"Leader Skye, you're not sure if Leader Cain will return either. The wise know how to adapt to circumstances. With Lord Xander's power and influence, following him would allow us to grow faster."
"Even if Leader Cain returns and takes first place, without any backing, could he stand up to Lord Xander's brother?"
Cain recognized the voice of the one who had first questioned his loyalty.
In total, seven people decided to join Xander's emissary, most of them uncertain about passing the test—except for Matsuki.
Behind Skye, there were still thirteen people, some confident in their own abilities and others who, due to conflicts with Xander or his followers, had aligned with Cain for protection.
Since Xander hadn't offered amnesty, they didn't dare join him directly.
In reality, only five or six of them were truly loyal to Skye and Cain.
Skye could only smile bitterly. Even if he killed Xander's emissary, he couldn't stop these men's betrayal. With so many allies, they no longer feared him.
"Skye, you have until midnight to change your mind. Think it over."
The emissary now spoke arrogantly, showing not the slightest fear of Skye, whose face showed a mixture of anger and shame, while his opponent laughed more and more.
"Use your time wisely. Let's go!"
But just as the emissary and his group were about to leave, a black shadow flew into the hall, gleaming with a cold light. The traitors fell one after another. Neither Skye nor the emissary could see what it was.
In an instant, only two were left standing: the emissary and Matsuki. The others lay on the ground, alive but terrified, summoning their Pokémon: a Golbat and a Gloom.
"Where do you think you're going?"
A voice sounded from the entrance. The black shadow stopped on the newcomer's shoulder.
Everyone turned their gaze toward him, their faces filled with surprise and fear. Skye's expression went from shock to joy, then back to composure. Those who hadn't betrayed Cain couldn't hide their excitement, while the undecided sighed in relief, some even smiling with satisfaction.
The expressions on their faces said it all.
The emissary and Matsuki looked at Cain, sweat on their foreheads, frozen in fear. Around them, the bodies of their fallen companions hinted at what awaited them.
"Leader Cain!"
Skye was the first to speak, followed by the others, who shouted:
"Leader Cain!"
While Skye might have been their leader, Cain was clearly their commander, as shown by the respect in their voices.
Xander's emissary gritted his teeth, trying to hide his fear.
"L-Leader Cain..."
But before he could finish, the Murkrow on Cain's shoulder leapt, slashing his throat with sharp talons, giving him no chance to speak further. His Golbat was also taken down by a single strike from Murkrow's wings.
With a level of 25 and mediocre qualities, that Golbat was nothing to Cain, who didn't even bother to look at it. His Skorupi could have defeated it easily, regardless of its ability to fly.
Cain hadn't killed him immediately to show Skye's men his current strength, so they wouldn't think he relied solely on his Pokémon's skill. The effect was immediate: those who had considered betraying him turned pale, while Cain's loyal followers flushed with excitement.
Their leader had grown stronger!
Skye remained calm, but inwardly he was shocked. Xander's emissary, though weaker than Skye, was strong enough to place in the top twenty in the trials, yet he hadn't been able to withstand even a single attack from Cain's Murkrow.
He had been killed with a single blow, not merely incapacitated.
Matsuki was even paler. When he saw Cain enter, he had summoned his Gloom, thinking of either fighting or retreating with Xander's emissary. But after witnessing Murkrow's attack, he couldn't even give the command to counterattack.
Now he understood just how vast the gap was between him and Cain.
Cain walked past Matsuki without giving him a second glance, climbing to the chair at the highest point in the hall. Although he had been gone for a while, the chair was clean, and it was evident that Skye hadn't dared to occupy it.
The chair was simple, but Cain sat in it with satisfaction. Although he was only a small captain in Team Rocket without subordinates, that would soon change. After the final test, he was sure he would become an Officer, and he couldn't remain a captain without soldiers.
The ones before him would be his first subordinates as an Officer.
Matsuki was sweating coldly. The longer Cain ignored him, the more nervous he grew. He didn't believe Cain would spare him, but after the emissary's swift death, he doubted he could escape.
Thud!
Matsuki knelt down and banged his head on the ground, begging for his life. Skye looked at him coldly, knowing Cain wouldn't forgive him.
Cain had scanned Matsuki with his system. His Gloom had decent potential, with a light green quality, so Skye had chosen to train him. If Oddish had a stronger attack power early on, Matsuki might have ranked in the top ten.
But his progress had been too slow, and now he was only ranked fifteenth.
Cain shook his head; Matsuki had no useful value, but his Pokémon could be put to use.
Just as Cain was about to speak, Murkrow had already pounced on Matsuki. Its black eyes showed no emotion, and its blood-soaked talons ripped Matsuki's head off in an instant.
The shock in Matsuki's eyes was evident. He had believed that, not being executed immediately, he still had a chance to live.
Only Skye, looking on, knew that Matsuki had been doomed from the start.
(End of Chapter)