Enzo walked silently down the sterile and imposing corridors of the underground headquarters alongside Nero while his mind was still heavily processing the horrifying revelations about the vessels and Nero's tragic fate. He looked at the silent executive walking beside him with a profound new level of respect and understanding because he finally knew exactly what kind of agonizing grief was hiding behind that completely expressionless mask.
"Did your meeting with the Boss go well?" Nero asked with his usual calm and monotonous tone while keeping his gaze fixed straight ahead.
"Yes, it went incredibly well, we managed to discuss several highly important matters regarding the future of our operations." Enzo confirmed with a steady voice as they turned a corner toward the designated exit area.
Nero briefly glanced down at the box Enzo was securely holding in his hands and gave a subtle nod of approval.
"I can clearly see that." Nero noted quietly.
"The boss also brought me completely up to speed regarding the true nature and the ultimate goals of Project Mewtwo," Enzo added to show that he was now fully integrated into the inner circle.
"Very well." Nero simply nodded his head in acknowledgment without showing any trace of surprise or hesitation. "And did you like your reward?"
"I absolutely loved it and I honestly cannot wait to finally try it out in battle." Enzo replied with a genuine smile as he thought about the incredible tactical advantage the disguise would provide him.
They eventually reached a secure and empty room specifically designed for spatial transitions, where Nero reached to his belt and released his powerful Alakazam in a flash of bright light. The psychic Pokémon immediately raised its twisted spoons and enveloped both of the men in a distorting wave of purple energy that instantly twisted their surroundings and teleported them directly to the main floor of a secret warehouse located on the quiet outskirts of Cerulean City.
As soon as the purple distortion faded away they found themselves standing in the middle of their secret warehouse, where the entire team was currently busy packing up their delicate equipment into the reinforced shipping containers.
Proton was standing near the main terminal and patiently teaching Anna how their internal communication systems worked so she could properly understand her new environment.
Viper was resting heavily on the old leather sofa with thick white bandages still wrapped tightly around his torso, but he immediately smiled and forced himself to stand up despite the obvious pain the moment he saw Nero and Enzo returning from headquarters.
Nero walked toward the injured squad leader and calmly announced that they had brought him a very special gift directly from the Boss to help him recover.
Enzo stepped forward and handed the featureless metallic box directly to Viper, who looked slightly confused before clicking the clasp and lifting the heavy lid.
Viper stared down at the severed head of George resting inside the box, and a dark, terrifying grin slowly spread across his scarred face.
He reached inside and grabbed the former Delta Squad leader by his hair without a single drop of hesitation before tossing the bloody head high into the air as his massive Arbok instantly uncoiled from the shadows and swallowed the gruesome prize whole with one brutal and bone-crushing bite.
Nero watched the giant snake consume the traitor before looking back at the wounded man.
"How do you feel now?" Nero asked with his usual expressionless tone.
Viper slowly shook his head with a look of pure and absolute satisfaction in his eyes before he replied with a raspy voice.
"Much better now."
Enzo turned his attention away from the gruesome spectacle and walked over to where Professor Leni was carefully organizing the last of his research files on the main terminal.
"Leni, you have the green light to move forward with the plan right now," Enzo announced with a confident smile.
"The Boss told me that Professor Oak's image was heavily affected by the recent events, and he is planning to announce something big soon, to get his good reputation back, so I want you to travel straight to the Hoenn region, and head to Littleroot Town, where you need to find the head of Hoenn research Professor Birch, he is a good person who will definitely help you publish the Fairy-type thesis to the entire world."
The eccentric scientist looked absolutely euphoric at the prospect of finally sharing his work and destroying Professor Oak's reputation in the process.
He immediately began throwing the rest of his personal belongings into a heavy travel bag with frantic excitement.
"I promise you that as soon as I arrive in Hoenn and secure our new territory, I will personally build you the greatest and most advanced laboratory this world has ever seen so you can continue your brilliant research without any limitations," Enzo vowed with absolute sincerity while watching the Leni scramble around the warehouse.
Professor Leni stopped packing for a brief second to give Enzo a deeply grateful nod before he turned around to shake hands with Ronnie and Proton to say his final goodbyes to the loyal squad members, who had been with him during his time in Cerulean. He threw his heavy bag over his shoulder and marched out of the secret warehouse with a massive smile on his face to begin his long journey toward the Hoenn region and his highly anticipated scientific glory.
With the eccentric scientist finally gone on his journey, only Nero, Enzo, Anna, Proton, Ronnie, and Viper remained inside the dimly lit warehouse as a comfortable silence settled over the group. Nero looked over at the heavily bandaged instructor resting on the sofa and spoke with a calm tone of authority.
