Pokémon: My Titles Know No Limits! [201]

When August threw the question back at her, Blue suddenly remembered that Giovanni had once been recognized within the League as a well-known “nice guy.”

Both were Gym Trainers, both had seemingly kind personalities—and if August’s words were true, they were both leaders of evil organizations…

How could they be so alike?

Just as Blue’s thoughts spiraled in fear, August’s voice pulled her back to reality.

“Of course, we still need evidence. Everything I said is just speculation.”

Blue snapped back to attention. August was right—none of it mattered without proof.

She redirected the conversation to the topic at hand: the attack on the Mahogany Gym.

“Then based on your theory, August, what should we do about the situation with Mahogany Gym?” Blue asked.

They were about to head to Johto. Her original plan had been to use the Team Rocket assault on Pryce to unite the region’s Gym Trainers against him.

But now, that plan seemed... unworkable.

After Blue shared her plan, August considered it for a moment and replied, “It’s actually a good plan.”

Blue: “?”

August explained, “Even if Pryce is the leader of the Masked Corps, that doesn’t stop us from using his ‘death’ as an excuse to advance our goals.”

“We can openly contact the Johto Gym Trainers—and while we’re at it, investigate any links between Pryce and the Masked Corps.”

“Once the time is right, then we can decide whether or not to take action against him.”

Blue was stunned by August’s reasoning.

That’s allowed?

Rally people under the banner of avenging Pryce—only to turn on him later?

That was just...

“Of course, all that comes later. Right now, our top priority is figuring out what really happened in the battle between Giovanni and Pryce.”

With that, August pulled out his phone and sent a message to the prosecutor codenamed “Hoothoot,” whom he’d met last time in Johto.

---

While August was still gathering intel on the battle at Mahogany Gym...

Goldenrod City.

A tense atmosphere hung over the Team Rocket base.

Giovanni sat in a chair, his old injuries barely healed, and new wounds piled atop them. His left arm was clearly frostbitten and was now being treated by a Chansey.

His expression was unreadable.

But the four Team Rocket Executives standing before him—even the usually unserious Petrel—stood straight and rigid, respectfully awaiting his orders.

“I didn’t expect Pryce to be hiding this level of power.”

Giovanni flexed his left arm slightly, feeling the lingering numbness as he spoke.

Since becoming Team Rocket’s boss, it had been a long time since he’d felt so close to death.

Yet it had happened twice recently.

Losing the battle on New Island was one thing—he’d been up against Mewtwo, Mew, and August. That outcome was expected.

But nearly falling at Pryce’s hands? That was beyond his predictions.

Thinking back to last night’s battle, Giovanni could still feel the biting chill of that ice.

Aggron and Nidoking were badly injured trying to protect him. Beedrill had taken a direct hit from Swinub’s Blizzard; half its body was still encased in ice and under treatment.

As for Pryce’s true identity…

Though Pryce had done his best to hide it during their fight, the cold fury and indifference in his eyes hadn’t escaped Giovanni—who, as a fellow evil team boss, recognized it instantly.

And what’s more—Pryce had a Delibird. The same kind that the Masked Man had revealed before.

“Boss, it was our failure.” It was Archer who broke the silence.

This was a clear intelligence lapse. If they’d uncovered Pryce’s true strength earlier... maybe their boss wouldn’t have been hurt.

Giovanni clearly had no interest in laying blame. At this point, figuring out who screwed up was meaningless.

“What’s the League’s reaction?”

After causing such a major stir at the Mahogany Gym, the League had to respond.

“They don’t seem to have realized Pryce’s true identity,” Ariana reported, handing Giovanni the League’s statement.

It expressed “shock” over the Team Rocket’s attack and promised a new wave of crackdowns in Johto.

Giovanni gave it a glance and snorted. “Those idiots at the League are as consistent as ever.”

He tossed the intel aside and looked to his four Executives.

“What’s our next move? Any suggestions?”

“Why don’t we call in Sird and the others, and launch a full-scale war against the Masked Corps?” Petrel offered. “The four of us, plus the Beasts Trio and you, Boss—taking down Pryce would be easy.”

Before Giovanni could reply, Ariana countered sharply, “The Beasts are still needed to keep Lorelei occupied in the Sevii Islands... And in Kanto, Sird is already stretched thin managing things solo.”

“You want to abandon both Kanto and the Sevii Islands?”

Petrel froze, clearly frustrated. “Then what do you suggest?”

Ariana smiled coolly. “I propose we report Pryce’s true identity to the League.”

“With our current manpower, fighting both the League and the Masked Corps would stretch us too thin. Better to pit them against each other and reap the rewards once they’re weakened.”

