Pokémon: Chronicles of Freedom

"How do you plan to handle me?" Miyamoto, tired of waiting, decided to ask his question directly, hoping Cain would give him a clear answer.

Hearing Miyamoto's question, Cain smiled but didn't respond immediately. Instead, he found a relatively clean stone and sat down.

Then, he motioned for Miyamoto to sit as well because standing was tiring.

Although Cain didn't say much, Miyamoto got the message.

It didn't seem that Cain intended to kill him; otherwise, he wouldn't have let him sit to talk.

Miyamoto showed no concern for the dirty ground and sat cross-legged on a pile of dry leaves.

Seeing Miyamoto's expression, Cain spoke directly, "So, should I kill you now or later?"

Suddenly, Miyamoto's expression, which had just relaxed, froze. He didn't know what to say.

Wasn't he playing by the rules?

If Cain was going to kill him, why let him sit?

Looking at the enigmatic smile on Cain's face, Miyamoto was no longer sure what to think.

"Even if I say I submit to you now, you probably wouldn't believe me, would you?" Miyamoto broke the silence, setting his terms, though his face showed an unmistakable bitter smile.

In negotiations, the first to speak usually loses the advantage.

But now that his life was in Cain's hands, losing the advantage was normal.

Thinking of this, Miyamoto accepted it.

"No, I believe you," Cain replied.

When Miyamoto raised his head to look at him, Cain continued, "But I don't need you."

"..."

Each sentence was a riddle upon another.

However, Cain was right. Miyamoto was practically finished; his team had been reduced to a single Dodrio, and it wasn't even his preferred type, Fighting.

As if accepting his fate, Miyamoto stopped talking.

But Cain smiled even more.

Without a bit of provocation, how could Miyamoto understand who was in charge?

"However, it's not that you have no use. At the very least, your experience as a trainer is still intact, right?"

Seeing Cain's expression, halfway between laughter and seriousness, Miyamoto decided not to say more. He imagined Cain had already decided his fate.

"But if you say you submit now, I can't trust you, since... you still have a powerful superior backing you. I am no match for him at the moment."

"So, how will you prove your worth?"

Silence. Calm.

Only when he confirmed he needed to speak did Miyamoto begin to respond slowly, "After this contest, I'm not even sure my superior will survive."

"Heh, you have quite a clear view," Cain mocked.

Cain continued, "When lions and tigers fight, foolish cats and dogs think that, since they're animals too, they can join in. In the end, the lion and tiger remain unharmed, but those bold cats and dogs end up as the example."

"I'm not sure of the difference between the Executives and the Pseudo-Executives, but if they're mere Officers or Senior Officers, they're done for if they get too deeply involved. Don't you think?"

Hearing Cain's analogy, Miyamoto smiled bitterly.

Wasn't that the truth, after all?

He was only a low-level Team Rocket member. Though he had almost the strength of an Officer, his real rank was merely Captain, and he was a direct subordinate of an Officer. He had no option but to follow orders.

Now that he was tangled up in this matter, he didn't even know if he could keep his life.

Originally, his main goal was to find one of the closest subordinates of an Executive and align himself with them. Though his position wouldn't improve, at least he could secure his life.

However, in this seven-day trial, and only on the second day, he was already nearly finished, his life in another's hands.

Miyamoto understood his position well and knew his limit. If he allied with the right person, he might become an Officer. If not, the rank of Captain would be his peak, especially since his protector was on the verge of falling.

"So, when I say I submit, it's not just words. My original goal was to find someone suitable among the Executives' subordinates."

"I'm sure I'm not the only one with this idea; others probably think the same. In the end, we're all a bunch of apparent winners, but with one foot in the abyss," Miyamoto said.

"If you align with me, I'm not a direct subordinate of any Executive, and I may not be able to protect you," Cain replied.

Miyamoto sighed.

What position was he in to refuse when his life was at stake?

At least Cain was stronger than he thought, so it wasn't such a bad deal.

"Alright, let's stop wasting time with pointless words. I'll get straight to the point."

"I must win first place in this trial, and I have support. If you truly submit, I might protect your safety."

"But!"

"What I need is genuine loyalty, not someone who'll stab me in the back. I want someone willing to defend me with everything when necessary!" Cain stopped playing around and laid out his terms directly.

Miyamoto's eyes sparkled. He'd assumed Cain had support, but he didn't expect him to be so sure that his ally could handle the situation. He also didn't expect Cain to aim for first place.

Not even Regi, the strongest, would dare claim he would take first place!

"You'd better think this through."

"If you've already decided, take this pill. It's a medicine I've created. It improves overall health, but if you don't receive the antidote regularly, you'll die with your internal organs decomposed."

"Don't think others can give you the cure; even a High-Level Breeder would need a full month to investigate and create an antidote."

"Can you afford a High-Level Breeder? Would you dare to?"

Cain tossed a light purple pill. This wasn't the fake pill he used before to fool the Ursaring; it was real medicine created using the system's database.

"And there's one more thing you should know: my goal, in addition to first place, is to kill one of those four Executives' subordinates. If you take the pill, you'll have to follow my orders."

Holding the pill, Miyamoto felt it as heavy as gold.

However, he didn't hesitate. He swallowed it in one gulp.

What other choice did he have?

It was clear that if he didn't take it, he would die.

So why not take his chances with Cain? After all, he'd die either way!

What if Cain's crazy plans worked?

(End of Chapter)