"Viper, I want you to travel to Galar and assist him with his upcoming operations," Nero commanded smoothly.
"That's fine by me… Omega Squad was wiped out during that ambush…" Viper replied with a heavy and deeply sorrowful tone while looking down at the floor as the painful memory of his fallen subordinates clearly weighed on his mind.
"Instructor, I promise you that my squad will treat you with the utmost respect," Enzo said with genuine gratitude for having such a seasoned veteran on his side.
"I will be attending the exclusive Kanto League Auction tomorrow afternoon to see if I can acquire anything useful before I fly directly to Galar," Enzo informed the executive to keep him updated on the logistics.
"Okay, no problem, but make sure to call me immediately if you encounter any unexpected complications along the way," Nero replied with a simple nod of his head.
Before leaving the warehouse, Nero turned his cold and completely emotionless gaze toward the blonde girl who was standing nervously near Enzo.
"I fully expect this squad to teach you the immense responsibility of being here, but you need to understand the absolute chain of command right now," Nero stated with a chillingly calm voice that made the temperature in the room feel like it was instantly dropping.
"Enzo is your direct squad leader, and the only two people standing above him are myself and the Boss, so I hope you behave properly because you already have a taste of what the consequences of failure look like."
Anna gulped nervously and nodded her head in sheer terror because the horrifying memory of Nero effortlessly freezing everyone with his colossal Regice was still incredibly fresh in her mind.
Satisfied, Nero finally said his goodbyes and quietly left the warehouse. Enzo let out a long sigh before looking at his subordinates and ordering them to finish packing the container so they could all get some well-deserved rest.
The sun was already shining brightly over Cerulean City when Enzo woke up the next morning and immediately grabbed his phone to prepare for the incredibly expensive afternoon awaiting him at the Kanto League Auction. He dialed his friend and patiently waited for the heir of the Devon Corporation to pick up the line.
"Good morning, Enzo, what is up?" Steven answered the call with a highly casual and friendly tone.
"Good morning, Steven. I am calling you today because I really need to ask you for a personal favor." Enzo replied as soon as the line connected.
"Tell me what you need and let us see what I can do for you." Steven offered helpfully.
"I need an early withdrawal of my dividends from our clothing collection, so I can have enough liquid funds to actually participate in the auction this afternoon." Enzo explained smoothly to his business partner.
"I can certainly arrange that for you, give me your bank account number, but keep in mind that you will suffer a financial penalty in the final amount for requesting it early, and I cannot prevent that deduction from happening," Steven warned him carefully on the other end of the line.
"No problem at all," Enzo confirmed without any hesitation.
Enzo quickly provided the routing numbers for his legal and League sanctioned bank account before they exchanged a quick goodbye and promised to see each other at the auction plaza later that afternoon.
A few minutes later, Enzo felt his phone vibrate and looked down to see a massive deposit notification confirming that four and a half million Pokédollars had just been wired directly into his account. Adding that enormous sum to the million he had already saved up from his previous endeavors brought his total available balance to five and a half million Pokédollars, which finally gave him enough financial firepower to actually compete for at least one high-quality item at the exclusive event.
Feeling fully prepared for the day, Enzo walked out of his room and stepped into the main area of the warehouse, where his entire team was already standing with their luggage fully packed and ready to head to the airport for their commercial flight to the Galar region.
"I want you all to board the plane and wait for me to arrive because I will be personally transporting the main shipping container with Corviknight across the ocean," Enzo instructed his subordinates while pointing at the massive steel box that was filled to the brim with illegal Pokémon and black market goods.
"Are you absolutely sure about this plan, because if the international police catch you flying with that much contraband, you are going to need at least two lifetimes in prison to pay for those crimes," Proton questioned with a nervous expression as he looked at the sheer size of the illegal cargo.
"You do not need to worry about the police because I know several completely undocumented flight routes that will keep my Corviknight totally invisible to any radar detection," Enzo reassured him with absolute confidence. "Just lay low when you arrive in Galar and wait for me to send the exact landing coordinates directly to your secure TR Devices."
Viper stepped forward and used his extensive veteran experience to confidently take charge of the squad so he could coordinate their safe departure to the airport while leaving Enzo completely free to focus his attention on the Kanto League Auction.
Later that afternoon, Enzo arrived at the Cerulean Plaza looking effortlessly sharp while wearing tailored suit pants and a half open black shirt with his hands casually resting in his pockets.
