With backing from both the black and white sides of the law, if Natsuhiko said those channels would disappear, then they really would disappear.
He was helping Lusamine achieve the goal of promoting Alola Pokémon, helping the Alliance stabilize the market, helping Miss Q connect with the Rocket Team, and also making money for himself.
This was a four-birds-with-one-stone situation.
Hearing Natsuhiko's firm words, Giovanni didn't speak again; he just kept running his palm over the Persian at his side.
Natsuhiko didn't speak either.
He held his breath and focused.
Even through a screen, Giovanni, the undisputed underworld boss of the Pokemon Realm, put him under immense pressure.
The Alliance, at least, had to keep up appearances and wouldn't act completely recklessly.
But if you pissed off the Rocket Team, that would be real trouble.
Take Aju's assassination attempt—just that alone was more than enough for Natsuhiko to choke on for a long time.
A long time passed.
"Hahaha—interesting."
Not only was Giovanni not angered, a hearty laugh came through instead.
In terms of personal charisma, he really did have people in the palm of his hand; Natsuhiko had to admit that.
"Alright, let's count this as one of your chips."
Giovanni continued, but his tone slowly grew more serious, enunciating each word: "But it's not enough."
Pokémon from the Alola Region were attractive, of course.
But that didn't mean they were necessities.
Natsuhiko was perfectly aware of this.
Yet what he said next even surprised Mr. Z, who had been standing there yawning on the other side.
"I can provide genetic fragments of Groudon."
Groudon…
On that island the Rocket Team had the Hunter Guild sweep last time, Kyogre had been slumbering. Giovanni had surely obtained some of Kyogre's genes already.
But as for Groudon.
Aside from Flarepine of the Magma Team—who had already gone missing—Natsuhiko was probably the only one who could provide them.
During Kyogre and Groudon's recent battle, Genji and the others had all been present.
No matter how capable the Rocket Team was, their influence in the Hoenn Region wouldn't spread that far, and it was impossible for them to snatch fragments of Groudon's body right under Genji's nose.
"Seems you know quite a bit."
Giovanni was a little surprised too, though he didn't show it much; he just spoke lightly.
Natsuhiko curled the corner of his mouth.
"It's not that hard to piece that information together from a few clues."
Whether it was the Psychic-type Pokémon that escaped back in Goldenrod City, the Legendary Beasts searching for Kyogre, or the bombing of the Alliance Gene Library, all of it served as proof.
And also—
Giovanni's wording shifted.
He had changed the earlier "you all" into "you."
"That's not a bad condition. I can see your sincerity."
In the faint video, Giovanni gave a slight nod.
"But it's still not enough."
Hearing this.
Natsuhiko's brows furrowed.
He didn't doubt the truth of Giovanni's words.
With someone of Giovanni's standing, he wouldn't need to lie over a few benefits.
Which could only mean that the benefits Tom Rokicki could bring Giovanni were even greater.
But what kind of exchange of interests could possibly outweigh Groudon's genetic fragments?
Right now, the Rocket Team was focused on researching Mewtwo, collecting genetic fragments from all kinds of Pokémon. As genetic fragments of the Ancient Divine Beast Groudon, they would absolutely be classified as extremely important materials.
Natsuhiko fell silent.
Giovanni also said nothing, just quietly stroked Persian, waiting for Natsuhiko to put an even higher chip on the table.
Natsuhiko smiled helplessly and pressed his fingertips against his temple.
After some thought, he finally said slowly, "What if I said I could provide genetic fragments suspected to be from the 'Great God of Radiance'?"
For the first time.
This was the first time since their call began that Giovanni's hand stopped moving over Persian's fur.
It was enough to show just how shocked Giovanni was by Natsuhiko's news.
Don't be fooled by it being just a pause in his hand.
For someone as composed as Giovanni, that already counted as losing his composure.
The Great God of Radiance?
On the other side, Mr. Z also seemed to sense Giovanni's lapse. The sleepiness in his eyes vanished, replaced by a faint frown.
Because in his memory, there was absolutely no information on any "Great God of Radiance."
This was beyond his common knowledge.
Bear in mind.
He was the person in charge of the Hunter Guild in the Kanto Region, one of the highest seats in the Hunter Guild, one of the people with the most contact with Pokémon and all sorts of Pokémon data—yet there was something even he didn't know?
And from the looks of it—
Both Giovanni and Natsuhiko seemed to know.
This was Natsuhiko's biggest trump card in his negotiations with Giovanni.
He knew Giovanni had been pursuing the "Great God of Radiance," that is, Necrozma, which brought light to the Alola Region.
In the original storyline, he had once dispatched the Rocket Team's Elite forces to the Alola Region in an attempt to investigate it.
And Natsuhiko's confidence came from that black Crystal Stone Kapu-Muu had entrusted to him for safekeeping.
Even now, he couldn't be sure whether it was actually related to Necrozma.
But since Kapu-Muu treated it with such importance, it definitely wasn't simple.
Besides, he had only said "suspected," not confirmed.
But just that "suspected" was enough to move Giovanni.
After all.
Kyogre and Groudon, while both Divine Beasts, were not Psychic-type Pokémon.
Necrozma was.
The implications were completely different.
And through the Rocket Team's methods and resources, he could also get Help figuring out whether that Crystal Stone was actually related to Necrozma.
He only needed to provide a tiny portion; it definitely wouldn't contain all the genetic fragments. Even a part of it would be more than enough for the Rocket Team.