spotted him.
Her eyes brightened with hope. She silently pleaded for help.
Silas merely smirked. He wasn't her knight in shining armor. Although he was annoyed with Darius, that didn't mean he'd participate in this farce.
If Andra were truly in danger, he would intervene without hesitation. Beyond that, however, her personal affairs were none of his business.
Darius was certainly annoying, but he wasn't weak.
Silas had already scanned him discreetly and knew the man possessed at least one advanced tier pokemon. That wasn't a gap Silas intended to challenge today.
Seeing that Odin had no intention of rescuing her, Andra's expression subtly changed.
She took a slow breath before smiling cryptically.
She started to act coquettishly.
"To be honest, I normally wouldn't be opposed… but someone else has already confessed his feelings to me. How about you 2 battle? Winner takes all."
As she spoke, she deliberately blew a seductive kiss and winked towards Silas.
Even Silas had to admit, it was devastatingly effective.
For just a brief instant, he genuinely felt his heart skip a beat.
He had noticed before that Andra was beautiful, but now he realized just how dangerous that beauty truly was.
Beautiful roses always came with thorns.
Unfortunately for him, Darius saw everything.
His cheerful expression instantly twisted.
Darius sneered.
"Get your eyes back into their sockets and stop eye fucking my woman. Come fight me. Let's see exactly what gives you the confidence to compete with me."
The crowd immediately stepped aside.
"Isn't that Odin?"
"This should be interesting."
"I heard he's actually pretty strong."
Hearing the murmurs only made Darius angrier.
His pride had already been wounded. Now it was being trampled.
"Do you think you're my equal because of a few lucky accomplishments?"
Without waiting for an answer, he threw a Pokeball.
"Go, Poliwrath!"
The muscular amphibian appeared with an intimidating roar.
Silas immediately scanned it.
Poliwrath (M) — Level 50
Ability: Water Absorb
Potential: B
Moves: Rank B Hydro Pump, Rank B Surf, Rank B Liquidation, Rank B Dynamic Punch, Rank B Ice Punch, Rank C Ice Beam, Rank C Hypnosis, Rank C Rain Dance, Rank C Bulk Up, Rank C Focus Blast, Rank C Mega Punch, Rank C Belly Drum, Rank C Low Kick, Rank C Giga Impact, Rank C Submission, Rank C Vacuum Wave, Rank C Refresh, Rank C Work Up
Silas silently evaluated the situation.
The pokemon had clearly received years of careful cultivation.
Given enough time, his own pokemon would surpass it.
Unfortunately, time wasn't one of the options being offered.
He needed another solution.
"I will not fight over the woman I like,"
Silas said calmly.
The crowd quieted immediately.
"If she has to choose between myself and another man, then I don't wish to be chosen. There is no indecision on my end. No matter who my other options are, I would choose her every single time."
Silas looked directly into Andra's eyes as he spoke.
The effect was immediate.
The surrounding men erupted.
"What a cool guy!"
"A real man stands by his convictions!"
The women reacted even more dramatically.
"I wish someone would say that about me."
"Those feelings are completely wasted on her!"
Andra herself froze and her cheeks gradually became crimson like her hair.
Her heartbeat accelerated uncontrollably.
The ironic part, face occupying her thoughts wasn't Silas.
It was Odin.
She was unknowingly starting to like Silas' fake identify.
Darius, meanwhile, looked ready to explode.
"Do you take me for a fool? I won't accept your refusal! If you won't defend yourself then die!"
Silas sighed internally.
All he had wanted was to quietly leave for the desert.
Instead, here he was.
"Since battle cannot be avoided, I have 2 conditions."
"Fine!"
Darius practically shouted the word.
"First, Andra will not be wagered. She is too valuable."
Darius frowned.
"Second, we fight personally. No pokemon."
Silas glanced at Poliwrath.
"Your pokemon are clearly stronger than mine. That wouldn't be a fair contest."
"I won't negotiate on either point."
For a brief moment, Darius simply stared.
Then he burst into laughter.
"Hahahahaha! So a weakling thinks he can beat me with his fists? So be it. Don't complain afterward that I bullied you."
Silas smiled politely.
"Thank you for agreeing."
Both men assumed fighting stances.
Darius attacked first with several quick jabs. Silas retreated just outside their range.
