Since then, no higher scores than Aoki have appeared, but seeing Aoki's tricks, many people have learned from what they had seen, resulting in an overall increase in scores.
Guga was the one who showed the most disdain throughout the process because he believed that he did not use any tricks, and his results were purely based on his abilities. In his opinion, everyone else was inferior, even Aoki, whom he viewed as a lucky person who could perform a few tricks.
The final results were as follows:
First place, number 99, attack value: 98
Second place, number 234, attack value: 97
Third place, number 67, attack value: 95
Fourth place, number 156, attack value: 93
Fifth place, number 279, attack value: 90
According to the Viper, the top ten receive one hundred points, regardless of being first or second.
After the ranking, everyone received a belt with the Rockets' "R" logo on it, which served as an identity card with each person's number and stored points. One of the most useful features of the Rockets belt was its cubic meter of storage space.
Ignoring those who tried to stop him, Aoki took his Murkrow and headed straight to the point exchange center. As a former members of the Rockets, he knew how extensive the points exchange options were. Aoki had many items he wanted to redeem, but with limited points, he focused on what was most essential. Knowing the high cost of certain items, Aoki quickly skipped the more extravagant options and went directly to what he could afford.
In the props category, Aoki focused on the berry exchange list. Despite the looks he received from others, he redeemed all the berries available. These berries were very common, and most people didn't bother to exchange them, but for Aoki, they were invaluable. They saved him a lot of time in searching for berries and allowed him to make various Pokeblocks to better cultivate Murkrow, helping it grow to perfection.
Aoki's Rockets belt was completely stuffed with berries. He redeemed each type of berry available and had only spent 80 points. He then used another 5 points to redeem daily necessities and outdoor essentials.
After swiping his points card, Aoki was about to leave when he saw someone with an Ekans entering the exchange center. It was Guga!
As he passed by, Aoki silently activated the scanning function of his system.
Pokémon: Ekans (Green)
Gender: Male
Level: 14
Type: Poison
Ability: Intimidate
Held Items: None
Egg Moves: Pursuit, Poison Fang, Scary Face
Basic Moves: Wrap, Leer, Poison Sting, Bite, Glare
Learned Moves: Thief
TM Moves: None
Aoki's eyes narrowed as he recognized the green-rated Ekans. No wonder Guga had secured first place in previous rankings. Aoki scanned the competition and noted that only a handful of green-rated Pokémon were present, and Guga's Ekans was the most impressive among them.
It was rare to tame a wild Ekans, especially one with green talent and the Intimidate ability. Taming it signified that Guga was no ordinary trainer.
"Hey, second place!" Guga suddenly stopped and called out.
Aoki didn't respond and continued walking. In a previous life, he might have been provoked, but now, Guga was just a child in his eyes.
Ignoring Aoki's indifference, Guga's expression darkened. He angrily commanded, "Ekans, attack! Use Poison Sting!"
Ekans opened its mouth wide, and several purple-glowing needles shot out, aimed directly at Aoki.
Though Aoki didn't look back, he was prepared for Guga's actions.
"Murkrow, use Tailwind! Blow away the Poison Sting!" Aoki commanded promptly.
Murkrow, skilled in Tailwind, quickly increased the wind force, creating a small whirlwind with its wings. The gust of wind deflected the Poison Sting.
Aoki glanced back at Guga, a glint of danger in his eyes, waiting for Guga's next move. Guga, however, grinned and said, "Not bad, you're better than I expected." Without further confrontation, he headed to the exchange centre.
Aoki frowned as he watched Guga leave, suppressing the urge to act. After a moment, he signalled Murkrow to calm down and exited the exchange, heading straight into the forest without looking back.
In a large house at the centre of the base, in the office of Team Rockets' Chief Instructor, Viper sat at his desk. In front of him stood a mysterious figure wrapped in a black robe. Between them, two cups of tea steamed, their warmth gradually dissipating into the air.
After a moment of silence, the Viper spoke first. "What brings you here again? What do you need?" His tone carried a hint of sarcasm and curiosity.
The figure under the black robe adjusted their posture slightly, revealing eyes hardened by time. "The mission failed. I need some replacements for my team," the hoarse voice stated, revealing no signs of their age.
Viper grinned, taking a sip of tea. "Oh? A mission failure?" he teased, unable to hide his amusement. "I never thought someone as renowned as you would experience failure. And now you've come to me? Is there no one else in the Rockets you can turn to?"
Ignoring Viper's tone, the figure continued, "I fell into a trap set by the Alliance. Two elite trainers ambushed us. I barely escaped."
Viper's expression grew serious. "Was it a public operation or a covert one? How did you get out?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.
The figure in the black robe raised a wrinkled, withered hand, missing three fingers. The sight caused the Viper's eyes to narrow. Recognizing the extent of the injuries, he asked, "A Poison-type specialist?"
The robed figure nodded, a cold edge in their voice. "An elite-level Poison-type specialist and a mid elite-level Psychic-type specialist. Neither of them is officially listed in the Alliance's ranks. If I hadn't acted quickly and cut off three fingers, I would have lost my entire arm. Thanks to some of my Pokemon distracting them, I managed to escape, though the mission was a failure."