Pokémon: My Titles Know No Limits! [237]

“There’s only one possible truth.” August looked up, face solemn. “The culprit... is Team Rocket.”

At his words, both Lance and the nearby investigators froze.

“Team Rocket?”

The answer caught everyone off guard—especially the officer who’d been attacked earlier.

He was completely baffled.

Wasn’t the enemy from Team Galactic? How did this get pinned on Team Rocket?

But Lance’s expression changed—thoughtful now, not skeptical.

That’s right...

“To slip into the Indigo Plateau with security this tight... to know the terrain like the back of their hand... and to vanish after the attack without showing up on a single camera—only Team Rocket could pull that off!”

It wasn’t that Lance looked down on Team Galactic. It’s just... the Sinnoh-based organization simply didn’t have that kind of capability.

Only Team Rocket—who had, in the past, infiltrated the League with countless operatives—could pull off something like this.

Even though they’d already purged many of those moles thanks to the list August provided, Team Rocket’s network still had deep roots throughout the League.

Which left only one question…

“Why would a Team Rocket member disguise themselves as Galactic?” Lance muttered. “Are they trying to spark conflict between the Kanto League and Galactic? Divert attention... and ease the pressure on Team Rocket?”

What else could it be?

August didn’t need to guess. It’s Sird. The Galactic spy embedded in Team Rocket. Who else would pull something like this?

But what did puzzle August was... if Sird really was working for Galactic, why expose them now?

Don’t tell me she’s actually grown fond of Team Rocket... and decided to switch sides?

He couldn’t say for sure. But one thing was certain—he wasn’t going to let that kind of stunt slide.

Still thinking, August ignored Lance’s questioning gaze and called out his mobile pack Gengar. From its mouth, he pulled out a tablet.

He opened his inbox and quickly composed a message:

“Giovanni, are you aware that one of your subordinates disguised themselves as a Team Galactic member and attacked the League? –August”

Lance, watching this all unfold, was visibly stunned.

“Wait... Giovanni?” he asked, unable to hold back.

Since when was August in contact with Giovanni?

It wasn’t that he didn’t trust August—far from it.

If even August couldn’t be trusted, the League would’ve collapsed by now.

But August just gave him a puzzled look. “Didn’t I mention? I got Giovanni’s contact info from Secretary Matori, then pulled a few tricks to get Rocket and the Masked Corps to take each other out.”

“......”

That part, Lance did remember.

But this—just messaging Giovanni directly like that—wasn’t something he’d expected. Giovanni was the head of Team Rocket! No way he’d reply...

That thought had barely taken form when August’s tablet pinged with a new message.

“Don’t insult my Team Rocket by comparing us to that second-rate Team Galactic. –Giovanni”

Lance: “?”

His mind was now a sea of question marks.

Watching Giovanni respond almost instantly was beyond shocking.

---

Hoenn Region

Giovanni had just arrived in Hoenn not long ago. Now settled into a hidden Rocket base, he hit send on the message with a deep frown.

August’s message had truly rubbed him the wrong way.

On one hand, he was annoyed by August’s tone. Sure, he’d come out on the losing end in their last two run-ins—but it’s not like August had captured him. Even if August was holding leverage over him in the form of his son, that didn’t mean he had the right to speak to him like this!

But more than the tone, it was the content that unsettled him.

Even while stationed in Hoenn, Giovanni had kept a close eye on the situation in Kanto. He had detailed reports on Cynthia’s diplomatic visit, the hijacking incident, and even the League’s plan to release Koga and have him atone through service.

Frankly, if Kanto wanted to focus its resources on battling Team Galactic in Sinnoh, he was all for it.

It would take pressure off Team Rocket.

Under those circumstances, why in the world would he have his men disguise themselves as Team Galactic and stir things up at Indigo Plateau?

So, naturally, he sent back that dismissive reply.

August responded almost immediately:

“Looks like your grip on Team Rocket is slipping, boss. Subordinates going rogue is never a good sign. (smile) –August”

“Heh. You don’t need to worry about Team Rocket. Even at our worst, we’re still stronger than your League. –Giovanni”

Having been trolled by August countless times, Giovanni couldn’t help but mimic a bit of his snide tone.

But when it came to sarcastic needling, August had never been beaten.