The surrounding environment was already filled with incredibly wealthy individuals dressed in their finest gala attire who immediately recognized the rising star of the Kanto League and flocked around him. Enzo politely engaged in small talk with the wealthy elite and posed for several photographs near the grand entrance before he finally pulled out his exclusive invitation and showed it to the security guards to gain access to the main hall.
Once he stepped inside the building, he was immediately struck by the super elegant decorations of the Plaza that perfectly set the stage for an afternoon of exorbitant spending.
As he navigated through the crowded and luxurious venue Enzo quickly spotted a familiar face near the massive champagne fountain and walked over with a feeling of genuine relief.
"Brock, thank Arceus I found you because I was starting to think I would have to spend this entire afternoon pretending to care about stock portfolios and yacht collections," Enzo called out while approaching with a slight grin.
Brock immediately brightened, setting down his crystal glass to gesture at Enzo's tailored suit with a cheerful laugh. "Man, you clean up incredibly nice. I barely recognized you without the usual leather jacket."
"Do not get too used to it, this monkey suit is just camouflage," Enzo replied dryly, adjusting his collar with mock discomfort. "How did you even get in here?"
Brock scratched the back of his neck sheepishly, explaining he had simply borrowed his father's invitation since Flint was too stubborn to ever leave Pewter City. "I figured someone from the family should at least be present, plus I heard some very interesting rumors about some seriously rare going up for bid," Brock added, leaning in conspiratorially.
"And what else is keeping your attention?" Enzo asked, raising a highly skeptical eyebrow.
"This place is absolutely crawling with gorgeous women with Elite Four levels of money," Brock confessed, his expression showing barely contained amazement as he subtly gestured toward the elegant crowd. "It is honestly taking every single ounce of my self-control not to walk up to that beautiful brunette over there and ask if she needs a strong man to carry her purse."
Enzo followed his gaze and snorted in amusement. "That brunette is probably worth more than both of us combined."
Brock grinned, turning the question back around. "What about you? Have you spotted anything interesting yet? "
"I am mainly hunting for something specific. The real question is whether I can actually afford it before the bidding gets completely out of hand," Enzo said, taking a sip of his drink and scanning the room with calculating eyes.
Their casual conversation was abruptly cut short by the sharp sound of expensive heels clicking against the polished marble floor, drawing their attention toward Koga and Janine approaching them with deliberate precision.
"Good afternoon, gentlemen," Koga greeted, extending a formal hand toward Enzo, flawlessly playing the role of a respectable Gym Leader meeting a rising star for the very first time. "I do not believe we have had the pleasure of a formal introduction. I am Koga, the Gym Leader of Fuchsia City."
"It is a great honor to finally meet you," Enzo replied, firmly shaking the veteran ninja's hand, matching the completely professional facade without missing a single beat.
"Your performance in the Rookie Tournament was nothing short of spectacular," Koga continued, his sharp eyes betraying absolutely nothing of their shared dark history within Team Rocket. "It is truly a testament to the strength of this new generation of Kanto trainers, making it quite a shame to hear you will be moving your considerable talents to the Hoenn region."
"I appreciate the kind words, but I assure you, Kanto will always have my deepest respect," Enzo answered diplomatically.
Koga shifted his posture slightly, gesturing to the striking young woman standing at his side. "Allow me to introduce my daughter, Janine. She is my absolute pride and the future heir to the Fuchsia Gym."
Janine stepped forward to officially introduce herself, offering Enzo a stunningly sweet and flawlessly respectful smile, completely masking the burning rage boiling just beneath her surface. "It is a true pleasure to meet you, Enzo," she said, her voice dripping with artificial admiration. "I watched your tournament matches very closely. Your tactical brilliance was magnificent, and I would absolutely love to have the opportunity to battle you one day."
Enzo looked directly into her eyes, knowing perfectly well she was secretly furious at him for ruthlessly stealing the top three rankings right out from under her nose back on the hidden Trial Island. He simply smiled back at the seething kunoichi, effortlessly playing along with the masquerade. "The pleasure is entirely mine, Janine. It would be an absolute honor to test my skills against yours whenever you wish."
The heavy unspoken tension was suddenly broken by a cheerful voice as Steven Stone approached their small circle, holding a glass of sparkling water and warmly greeting the entire group. Seeing the billionaire heir arrive, Koga offered a polite bow, smoothly taking the opportunity to extract himself and his daughter from the conversation.
"We really must go greet some of the other sponsors, so please excuse us. Enjoy the auction, gentlemen," Koga said gracefully before quickly walking away with Janine following closely behind.
