Chapter 164: You Ought to Thank Us, Team Rocket

Groudon felt like it was about to break.

In its entire life, it had never drunk so much water; it felt like it was about to leak out of its rear!

You damn fish! I will kill you a thousand times, aaaaaah!

But reality is cruel; its consciousness was already becoming blurred, it couldn't take any more, truly not a single drop more could be forced in.

Primal Kyogre slowly rose from beneath the sea surface, saw Groudon's big-bellied appearance, and instantly felt comfortable all over.

Awesome, awesome, awesome!!!

"Groudon..."

And when Sakaki and the others saw the current 'pregnant' Groudon, they were also startled.

Good heavens! Didn't you say you and Primal Kyogre were splitting it two-eight? How much time has passed since then?

Your belly has been made this big?!

"Hu... humans... quick... save me..."

Groudon spoke in a broken, intermittent tone, sounding as if it were about to die; if Primal Kyogre kept playing with it like this, it would truly be broken.

It could even see, in its delirium, an alpaca radiating holy light all over its body with a kind face!

Sakaki hurriedly recalled Groudon with a Poké Ball.

Mamon's expression was strange for quite a while before he turned his gaze toward Primal Kyogre.

Seeing Primal Kyogre's smug expression, Mamon could only give it a thumbs-up.

"6!"

Primal Kyogre became even more smug; it felt it had truly reached the peak of its fish life!

"Kyogre, ease up a bit first."

Mamon smiled and spoke to Primal Kyogre.

"Woo~"

Primal Kyogre immediately understood; a low humming sound rang out, and the originally ferocious rainstorm suddenly lessened greatly, returning to the level of normal rainfall.

But the rain did not stop completely.

"Mamon, we already agreed on this, right?"

Steven's expression tightened as he looked at the rain that had not yet fully ceased.

"Of course; haven't I already made Kyogre hold back a lot? Next, we should also discuss the compensation issue, shouldn't we?"

Mamon grinned, looking at Teacher Steven with composure.

"Compensation?"

Steven frowned tightly; he had already bowed his head to apologize to Mamon and also promised to release all Team Rocket members captured during this operation.

But it seemed Mamon was not satisfied.

"Of course it's compensation, Teacher Steven; you wouldn't think it ends this simply, would you?"

"My appearance fee is very expensive."

Mamon raised an eyebrow and said with a half-smile.

"..."

Steven fell silent; Sakaki and the other two looked at Mamon and also remained silent.

Although they knew Mamon was demanding benefits, what could be done? Absolutely nothing.

"Fine, you say it; as long as you make Kyogre stop the rain."

Steven adjusted his emotions and said to Mamon in a deep voice.

No matter what, the primary condition right now was still to stop this catastrophic downpour.

Although Primal Kyogre had already adjusted the rainfall, as long as the rain had not stopped, it remained a burden for the cities that had already suffered flooding.

"First, settle my appearance fee and the mental distress compensation for our Team Rocket members," Mamon said, raising one finger.

"One hundred billion; that shouldn't be excessive, right?"

Mamon spoke with a beaming smile.

"!!!"

Hearing this number, even Diantha and Cynthia were shocked; one hundred billion???

Although they knew Mamon would surely open his mouth wide, they never expected it to be this high.

"Mamon, isn't this price far too high?!" Sakaki couldn't help but speak out again.

The repair costs for the Team Rocket base, the medicine costs for the scattered injuries of Team Rocket members, even adding Mamon's so-called 'mental distress compensation,' this one hundred billion was completely an astronomical figure.

"Too high?" Mamon tilted his head.

"Gentlemen, I was originally at home, holding a beauty, eating hot pot, and singing songs when I suddenly learned my own base was under attack."

Mamon described it innocently.

"And please look at me carefully; I am Kyogre's Trainer, after all. My appearance fee is very high; do you think I'm joking?"

Mamon's tone was utterly natural, as natural as if it were born that way.

Damn!

Even Diantha couldn't hold back; how could this guy say such things so matter-of-factly?

"One hundred billion; I'll give it to you."

Steven took a deep breath and replied with a blank expression.

Zephyr Hibiscus had already entered the jail cell; the current Devon Corporation was under his proxy, and he indeed did not lack money.

But even for the Devon Corporation, producing one hundred billion in liquid funds was absolutely not a small sum.

But at this moment, there was no room for bargaining.

Moreover...

In Dew's view, this incident was brought about by him, and he should be held responsible for it.