Darius followed with a well timed cross but Silas ducked beneath it effortlessly.
Growing frustrated, Darius spun into a sweeping kick.
Silas jumped and delivered his own spinning kick.
His kick landed squarely between Darius' shoulder and neck.
The larger man stumbled backwards and grabbed his shoulder in pain.
Silas immediately pressed the advantage.
He ran up to him intending to finish the fight.
Darius tried to intercept and threw another punch but Silas ducked it before hitting Darius with a devastating uppercut to the chin.
He was knocked to the ground and the crowd began to murmur.
Embarrassed, Darius struggled desperately to regain his footing, but Silas's relentless attacks denied him every opportunity.
Disciplined physical training, aura training, and actual life or death combat had transformed him into a terrifying hand to hand fighter.
He didn't even need to use aura.
To him, fighting Darius was like fighting an oversized rabbit. The only thing "imposing" was his size but it was an easy fight.
Eventually the fight ended with Silas sitting on Darius's chest throwing punch after punch.
Only after Darius finally shouted his surrender did Silas stand.
Without saying another word, Silas turned to leave.
"Do you think this is over?"
Silas stopped.
"Poliwrath!"
"Dynamic Punch! Don't hold back!"
Silas's instincts screamed.
He felt death approaching from behind.
Poliwrath charged with a fist glowing brilliantly.
An advanced tier pokemon attacking with murderous intent.
Silas had absolutely no chance of surviving.
Just before the fist connected, a massive Arbok shot forward.
Its body wrapped tightly around Poliwrath before the attack landed.
Crack!
Its electrified fangs buried themselves deep into Poliwrath's shoulder.
The fighting type roared in pain.
A familiar voice echoed across the courtyard.
"Rockets are expected to lie, steal, rob, and win at all costs."
Executive Viper slowly approached.
"But when two Rockets reach an agreement, I expect better. If you had pulled a knife after losing, I would have respected your determination but sending an advanced tier pokemon to murder a fellow Rocket over a woman who clearly dislikes you?"
Viper shook his head.
"That is beneath even Team Rocket."
Darius glared hatefully.
"I thought executives weren't supposed to interfere in matters beneath them."
Surprisingly, he still had enough courage to challenge Viper directly.
Normally, Viper probably would have ignored the situation.
Today was different.
"Have you forgotten we're at war?"
Viper asked coldly.
"There is an enemy hidden somewhere on this island. Odin is one of our most talented young members and you intend to eliminate that combat strength over a woman? I expected much better from you."
Viper's gaze hardened further.
"And even if the Luminary Court weren't here, base rules still apply. No lethal force. No attacking humans with pokemon. Outside the base… handle your problems however you like. Inside these walls… there will be no more violence."
Every Rocket present straightened instinctively.
"Yes, sir!"
"Good."
Viper dismissed them with a wave.
"All of you. Disperse."
The crowd vanished almost immediately.
Darius remained kneeling on the ground for several seconds.
Humiliation burned hotter than any wound Silas had inflicted.
He eventually stood and left without another word.
Silas watched him disappear.
He had nearly died.
Again.
He hadn't expected Darius to throw away every shred of dignity simply to kill him after losing fairly.
That single mistake could have cost him his life.
Silas silently engraved the lesson into his memory.
Never assume an enemy has limits.
Some people would rather destroy themselves than accept humiliation.
If Viper hadn't intervened, he would already be dead.
Silas slowly exhaled.
He would remember that.
One day, he would repay Darius for today's attempted murder.
Jason soon caught up with him outside.
"That was quite the performance,"
Jason said with a laugh.
"I hope you realize that man isn't finished with you."
"I noticed but who's to say that I'm finished with him?"
"The killing intent pouring off him after you beat him was unbelievable."
Silas nodded thoughtfully.
"I finally understand why some people refuse to leave enemies alive."
Jason looked sideways at him.
"Oh?"
Silas's expression remained calm.
"The enemy might be exactly the type to pursue revenge forever. Someone like that can cause endless losses if allowed to live."
Jason chuckled.
"He really tried to kill you because you embarrassed him."
"What a pathetic excuse for a Rocket."
The two continued walking toward the exit together.
————————————————————
My next release will have 2 bonus chapters for reaching 150k views and hitting the 100 chapter mark this week. Enjoy!
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 200k views and chapter 200.
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!