Crocodile sighed, already tired of people pointing out how humiliating his weakness was. "Look, guys, it's really not that bad. My sand abilities can take care of it without any issue."

"Yes, but, what is the point of having this awesome sand power if you have to deal with an element that leaves you unable to move?" Ookami said as if he was sorry for Crocodile.

"Seems like a pretty lousy deal if you ask me," said Itachi.

"The weakness I have is nothing more than a minor inconvenience. I can turn even the wettest of places into a desert wasteland," Crocodile said, smiling as if he was proud to have the sand ability.

Azula, however, wasn't impressed. "You call it a minor inconvenience? I can just use a bucket of water at you, and you'll be defeated in less than a second. It's really quite pathetic."

Crocodile really wanted to stab Azula. Something about her reminded him of Nico Robin. "Oh, shut up, Azula! You have no right to speak. You are weak against water, are you not?"

"Yes, but at least I have no problem taking a shower or a nice, luxurious, and relaxing bath to wash myself. You, on the other hand, stink worse than Earth Nation's sewers," Azula replied, her smirk condescending as always. "Only if they were so grossed out by you, they would need to be relocated by a property developer."

Itachi laughed, still impressed by Azula's roasting. "Wow, you're on fire today, princess! Well, figuratively speaking, of course."

"I have to admit," Ookami said, smiling. "seeing Crocodile get roasted by a 14-year-old is one of the funniest things I have ever seen."

"They don't call me the 'queen of roasts' for nothing," Azula boasted.

"I would still be careful, Crocodile," Haena said. "I have seen many water-type Pocket Monsters out there, and they can easily take advantage of your weakness."

"Haena, we have talked about this," Ookami said sternly. "It's pronounced 'Pokemon'"

"Whatever," Haena said, rolling his eyes. "I'm still calling them Pocket Monsters."

"Hmph! No matter how many water-type Pokemon there are, I'll suck all of their waters with ease," Crocodile said, his smile big and smug.

Toshineko, Moriarty and Sharpwolf were having a conversation. "So, how do you treat your subordinates, Moriarty?" Toshineko asked. "Do you give them a lecture on how to improve themselves? Kind of like in your math lectures?"

Moriarty darted his eyes. "Well… kind of. You see, I had a lady, Irene Adler, who was supposed to be a femme fatale to Sherlock Holmes."

"How did it turn out?" Sharpwolf asked.

Moriarty heaved a deep sigh. "It was… a failure, to say the least. Her feelings have been compromised and she fell in love with Holmes."

"How did you respond to such a failure?" Toshineko asked. Moriarty remembered that time when Irene Adler, who thought she was safe when she went to that restaurant, was confronted by him about her love for Sherlock. After telling her he no longer required her services, she walked off and started coughing. Then, she fell to the ground and died soon after while Moriarty simply sipped his tea. Not a single remorse on his face.

"Uuum… quickly and painlessly," he responded. Toshineko was shocked that Moriarty chose to get rid of her that way. He knew Moriarty was an evil mastermind, but he didn't know there was something about him that was… different.

"Oh… Well, at least she didn't have to suffer, right?" Sharpwolf said.

"I didn't want to leave any obvious signs of foul play. And besides, despite her failure, I considered her far too beautiful to suffer a slow and painful fate."

"Can I be your femme fatale, Moriarty?" Sharpwolf asked, smiling, as her tail lashed. "I promise I won't fail you. I know just how to fulfill a man's needs and lure him into a honey trap!"

"No chance, Sharpwolf," Moriarty said, shaking his head. "I doubt you would control your feelings for someone after your numerous attempts at flirting with my men. But at least you wouldn't stoop so low as to flirt with a minor… unlike Hans."

"Speaking of which," Itachi said, after he overheard the conversation. "where is he, anyway? Has he still gotten salty about that novel I gave him?"

"Well, you have to admit, Itachi," Haena said. "it was a pretty boring novel."

Itachi rolled his eyes. "Oh, yeah, here we go. Someone here has an opinion that nobody asked for."

"Hans Gruber went to take care of some unfinished business," Toshineko said in his causal tone. "No doubt about this… John McClane human."

Hans Gruber was at an office, playing Minecraft on the computer. He was trying to build his ideal house. He smiled as his creation was almost completed. Soon, his masterpiece would be shared across the world, and everyone would appreciate his great mind at not only terrorism but also building houses. But just as he relished those thoughts, he encountered a couple of Creepers trying to attack him.

