"Just keep yourself under control. Don't go too far."
Giovanni spoke with a light smile. He wasn't moved by Mamen's confident boasting—if anything, he felt a headache coming on.
He understood Mamen far too well.
Arrogant, prideful, flashy, reckless—he genuinely feared Mamen would stir up too much chaos in Alola and end up provoking the whole League.
"Haa~ Don't worry, Dad. I'll be careful."
Mamen showed a clean, shy smile. Just judging by his face, he was very deceptive.
"By the way, Dad, why not let Manato go with me? She's very capable, and I need her."
"???"
…
Saffron City—the largest, wealthiest, and most prosperous city in all of Kanto, famous even beyond the region.
The name "Saffron" reflected the glittering gold color that represented the city's status.
The next day, Mamen arrived at Saffron City's airport, ready to depart for the Alola region.
"Young master."
Just as he reached the entrance, two people walked up to greet him.
"Lance, Domino—long time no see."
Mamen smiled and greeted them. These were the subordinates Giovanni had assigned to him.
"Six months and nine days, to be precise. Congratulations on winning the Indigo Plateau Conference."
Lance responded politely, gentle and well-mannered.
He was a handsome young man with short green hair and a clean, fair face, giving off a hint of wicked charm.
Among Team Rocket's Four Generals, Lance was definitely among the better-looking ones—especially compared to Apollo, Athena, and Lambda, whose appearances were… better left unmentioned.
Lance was a high-ranking member of Team Rocket. His strength wasn't exactly top-tier, but not weak either—he ranked near the bottom of the Elite Four tier.
Domino stood beside him with a soft smile. She wore a fitted black dress that highlighted her curves, with long golden wavy hair and a beautiful fair face—quite captivating.
She was Domino, a Team Rocket officer known as the "Black Tulip." Her battle strength wasn't outstanding, but as an intelligence agent, her expertise was on another level.
"The other members have already departed from different airports. A meeting point has been arranged."
"Good. With you helping me, Lance, I'm much more at ease."
Mamen patted Lance on the shoulder with genuine satisfaction.
He wasn't as capable as Apollo, but Lance was still reliable. With his help, Mamen didn't have to worry as much.
"That old man… I'm expanding his territory, and he still begrudges me manpower."
Mamen grumbled. Originally, Giovanni promised him Lance plus several other officers.
But in the end? Just Domino. Giovanni's excuse was that he simply couldn't spare anyone else.
Domino had even resigned from her public position as a researcher just to be reassigned under Mamen.
"…"
Lance let out two awkward laughs. In truth, he was glad to go to Alola with Mamen.
Everything in Kanto was running smoothly; routine management was boring. But helping conquer a new region—that was far more exciting.
Domino didn't dare say a word. One was the heir apparent, the other a high-ranking officer—what could she possibly say?
And besides, the heir was complaining about the boss. She definitely couldn't respond to that.
"Alright, let's head in. We're going to Alola."
"Yes, young master."
"By the way, I prefer to stay low-key when I'm outside. Don't call me 'young master'—just 'sir.'"
"Yes, sir!"
"Good, very spirited. Let's go!"
The Alola region—the most famous resort destination in the world, known for its beautiful beaches and oceans.
Warm climate, rich resources, and overflowing with "tropical flavor."
Coconut trees, pineapple juice, hibiscus shirts, beach sports—Alola was full of these elements.
It was perfect for both tourism and adventure. The only pity was that Alola still hadn't established a League.
Alola Region—Melemele Island—Hau'oli City Airport.
"Ohhh~ what lovely sunshine. And the sea breeze—fantastic."
Stepping out of the airport, Mamen removed his sunglasses and stretched happily. The long flight left his body a bit stiff.
He gazed into the distance. The deep blue sea met the clear sky at the horizon, the reflection on the water forming a beautiful scene.
Hau'oli City was also bustling with people—it was Melemele Island's most famous seaside city.
"Come on, let's eat first. Then we'll discuss the next phase of our plan."
Mamen led Lance and Domino to a well-known local restaurant and booked a private room.
"Sir, I've received word that the first batch of members has already arrived in Alola."
At the table, Lance reported respectfully.
"Good. Lance, send someone to buy some land. Also, purchase a shopping mall and remodel it."
Mamen nodded.
"Turn the mall into an entertainment center. You should be familiar with that, right?"
Even though he brought plenty of funds, he still needed to quickly develop their operations.
Firepower alone wasn't enough—Team Rocket needed industries and income to sustain itself.
Team Rocket's ideology was to use Pokémon to gain enormous profits and eventually rule the world.
"Yes."
Lance agreed. He had managed the Celadon Game Corner for a period; he knew this business well.
"Now for the main task. Domino."
Mamen turned to her.
"Take people and gather intelligence. Team Skull and the Aether Foundation—these two groups matter most."
"For now, prioritize Team Skull. Since Team Rocket is new here, we should greet our 'colleagues' properly."
A dangerous smile spread across Mamen's face.
"Yes, sir. I'll take care of it as soon as possible."
Domino nodded seriously.
"No need to be so stiff—I trust your ability."
Mamen took a sip of pineapple juice. Very pure flavor.
"Sir… We just arrived in Alola. Going straight after Team Skull—isn't that a bit too rash?"
Lance hesitated, lowering his voice.
In his view, Team Skull were the local thugs. To play it safe, they should avoid direct conflict for now—they didn't even know Team Skull's true strength yet.
"Lance, we're guests here. Since we're taking someone else's territory, of course we must 'say hello.'"
"Besides…"
Mamen's disdain wasn't hidden at all.
"That so-called Team Skull is just a failure leading a bunch of trash. A gang of losers."
"Don't worry. Once we find their base, the Alola region won't have a Team Skull ever again."