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Black jacket, black trousers, black combat boots—a complete ensemble of black, even down to the belt.
The belt was specially designed, featuring six buckles to hold six Pokémon main battle Poké Balls. The jacket's inner pocket also contained six additional slots for Poké Balls.
This meant Investigators could carry up to twelve Poké Balls with them at all times.
However...
Most people didn't actually carry twelve Poké Balls. Twelve Poké Balls meant twelve mouths to feed. For field missions lasting several days, the amount of food supplies needed would become problematic.
So under normal circumstances, Trainers carried at most six Pokémon. Three on their belt for immediate access, and three in their inner pocket as backup.
But Chris... wasn't normal.
All twelve of his Poké Ball slots were filled.
If that wasn't enough, he could also retrieve countless additional Poké Balls from his handheld device by pressing "four six three." He didn't need to worry about rations either; he could produce Pokéblocks from his handheld whenever supplies ran low.
As for his own food...
There were plenty of refrigerators in the secret base.
After putting on his combat uniform, Chris returned to the combat department to wait.
When he arrived, he discovered that Eliana was communicating with another person via handwritten notes, and... this person happened to be someone Chris knew.
"You... uh, can't talk?" Olivia cautiously asked the girl in front of her who had handed her a note.
Eliana nodded silently.
"Sister Olivia, she can speak, but when she does, society trembles in fear," Chris explained on Eliana's behalf.
Olivia turned her head and saw Chris, immediately asking in surprise, "Huh? Chris? Why are you here?"
"And wearing a Pokémon Investigator's battle uniform? You joined the ranks of the Investigators too? I remember seeing that you became a Gym Trainer not long ago."
After Olivia had finished her time at school last semester, she had chosen to resign from her teaching position. At the beginning of this year, she officially began her career as a Pokémon Investigator.
She had maintained contact with Chris. When he became a Gym Trainer, she had even sent a flying letter to congratulate him.
However, she hadn't expected to encounter him here.
"I'm here to help Senior Stephen," Chris explained.
"It's part of the early graduation exam that Professor Christian assigned me." He shrugged.
The two quickly fell into conversation, eventually circling back to the topic of Eliana.
"What's her... condition?" Olivia asked quietly.
"She traveled on the same plane with me and mentioned she has severe social anxiety when speaking," Chris explained.
Eliana: !!!
Eliana quickly scribbled a note and handed it to Olivia. It read, "I'm not sick."
"See? She's so afflicted that she has to write 'I'm not sick' on paper," Chris continued jokingly.
Olivia gave Eliana a curious look. She believed that Eliana wasn't ill, but the fact that she would panic when speaking was certainly unusual.
"Why don't you try saying something?" Olivia suggested gently.
Chris immediately cast a curious glance Eliana's way. On the plane earlier, he hadn't heard Eliana's voice even once.
Eliana thought for a moment, silently flipped the note over, and wrote, "Okay, I'm sick!"
"That's harsh," Chris and Olivia said with bemused expressions.
This girl would rather admit to being sick than speak a single word.
"Never mind. If she doesn't want to talk, she doesn't have to. There will eventually come a time when she'll need to speak," Olivia said, patting Chris on the shoulder. "I still have things to do, so I'll be going now."
"See you later!" Chris waved to Olivia, found an empty seat, and sat down. He turned on his handheld device and continued his hunt for Dratini.
In the past three hours, he had already caught more than ten Dratini with perfect IVs.
Farming Dratini in the Dragon's Den in Johto Region was remarkably easy. Whether surfing or fishing, you could encounter Dratini. They might also be holding valuable items like "Dragon Fang" or "Dragon Scale."
The former increased the power of Dragon-type moves, while the latter allowed Seadra to evolve into Kingdra. Both were extremely rare and sought-after Pokémon items.
In just three hours, Chris had collected 3 treasure-level Dragon Fangs, 1 treasure-level Dragon Scale, and more than 20 common items.
A bountiful harvest indeed!
So, he continued his efforts with renewed enthusiasm.
Eliana moved a chair and sat next to Chris. She showed no interest in getting acquainted with her future mission partners, simply tilting her head silently to rest.
Chris glanced at Eliana. Perhaps... she really did suffer from social anxiety?
Time flew by...
The Pokémon Investigators had a dedicated cafeteria for lunch and dinner. After lunch, Chris went to the Trainer Association's training grounds to put his Pokémon through their daily exercises. When he left, Eliana had been resting, and when he returned, she was still resting.
Was she perhaps a human version of Slaking?
At 10 o'clock in the evening, several team captains, including Senior Stephen and Lucas, returned to the combat department after concluding their strategy meeting. They immediately issued orders.
"All combatants in the Operations Department, assemble within five minutes!"
Chris and Eliana immediately stood at attention.
Finally, some action.
Chris had initially thought they would spend several more days like this. According to other Pokémon Investigators, unless it was a special case, they probably wouldn't take coordinated action until they had thoroughly identified all personnel and bases of the Asuka in Gumont Province.
It now appeared that special circumstances had indeed arisen.
Five minutes later, all operatives from the Operations Department had arrived—only thirty in total.
Not many in number, but each was among the elite of the elite.
Chris recalled that Olivia had placed in the top three of the national competition before becoming a Pokémon Investigator.
Based on the game's level system, Chris estimated her Pokémon's strength to be above level 50.
In other words, the 30 people gathered here commanded a combined force of approximately 150 Pokémon, all at level 50 or higher.
With this kind of firepower... as long as they weren't targeting a city with Gym Trainers, they could overwhelm any location within ten hours.
After confirming that all personnel had arrived, Stephen began assigning tasks.
"Due to certain special circumstances, we've decided to launch a preemptive strike on the Asuka Group's base. We'll be hitting all their facilities in Gumont Province simultaneously."
"The team will split into three units. Ares, you take one team to Nether City."
"Roman, you'll lead a team to the White Horse Bridge."
"The rest will follow me!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Remember, listen to my instructions carefully. Attack only when I give the command. Even if you see them escaping right in front of you, you are not authorized to engage without my explicit order!"
"Understood, sir!"