"I think that ninja girl seemed to be highly interested in you," Steven teased, watching Janine disappear into the elegant crowd.
Enzo immediately laughed out loud, fully aware she secretly wanted to strangle him with her bare hands, and quickly replied that Steven must be completely imagining things.
"I am going to have to call Officer Jenny and tell her that you are actively seducing the daughters of famous Gym Leaders while she is busy working," Brock mockingly threatened, crossing his arms with a wide smirk.
The three friends shared a loud laugh at the ridiculous accusation, enjoying the brief moment of levity before their attention was suddenly drawn to another highly important figure making a grand entrance at the venue.
Lieutenant Surge made his grand entrance into the Plaza, instantly commanding the attention of the entire room with his booming presence and signature military jacket.
The veteran Gym Leader was currently riding a massive wave of unprecedented popularity, his public image completely revitalized by the undeniable fact that the young trainer he had officially recommended recently won the Rookie Tournament.
He navigated the elegant crowd with his usual boisterous energy, loudly accepting endless congratulations and slapping wealthy businessmen on the back.
A group of eager corporate sponsors quickly surrounded the electric specialist to discuss lucrative endorsement deals, desperate to associate their high-end brands with his sudden surge in momentum.
However, the moment his sharp eyes scanned the luxurious room and spotted Enzo standing near the champagne fountain alongside his friends, Surge completely ignored the wealthy executives mid-sentence.
"My boy!" Surge roared across the elegant hall, his thunderous voice easily cutting through the polite chatter of the Kanto elite as he marched straight over to the small group.
He engulfed Enzo in a massive, bone-crushing hug before turning his energetic attention to the other two young men, offering them firm handshakes with a wide grin.
"Have you finished celebrating your massive victory yet, or are we going to keep the party going?"
Enzo simply laughed, trying to catch his breath after the suffocating embrace, but before he could even offer a proper response, the towering Gym Leader threw a heavy arm around his shoulder.
"Do you boys know where your assigned seats are for the afternoon?" Surge asked loudly, looking expectantly between the three young trainers.
Enzo casually glanced toward the incredibly packed main floor, replying with a small shrug that his designated spot was most likely located somewhere right in the middle of that massive crowd.
Hearing this completely unacceptable seating arrangement made Surge let out a booming laugh, prompting the towering Gym Leader to throw a heavy arm around Enzo's shoulder to firmly steer him toward the private staircases.
"There is absolutely no way my boy is sitting out there with the regular crowd today," Surge excitedly declared. "You and your friends are coming straight up to my exclusive cabin."
Enzo attempted to offer a polite protest regarding intruding on his personal space, but the veteran Gym Leader completely ignored the refusal with another loud laugh.
"Nonsense, there is plenty of room up there for all of us to comfortably enjoy the show," Surge insisted, confidently leading Enzo, Steven, and Brock away from the crowded main floor to direct the three young men directly into his highly exclusive private VIP bidding cabin overlooking the main stage.
Stepping inside the luxurious, soundproofed room offered them a perfect and unobstructed view of the auction block, making the experience feel entirely disconnected from the chaos outside.
An impeccably dressed attendant immediately approached their comfortable leather seats, respectfully handing each of them a sleek, high-tech Bidding Tablet to officially signal that the incredibly expensive auction was finally about to begin.
The heavy velvet curtains finally parted to reveal the brightly illuminated main stage, where Violet gracefully stepped up to the podium, instantly captivating the entire room with her stunning elegance and flowing ocean blue hair.
The eldest Cerulean sister offered a radiant smile to the wealthy crowd, officially welcoming everyone to her city and expressing her immense pride in hosting this prestigious auction.
As the elegant crowd politely applauded the opening speech, Enzo suddenly flinched in his comfortable leather seat upon hearing a familiar and chillingly calm voice echoing directly inside his mind.
"We meet again…" Sabrina whispered telepathically, her voice echoing with crystal clarity directly inside his mind.
Enzo subtly rubbed his temples to steady himself, taking a deep breath before mentally projecting his thoughts back to the terrifying Gym Leader with the utmost respect. "It is an honor to hear from you today, Executive Sabrina."
"Always so polite, I'm so bored the Boss personally sent me to this lovely event to purchase a specific item for the organization," the psychic casually explained, letting her tone quickly shift into a playful melody of manipulation. "But seeing you sitting there reminds me of the significant favor you still owe me from our last encounter, meaning I fully expect you to buy me a very pretty present today…"
Realizing there was absolutely no escaping the whims of the sadistic executive, Enzo let out a heavy sigh, frustratedly slapping his palm against his forehead.
