"This kid is actually quite interesting..." Watching the retreating figure disappear around the corner, Kurama adjusted the glasses on the bridge of his nose once more.
An orphan who grew up in a welfare home, Hisoka possessed a high IQ and an excellent ability to analyze situations and read emotions. Rising through the ranks of the Bounty Hunters since childhood,
his strength as a Trainer was outstanding for his age. Having recently passed the exam for the Ace Trainer rank, he didn't have many Pokémon, but he seemed to follow an elite-growth path. He was a fine talent, well worth being nurtured by the League.
For a League Investigator, looking up the personal records of a commoner with no background was a trivial task. A quick login to the internal network allowed him to review a person's entire history.
Kurama might have appeared improper and eccentric on the outside, but his intelligence was undeniably high. He would never seek assistance from someone whose background was unclear.
Having the S.S. Anne's captain recruit five Bounty Hunters as external security was a plan devised by his boss. It was a deliberate opening meant to lure out the enemy, and sure enough, they had hooked two big fish.
Did that man Mundo really think shaving his head and getting a neck tattoo would hide his identity? He was one of Team Rocket's elite middle-tier cadres, famous in the underground for his Fighting-type Pokémon and his frenzied combat style.
As for Lisa, while she wasn't a formal member of Team Rocket, she had plenty of blood on her hands. She was a pure "hyena," someone who would do anything for money, including serving a dark organization like Team Rocket.
Back in his room, Hisoka lay on his bed, contemplating the conditions he had negotiated with Kurama. He was willing to help, but as a Bounty Hunter, he never worked for free. It was a matter of professional ethics; while Hisoka wouldn't commit atrocities for money, he would never work for people for nothing, either.
He had set three conditions. First: Kurama's entire salary for these seven days of escort duty would go to him. Second: Kurama had to arrange a temporary investigator ID for Hisokait didn't need any actual authority, just the proof. Third: He wanted Kurama to help him apply for the right to raise a Chansey from the Joy family.
One shouldn't assume dark organizations were overwhelmingly powerful just because the news was full of their terrorist attacks or raids on research institutes. To an individual, these organizations were indeed juggernauts with tight structures, vast wealth, and high-level cadres comparable to the Elite Four.
However, compared to the true rulers of the worldthe Pokémon Leaguethose dark organizations were actually the weak ones. they could only lurk in the shadows, barely surviving the maneuvers of the League's top brass.
If the regional Leagues truly decided to eradicate the dark organizations in their territories, one command would bring down a century's worth of accumulated elites, supported by Elite Four members and Champions from other regions. No dark organization could withstand such a blow.
However, politics was never about simple suppression or total annihilation. In the eyes of the true rulers, the way of balance was the eternal strategy. As long as there was light, darkness would never truly vanish.
It was much like the United States from his previous lifea country with a peerless military and advanced equipment, yet it was the country with the most gangs and criminal organizations in the world. It was a biting irony.
"So, you agreed to those three conditions."
In the meeting room, a youth with silver hair draped over his shoulders and a face resembling a fox sat in the head seat. His gloved hands tapped lightly against the tabletop.
"Yes, Boss!" Kurama didn't show his usual lazy or greasy attitude. He sat formally in the lower seat with his hands on his knees, looking like a primary school student waiting for a teacher's lecture.
Baijie remained silent for a moment. Just as the atmosphere became somewhat heavy, he suddenly broke into a smile, his eyes opening slightly. "He certainly is an interesting fellow. Based on what you've said, his potential is excellent,
so there's no harm in the League nurturing him a bit. The first two conditions are no problem. However, the third condition will depend on his performance. If he does well, I'll use my influence to apply to the Joy family on his behalf. If not, then I can only say sorry..."
"Whew!" Hearing his boss say this, Kurama secretly breathed a sigh of relief. If the boss said that, it meant he didn't have any dislike for the youth; in fact, he was somewhat interested. That made things much easier.
To become the League's Chief Investigator at the age of twenty, Baijie's own talent was beyond doubt. However, a more critical reason for his position was his grandmother, who had served as a member of the Elite Four for nearly thirty yearsAgatha, the Ghost-type Elite Four member of the Kanto League.
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