Petrel had to admit—it was a solid plan. But he still grumbled for pride’s sake: “Since when did Team Rocket stoop to tattling to the League?”

Ariana ignored him completely.

This time, Archer spoke up. “It’s a good idea, but we can’t overestimate the League Council’s intelligence... Most of our moles have been rooted out. The ones still in place don’t have enough influence to sway major decisions. The League might not even act on the tip.”

“Before you arrived, Boss, we tracked the Masked Corps’ activity and found that they’re most frequently seen near Azalea Town. That’s also where Pryce attacked Petrel... I have reason to believe there’s something of great importance to them in that area.”

“We might be able to investigate from that angle.”

Petrel nodded repeatedly, shooting a look toward Ariana.

Then Proton, who’d been silent until now, added, “Boss Giovanni, we can also look into Pryce’s personal relationships. Everyone has a weakness. If we can find his, we might be able to exploit it.”

Giovanni closed his eyes and pondered for a moment before issuing his orders.

“Archer, Ariana—take a team to search the area around Azalea Town. Look for any relevant clues, but avoid direct confrontation with Pryce.”

“Petrel, Proton—prep our forces. Be ready for open war with the Masked Corps at any moment.”

“And... notify Oka to come to Johto.”

Not Chakra, but Oka.

Giovanni trusted Oka more than Chakra, who still harbored delusions of becoming boss one day.

The Executives all responded in unison, despite their earlier disagreements: “Understood, Boss!”

“You’re dismissed,” Giovanni said, waving them off.

As the office emptied, he pulled out a photo that had been slightly warped from exposure to seawater.

“Silver...”

After the battle at Mahogany, Giovanni had finally taken a long, hard look at everything that had happened since the Masked Corps first appeared.

He was now certain—someone had been pulling the strings behind the scenes all along.

And that person... was August.

From the moment they returned to Celadon, Team Rocket had been dancing to August’s tune.

But it was a trap Giovanni had no choice but to walk into.

He thought of Silver’s face again, then reached for his tablet. He opened the same email account that Matori had used to contact him before.

He typed a single line:

[Pryce’s true identity is the leader of the Masked Corps.]

Without hesitation, Giovanni hit send.

As Team Rocket’s boss, it might have seemed disgraceful to rat someone out—but for his son?

What was pride, compared to that?

As for whether August would believe it…

Giovanni was sure: anyone capable of capturing his three top lieutenants and uncovering his true identity couldn’t possibly be a fool.

Sending August to deal with Pryce was perfect.

---

While Giovanni was sending out the email, August was in the middle of a one-on-one battle with Sabrina.

At her request, August refrained from using Mewtwo, from calling out little Lugia, and didn’t even use the [Mind Plate]. He fought her with just Gardevoir, for what she called a “fair” match.

Sabrina had hoped that this would be her chance to win—her shot at regaining some pride against August.

But ideals are often rich and beautiful… while reality is harsh and cold.

“Gardevoir, [Psychic]!”

With August’s command, an invisible force burst forth—knocking Alakazam out cold.

Floating in midair, the Mega Gardevoir gently drifted back down beside August. With a flash of light, it returned to its regular form.

Back in the living room—

“Well? This time you have to admit defeat,” August said to Sabrina.

She bit her lip. But in the face of reality, she had no choice but to admit that her strength truly didn’t match his.

“As we agreed, for the next week… any task you assign, I’ll carry it out to the letter.”

Though clearly reluctant, Sabrina was determined to honor her word.

“Really? Then how about starting with a back massage?” August asked casually.

Sabrina glared at him. “...Don’t push it.”

“Tsk...”

August just clicked his tongue and said nothing more.

Seeing his expression, Sabrina gritted her teeth. In the end, she stepped over to him, just about to—

But Blue walked in, holding a tablet.

She glanced at August’s smug smile, then at Sabrina standing behind him with an unwilling expression as she prepared to give him a back massage.

Blue immediately knew—August was up to no good again.

She was used to this by now, so she ignored it entirely and got straight to the point.

“August, a message just came through on the inbox Matori once used to send intel to Giovanni.”

“Oh?” August raised an eyebrow. “Wasn’t that a secure account? Junk mail?”

Blue’s expression was a little odd. “No, it’s a tip-off… reporting that Pryce is actually the Masked Man—the leader of the Masked Corps.”

“You mean Team Rocket just sent us a whistleblower message?” August asked.

Even Sabrina forgot her irritation, surprise flashing across her face.

Blue said, “According to Matori, that inbox links directly to Giovanni. So…”

She didn’t finish her sentence, but her meaning was clear.

August leaned back on the sofa, tilting his head up. “These days Team Rocket’s sending us tip-offs... Should I be flattered that they recognize our value, or pissed that they’re trying to use us?”