"Are you feeling alright, Enzo? If you are stressed about the prices I can cover, you can pay me after" Steven immediately offered, leaning over with a highly concerned expression after noticing the sudden display of distress.
"Thanks, Steven, but I assure you my funds are perfectly fine. I am simply dealing with an entirely different kind of headache right now," Enzo replied before turning his attention back to the stage.
The first few items presented on the auction were rather normal, featuring some common Pokémon with high potential alongside several rare ingredients, offering absolutely nothing that could draw Enzo's attention.
The mundane bidding continued smoothly until Violet stepped up to the main microphone with a bright smile, gracefully gesturing toward a velvet display cushion holding a perfectly spherical and flawlessly shimmering pink Clamperl pearl.
"Ladies and gentlemen, our next exquisite item is a breathtakingly beautiful pink pearl naturally produced by a Clamperl possessing confirmed Blue potential," Violet cheerfully announced to the elegant crowd, letting her voice echo clearly through the massive hall. "This incredibly rare jewel holds immense value due to its sheer exclusivity, serving as a magnificent status symbol for the most refined and wealthy collectors joining us today."
Enzo looked directly at the stage with a mocking smile, silently wondering who would ever be foolish enough to waste their money buying such expensive trash, before a truly terrifying moment ruined his peace as a familiar voice suddenly echoed inside his head.
"Ohhh, I would absolutely love to have that beautiful pearl," Sabrina immediately cooed directly into his mind.
Suppressing another heavy groan of absolute despair, Enzo reluctantly tapped his high-tech tablet to place an opening bid of one hundred thousand Pokédollars.
The digital screen instantly flashed red as an anonymous bidder across the room immediately countered it rosed to half a million.
Enzo's face darkened with absolute frustration, deeply wanting to kill whoever was constantly raising the bid while internally screaming that it was just a completely worthless pearl.
Attempting to aggressively intimidate his competition and scare off any casual buyers Enzo swiftly increased his offer to seven hundred and fifty thousand, only to watch in horror as the anonymous opposing bidder ruthlessly escalated the price to nine hundred thousand.
"Are you seriously dropping a massive fortune on an expensive pearl just to court Officer Jenny?" Brock asked, bursting into a loud and teasing laugh while watching the intense financial battle unfold right beside him.
"I have to admit that dropping that kind of money on a purely aesthetic pearl is a truly tragic waste of your resources," Steven lectured, shaking his head in complete disapproval. "A worthless piece of jewelry completely lacks the profound historical significance and geological value of a genuinely good fossil."
Ignoring the relentless teasing from his friends, Enzo firmly tapped his digital screen to submit a massive bid of one and a half million Pokédollars, only to see his relentless rival immediately bump the price up to one million and six hundred thousand.
Completely losing his patience with the absurd bidding war, Enzo forcefully punched in a final offer of two full million Pokédollars, finally silencing the entire room as Violet cheerfully declared the incredibly expensive pearl officially sold to his designated VIP number.
"You know if you had simply told me, you were actually buying it for me, I would have stopped bidding right at the beginning," Sabrina suddenly giggled inside his head, her telepathic voice dripping with absolute amusement.
Enzo sat completely frozen in his leather seat as the horrifying realization washed over him, finally understanding that the sadistic executive had purposely driven up the price against him just for her own twisted entertainment.
He took a deep and highly calculated breath to maintain his fragile composure before firmly projecting his thoughts back to the terrifying psychic.
"I sincerely hope this beautiful gift pleases you, Executive Sabrina, and I trust that with this ridiculously expensive purchase, our outstanding debt is finally settled," Enzo declared mentally, making sure to keep his tone perfectly respectful despite his internal frustration.
A soft and highly satisfied laugh echoed through his mind one last time before the telepathic connection completely faded away, leaving Enzo to stare blankly at his digital tablet while painfully contemplating his two million Pokédollars.
Violet signaled for the next item to be brought onto the main stage, gracefully gesturing toward a heavy and oddly smooth piece of metallic ore resting perfectly on a velvet cushion.
"Ladies and gentlemen, this extraordinary item radiates an intense and unyielding energy, naturally shed by a minor legendary Registeel," Violet announced with a captivating smile, letting the elegant crowd murmur in sheer amazement.
Enzo immediately leaned forward in his comfortable leather seat, looking at the glowing metallic ore with great interest, internally calculating how perfectly it would enhance the steel attributes of his massive Corviknight.
