From which Region do we start?
"Matori, what do you think?"
Damian didn't answer directly. He unfolded a world map instead and turned to Matori with a smile.
"…"
Matori kept silent. She was still more conservative and felt this decision wasn't right for now—but since both the boss and the young master had this intention,
as a subordinate, all she needed to consider now was how to execute the plan.
"Going by your take, young master, Galar Region and Paldea Region are the best fits." After a moment of thought, Matori spoke up.
"These two Regions don't have an evil team, so we've got plenty of room to operate."
"In theory, sure. But Matori, you're still a bit too cautious—and not looking wide enough."
Damian crossed one leg over the other, tone easy and lazy.
"If we're expanding, we should obviously start from the biggest profit centers. Galar Region doesn't have an evil team, yeah, but the entire region is under Galar League Chairman Rose's control."
"In fact, among all these Regions, building anything under Rose's Macro Cosmos would be extremely difficult."
Yep. The entire Galar Region is basically under Macro Cosmos's control!
That's not an exaggeration. As one of the most powerful conglomerates in the world, Macro Cosmos controls over fifty percent of Galar's economy. Every industry has its fingerprints on it.
And if we're being real, Galar's 'evil team' is basically Rose and his Macro Cosmos!
At that, Matori blinked.
"We're definitely going to Galar—but not yet." A glint flickered in Damian's eyes.
Galar is a must, because Damian, who's lived this all once already, knows that Rose is keeping Eternatus—the source of Dynamax—inside the Energy Plant!
The Energy Plant is a place Damian will invade sooner or later and snatch Eternatus—but not now.
"Same with Paldea. That Region is managed way too well by Chairman Geeta. Not the right time."
Paldea got the axe too.
"Compared to Galar and Paldea, Regions like Hoenn and Sinnoh are a lot simpler."
Damian wrapped it up.
"It was careless of me." Matori pushed up her glasses, apologetic.
"Haha, it's nothing. You haven't exactly done homework on this niche." Damian waved it off.
"Then Damian, what's your pick?" Giovanni looked at him with a faint smile. Seemed Damian really had prepared a lot for this.
"Alola Region, of course!" Without hesitation, Damian set a coin down on Alola on the map.
"Alola's Team Skull, at the end of the day, is just a gang of street punks. Plus… Dad, do you know what makes Alola Region the most special?"
Damian bared clean white teeth—smile wild, a little feral.
"It doesn't have a League." Giovanni's smile deepened at the corner of his mouth.
Matori froze.
"Exactly. Alola doesn't have a League! They've applied to Kanto to found one a bunch of times, but got denied every time."
Damian's eyes burned with ambition.
Kukui in Alola dreams of founding an Alola League. He's come to Kanto many times for it, but Indigo League rejected him each time.
"But Alola will found a League sooner or later. That's inevitable. The Pokémon League won't give up on Alola Region."
Right now Alola doesn't have a League, but as an island Region, its tourism is the most developed of them all.
Alola's seas and beaches are the world's best. And even though there's no League to challenge, the Island challenge are famous in their own right.
"As long as we take Alola, then secretly back someone to become the future Alola League Chairman, the entire Alola Region will be in our hands!"
"Tell me that's not fun."
Damian laughed, utterly unrestrained.
"Th-That…" Matori at his side was stunned.
She never imagined—weren't they talking about expanding the organization? How did it turn into secretly controlling a whole Region??
And backing a regional chairman? Young master, this plan is downright crazy.
"Heh heh heh…"
Giovanni clapped with a smile. As expected of his son.
Young, ambitious, and bold.
It was a path Giovanni had never even considered, but he had to admit—crazy as it was, it was worth a shot.
"Then this plan is yours to run, Damian."
Giovanni trusted him. He could tell Damian was dead serious this time.
Makes sense. Since childhood, this kid's had a fire for any real challenge.
"No problem at all. Restoring Team Rocket's glory is my sacred duty!" Damian grinned.
"You little rascal." Giovanni couldn't help laughing. Restore Team Rocket's glory, huh.
"Dad, how many people are you giving me?" Damian asked Giovanni point-blank.
It was necessary. He was going to carve out territory for Team Rocket—what, send him alone? What a joke.
"Grunts and Elites—how many do you want to take?"
"Those don't matter. What about executives?"
Damian sounded casual. Grunts and Elites didn't concern him—he could always recruit in Alola.
Executives were the key. He needed someone actually useful at his side.
"The Three Beasts are in Johto now. You know those three—they can't leave. The Four Admins also need to keep Kanto operations running."
Giovanni pondered, then answered.
"So Dad, you're not giving me a single executive? Don't be that stingy."
Damian's smile didn't reach his eyes. The sudden switch in expression almost made Matori burst out laughing.
"I want Archer! You've got to give me at least one capable lieutenant, right?" Damian complained.
Archer, one of Team Rocket's Four Admins. He's only Elite-tier in strength, but he's Giovanni's right-hand man.
Yeah—Archer's management skills are top-tier, and he's sharp as hell.
"Archer's out of the question. I need him to handle most of the organization's administration." Giovanni shut that down immediately.
"Then let Proton come with me—and reassign a few standard officers to my side."
"Fine." Giovanni thought for a moment, then didn't refuse.
"OK, Dad—just you wait. I'll carve out a kingdom for you!"
Satisfied, Damian stood up. He'd scratched the itch for a journey; next up, it was time to find some fun and grow his own outfit.
If you've crossed into another world and don't have any ambition, what's the point?
Damian has always believed Team Rocket is the strongest evil organization in the world—the real evil organization. As for the likes of Team Magma… they dare call themselves an evil organization?
He'd swallow them all, recruit more powerhouses, and forge the mightiest Team Rainbow Rocket!