"Oh, no. Not those damn Creepers again," Hans said, agitated as he rapidly clicked his mouse trying to attack them.

The people at the Nakatomi Plaza and the criminals holding guns were standing there. For the employees at Nakatomi Plaza, the mood was tense. But for Han's men, they wanted to go home asap.

"Can we go home, please?" The young woman asked, frightened.

"Shut up, lady," one of Han's men shouted. "Hans will arrive soon enough!" He then sighed and glanced at the other shooter. "Goddammit, where is he? We've been standing here for 30 minutes already. Why is he even wasting his time playing Minecraft and building Lego sets anyway?"

"You can't really blame him. After he was promised a one million dollar prize as well as a ticket to a Hawaiian vacation, he simply couldn't say no," the other criminal replied. "Plus, he couldn't take it when people made fun of him for being the most uncreative man in the world."

"I still think he should just let that go and get on with our mission."

"Look, just shut up and keep the hostages under control. Everything will be fine. We just need to keep them here until he shows up."

A young man in a red tie stood up and raised his hand. "Um, excuse me, sir, my penis is aching badly. Can I go home?"

The two men looked at each other and back at him. "You are excused."

"Thank you," the man said, as they allowed him to leave.

"Anybody else?" The crowd looked at each other and shook their head, murmuring "No". "Good." He pointed the gun at the crowd, scaring them. "Now shut up and stay there!"

After Hans took care of the Creepers, he smiled as he moved his character. He was about to see his very own masterpiece he created. Once he saw it, the world would know the limitless beauty he had made. The exactness and attention to detail in his house would be astonishing. But, there was a slight problem. By the time he arrived, that positivity quickly faded when he suddenly realized that his house was gone.

It was supposed to be a beautiful mansion he built, one that was two stories tall, and had a very lovely environment. And now, it just… vanished… like a fart in the wind.

"What the actual fu-?"

"Heeey, Hans, my dude," the man with a black beard, scruffy hair blue tie, and black suit said. "Can I interest you with-"

Hans stood on his feet, pointed his gun at him, and snapped. "Get out of my room, I'm playing Minecraft!" The man squealed like a girl and ran off.

Back in the void, Toshineko smiled. "I'm glad he's doing well." He then heard footsteps, and everyone turned to see that another human had entered. Sharpwolf was immediately enamored by the young human's appearance, with him wearing a generic black suit, but with a short brown beard. His brown hair was tied in a loose ponytail.

He looked just as confused as those who entered here. "Now what in the world is this place? I doubt this is the place Goalith lives at." He gave a friendly smile when he saw everyone. "Oh, hello, gentlemen. Can you please tell me where I am?"

"Oh, my!" Sharpwolf said excitedly, annoying everyone.

"And heeere we go again…" Kitsune said.

"Greetings, stranger," Moriarty said. "and welcome to the Council of Evil Masterminds."

The human smirked and scoffed. "Council of Evil Masterminds? A bit on the nose, don't you think?"

"I admit, it's not the most subtle name I came up with," Toshineko said, scratching the back of his head. "but I thought it would be more appropriate."

"Allow me to introduce ourselves. I am Professor James Moriarty. This is Toshineko Hirozaki, his fellow agents," Moriarty introduced Toshineko's agents' names before introducing everyone else. "This is Sir Crocodile, and Princess Azula."

"Welcome, human," Toshineko said returning the friendly smile to the human. "And you happen to be?"

"I am David. David Xanatos. I am the CEO of a multi-national company, Xanatos Enterprises."

"Xanatos? Hmm…" Itachi said, stroking his chin. "Are you perhaps the grandson of the Greek god of death, Thanatos?"

David cocked his head. "I'm afraid I don't follow you."

"I mean, the fact that your name is Xanatos means that you have some significant powers from the god himself. Perhaps you could be powerful enough to take on the Pokemon!"

"The Poke-what now?"

"Stop geeking out, Itachi," Toshineko ordered. "You're making him confused."

"Oh!" Itachi said, realizing his mistake and scratching the back of his head. "Sorry, sorry."

"Forgive my agent, David," Toshineko said.

"Please, call me Xanatos. Everyone does. Including my fanbase."