He reached for his digital tablet to input a starting bid, stopping abruptly upon noticing Steven Stone furiously tapping his own screen with a deeply focused and almost obsessed gleam in his eyes.
Realizing exactly how much his billionaire friend absolutely loved precious metals Enzo smoothly pulled his hand back, knowing full well that initiating a financial fight against the Devon heir would only result in him getting completely crushed.
"That is quite a good item, huh," Enzo teased with a warm smile.
"Yes, the latent energy inside that fragment will be absolutely perfect for my Metagross," Steven replied breathlessly, his eyes never leaving the stage as he successfully secured the winning bid, looking completely thrilled with his newly acquired treasure.
The auction slowly transitioned from legendary fragments to high quality evolutionary items and raw materials, finally giving Enzo the perfect opportunity to spend some of his newly acquired wealth.
Waiting patiently for the right moments he successfully won two pristine Metal Coats for twenty thousand Pokédollars, quickly following that up by securing a perfectly cut Dusk Stone radiating a dark purple aura for fifty thousand.
He continued his tactical shopping spree by buying two pristine Leaf Stones for another fifty thousand alongside a bulk purchase of extremely rare botanical ingredients meant for crafting top tier Pokéblocks for eighty thousand Pokédollars.
Then a pristine Pokémon egg resting safely inside an advanced incubator was carefully brought to the center stage, prompting Violet to confirm it held a Squirtle of completely unknown potential.
When the intense bidding war finally ended with a desperate collector securing the winning bid, Brock shook his head in sheer disbelief.
"Three million Pokédollars for an egg that might hatch into absolutely nothing special?" Brock asked, watching the wealthy buyer celebrate his expensive purchase. "These rich people have completely lost their minds."
Enzo slowly nodded in complete agreement, his mind immediately drifting toward the specific Charmander currently sitting inside his storage back at the warehouse, silently wondering if he would ever manage to find in the distant Galar region someone willing to pay such an absurd amount of money for a fire lizard with terrible genetic potential just to show it off as a rare trophy.
Then the elegant hall suddenly went completely dark as a glowing Poké Ball was brought to the stage, making the massive screen behind Violet light up to display the genetic data of a majestic Dratini boasting a confirmed Blue Potential.
Seeing this the bidding war descended into absolute chaos as multiple millionaires frantically tried to secure the incredibly rare dragon, filling the room with shouting voices until a commanding bid of twenty million Pokédollars flashed on the main screen, instantly shocking the entire audience into complete silence.
Up until this exact moment every single wealthy guest inside the exclusive VIP cabins had kept their tinted privacy glass firmly closed, but the stage cameras quickly panned upward to capture a massive window sliding completely open to reveal the arrogant winner standing confidently in his booth located across the hall. Enzo felt a profound wave of nostalgia wash over him as he immediately recognized the spiky red hair and the imposing majestic cape belonging to Lance, the revered Dragon Master and Leader of the Kanto Elite Four.
Enzo looked at the powerful man with a deep sense of wonder, vividly remembering a time in his past life when Lance was just a digital character on a screen and an untouchable figure of absolute power.
Watching the dramatic public display prompted Surge to let out a loud scoff, crossing his massive arms in complete disapproval while glaring at the Dragon Master. "Absolute showoff, that boy would not last a single week in an actual war," the veteran soldier muttered under his breath.
Hearing this prompted Brock to immediately agree, leaning back in his leather chair with a highly frustrated tone. "It should be completely illegal for Elite Four members to participate in these public auctions," Brock complained, crossing his arms and glaring across the room at the Dragon Master. "Ordinary trainers can never even hope to compete with their immense wealth and their ridiculous political connections."
Enzo smiled at the sudden complaint, turning his attention away from Lance to look at the future Gym Leader. "Why are you so bothered by Lance spending his own money Brock?"
"It is just the absolute unfairness of competing against billionaires," Brock continued ranting, passionately gesturing toward the stage. "They walk in here with endless pockets and just buy whatever they want while the rest of us have to scrape by."
Enzo noticed Steven laughing incredibly awkwardly right beside them, vigorously scratching the back of his neck while trying very hard to avoid making any eye contact.
The entire situation became highly comical to Enzo, fully realizing that Brock was passionately complaining about the outrageous wealth of the Elite Four while sitting right next to the heir of the Devon Corporation, a young man who was secretly far wealthier than Lance could ever hope to be.
The ambient lighting inside the massive hall abruptly plunged into complete darkness, drowning the elegant crowd in a sea of hushed whispers before a single blinding spotlight snapped down directly onto the center stage.