Blue and Sabrina watched the barely concealed grin spreading across August’s face and both fell silent.

Next time you ask a rhetorical question like that, could you at least wipe that smirk off your face first?

...

A whistleblower report from Team Rocket to their Kanto division wasn’t exactly a trivial matter.

Especially considering that just last night, Giovanni had led an attack on the Mahogany Gym and fought Pryce directly.

In the spirit of “departmental democracy,” August called together all the Kanto Division members currently at the estate to sit around a round table and discuss the matter.

“I don’t trust Team Rocket or Giovanni.”

Silver wasted no time, opening with a sharp dismissal of the intel from Giovanni. He couldn’t believe the leader of Team Rocket would ever be kind enough to hand over real intel.

But his sister, Blue, had a different take.

“This morning, August and I already talked about it. He had his doubts about Pryce’s identity for a while. Now that Giovanni’s sent this information, it actually confirms August’s suspicions.”

“As for why Giovanni would suddenly be so generous—well, that’s easy. Team Rocket wants to use our Kanto Division to help take down the Masked Corps.”

Blue made a solid argument—even Mewtwo, off to the side, nodded in agreement.

Then it was Sabrina’s turn to speak. As one of Team Rocket’s former top three admins, she knew Giovanni all too well.

“Giovanni is extremely proud. If it were just a trick, he’d never send the message personally. And if he really wanted to deceive someone, he’d target the more gullible League Council—not us, the ones who recently beat him on New Island.”

“So I agree with Blue. I also believe the intel is genuine.”

Even as she said this, Sabrina still wore a trace of disbelief. After all, the revelation that Pryce was the leader of the Masked Corps was downright shocking.

She had always thought only the Kanto Gyms had been infiltrated like sieves. To think Johto was just as compromised…

After Sabrina finished, everyone turned to Mewtwo. Realizing all eyes were on him, he pondered briefly before sending a psychic message to the group:

【+1】

Everyone: “...”

August began wondering if Mewtwo had been spending too much time on his phone lately. What kind of internet language are you picking up?

Finally, it was August’s turn to wrap things up. He considered it for a moment.

“Even though our goals differ from Team Rocket’s, I believe Giovanni on this one.”

“Silver, don’t get worked up—I know how badly you want to bring Giovanni to justice. But between him and the Masked Corps, it’s the latter that’s hurt you and Blue the most… Before we take on Rocket, we need to wipe out the Masked Corps first.”

Silver calmed down after hearing August’s words. He nodded, apologizing: “That was my impulse talking.”

“No worries,” August waved it off. “Going forward, I want everyone to treat Pryce as the leader of the Masked Corps. Stay cautious. Don’t let his status as a Gym Leader lull you into sharing sensitive information.”

“Understood!” everyone replied in unison.

The brief meeting concluded with everyone on the same page. After thinking for a moment, August made a call—to Lance.

“August, what is it this time?” Lance answered.

Every time August called, it meant trouble.

August said, “Why do you sound so annoyed? I’m actually calling with good news.”

“Good news?” Lance sounded thoroughly unconvinced.

“Of course. We’ve identified the real leader of the Masked Corps!” August declared.

Lance sat up. “Seriously? Who is it?”

“The Gym Leader of Mahogany—Pryce. You know the guy, right?”

Lance: “...You call that good news?”

A long-time friend of Professor Oak and Agatha back in their youth, a Gym Leader with deep seniority in the League, and a recent victim of a Rocket Team attack...

And now August was calling to tell him that man was the mastermind behind the Masked Corps?

And calling it good news?

“Where’d this intel come from? Have you confirmed it’s legit?”

August’s reputation was strong, but Lance still needed to verify.

“Of course,” August said. “It came straight from Giovanni himself.”

Pfft!

On the other end of the line, Lance spat out the coffee he’d just drunk.

What now?

The info came directly from Giovanni?

“You’re joking, right?” Lance finally asked once he caught his breath.

Using intel from the Rocket boss to accuse a League Gym Leader—especially one who’d just been attacked by Rocket—that sounded like pure madness.

But August tried to reassure him. “Relax. I already suspected Pryce before Giovanni’s message came in.”

“His intel just confirmed it for me—that there’s definitely something wrong with Pryce.”

Lance asked, “Then what now? Pryce’s sympathy level is through the roof in Johto after last night’s Rocket attack.”

“If you announce he’s the leader of the Masked Corps, how are you planning to explain that over there?”

“A tip-off from Giovanni alone won’t be enough to convict him...”

August sighed. “Do I really seem that reckless to you?”

“I’m not going to move on Pryce until I’ve gathered solid evidence.”

---

This is a fan translation of 人在实教，一之濑你会后悔的 by 作者：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!