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When Kai walked into the lounge, several people were already scattered about.
At the front sat a handsome man with a serious face. His spiky, fiery red hair added to his intense aura, and he wore a black cloak that further emphasized his commanding presence.
His sharp eyes seemed to pierce through everything. Beside him lay a Dragonite, curled up lazily on the floor, dozing off.
In the corner was an elderly woman wearing a purple robe, leaning on a cane. Her hair had turned a greyish-yellow hue, and her demeanour was untouchable.
With her imposing aura, one might mistake her for a wicked witch if they didn't know better.
Next to her sat an old man with greying hair and prominent dark circles under his eyes. His haggard appearance made him seem more unwell than one might expect.
Despite wearing a SWAT uniform, he had it open at the chest and paired it with slippers, giving off a starkly casual and almost careless vibe.
And then there was Erika, the Gym Leader of Celadon City, seated elegantly yet watchful of her surroundings.
With Kai's arrival, the lineup for this special operations team was complete: Sabrina, Erika, and the others now formed a full team with him.
As soon as Kai entered, all eyes were on him.
"Why are you still wearing a mask?" the old man quipped, raising an eyebrow. "You're not some undercover agent on a secret mission, are you?"
Erika observed Kai from a distance, her brow furrowing slightly. There was something familiar about his figure, but since she'd only encountered him a few times, she couldn't immediately place him.
However, Sabrina walked past Erika, and the faint scent of perfume wafted to her nose. Erika's sharp sense of smell immediately identified it it was one of her store's unique perfumes.
When Sabrina had left earlier, she hadn't been wearing perfume. Moreover, as a Gym Leader, her visits to the perfume shop would have been unforgettable to the staff.
Erika's mind raced. It didn't take long for her to piece together the story, realizing Kai's identity and deducing that the perfume was a gift from him.
Erika's eyes narrowed as a flurry of questions arose in her mind. What is their relationship? Why did he give Sabrina perfume? And more astonishingly... why did Sabrina accept it?
Meanwhile, the man in the black cloak walked to the tactical board. He addressed the group, his authoritative voice drawing their attention.
"Now that everyone is here, let's start with introductions. But…" His gaze lingered on Kai's Gengar mask, and he sighed helplessly. "Forget it. You can introduce yourself."
Kai cleared his throat. "Hello, everyone. My name… well, my code name is Player. I specialize in using Ghost-type Pokémon. Please take care of me."
The man's expression darkened, but he chose not to comment. Instead, he introduced the others.
"On the left, we have two of the Kanto Elite Four: Ms. Agatha, the Ghost-type Master, and Mr. Lance, the Dragon-type Master and a Pokémon Investigator."
Agatha chuckled lightly. "Oh dear, calling me Ms. at my age? You're making me blush." She nodded at Kai, her sharp eyes glinting. "Young man, wearing a Gengar mask and claiming to specialize in Ghost-types bold, aren't you? Fewer and fewer trainers appreciate Pokémon that carry the essence of death."
Kai accepted the remark calmly. Although he only had Haunter, it was by far his strongest Pokémon. In that sense, her observation wasn't wrong.
Lance stepped forward and shook Kai's hand firmly. "Welcome. Your presence here speaks to your capabilities. On behalf of the team, I welcome you aboard."
Kai nodded, appreciating Lance's professionalism.
The cloaked man then turned to the others. "You already know Sabrina, so no introductions are needed there. And Erika… well, you've met before, so I'll skip that too."
Finally, his gaze rested on the old man with the haggard appearance. "This is Mr. Nanu, my former superior. He's an expert in Dark-type Pokémon and the Kahuna of Ula'ula Island in the Alola region."
Nanu waved dismissively. "Oh, don't mind me. Just an old man counting the days to retirement. Let's get this over with so I can go back to my peaceful life."
The man in the cloak laughed. "You're still young, Mr. Nanu. Why rush to retire?"
Before Nanu could respond, the lounge door opened, and a bald man in a sharp suit entered. His presence commanded immediate respect, and the atmosphere grew serious.
"Is everyone here?" the man asked.
The cloaked man saluted. "Yes, Commander. All seven members of the Special Operations Team are present!"
The bald man nodded. "I am Zero, the commander-in-chief of this operation. Thank you all for gathering here to tackle the menace of Team Rocket, not just for Kanto but for the world."
Applause followed, led by Nanu, albeit half-heartedly.
Zero flipped the tactical board and continued. "This mission has two phases. The primary unit, consisting of International Police SWAT forces, will launch a frontal assault on the base using armoured vehicles and helicopters. Their attack will draw Team Rocket's attention."
"Meanwhile, your Special Operations Team will infiltrate the base via the underground entrance beneath Celadon City's Game Corner. Once inside, you'll neutralize key operatives and assist in the overall takedown."
Lance asked, "What about Giovanni?"
"Good question." Zero's expression darkened. "The other two members of the Elite Four, Bruno and Lorelei, are stationed in Viridian City. When the time comes, they'll storm the Viridian Gym to apprehend Giovanni."
Agatha sighed. "It's still hard to believe that someone like Giovanni, admired as Viridian City's Gym Leader, is the leader of Team Rocket."
Zero smirked. "The more successful a man appears, the more secrets he hides. No one is exempt from the truth eventually surfacing."
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