The heavy silence stretched for several agonizing seconds, building an atmosphere of sheer anticipation right before Violet slowly stepped up to the main podium with an expression of absolute reverence.
A highly reinforced glass vault slowly ascended from beneath the polished floorboards, revealing a solitary Ultra Ball resting securely inside its impenetrable core.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we have finally reached the absolute pinnacle of our spectacular evening, bringing you an unparalleled opportunity to possess a living piece of ancient mythology," Violet announced, her voice echoing with commanding authority over the breathless audience.
The enormous digital screen positioned behind the stage suddenly flared to life, displaying breathtaking footage of the majestic avian beast wreathed in immortal flames, instantly prompting the elegant crowd to let out a collective gasp of pure astonishment.
"Resting inside this Ultra Ball is a minor legendary Moltres, specifically captured at a remarkably young age to ensure its apocalyptic fiery temperament remains highly understanding and exceptionally receptive to the commands of a worthy master," Violet continued, completely captivating every single wealthy collector in the room. "The starting bid to claim absolute mastery over this magnificent mythical creature is set at exactly fifty million Pokédollars."
Hearing the starting price prompted Brock to drop his jaw in absolute disbelief.
Lt Surge simply let out a low whistle of genuine military respect, firmly crossing his massive arms and leaning forward in his comfortable leather seat to get a much better look at the legendary creature.
A thought suddenly entered Enzo's mind, leaving him silently wondering if this majestic flaming beast was the exact target Sabrina had been personally sent to purchase using the endless funds of Giovanni.
"Are you seriously not going to try and buy the legendary bird?" Enzo asked, desperately trying to distract himself from his thoughts by turning his attention to the wealthy heir sitting quietly beside him.
"I must completely refuse that overwhelming temptation for strictly political reasons, Enzo," Steven replied, shaking his head with a highly calculated expression.
"A prominent corporate heir from the Hoenn region openly purchasing a living mythical symbol of Kanto would instantly trigger a massive diplomatic nightmare between our two respective Pokémon Leagues."
The other desperate billionaires to relentlessly fight over the ultimate prize, violently pushing the digital numbers to absolutely astronomical heights. The intense bidding war rapidly escalated past one hundred million before finally coming to a sudden halt, prompting the main screen to officially confirm that a completely anonymous VIP cabin had successfully purchased the Moltres for a staggering two hundred and ten million Pokédollars.
A brief moment of completely stunned silence washed over the elegant room before the entire audience finally erupted into thunderous applause, celebrating the historic purchase and officially bringing the spectacular afternoon auction to an unforgettable conclusion.
The thunderous applause gradually faded away, allowing several impeccable attendants to enter the exclusive VIP cabins carrying heavily secured lockboxes containing the various auctioned items.
A sharply dressed employee approached Enzo, respectfully handing over a sleek metallic case holding his newly acquired tactical evolution stones alongside the premium botanical ingredients.
The attendant then presented a separate velvet box containing the completely useless pink Clamperl pearl, prompting Enzo to let out a quiet sigh as his digital tablet beeped to confirm the massive deduction of two million Pokédollars from his personal accounts.
The exact same process happened to Steven, prompting the wealthy heir to call a Devon Corporation staff member to carefully transport his incredibly rare Registeel fragment directly to his private vehicle before turning his attention back to his friend.
"Make sure you give me a call the exact moment your plane lands in the Hoenn region Enzo, I want to show you around my home territory," Steven requested with a warm smile, adjusting his expensive jacket.
"I will definitely hold you to that Steven," Enzo replied gracefully, shaking the wealthy heir's hand before turning to face the Pewter City Gym Leader's son.
"Take care of yourself out there Enzo, and try not to spend all your remaining money buying expensive jewelry for women," Brock said cheerfully, offering a firm handshake of his own.
Enzo laughed at the teasing remark, promising to be much more careful with his finances moving forward.
As the two younger trainers walked out of the luxurious cabin Lt Surge stepped closer, resting a heavy hand on Enzo's shoulder. The towering electric specialist dropped his usual booming bravado, letting his voice lower into a genuinely serious and highly supportive tone.
"You already know exactly how this works my boy, if you ever find yourself in deep trouble you call me immediately," Surge instructed firmly, his sharp military eyes locking onto Enzo to ensure the message was fully understood.
"Thank you, sir, I appreciate that," Enzo answered with genuine gratitude, offering the veteran soldier a final respectful salute.
With their formal goodbyes officially exchanged the group finally parted ways, leaving Enzo to walk out of the VIP cabin alone, carrying his expensive new investments.