“Wow! Our Team Rocket is just too impressive! But hey, I’ve got a juicy little intel nugget here... Galactic’s planted a mole inside Team Rocket. Don’t you wanna know who it is? (curious) –August”

Giovanni’s eyes narrowed. His fingers clenched into fists.

Goddamn it, this guy!

He almost threw his tablet against the wall. Almost.

But rebuilding Team Rocket wasn’t cheap, and as the boss, he had to be mindful of expenses.

He took a few calming breaths and forced his fingers back to the screen.

“That kind of amateur-level manipulation isn’t worth entertaining. –Giovanni”

“Not interested? Oh well. Pretend I never emailed you. (shrug) –August”

And with that... nothing more.

No follow-up.

No tease.

No closure.

Giovanni: “......”

The frustration he’d just barely tamped down came roaring back.

Why the hell would you leave it there?!

Even though he’d seen this coming, he still wanted to reach through the network and punch August in the face.

He stroked the trembling Persian at his feet, trying to calm the poor thing—shaking, clearly affected by its master’s seething mood.

Giovanni told himself, again and again, This is a ploy. August is trying to sow chaos in Team Rocket...

But... what if he wasn’t lying?

What if Galactic really did have a spy in Team Rocket ranks?

As annoying as August was, Giovanni knew: he didn’t bluff without purpose.

Frowning, he pulled out a communicator and fired off a few encrypted messages to his embedded operatives in the League—asking for any intel on today’s incident.

The responses came quickly.

Reports submitted to Lance, the League’s preliminary analysis, surveillance footage from multiple angles...

Giovanni reviewed the footage of the “Galactic trainer” battling the League officer in detail—and then sat in long, heavy silence.

Others might not notice anything off. The trainer had done their best to disguise themselves.

But something... maybe instinct, maybe intuition...

As Team Rocket’s leader, Giovanni could smell it. The scent of his own people.

Could it really be, as August claimed—one of his subordinates going rogue behind his back?

And if so... who?

Giovanni’s mind raced through the faces of the few remaining Team Rocket executives.

---

Lance had watched the entire exchange between August and Giovanni.

His eye twitched involuntarily. “...Is this how you always talk to Giovanni?”

He’d imagined many scenarios: formal confrontations, threats, maybe even transactional deals...

But this? This sarcastic, smug back-and-forth? Never.

August gave him a puzzled look. “Of course. He’s the head of Team Rocket. You think I should be chatting sweetly with him over tea?”

Lance: “.....”

Enemy or not, Lance couldn’t help thinking—if he were Giovanni, he’d probably have high blood pressure by now.

But that tiny spark of sympathy was gone in an instant.

“What about your intel?” Lance asked. “Do you really know who the mole is inside Rocket?”

If it was true, that kind of info could be game-changing.

It might even lead to a repeat of what happened in Johto—crippling Team Rocket in a single stroke.

“I’ve got leads,” August replied, eyes glinting. “But I’m not sharing details. You know why.”

He gave Lance a you know what I mean look.

Lance nodded knowingly.

Even without the name, if the intel was real, August would know how to squeeze the most value from it.

And on that front, Lance had absolute faith in him.

For now, the two returned their focus to the current situation. With the attacker long gone, all they could do was tighten security and increase personnel.

August himself would also be stepping up Cynthia’s protection.

As for whether Team Galactic would try anything again...

After that little nudge to Giovanni, August was sure: unless Sird went completely off the rails, she wouldn’t dare cause more trouble at Indigo Plateau.

...

Indigo Conference – Preliminaries

In the stadium seats, August and Cynthia watched from above as Gary and Ash walked onto the battlefield.

“You seem pretty invested in this subordinate of yours,” Cynthia said, glancing at Gary.

This wasn’t the first time August had brought her to watch his matches—and once again, it was Gary on the field.

August didn’t deny it. A wistful look crossed his face. “I raised that boy myself. Poured my heart into his training...”

He launched into a long account of Gary’s career—his debut match under Blaine’s mentorship, his trial runs in Saffron and Celadon, the carefully planned series of challenges he’d designed to hone him...

“......”

Cynthia fell silent for a long moment.

Are you sure that’s called “training”?

Not even she had faced that kind of pressure when she was young.

---

This is a fan translation of 我，宝可梦称号大师！ by 落唯 白良. All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!