Pokémon: Chronicles of Freedom

"Additionally, there's the matter of the extra benefit for taking first place this time," Umbra said, touching on the most important reason why others competed for the top spot.

Umbra looked at Cain, knowing he'd already heard some things from Regi.

"First place in the trial does indeed grant the right to infiltrate other regions with Team Rocket's support. But, as you may have heard from Regi, I'll tell you something else."

"This right exists and has strong backing from Team Rocket, but it's not as grand as you might imagine. Some things can't be explained in detail, but you can think of it as a power play between Team Rocket's internal factions."

"Originally, both sides were at a stalemate, so they decided to resolve it through a trial. But your emergence made some see another possibility. That's why—didn't it surprise you that Regi and the others didn't compete with you for first place?"

"In fact, this was a decision made by Team Rocket's higher-ups. Since everyone wanted this right but no one wanted the other side to have it, they decided to put you in the center to avoid weakening Team Rocket's overall strength."

"This decision was carried out under the Leader's supervision. So don't worry, no one will harm you because, for now, you're a very fortunate young man. Even the Leader has taken notice of you."

"Unless someone's looking for trouble, you'll be very safe for a while. But if, after that time, your strength doesn't grow enough to satisfy the Leader, his interest in you will wane, and things may change."

"But don't worry, the resources will still be there. While it may seem insufficient for infiltrating an entire region, for an individual, it's still a considerable amount."

Umbra spoke at length, though he kept some things secret, but the key points were clear.

Cain had Team Rocket's support, but it wasn't absolute. He was merely a product of balance between factions.

As for the mentioned resources, they would be sufficient for him personally, but for infiltrating a region, it would be a joke.

However, it could also be an opportunity for Cain.

An opportunity to build his own power.

If Team Rocket wasn't focusing on this, why not take advantage of the situation?

Even if he couldn't break away from Team Rocket, he could become a new, emerging faction within the organization—at least enough for his voice to reach Giovanni.

And if, by chance, he successfully developed and became the main underground force in a region, he wouldn't have to worry about either Team Rocket or the League!

Cain had many thoughts in mind but didn't dare show them. Otherwise, Umbra would be the first to eliminate him!

"Are there any restrictions on the choice of region?" Cain asked.

"In principle, there are no restrictions. But for better support, from a geographical perspective, it's best to choose the Hoenn region—that's the organization's intention," Umbra said.

Seeing Cain tremble slightly, though almost imperceptibly, Umbra assumed he was upset with Team Rocket's decision.

He patted Cain's shoulder and said, "Don't let personal emotions take over. If you're truly dissatisfied, then quickly increase your strength. Once you reach the level of a quasi-Elite, you'll be able to engage in the game board."

"When you become an executive, you'll be an important piece. And if you want to leave the board, it's better not to think about that for now."

What Umbra didn't know was that Cain trembled with excitement, not anger.

But his assumption helped Cain hide his enthusiasm.

Cain took a deep breath, calmed his mind, and continued: "What's the estimated value of those resources?"

"Oh," Umbra smiled and said, "For someone at your current level of strength, it would be an astronomical sum. But some things can't be given to you all at once because your strength isn't sufficient."

"If you entered a region outside Team Rocket's domain with so many resources and were discovered, it would be a significant loss. So, they'll deliver them to you gradually, but you won't lack anything."

"In terms of value... how can I explain it? Let's say it's roughly half the wealth of a mid-level Elite trainer."

Hearing this, Cain's eyes lit up.

Half the wealth of a mid-level Elite trainer?

Someone unfamiliar with that level might not understand, but Cain estimated it to be several billion at least.

Team Rocket was truly generous!

Even with the reduction Umbra mentioned, it was still an impressive amount.

"Since I can't get it all at once, can I use it?" Cain restrained his excitement.

"You can, but the specifics about which resources are available aren't clearly defined. However, if you urgently need something, you can trade part of it for items or Pokémon of equivalent value, allowing you to obtain them quickly."

"After all, the goal is for you to increase your strength as fast as possible. Initially, they didn't plan to give you this much, but the Leader decided that, as a young man with potential, you should receive strong support."

"Team Rocket still needs strong trainers, so it was ultimately decided that you'd receive this much. This shows that the Leader is truly paying attention to your growth," Umbra explained.

Cain felt slightly uneasy.

Knowing Giovanni's capabilities, if he really was paying attention to him, would he notice some of his moves?

It seemed Cain would need to be more cautious.

However, when he relocated to the Hoenn region, it would be harder for Giovanni to monitor him so closely.

"Could I... exchange half of those resources for three doses of the Evolution Elixir?" Cain hesitated but finally said it.

The three doses of the Evolution Elixir, according to the system, should be enough to incubate Larvitar's egg.

Hearing Cain's request, Umbra narrowed his eyes before nodding. "It can be done."

After all, he'd used three doses to recover his strength, and the remaining three were no longer as useful to him. It was better to exchange them for other resources to train other Pokémon, maintaining balance after using the catalyst.

"But I must warn you, while the catalysts are effective, they have significant side effects. If you rely on them to enhance your Pokémon, you'll deplete their potential. When that happens, the Leader may no longer see you as a valuable investment."

"Understood. I just want to try something," Cain replied.

Umbra said no more. Everyone must take responsibility for their own decisions, whether right or wrong.

"Alright. When you leave, I'll send the items after some time and withhold half of your resources."

In Team Rocket, no one supports someone for free. If you want something, you must give something of equal value—that's the law of fair exchange.

If someone offers you something without reason, it's best to be cautious: either they want something from you, or they're your parent.

(End of Chapter)