"Well, Mr. Xanatos," Sharpwolf said, giving him a flirtatious look, which made Xanatos uncomfortable. "perhaps you'd be interested in going on a date with me? I know a great, luxurious hotel that we can stay at, and I'm sure a man like you could use a… feisty woman such as myself. Are you a fan of bondage? I can tie you up nicely."

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but I'm already married."

"Oh, really? Would your wife be… a hot wolf lady like myself?"

"Excuse me?"

"Please excuse her, Mr. Xanatos," Moriarty said, before he and Toshineko gave her a scolding look. "Sharpwolf, we have already talked about this. You can't just flirt with every single male guest who entered here. We are to treat them with dignity and respect."

"Oh, but Mr. Moriarty, if I can't flirt with him, how will I prove that I can be a great femme fatale to you?"

"Sharpwolf," Toshineko said. "I know I have enabled this behavior before, but from now on, I forbid you to flirt with every male guest."

Sharpwolf sighed and frowned. "Yes, sir… Sorry for the unwanted advances, Mr. Xanatos."

"No worries, Sharpwolf. You're not the only lady who has flirted with me before. If I may ask, what is the purpose of this meeting? Or better yet, what am I doing here?"

"Well, my friend," Toshineko said. "you have been summoned here for the purpose of helping us conquer my world. And the fact that you have been summoned here means you are one of the masterminds. I have no doubt you have some genius-level intellect and are a master strategist yourself, am I right?"

Xanatos smiled and waved his hand. "Your words are far too kind, Toshineko. I am simply a businessman and do what I can to make sure everything I have done goes according to plan. Besides, I consider myself more… 'amoral' than evil."

"Aren't these two the same thing?" Kitsune said.

Xanatos rolled his eyes and scratched his head. "Well… kind of. The differences are kind of murky. But I only committed immoral actions because I did what I believed was necessary."

"Well, modesty is a good sign of a genius," Azula said, glancing at Crocodile. "You should learn a thing or two from him, Croc,"

Crocodile glared at Azula. "Says the girl who boasted about her brilliance."

Azula crossed her arms and glared back. "I believed I've earned that title, Croc. If there's a bottomless pit of stupidity, it would be your brain."

Crocodile snorted and rolled his eyes. "Go to hell, Azula."

"In due time, Croc," Azula said, returning her smug smile. "In due time."

Xanatos chuckled. "I must say, I have never met such an interesting group of individuals like this in my life. It is a pleasure to meet you all."

"May I have a question, Xanatos?" Ookami said. "Have I recognized you before? Because you look like Tony Stark from the Iron Man series, but only if he had a more evil appearance and tone and still kept his Robert Downey Jr. personality."

Xanatos smirked evilly. "I have been told."

"Are you perhaps his twin brother?" Itachi asked.

"Unfortunately, I doubt I'm his brother, my friend. Though, I would be interested in meeting him."

"I wouldn't mind if he's an evil version of Tony Stark," Kitsune said, grinning. "It's what makes him more… human. "

Xanatos raised an eyebrow at him. "Are you trying to imply something?"

"Imply?" Kitsune chuckled. "My dear human, it's not what I'm implying, it's what I believe to be facts."

"... That sounds awfully racist of you."

Kitsune scoffed in response. "Oh, please, you wouldn't even-"

"Kitsune!" Everyone else shouted.

Kitsune wasn't even fazed, instead sighing as he lit his cigarette. "You guys are no fun…"

"Anyway, Xanatos," Toshineko said. "would you care to share what your plans were before entering here? We'd like to see how much of a mastermind you are."

"Well, I'm afraid there's nothing that interesting, really. At least in a conquering sense. I merely used the gargoyles and other people to advance my career."

"Hold on a sec, gargoyles?" Azula said.

"Yes. In my world, the gargoyles came to life during nighttime, and they did what they could to save humanity. I was particularly interested in their leader, Goliath, who led his own clan of gargoyles. I wanted to use him for my plans, but he proved to be a difficult but worthy opponent."

"Why is that? Is it because he's too big for ya?" Itachi asked.

"Exactly… Wait, what?" Xanatos said, cocking his head.

"His name is Goliath, after all. Perhaps after he dared the Israelites to face him, you decided to take a step back and allow David-"

"Itachi!" Ookami scolded.

Itachi, realizing his mistake, gasped and scratched the back of his head. "Oh! S-sorry, force of habit. I'll stop."