"Tsk~ Teacher Dew is so magnanimous!" Mamon applauded Teacher Dew.

"And?" Dew asked in a deep voice; he knew it couldn't be that simple.

"Secondly, our Team Rocket enterprises in Hoenn, I assume Teacher Dew knows about them?"

Mamon asked Dew.

"Alpaca Entertainment City and its nominal companies." Dew's brows knitted tightly.

Alpaca Entertainment City, a newly opened entertainment complex in Mauville City, built upon the foundation of the original Mauville Game Corner.

Dew indeed knew this; a careful investigation would reveal it.

Alpaca Entertainment City originated from the Alola region, and the Alola region had provided intelligence that subtly indicated Alpaca Entertainment City was a Team Rocket enterprise!

"That's right, our entertainment city is a legitimate enterprise; we have obtained a business license."

Mamon's lips curled upward; keeping one's hands clean had its benefits. Judging by Dew's reaction, he seemed to know only that the entertainment city enterprise belonged to Team Rocket.

But in reality, Team Rocket has already established many companies and projects in the Hoenn region, such as the currently very popular Pokémon Ride Shop in Slateport City.

Upon hearing this, Dew stared intently at Mamon; compared to that ten billion, Mamon's second demand was clearly far more excessive!

Because the implication in Mamon's words was that Dew must acknowledge the legality of Alpaca Entertainment City!

But wouldn't that be acknowledging the legality of Team Rocket in the Hoenn region???

How could that be? Team Rocket is an evil organization!

"Teacher Dew, you must think clearly before answering." Mamon's smile remained very gentle.

Dew's breathing grew heavier.

Both Champion Leon and Champion Cynthia frowned tightly; they understood that Dew had been cornered.

But if it were them, how would they choose in this situation?

Acknowledge the legality of an evil organization? Or choose to explode with Mamon?

But if they refused Mamon now, who knew whether Mamon would truly go mad and let Primal Groudon flood the Hoenn region?

Leon and Cynthia asked themselves, but they did not know the answer either.

Time passed second by second, but for Dew, every second at this moment was torment.

"Mamon, must you force me like this?" Dew's voice was now unusually hoarse.

He truly did not know what choice to make; he was the Hoenn Champion and had the responsibility to make any sacrifice for the Hoenn region.

He had this resolve, but not like this.

If he had known this would happen, he would have rather filmed a hundred sets of cross-dressing outfits than accept the Hoenn Champion position from Wallace.

"Teacher Dew, you cannot speak recklessly." Mamon could not help but laugh, his tone extremely sarcastic: "This is what you chose, idol."

Dew's face twitched continuously as he gazed at the boy in white clothes and black pants opposite him, and the imposing Primal Groudon behind him; how exactly should he choose?

Dew's expression kept changing, fluctuating between gloom and brightness.

The rain continued to fall with a pitter-patter.

After a long while, the Hoenn Champion's upright shoulders finally began to slump gradually.

"I understand; as long as your Alpaca Entertainment City has not broken the law, it is a normal enterprise."

Dew's voice was incredibly weary; he had compromised after all.

He dared not gamble; hadn't he already lost a gamble on the matter of Groudon?

The current situation arose because of that.

If Mamon truly 'went mad' and insisted on having Primal Groudon continue to vigorously operate the Primordial Sea, how could he be responsible for the Hoenn region?

Upon hearing this, Mamon's face broke into a brilliantly radiant smile.

And Giovanni and the other two, seeing Dew who seemed to have suddenly lost his spirit and energy, exchanged a glance and both sighed silently.

They could understand; truly, they could.

Clap, clap, clap~

The sound of applause came; it was Mamon's.

"That's right, isn't it? Teacher Dew, you truly are a person of profound thought." Mamon clapped for Dew while speaking with a smile.

"After all, since we Team Rocket registered in Hoenn, haven't we done a single illegal thing?"

"We even eliminated the two tumors, Team Aqua and Team Magma, for you; we have never stopped cracking down on Hunter organizations."

Mamon waved his hand to signal Primal Groudon.

Primal Groudon let out another roar, and the dark rain clouds in the sky also began to gradually disperse.

"Moreover, the prophecy of the Meteor People, that giant meteorite that would destroy Hoenn, we Team Rocket can also solve it for you; we have always been protecting this fertile land."

"Teacher Dew, to be honest, you should even thank us Team Rocket."

Mamon's voice sounded extremely grating to Dew.

But he suddenly recalled, it seemed... it really was like that???

(End of this chapter)