Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command! [448]

A sudden sense of foreboding crept into Cynthia’s heart.

It came from nowhere—unexplained, but undeniably real.

Even as she continued leading the Sinnoh League trainers to press the attack on Team Galactic, that feeling gnawed at her.

Why now?

By all accounts, they held the advantage. Under her command, the League had steadily pushed back the Galactic forces, forcing them into retreat.

So why did it feel like something was wrong?

Does Team Galactic still have a hidden trump card…?

Of course.

So far, only Pluto had appeared among the commanders. The most critical figure—Team Galactic’s leader, Cyrus—had yet to show up.

Realizing this, Cynthia’s eyes sharpened, scanning the area around her.

Could he be nearby?

As if to echo her suspicions, a figure appeared in the collapsed gap between the second and first floors.

“Cyrus!”

The name burst from Cynthia’s lips before she could stop herself.

On the other side of the battlefield, Pluto—who had been coordinating defenses—froze when he heard her shout.

The boss?

Wasn’t he overseeing the summoning of Dialga and Palkia? What’s he doing back here? Did he come because he knew we were in trouble?

A strange, almost emotional warmth flickered in Pluto’s chest.

Everyone in Team Galactic turned toward where Cynthia had been looking.

But what they saw wasn’t Cyrus.

“Damn—it was a trick!”

None of them expected a seasoned champion like Cynthia to resort to a feint so childish.

But the man standing there—

Pluto’s eyes narrowed. He thought of the earlier blackout in the control room and asked in a low voice, “That was you, wasn’t it? The one who took over our control center?”

He hadn’t gone looking for the intruder—yet the intruder had come right to him.

Luo Yuan, having just reached the first floor, glanced at Cynthia—who had mistaken him for Cyrus—then turned to Pluto.

He smiled slightly at the question. “Didn’t you want to know who I was? Well, here I am.”

He spread his arms, revealing the crimson “R” emblazoned across his chest.

“Team Rocket!”

The moment everyone—League and Galactic alike—saw that red insignia, their expressions shifted in shock.

Ever since the Hoenn incident, and Luo Yuan’s infamous declaration, the name Team Rocket had echoed across the globe.

There were few left in the world who didn’t know it.

But for the Sinnoh League and Team Galactic, the name carried far heavier weight.

Galactic had sent operatives to Kanto—none had returned.

The League, too, had capitalized on the damage Rocket dealt to Galactic, launching a punishing offensive of their own.

And yet… they also knew how dangerous Rocket truly was.

Now, Rocket had appeared in Sinnoh.

What did this mean?

Is Team Rocket planning to invade Sinnoh?!

The thought struck Cynthia like a bolt.

She swiftly reached for her communicator, intending to alert HQ and put them on high alert.

But before she could even dial—

“Mewtwo. Stop her.”

A mocking voice rang out from across the room.

Then came a sharp crack.

Cynthia looked down to find her communicator—Silph Co.’s newest holographic model—crushed into a heap of useless metal and wiring, flattened by sheer psychic force.

No time to mourn her brand-new device.

Cynthia immediately assumed a battle stance, eyes fixed warily on Luo Yuan.

Team Galactic, too, had momentarily ceased their assault on the League.

Now, both sides stood still—confronting a new, mutual threat.

In a bizarre twist, the Sinnoh League and Team Galactic—bitter enemies just moments ago—found themselves in a fragile standoff with an unexpected third party.

It was almost laughable. Hundreds of trainers on each side had been locked in furious combat… and now, all of it ground to a halt because of a single man.

That was the power of Team Rocket’s infamy.

But the greater threat was what stood beside Luo Yuan: Mewtwo on one side, Deoxys on the other.

Descending with an almost divine presence, the two legendary Pokémon marked Luo Yuan as the undisputed dominant force in the room.

Among the Sinnoh League, the International Police agent known simply as “Looker had access to more intelligence than most.

He immediately recognized Mewtwo and Deoxys.

There was no doubt—this man was the same Rocket executive who had acted in Hoenn.

The one who had defeated both Groudon and Kyogre.

If even those two were no match for him… Their situation was dire indeed.

The tense silence stretched on—for ten full seconds.

Then Pluto snapped first.

“Attack!”

He issued the command coldly, ignoring the Sinnoh League entirely and directing his grunts to strike at Luo Yuan.

Luo Yuan didn’t even blink.

He had expected this.

Pluto’s decision wasn’t hard to understand.

While the League was technically Team Galactic’s enemy, they weren’t an existential threat.

They were an official organization—bureaucratic, rule-bound. Even if Galactic members were arrested, Cyrus could likely bail them out later with enough political leverage.

But Team Rocket? There was no diplomacy with them.

When dark organizations clashed, it was all-out war. No truces, no survivors. One side had to be utterly destroyed.

And thanks to their previous actions, Team Galactic had already made themselves enemies of Team Rocket.

There was no room left for negotiation.

So Luo Yuan understood Pluto’s choice.

But understanding it didn’t mean he agreed with it.

“You’re coming after me… just because I’m standing here alone?”

A hail of attacks came crashing toward him.

Any ordinary trainer would be crushed on the spot.

Even a Champion would’ve been hard-pressed to defend.

But Luo Yuan?

He barely moved.

“Deoxys.”

Snap.

Deoxys shifted into [Defense Forme] and floated in front of him.

A telekinetic shield shimmered into being.

Every incoming energy attack—flames, lightning, beams—hit the barrier and evaporated instantly, like snow melting under sunlight.

At the same time, Mewtwo moved.

Its eyes flared blue.

As it summoned immense psychic power, every physical projectile—stones, sludge, razor leaves—halted in midair.

Then Mewtwo gave a flick of the spoon it held.

Whoosh!

The sky split. The captured attacks were redirected—half flung toward Team Galactic, the other half toward the Sinnoh League.

Just moments ago, the League had been relieved, assuming Galactic and Rocket would tear each other apart.

They were about to find out how wrong they were.

—

T/N: for the last two chapters malva was petrel for some reason and matori archer, which confuses me since i dont remember them joining Luo Yuan for this, only Malva and Courtney, so i switched the names, let me know if i made a mistake!

This is a fan translation of 我，火箭队二把手！ by 落唯 All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!