"No, no, not that Goliath. I mean the gargoyle who can fly, and has faced me in a duel a few times."

"I see," Crocodile said. "They are fierce and skilled warriors."

"Indeed they are. They're the only ones who can stop me and foil my plans. But each time, I always win."

"You always win?" Toshineko said, raising his eyebrow.

"That's a pretty bold statement, Xanatos," Azula said. "Care to back it up?"

"Well, you see, I believe that in order to win, one must have every single foreseeable outcome benefit you, even failure."

"Failure?" Crocodile said, shocked. "How can failure benefit you in any way?"

"For once, I agree with the dumb muscle," Azula said. "Failure is never an option. Perfection and success are what matter."

Xanatos shook his head, feeling pity for their naivety, however adorable they may be. "Come, come now, guys. You're thinking simplistically. Let me help you as to what I meant. You see, when it comes to plans, one must consider all sorts of factors. What if your plan goes wrong? What if there is a way to counter your enemy's strategy? What if there's a way to turn the tables? And most importantly, what if there's a way to make the failure of such a plan a benefit?"

"Would you care to elaborate on that, Mr. Xanatos?" Moriarty asked, intrigued as Toshineko.

"Well, I can give you an example of how I used it to my advantage. You see, I sent in a robot double of myself who I named Coyote to break the Pack out of prison and send them against the gargoyles. Even though the gargoyles destroyed the robot and defeated the Pack, my plan was to get early parole for my wife, Fox, as her refusal to escape with the others made quite an impression on the parole board. Plus, I was able to test my new tech project. That is how I gain the advantage. And that's why there was a trope named after me, the Xanatos Gambit."

"Xanatos Gambit?" Haena said. "Hmm… Now that you mentioned it, I have heard about it on the internet."

Azula and Moriarty cocked their heads. "What is an In ter net?" Moriarty said.

"Is it some kind of hideout?" Azula said.

"Oh," Haena said, realizing what he said. "Sorry, I must have geeked out. I apologize, Your Highness."

"Nah, don't apologize, Haena," Toshineko said, waving his hand. "I would've done the same thing."

"You had a wife named Fox? Don't tell me you're actually married to an anthropomorphic fox, Xanatos! Don't you know humans make fun of furries all the time?" Itachi said, earning him the facepalm of Toshineko and his agents, as well as a raised eyebrow from Azula, Crocodile, Moriarty and Xanatos.

"Uum… No, not that kind of fox. My wife is actually a human who is named Fox. I think it's a beautiful name for her."

"Don't you think people will consider that… I don't know, a bit strange for a name, Xanatos?" Itachi asked.

Kitsune chuckled deviously. "Well, you may never know, Itachi. After all, foxes are charming, cunning, and mischievous."

Xanatos was more than annoyed at Kitsune's comments. He glanced at Toshineko and said, "Is he always like this?"

"It's a mental disorder of his, I'm afraid," Toshineko said, shrugging. "Nevertheless, that was quite an impressive plan of yours, Xanatos. Getting your wife and the Pack out of prison and allowing the gargoyles to defeat your robot and the Pack, yet still win at the end. That requires a lot of planning."

"I was merely doing my job as a businessman to keep my career afloat. There's more into how to utilize this gambit of mine that I can teach you guys."

Itachi grunted. "I don't know… That sounds too much of a risk, Xanatos. What if that gambit fails, and they don't benefit you?"

"Itachi has a point," Crocodile said. "How can we win if we fail?"

"Oh, but that's the beauty of the gambit, my friends. It makes it look like you failed, but you actually won either way."

"That sounds like that is up to chance, isn't it, Xanatos?" Moriarty said. "What if something like old age happens even when you planned the opposite of that? That sounds terrifying, doesn't it?"

"Nothing terrifies me," Xanatos replied, frowning. "because nothing is beyond my ability to change."

"Hmmm, I wonder if I could use that gambit against Princess Vivi and the Strawhats," Crocodile said.

"Princess Vivi?" Xanatos said.

"Yeah. So far, the only thing I was good at was coming up with backup plans for my backup plans."

"Well, contingency plans are good, yes. But they only solve one part of the equation."

"Hmm… If only I could make my failure a big loss to them. I would have taken over Alabasta."

"I wonder if I could use that gambit in chess," Moriarty said, stroking his beard. "I would've beaten Sherlock Holmes at his own game."

