Team Rocket's Second-in-Command!

"This was definitely a premeditated attack!" Mr. Stone declared firmly.

Beyond the reasons already considered, there was one more piece of evidence: if Rayquaza had simply acted out of revenge, its Dragon Breath attack couldn't have been so precisely controlled.

To destroy the outer structure of the Devon Corporation headquarters while avoiding serious injury to any individuals inside... That wasn't something easily achieved!

Especially not with Rayquaza's notoriously volatile temperament.

Thus, there had to be someone orchestrating Rayquaza's actions behind the scenes!

But who could control Rayquaza?

The answer was obvious. During the Groudon and Kyogre incident, it was the so-called "Tech Hunter," a Rocket Team executive, who had used Rayquaza to battle Groudon and Kyogre.

Which meant the mastermind behind this attack was... Team Rocket?

At this realization, Mr. Stone's heart clenched, and the initial surge of anger and thoughts of retaliation evaporated instantly.

Retaliate against Team Rocket? That was a joke!

Devon Corporation might be the most influential company in Hoenn, but that was within the boundaries of the established rules. Outside of those rules, Devon's power might not even match that of the now-defunct Team Magma and Team Aqua.

So what would happen if Devon went to war with Team Rocket?

The answer was clear.

Rayquaza was an obvious example.

Team Rocket had never promised not to use Legendary Pokémon first.

Quickly, Mr. Stone began reflecting on where he might have crossed paths with Team Rocket...

---

While Mr. Stone was deep in self-scrutiny, back at Team Rocket's base...

Rayquaza descended into the underground facility, the camouflaged surface entrance closing slowly behind it.

"So this is Rayquaza?"

Its appearance only confirmed Lusamine's earlier thoughts.

Although she had previously seen Luo Yuan's Deoxys, the visual impact of Rayquaza was far more intense compared to the slim, elegant figure of Deoxys.

In comparison, the Ultra Beasts seemed completely outclassed when matched against Rayquaza.

After returning to the base, Rayquaza briefly reported the results of its mission to Luo Yuan before retreating to a specially designed chamber. There, surrounded by an ozone-rich atmosphere, it entered a deep slumber.

Luo Yuan had left Rayquaza in Hoenn not just to guard Team Rocket's Hoenn branch but also because of its natural duty to protect Earth from meteor strikes.

Since it often needed to patrol the skies, Rayquaza conserved its energy by remaining in a state of hibernation when inactive.

"Let's go. After this attack, Devon Corporation won't have the capacity to interfere with us anytime soon," Luo Yuan said.

The suspected Team Rocket attack would keep Devon Corporation and the Stone family mired in paranoia for quite some time.

During this period, Team Rocket wouldn't even need to lift a finger, giving the Aether Foundation ample time to finalize their acquisition of Mauville Holdings.

"I've already contacted several major shareholders of Mauville Holdings in advance," Luo Yuan continued. "They were more than 'delighted' to sell their shares to us, as long as we agreed to resolve their debts and provide a small settlement package. Once the Hoenn League approves the acquisition, all you need to do is send your people to complete the formalities."

"!"

At this, Lusamine finally understood what Luo Yuan had meant earlier when he said he only needed to borrow the Aether Foundation's name.

Everything had already been handled—without her having to lift a finger.

All the preparations Lusamine had made for a fierce business battle were now utterly unnecessary, leaving her with an inexplicable sense of emptiness.

Still, Lusamine wasn't one to dwell on such feelings. Overall, this was a good thing.

So this is the advantage of being backed by Team Rocket?

Lusamine couldn't deny she was quite pleased.

"Oh, and if Devon Corporation still has the energy to cause trouble, just get Silph Co. involved," Luo Yuan added. "Their president would love to give his competitors a hard time."

To be honest, Luo Yuan doubted Devon Corporation could stir up much trouble.

Currently, in the Hoenn region, a triangular balance had formed: the underground influence of Team Rocket, the dominance of Silph Co. in communications, and the Aether Foundation's investment in Mauville Holdings.

Individually, neither Silph Co. nor the Aether Foundation could withstand a full-scale counterattack from Devon Corporation without suffering significant losses.

But this balanced structure changed everything.

Devon Corporation couldn't possibly take on all three entities at once. If they concentrated their efforts against any one of them, the other two would easily intervene to counteract Devon's actions.

"Once your people finalize the acquisition, we can begin the New Mauville Project," Luo Yuan said.

For this project, Luo Yuan didn't use Mauville Holdings' original plans. Instead, he opted for the Aether Foundation's highly developed tidal energy technology. Taking advantage of New Mauville's coastal location, the project would generate power using the limitless energy of tidal movements.

This would significantly mitigate the project's impact on the surrounding Pokémon ecosystems.

Hearing this, Lusamine couldn't help but look forward to the benefits the New Mauville Project would bring to the Aether Foundation.

---

Luo Yuan didn't stay in Hoenn to oversee the project.

Even with the efficiency of the Pokémon world, the plan would take months to progress. Luo Yuan had no intention of wasting so much time.

Besides, with Lance already back in Johto, Luo Yuan couldn't remain in Hoenn for too long without risking exposure of his true identity.

So, after leaving Matori behind to assist Lusamine in coordinating with Team Rocket, Luo Yuan opted to return to Johto.

This time, he didn't take a Team Rocket airship. Instead, he boarded a commercial flight in first class.

Upon arriving at his home in Johto, Luo Yuan was greeted by the sight of Lillie playing in the yard with an Alolan Vulpix.

The Vulpix's snowy white, fluffy fur was as soft to the touch as it looked, making it impossible to resist petting.

Retracting his hand from the Vulpix's fur, Luo Yuan turned to Lillie. "Lillie, how are you settling in? Are you getting used to things here?"

Lillie nodded enthusiastically. "Sabrina's been taking great care of me!"

---

T/N: sorry for late updates girl was busy heh, anyway just a reminder this TL is completed in patreon! and patreon is currently half off for the month of may!

...

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