Walking out into croud Enzo suddenly felt a light tap on his back, turning around to find Executive Sabrina standing elegantly wearing a breathtakingly beautiful red dress.
Two stern followers dressed in sharp corporate attire stood directly behind her acting as personal bodyguards, presenting a completely redundant security measure considering absolutely nobody without incredibly powerful Pokémon could ever hope to defeat the terrifying psychic even if they were heavily armed.
With their formal goodbyes officially exchanged the group finally parted ways, leaving Enzo to walk out of the VIP cabin alone carrying his expensive new investments.
Stepping out into the bustling crowd Enzo suddenly felt a light tap on his back, turning around to find Executive Sabrina standing elegantly wearing a breathtakingly beautiful red dress. Two stern followers dressed in sharp corporate attire stood directly behind her acting as personal bodyguards, presenting a completely redundant security measure considering absolutely nobody without incredibly powerful Pokémon could ever hope to defeat the terrifying psychic even if they were heavily armed.
Reaching into his pocket Enzo pulled out the expensive velvet box, formally handing over the newly acquired two million Pokédollar pink Clamperl pearl to his imposing superior. Sabrina gracefully opened the container, letting her vibrant crimson eyes sparkle with genuine delight while admiring the flawless jewel resting securely inside.
"Our very first present," Sabrina purred happily, letting her lips curl into a highly satisfied smile.
"Let us hope it is also the last one," Enzo replied flatly, desperately wanting to completely sever his expensive financial ties to the sadistic executive.
"Come on little squad leader, do not be like that," Sabrina teased smoothly, stepping closer to close the physical distance between them. "Do you want a ride back to the warehouse?"
"Will I owe you anything for that?" Enzo asked cautiously, eyeing the powerful psychic with deep suspicion.
"Oh no dear, I will do it completely for free," Sabrina smiled cheerfully.
Enzo simply nodded to accept the highly convenient offer, finding himself completely unprepared for what happened next as the psychic abruptly grabbed his shoulder, instantly warping the very fabric of space around them. The massive sea of people filling the plaza violently vanished in a nauseating blur of bright purple light, aggressively dropping Enzo several kilometers away right onto the desolate dirt path located on the quiet outskirts of his warehouse.
Enzo stumbled forward while aggressively clutching his stomach to fight off a violent wave of extreme vertigo, taking deep breaths to steady his violently spinning vision while fully realizing she had successfully teleported them across massive distances using absolutely nothing but her own raw human power. He glared at the dirt ground while trying very hard to keep his recent meal down.
What a fucking monster, Enzo thought silently, wiping a bead of cold sweat from his forehead while finally regaining his fragile balance before stepping inside his designated base of operations.
The warehouse stood completely empty and engulfed in absolute silence, serving as a stark reminder that his highly profitable operations in Cerulean City were officially concluded and it was finally time to move forward.
Looking across the dimly lit room Enzo let his eyes rest on the giant metal container where the Team Aqua prisoner had previously been held captive, noting that the heavy steel doors were now securely locked and completely covered in specialized transport tape awaiting immediate extraction.
He took a final look around the quiet industrial space before aggressively slapping his own cheeks twice, using the sharp stinging pain to forcefully clear his head and snap his mind back into absolute focus for the critical mission ahead.
Pressing a concealed button on his specialized TR device prompted his advanced tactical wear to instantly materialize over his regular clothes, utilizing highly sophisticated nanotechnology to smoothly encase his body in sleek protective armor.
Reaching into his secure compartment, Enzo pulled out the highly realistic synthetic mask previously gifted to him by Giovanni, carefully pulling the advanced disguise over his head to completely conceal his true identity.
The incredibly expensive material flawlessly wrapped around his bone structure exactly like a second skin, allowing him to smoothly adjust the edges until the artificial transition became completely imperceptible to the naked eye.
The terrifying disguise was crafted with such absolute perfection that even with his bare neck completely exposed, it remained truly impossible to tell he was wearing a mask, making it look exactly as if he had miraculously grown an entirely different face.
Feeling completely prepared for his upcoming departure to the distant Galar region, Enzo called out to his most reliable partner, prompting the massive iron giant previously left behind to securely guard the empty warehouse during the auction to gracefully land on top of the heavy metal container while silently waiting for further instructions.
"Are you ready to visit your home territory Corviknight?" Enzo asked confidently, looking up at his towering metallic partner with a proud smile.
"Cawww!" the giant metal bird aggressively shrieked in response, spreading its massive steel wings to their absolute limit while eagerly anticipating the upcoming journey.