Team Rocket's Second-in-Command!

"Taking on the mission alone might be too risky," Lorelei said after hearing Luo Yuan's suggestion.

She had a fair amount of confidence in Luo Yuan's abilities.

After all, anyone who had seen Luo Yuan's performance in the Indigo League would agree that his skills were more than adequate.

However, Lorelei, having suffered losses against Team Rocket twice before, knew that strength alone wasn't enough to guarantee victory against them.

First, there was Team Rocket's penchant for underhanded tactics. Someone like Luo Yuan, who lacked experience dealing with them, could easily fall victim to their tricks.

Second, unexpected events frequently cropped up when facing Team Rocket. Lorelei herself had experienced this twice—both times, when she had the upper hand, Team Rocket's reinforcements had arrived and turned the tide, resulting in failure.

That's why she thought Luo Yuan's proposal to act alone was far too dangerous.

When Lorelei rejected the idea, Luo Yuan's face took on an apologetic expression.

"That was impulsive of me," he said with a rueful smile.

But inwardly, Luo Yuan remained completely unfazed. He hadn't expected Lorelei to agree to his proposal on the first try.

As for why he had made the suggestion to act alone—

On one hand, it helped add depth to his persona. A young trainer who was only ever humble and courteous might come across as too contrived. Adding a touch of impulsiveness made his character more believable.

On the other hand, it was a precaution.

Although he had meticulously planned this operation through Matori, ensuring every detail of Sevii Island's base was accounted for, there was always a chance Lorelei, as a seasoned Elite Four member, might notice something suspicious.

By proposing to act alone, Luo Yuan could better control the situation.

And now that Lorelei had declined his suggestion, would it throw his plans off?

Not at all. Luo Yuan had prepared contingencies.

With that in mind, he discreetly used telekinesis to press the send button on the communicator at his waist.

Lorelei, unaware of what Luo Yuan was truly thinking, saw only that she had successfully convinced him to reconsider. Her opinion of him improved further.

To her, while Luo Yuan was a bit impulsive, he clearly stood out from other young, talented trainers. He was someone willing to listen to advice, a quality Lorelei deeply admired.

After checking her Poké Balls, Lorelei was about to head to the reported Team Rocket base with Luo Yuan when her communicator suddenly buzzed.

Puzzled as to who would be calling at this time, Lorelei answered.

"This is Lorelei."

"Lorelei, this is One Island! We're under attack by Team Rocket! We need reinforcements!"

"Team Rocket's attacking!?"

Luo Yuan could clearly see Lorelei's brows furrowing.

"What's the situation?" she demanded.

"The Pokémon Center, radio tower, and shopping mall on One Island are all under attack! We're no match for Team Rocket—we need your help!"

"...I see."

Lorelei's frown deepened.

It wasn't just the attack itself that bothered her but the timing of it. Team Rocket's assault had coincided perfectly with their arrival on Sevii Island.

Was it possible Team Rocket had caught wind of their plans? Were they staging this attack on One Island to divert their attention and buy time to evacuate the Sevii Island base?

Before she could dwell further on the thought, the sound of explosions erupted from the other end of the line, and the call was abruptly cut off.

"What now?"

Lorelei found herself in a dilemma.

Delaying the rescue to focus on clearing the Sevii Island base would lead to significant losses on One Island—something she couldn't accept. After all, this was her homeland.

On the other hand, abandoning the operation against Team Rocket's base would waste this rare opportunity. Who knew when such valuable intel would surface again?

As Lorelei wrestled with her options, Luo Yuan's earlier suggestion resurfaced in her mind.

A moment later, a solution struck her—a way to achieve both objectives.

That's right. There were two Elite Four members present, weren't there?

"Luo Yuan," Lorelei began, raising her head to look at him.

"One Island is in a state of emergency, and I need to head there for support. However, I suspect this might be a ploy by Team Rocket to divert our attention."

Luo Yuan tilted his head slightly, playing along. "What do you mean, Lorelei?"

"This is a rare chance to eliminate a Team Rocket base. Letting it slip through our fingers would mean falling into their trap. At this point, the only option is to go with your earlier suggestion. I'll leave the task of clearing the base to you. Can I count on you?"

Lorelei's words carried a trace of reluctance.

Although Luo Yuan had volunteered to act alone, he was, after all, just a rookie trainer fresh off his Indigo League debut a few days ago.

"Honestly, I didn't feel any pressure before, but now I do," Luo Yuan joked with a light laugh. Then, his face grew serious. "Leave it to me!"

Hearing his response and seeing his determined expression, Lorelei couldn't help but feel a sense of reliability emanating from him. It was almost instinctive to trust him.

Even Lorelei felt a slight flutter in her chest, though she quickly dismissed it.

The situation was urgent, leaving no room for idle thoughts.

"Thank you! I've arranged for personnel near the Team Rocket base. You'll be able to direct them as needed. But if you encounter any strong reinforcements, especially a white and purple Pokémon wielding a large spoon, don't engage directly!"

Lorelei's caution stemmed from her prior encounter with Mewtwo, which had left a lasting impression.

Without wasting any more time, Lorelei boarded the plane once more.

As the engine roared to life and the plane ascended toward One Island, Luo Yuan watched it disappear into the distance.

His serious expression melted away.

Lorelei wasn't wrong. The attack on One Island had indeed been orchestrated to divert her attention.

Through Matori, Luo Yuan had remotely commanded Orm to launch the attack, creating the perfect opening for him to operate solo.

Everything was proceeding according to plan.

As these thoughts crossed his mind, a sly smile crept onto Luo Yuan's face.

"Now, it's showtime. Are you ready, Sird?"

---

Team Rocket's Sevii Island Base

Sird surveyed the bustling activity of her subordinates as they prepared for the next phase of their operation.

Thinking back to her call with Matori two days ago, she couldn't help but push a lock of hair behind her ear and murmur to herself.

"To use an entire base to help Luo Yuan gain credit... what an extravagant move."

"What would the League think if they found out Luo Yuan was one of Team Rocket's executives?"

---

T/N: lookie here, i posted an original thingie called uhh 'What The World Leaves Behind' it's just for practice for my upcoming original fic but all the stories take place in the same world so if you feel like reading some short stories take a little peak please? uwu