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The burly youth's name was Tomoki. He was the biological nephew of Boss Giovanni and was currently only fifteen years old— about the same age as Sato.
In fact, Sato had noticed that the roster he held in his hands was arranged in a deliberate order. Naturally, the most decisive factor in the ordering of the list was strength.
Among the information about the trainers introduced in the roster, the most valuable detail was undoubtedly the representative Pokémon each one possessed.
Perhaps due to having idolized his uncle since childhood, Tomoki not only joined Team Rocket but also specialized in Ground-type Pokémon, just like Giovanni.
And as someone born with a silver spoon in his mouth, Tomoki's representative Pokémon was far from ordinary—it was a Garchomp with pseudo Elite-Four level strength.
Because of this pseudo-legendary Pokémon, Tomoki was ranked at the very top of the roster. Coupled with his distinguished background, he currently sat at the number one spot.
As soon as Sato opened the roster, he saw a photo of Tomoki standing shoulder to shoulder with his Garchomp. The description beside the image sent waves of shock through his heart.
To put it simply, perhaps because he ranked first, Tomoki's profile was significantly more detailed than the others. It even specifically stated that he had once used his Garchomp to sweep a Team Rocket elite trainer—who was at the early pseudo Elite-Four level in strength—in a 1v6 battle.
"This tournament really is full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers... but then again, it makes sense. Tomoki must've been groomed as a trainer from a very young age. That Garchomp of his is probably his starter Pokémon. Although Dragon-types grow slowly, with almost a decade of meticulous training, that Garchomp has clearly become a terrifying powerhouse," Sato thought grimly as he stared at the roster, his expression turning darker.
He took a deep breath, then turned to discreetly glance at the burly, seemingly good-natured youth once again.
Tomoki's perception was still as sharp as ever. He soon turned to glance back at Sato. But this time, despite wearing the same hearty smile, there was a sharp gleam in his eyes.
At the same time, a hint of amusement appeared on his seemingly honest smile, his lips curving slightly upward.
For a brief moment, their gazes locked. In that instant, Sato felt as though a heavy pressure was engulfing him, making him feel uncomfortable.
But even so, he refused to be intimidated and met the gaze unflinchingly. A few seconds later, Tomoki gave him a small, knowing smile, then looked away.
Every Pokémon trainer possessed a far stronger aura than the average person. As a pseudo Elite-Four level trainer born into privilege and power, Tomoki's aura naturally surpassed Sato's by a wide margin.
That brief clash of gazes was also a silent battle of presence between the two. While Sato managed to hold his own, there was no doubt he had somewhat lost at that moment.
Without question, Tomoki was no pampered rich kid. After years of rigorous grooming by his family, he had become a truly formidable trainer at the pseudo Elite-Four level—someone who had been through real battles with real stakes.
Though it was a bit disheartening, Sato had to admit that there was still a considerable gap between him and Tomoki. If they were to face off now, his chances of winning would be less than ten percent.
Tomoki had been a trainer since childhood and possessed a fully matured pseudo-legendary Pokémon. Sato, on the other hand, had not been a trainer for much long. The gap in experience and resources was enormous.
Aside from the burly Tomoki, Sato quickly located the profiles of the cross-dressing young man and the wild black beauty in the roster.
The cross-dresser's name was Ranka. He was a direct subordinate of Athena, one of the three major faction leaders within Team Rocket. Sixteen years old, Ranka had originally been male, but according to the file, he had successfully shed his male identity through certain medical means.
In other words, in a sense, Ranka could now be considered a woman. Still, in Sato's eyes, Ranka had simply transitioned from a cross-dresser to something akin to a drag-queen at best.
While Ranka might be eccentric, her strength was nothing to scoff at. She was also a pseudo Elite-Four level trainer and a prominent member of the Athena faction. Her representative Pokémon was none other than the pseudo-legendary, Hydreigon.
As a result, for all the reasons listed above, Ranka ranked highly on the roster, currently holding the fifth position.
As for the wild black beauty, her background was just as extraordinary. She was a direct subordinate of Poseidon, another one of Team Rocket's three major faction leaders. Her name was stated as Vanna.
Vanna was born in the Alola Region, and her childhood was nothing short of bizarre. Orphaned at a young age, she was raised by none other than a wild Kommo-o.
It wasn't until she turned ten that Poseidon, who was carrying out a secret mission in Alola, discovered her in the forest and brought her out. He later adopted her as his foster daughter.
Perhaps due to being raised by a wild Pokémon, Vanna possessed beast-like instincts and an uncanny ability to communicate with Pokémon.
Her representative Pokémon was the Kommo-o that had grown up with her. It was worth noting that the bond between them wasn't one of trainer and Pokémon in the usual sense. Kommo-o saw himself as Vanna's older brother, having left his tribe specifically to protect her.
"As expected, I still lack the necessary foundation. If I want to challenge trainers cultivated by these major factions, I need to build up my own foundation. After all, their accumulation far surpasses mine."
After reading the profiles of the three, Sato let out a quiet sigh.
However, he didn't wallow in self-pity, nor did he lose confidence in winning the upcoming Rookie Competition.
After all, with his system, his growth rate far outstripped that of ordinary people. He already had a team of top-tier Pokémon in terms of potential. As long as he was given a little time and an opportunity-rich environment, he could rapidly improve.
And that opportunity-rich environment was, without a doubt, the mysterious island that served as the competition's location.
Sato had already learned from veteran Team Rocket members stationed at the base that the Pokémon on the island were of a high level, and many untapped treasures still remained. If one could survive on the island for an extended period, their strength would increase significantly.
The harsh environment on the island would force trainers to grow quickly. If they failed to adapt, the only outcomes were elimination—or death.
After reading about Tomoki, Sato had already made up his mind to grit his teeth and train in seclusion on this perilous island for a while. As for the competition itself, he no longer placed much importance on it.
Because he had fought alongside some of the veterans and helped them, one high-ranking Team Rocket veteran discreetly shared some details about the competition with him.
For some unknown reason, the rules of the competition had changed slightly. While the overall format remained largely the same, the win conditions had shifted—from capturing ten number badges to surviving on the island for three weeks.
In other words, the second phase of the Rookie Competition had transformed from a brutal elimination match into a hardcore survival trial.
Of course, if participants wanted to unlock Pokémon that had been restricted due to the rules, they would still need to collect other contestants' number badges.
Following the rule that one badge unlocks one Pokémon, a contestant would need to personally eliminate five others in order to regain their full team and improve their chances of surviving on the island.