Team Rocket's Second-in-Command!

When Ash posed his question, an awkward silence fell over the group.

Although the Alola region had only recently joined the Pokémon League, its reputation as a tropical paradise and the promotional campaigns during its induction had made it nearly impossible not to know about Alola.

Sensing the strange atmosphere, Ash tilted his head in confusion.

Finally, Brock stepped in to play the role of encyclopedia yet again, explaining the basics of the Alola region to Ash.

"Oh, so that's how it is," Ash said, nodding as understanding dawned on his face.

Gary watched Ash's reaction, silently questioning how this guy had somehow become his rival.

Meanwhile, Pikachu covered its face with a paw, turning away to focus on squeezing ketchup onto its food, pretending not to know Ash.

However, just as Pikachu was about to squeeze out more ketchup, it realized the bottle was missing.

"Pika pi?" Pikachu scratched its head and looked around.

"Giggle~"

A soft laugh floated down from above, drawing Pikachu's attention.

Looking up, it saw Celebi floating in the air, holding the ketchup bottle. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

But before Pikachu could react, Celebi disappeared, and the ketchup bottle was back on the ground beside it.

"Pika?"

Pikachu glanced at the bottle, then back up at the sky, scratching its head in bewilderment.

---

Ash and the others spent the night at the estate and left early the next morning.

After all, Ash and Gary were still actively challenging the Johto League and didn't have the luxury of sleeping in.

Luo Yuan remained optimistic about their chances in the Silver Conference. Gary, for one, had been refining his Pokémon training methods under the guidance of Luo Yuan and Professor Oak. After reflecting on his failure in the Indigo League, he'd made noticeable progress.

Ash, on the other hand, while still relying on a more haphazard training style, had an unparalleled bond with his Pokémon. That connection, coupled with the experience he'd gained since the Indigo League, had significantly improved his battle skills.

Both of them should achieve decent results this time around.

Luo Yuan smiled at the thought.

He gently moved his hand off Sabrina's chest, got out of bed, and went to freshen up.

Just as he was about to let his Pokémon out for some exercise, his communicator buzzed.

Answering the call, Luo Yuan was greeted by a slightly exasperated voice.

"Luo Yuan, this is too much!"

"Huh?"

"It was you who told Lance I could use the Shadow Clone technique, wasn't it?"

"Oh, that."

Luo Yuan wasn't surprised that Koga had come to confront him.

Koga's voice grew more frantic. "Where did you even get the idea that all ninjas can use the Shadow Clone technique? I can't clone myself! Now Lance has doubled my workload. What am I supposed to do?"

Koga sounded completely at his wit's end.

After Luo Yuan had gone to Hoenn to assist the league there, Lance had offloaded a significant portion of Luo Yuan's duties onto Koga. Now, Lance had added even more work, and Koga, who didn't actually know any cloning techniques, was struggling to keep up.

If it weren't for the fact that he couldn't beat Luo Yuan—and that Luo Yuan was Team Rocket's second-in-command—Koga would have been storming over to settle this face-to-face.

Watching Koga through the holographic communicator, Luo Yuan couldn't help but admire the advanced technology produced by the Silph Co. The device transmitted even the subtlest emotions perfectly.

Feigning helplessness, Luo Yuan said, "There's nothing I can do about it."

"Lance told me you're off vacationing in Alola with Sabrina!"

Lance, that snitch. Luo Yuan hadn't expected Lance to rat him out, but he kept his expression neutral, instead feigning surprise.

"What? Didn't Giovanni tell you?"

Koga, caught off guard, paused. "Tell me what?"

He racked his brain, trying to recall if Giovanni had mentioned anything.

"Did you really think I went to Alola for a vacation?" Luo Yuan said, leaning closer to the holographic display.

"Wait... you didn't?"

"You're one of Team Rocket's senior executives. Surely, you've heard of the Alola Project?"

"Of course, I have..." Koga replied, his voice trailing off.

The Alola Project was one of Team Rocket's major initiatives before Luo Yuan's return to Kanto.

Now that Luo Yuan had brought it up, Koga wondered if the project had been reactivated.

Seeing Koga deep in thought, Luo Yuan knew his plan was working.

He adopted a more serious tone. "Koga, as a veteran member of Team Rocket, you should understand how critical the Alola Project is to our organization. If I'm personally overseeing it, surely you can handle a few minor tasks for the greater good."

"...Minor tasks?" Koga wanted to retort, but he held back.

In the face of Team Rocket's larger goals, complaining would only make him seem petty.

Still, while Luo Yuan's words convinced him on an emotional level, the sheer volume of work remained a problem. "I really can't manage all of this..."

For a ninja accustomed to living in seclusion, the sudden onslaught of administrative tasks was overwhelming.

At this moment, Koga truly wished he did know the Shadow Clone technique.

Luo Yuan sighed, his expression one of mock disappointment. "Koga, do I really need to teach you how to handle this?"

"If Lance dumped the workload on you, just delegate it to others."

"Start with the league officials. They're getting paid handsomely for this—it's their job to begin with."

"As for anything you can't offload to your subordinates, assign it to Team Rocket's staff. The think tank at headquarters spends their days chatting over coffee—this is a good chance for them to shoulder some responsibility and familiarize themselves with league operations."

Luo Yuan's tone was calm as he laid out his suggestions.

As someone who had experienced another world, Luo Yuan was well-acquainted with the concept of outsourcing.

His advice to Koga was essentially a crash course in delegation.

The think tank at Team Rocket HQ, managed by Matori, had often complained about not being involved in the organization's recent major operations. Now, Luo Yuan was giving them something to do.

Hearing Luo Yuan's suggestions, Koga's eyes widened as if he'd just discovered an entirely new way of life.

---

...

If you're reading this, then you've wandered all the way to the end. I'm impressed. Stories are like wine—meant to be savored, not rushed. So if you took your time? Thank you.

Of course, the real thanks goes to WiseTL—the one who turned tangled words into something beautiful. I just got asked to wrap things up with a ribbon. Hopefully this counts!

If you enjoyed the journey and want to support the person who made it possible, you can find them here:

👉 [patreon.com/WiseTL]

Go on. Be generous. They've earned it.

Until next time—read well, rest often, and maybe come visit me at the Hostess of Fertility sometime.

– Syr ✨