"I'm still not one hundred percent sure it would work," Itachi said. "After all, it is a gambit."

"Well, gambits can be a useful risk," Haena said, smiling. "Especially if it saves you from the hornets, beasts, and the dreadful pit." Haena laughed at his own joke, though, he failed to make everyone else laugh.

"I think this is a great idea, Xanatos," Sharpwolf said. "If I could accomplish such a task, I would get a sexy boyfriend every time. And to gain an easy victory for the Toshineko Army as well!"

"I doubt it would work on seducing a hundred men on earth, but I suppose it can work with your army."

"Very interesting, Xanatos," Toshineko said. "I can sense great potential in you. Perhaps you would join us in our master plan to conquer our world?"

Xanatos shook his head. "I'm afraid I'm not into conquering worlds. That to me is such cliched villainy." He then grinned. "Nevertheless, I am willing to give you advice if necessary. If you could think like me, you might be unstoppable."

"I agree," Kitsune said, grinning evilly. "I can only imagine all the victories I have when I show my enemies their place. The Lustitia agents would stand no chance."

"Hold up, who is this 'Lustitia'?" Crocodile asked. "Isn't she a goddess of justice or something?"

"Well, you see, Croc," Itachi explained. "Lustitia is a secret organization that opposes us at every turn. It is run by Lucario, a Pokemon who uses his agents to foil our plans. If only there was a way to make us win against them even with failure."

"Well, failure is a learning opportunity," Toshineko said. "It's what I've been teaching you guys about, after all. Just because you failed to bring me lots of cream and lots of sugar in my coffee doesn't mean you failed in your life. And just because I failed to be more subtle in my appearance and the name of this council doesn't mean I have wasted my entire existence." Toshineko, Xanatos and Azula laughed together.

"Fair enough, sir," Itachi said.

"Yeah… perhaps your failure in giving Hans an interesting novel can be a great learning experience for you," Kitsune said.

Itachi smiled to himself. "Yes! Exactly! … Wait, what? That wasn't a failure!"

"Then you should explain why Hans was snoring and wasn't paying attention," Ookami said, crossing his arms.

"It's a Xanatos Gambit, guys! If he were to be bored with the novel, he'd wake up and realize his mistake. If he read the novel, he would think like a mastermind!"

Everyone looked at him baffled. "That makes no sense," said Azula.

"Oh, come on, princess! It's a calculated strategy, trust me."

"The only thing calculated is the lack of intellect in your brain," Crocodile said.

"Burn!" Kitsune said.

"Shut up, Kitsune!" Itachi snapped.

"At least you're learning the basis of roasting, Croc," Azula said, her smug smile back once more.

"Oh, I can't wait," Toshineko said, grinning. "Xanatos, care to join us in roasting each other?"

Xanatos shrugged. "Well, I suppose it's worth the shot. Hey, Itachi, since you think you're so smart, maybe we should call you Agent Know-Nothing Know-It-All."

"Oh, that's a good one," Crocodile said, smiling deviously. "I should use that."

"You're getting the hang of it, Xanatos," Azula said.

Itachi groaned in frustration. "Oh, come on, guys! General, please stop this!"

"Too late, Itachi," Toshineko said, his tone playful. "you must pay the price."

"Oh god… And I thought failure would benefit me!"

"Has it ever?" Kitsune said.

"Can you shut up for a minute, Kitsune?"

Xanatos laughed. "You know, I like you guys. We should do this more often."

"Agreed," Moriarty said, grinning, wanting to try out the art of roasting himself.

"Let me try," Haena said. "Itachi, you wouldn't be able to survive in a hornet's nest even if your brain is a knife." Haena was the only one who laughed. If only they could hear crickets in the void.

Toshineko sighed. "We'll work on that."

"Well, Xanatos," Moriarty said. "I must say you are a very chill dude. We would love to have you join us. Care for some tea or coffee?"

Xanatos gave a polite smile. "I prefer coffee, but I don't mind having to try out the elegantness of British tea."

Moriarty smiled. "Nice."

"And with this, we'll end today's episode, our dear readers," Crocodile said before he lit his cigar and blew a puff of smoke. "If you like this episode, be sure to give it a fav or follow this channel where you can find new episodes like these every single week. Feel free to suggest which villain will appear in your comments. See you soon, and as always…" Crocodile smiled. "... for the Xanatos Gambit. Ku ah ah ah ah."