A massive aerial fortress emerged from the mountains above Cinnabar Town, the southernmost settlement in the Kanto region.
Shortly after leaving the mountains, the surface of the fortress shimmered like water before vanishing into the sky.
This was one of Team Rocket's secret weapons—an invisible airborne stronghold, concealed at high altitudes as a hidden asset stationed near Cinnabar Town.
Cinnabar Town was under Team Rocket's control.
The reason? The Cinnabar Gym Leader, Blaine, was the mastermind behind the Mew Gene Modification Project.
Blaine was a man of extraordinary intellect. Recognized by Giovanni himself, he had been appointed the lead researcher for this genetic experiment.
Though his contributions to Pokémon research and battle strategy were significant, the League had rejected many of his proposals, driving him to defect to Team Rocket.
Within Team Rocket, he could fully unleash his potential.
Inside the fortress's command center, several figures stood in silence.
At the forefront, three individuals gazed out the window—Shadow, Dark, and a proud middle-aged man named Rocks, who stood beside Shadow, observing the rolling clouds below.
Aside from them, the control room was filled with others—mostly the direct subordinates of high-ranking officers and the fortress's operational crew.
Aoki lounged on a nearby sofa, legs crossed, idly rolling small black orbs between his fingers.
He paid no attention to the others in the room.
Clad once more in his signature black robe, the only indicators of his identity were the Team Rocket badge pinned to his chest and the dark beads dancing across his knuckles.
In this room, aside from the three executives at the front, Aoki was the only one with the rank of a full-fledged officer. His casual demeanor went unchallenged—no one dared question him.
After careful deliberation, Aoki had chosen to conceal his true involvement in this mission.
His objectives differed from Shadow and Dark's, and anonymity would serve him better.
Aside from the four officers, several others stood at attention, awaiting orders.
Most were the personal subordinates of the three executives, and among them, Aoki recognized a few faces.
Some had survived the same brutal training program as him—Trial Island—and now served as elite agents under high-ranking officers.
The Trial Island was indeed an effective, if ruthless, method of identifying skilled Trainers. For Team Rocket, the results justified the cruelty.
Among the assembled agents, one figure stood out to Aoki.
He hadn't seen the young man in some time.
Regis stood just behind his uncle, Rocks, positioned ahead of the other subordinates.
"Seems your strength has recovered well," Aoki mused, a faint smirk curling beneath the concealment of his robe.
His psychic energy masked his features, rendering him unrecognizable.
The small black orbs in his hand were Mind Blockers—tools used to disrupt psychic detection.
Under Aoki's precise telekinetic control, they weaved seamlessly between his fingers.
It was a simple exercise, honing his focus.
Once he had mastered the rhythm, another orb slipped from his sleeve, joining the others.
A minor addition, yet it increased the difficulty significantly.
Aoki remained composed, his movements effortless.
The other agents stole glances at him when they could.
Regis, in particular, felt an unsettling familiarity about the robed figure.
But even with his privileged status, he knew better than to openly scrutinize a Team Rocket executive—especially one whose psychic prowess was on full display.
Crossing such a person was unwise.
Not even his uncle would risk provoking an officer of unknown strength.
Yet the presence of this mysterious figure only deepened Rocks' disdain.
A coward who hides his face.
The fortress continued its ascent.
Shadow and the others relaxed slightly.
Turning, Shadow surveyed the assembled agents and gave a curt nod of approval. Tʜe source of this ᴄontent ɪs n̷o̷v̷e̷l̷f̷i̷r̷e̷.net
He shifted, preparing to address them—but Rocks stepped forward first.
Shadow's brow twitched, but he remained silent, retracting his half-raised foot.
Dark, standing beside him, shook his head subtly, his gaze icy as it settled on Rocks.
The exchange went unnoticed by most—but Aoki, still seated, caught every detail.
Some people just dig their own graves.
Rocks, oblivious, launched into his speech as if he were the sole commander of the fortress.
Shadow and Dark were mere afterthoughts.
The Jinchuan family's arrogance was on full display.
Rocks' attitude immediately soured Shadow and Dark's mood.
But with the mission just beginning, open conflict was unwise.
"You all know the objective," Rocks declared. "Capture the three Legendary Birds!"
"These are not the true Legendary Birds of myth, but their power is nothing to scoff at!"
"When the time comes, Shadow, Dark, and I will engage the Birds directly. Your task is to handle the grunts and secure the island. That is your primary role."
His tone was authoritative, as if he were the undisputed leader.
As he spoke, Rocks glanced at Aoki—still lounging on the sofa—and hesitated.
He chose not to comment.
Ambition didn't equate to stupidity.
He knew Shadow and Dark's standing within Team Rocket, and he didn't care about slighting them.
But Aoki was an unknown.
An executive. A psychic.
No background. No clear allegiances.
Best not to provoke what he didn't understand.
The Jinchuan family had survived this long precisely because they knew when to tread carefully.
"Understood!" the agents chorused.
Rocks waved a dismissive hand. "Dismissed. Return to your stations. You'll be notified when the mission begins."
The agents filed out.
Once the door sealed shut, only four people remained in the control room—aside from the technicians operating the fortress outside.