Pokemon: Rising From The Dark

"What do you mean?" Rose asked.

At this moment, she seemed to have grabbed the last straw. If given the chance, she really wanted to escape from the Hunter's Guild that was exploiting her.

"It's simple. Join Team Rocket in the Hoenn region, change your identity, and make a new appearance. Although there is a Hunter's Guild in Hoenn, it's still very difficult to find someone there without Team Rocket's support," Aoki said.

Then he took out a Poké Ball from his pocket and placed it directly on the table.

"Here is another Champion-level Pokémon. If you agree, this Pokémon is yours." After saying that, Aoki crossed his legs, and the speed at which he rolled the mind-blocking bead in his hand increased.

Rose stared at the Poké Ball on the table with an intense gaze.

A Champion-level Pokémon—just given away like that?

But soon, she regained her composure and narrowed her eyes at Aoki. "Who are you? You know my name and identity, yet you offer me this? I don't think a pseudo-Champion-level Trainer like me deserves such a gift."

Aoki smirked slightly and shook his head. After a brief hesitation, he removed the hood covering his face and peeled off the psychic disguise film, revealing his true appearance.

He had sharp black eyes, jet-black hair, and pale skin from lack of sunlight. His features were striking—high cheekbones, a straight nose, and lips that curled into a faint, knowing smile.

Rose froze.

So handsome...

No—wait. She didn't recognize him. But still…

A faint blush crept onto her heavily made-up cheeks before she could stop it.

Aoki suddenly realized she had never seen his real face before. He suppressed an amused sigh.

"Miltank, Goldenrod, Sun dog... Who do you think I am?" he asked with a faint smirk.

Rose's breath hitched. She forced down the sudden flutter in her chest and focused on his words. Then, like a bolt of lightning, realization struck.

Her finger trembled as she pointed at him, her mouth opening and closing without sound.

"It seems you remember," Aoki said smoothly.

Rose struggled to contain her shock, her expression shifting into something more complicated.

She couldn't believe it—the scrawny kid she'd met once was now a Team Rocket executive, casually offering Champion-level Pokémon like they were nothing.

But then, her mind raced.

For a Trainer to rise from obscurity to Champion level in just a year was unheard of. His potential was limitless.

Maybe… just maybe… he really was her way out.

"I didn't expect you to grow this strong," Rose admitted, unable to hide the mix of awe and envy in her voice.

"You could reach this level too—if you leave the Hunter's Guild."

"Leave…" Rose murmured, her gaze distant.

Then, her eyes sharpened. "What's the cost?"

"Loyalty. Absolute loyalty," Aoki answered, his smile never wavering.

Rose let out a bitter laugh. "And who would trust the loyalty of someone desperate to abandon their past?"

She wanted to leave. But even if she did, where would she go? How would she grow stronger without resources? It was a vicious cycle.

"I would. But for both our sakes, I'll place a safeguard in your mind. You can guess what it does."

Aoki checked his communicator. "You have ten minutes to decide. After that, the Hunter's Guild agent will return."

Rose didn't question how he knew. Instead, she wrestled with her conscience.

Aoki's potential was undeniable. But the Hunter's Guild was a behemoth—could he really protect her?

Finally, she sighed. "When you showed me your face, I never really had a choice, did I?"

If she refused, she'd just be another corpse in the black market.

Aoki didn't deny it.

He wasn't foolish enough to openly defy the Hunter's Guild for one person. This was just a gamble.

But if it paid off? A loyal subordinate with Champion level potential was worth the risk.

"Fine. I'll join you. Just… make it quick." She closed her eyes, steeling herself.

Aoki smirked. Perfect.

Summoning Mismagius, he pulled Rose directly into the dream, and then Aoki placed his right hand on her head.

This is the method he developed after his ability to control his Psychic power improved recently.

Planting your Psychic power in another people's brains and turning them into seeds. When you want, you can detonate them.

However, the Psychic seeds of ordinary people cannot last for a long time, so this method will not work. But Aoki is different, he also has the secret power of the Unown.

Take the secret power as the core, then wrap it with your own Psychic power and plant it in other people's brains. Generally, it will not disappear within three years. You just need to replenish the Psychic power after three years.

Otherwise, the secret power will explode without restriction.

Even Sabrina cannot remove this seed. She can only remove Psychic power but not the secret power.

Aoki called this method the secret seed.

It cannot be used at ordinary times and can only be planted when the other party fully accepts it.

The effect of the explosion would not be very strong, at most the whole body would be shattered into pieces.

This secret seed is very good for controlling subordinates.

As for Mismagius, her dreams can hypnotize the dreamer invisibly, a bit like what Aoki did with Lysandre.

But the other party must also completely let down their guard.

By combining the two methods, the subordinates who have the secret seed will only become more and more loyal.