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"This is just something for you to handle along the way, and it's perfect for you right now."
Giovanni rested his chin on his hands, suppressing the twitch at the corner of his eye as he spoke to Liam.
"Perfect for me? Well, alright then. Since you put it that way, I suppose I have no choice but to accept. So, tell me—what exactly is it that needs my attention?"
Hearing Giovanni say that it suited him, Liam couldn't find a reason to refuse. Besides, the comment piqued his curiosity.
"There's less than a month until the Kanto League Tournament. During this time, I assume you'll be focusing on pre-tournament training—strengthening your Pokémon and improving your overall performance. That's why I'm assigning this task to you."
"To the east of the League's main stadium, if you travel a bit further, you'll reach a mountain range. That's Mt. Silver—famous in both Kanto and Johto. Your task is to head there and rendezvous with a stationed Team Rocket squad."
"I've received intel—just as you suspected. The poaching group we dismantled was merely a branch. Now that you've wiped out their operations in Kanto, their forces in Johto seem to be making moves to invade our territory. Their chosen route is Mt. Silver, which connects Kanto and Johto."
"I've already dispatched a squad to monitor the situation at Mt. Silver, led by Takeshi. However, I still don't feel at ease, so I want you to oversee things for a while. You can also provide Takeshi with backup if necessary."
Giovanni laid out his plan in one breath, a flicker of both concern and excitement in his eyes. Concerned that the poachers might keep encroaching on Kanto.
Excited that they hadn't been wiped out completely—meaning a worthy opponent remained. And having a formidable opponent meant pressure, and pressure led to motivation.
Giovanni was eager for the challenge against the poaching group.
"Mt. Silver, huh… Alright, got it. I was actually planning on heading there for some special training anyway. I guess I'll take care of both matters at once. But before that, I need to register for the League Tournament at the main stadium, then make a quick stop at Victory Road to see if there are any Pokémon worth capturing. Only after that will I make my way to Mt. Silver. I might be a little delayed—will that be a problem?"
Liam carefully considered his upcoming schedule and realized Mt. Silver was further down the list. He wasn't sure if that would impact the situation.
"Mm, take care of your business first. Things at Mt. Silver won't escalate too quickly, and Takeshi can handle minor skirmishes. You don't need to rush—just be there in case your assistance is needed. If not, you can go about your own plans."
Giovanni spoke without hesitation, making Liam feel like his presence there was almost optional.
"Alright then, it's settled. I'll head over as soon as I can. If there's nothing else, I'll be on my way."
Seeing that everything was arranged, Liam nodded and prepared to leave.
"Oh, wait, Liam—hold on a second. I have something for you."
Just as Liam was about to step out, Giovanni suddenly seemed to remember something. He quickly bent down and started rummaging under his desk.
"...? What is it? Why so secretive?" Liam asked curiously.
Giovanni didn't respond immediately. Instead, he pulled out a small black rectangular box, placed it on the desk, and opened it before turning it toward Liam.
"!! A Technical Machine!! Have you actually developed them already? This looks impressive... What moves are these?"
The moment the box was revealed, Liam was stunned. Inside, neatly arranged in a row, were five gleaming TM discs. He stared at them in shock.
"Ha ha ha!!" Giovanni laughed heartily at Liam's reaction. After a few moments, he explained, "Yes, these are indeed TMs. Silph Co.'s research team recently produced these prototypes. But... compared to that Thunderbolt TM you gave me, these are far inferior. No... they don't even come close." He sighed, shaking his head in frustration before throwing Liam a pointed glance.
"...They look the same to me. What's the difference?"
Ignoring Giovanni's exasperated look, Liam picked up a TM labeled Thunder Wave, turning it over in his hands, but he couldn't see any visible distinction.
"It's a fundamental difference. The Thunderbolt TM you gave me is flawless—it has unlimited uses, and any compatible Pokémon can learn the move instantly, though power may vary."
"But with these, we ran multiple tests and found that each TM can only be used up to five times before becoming ineffective. That's not even the worst part—the success rate isn't guaranteed. Pokémon don't always learn the move on the first try, and the overall success rate is only about 40%. Sometimes, you can use an entire TM and still not get a single successful learning attempt."
Giovanni let out another sigh, staring at the remaining four TMs in the box with disappointment.
"So... does that make these TMs useless?"
Liam frowned, examining the TM in his hand.
"No! Quite the opposite! That's exactly why I told them to stop researching."
Giovanni suddenly grinned, his expression turning almost radiant.
"...? Why? Didn't you just say they were incomplete? Why would you—wait a second… (⊙o⊙)… You sneaky little bastard! You're doing this on purpose!"
At first, Liam was confused, but after thinking it through, he quickly realized Giovanni's intentions.
"Haha! Exactly! This is exactly the result I wanted! These TMs are already in mass production and will soon hit the market. If they were as perfect as your Thunderbolt TM, people would buy just one and use it indefinitely. How would I make any money then? But this way, TMs become consumable items, and we can rake in massive profits!"
Giovanni burst into laughter, his expression brimming with smug satisfaction.
Liam gave him a thumbs-up, the universal gesture of approval.
"Impressive! This is how you maximize economic gains and generate the most revenue. Brilliant move… Wait, hold on. You told them to stop research? And Silph Co. just followed your orders? Won't they resist? What if they secretly continue their research?"
Giovanni smirked, tilting his chin up with pride.
"Resist? Silph Co. is entirely under Team Rocket's control now. What I say goes. They don't have the right to object."
Liam: "..."
"Haha, don't look so shocked. I didn't do anything underhanded to take over Silph Co. Everything was handled through… legitimate means. Don't overthink it. Anyway, these TMs are the best-quality ones we've manufactured so far. Their success rates should be slightly better. They contain Thunder Wave, Stomp, Attract, Brick Break, and Return. These are for you—a reward for your recent missions. Take them without hesitation."
Giovanni noticed Liam's slight unease regarding the Silph Co. takeover and reassured him with a chuckle. Then, he pushed the box toward him.
Liam glanced at the TMs, then back at Giovanni. After a moment of serious contemplation, he asked:
"That's not it.. I was just wondering… Since Silph Co. is ours now, does that mean I get discounts on PokeBalls? Can I have a membership card?"
Giovanni nearly choked on his own breath. Without a word, he pointed at the door.
"Get out!!"
As Giovanni roared in frustration, Liam swiftly grabbed the box and bolted out, laughing all the way. Left alone, Giovanni could only shake his head with a wry smile, staring at the wide-open door.