Join my p@treon for more chapters
[email protected]/Tempest_29
While checking for surviving enemies, Roy suddenly heard Frances's voice from above.
"Well done, Roy."
Following the sound, Roy looked up to see Frances riding an emerald green dragon-like Pokémon, gliding slowly toward them.
— Flygon.
Frances glanced at the unharmed students and nodded appreciatively.
"Your performance far exceeded my expectations..."
He had been prepared to reveal Roy's presence and resolve the situation with force if necessary.
Although Roy had the ability to evade the Illuminati's "Master Observer" security measures, infiltrating an international criminal organization alone required exceptional psychological fortitude and adaptability. For an eighteen-year-old student, this would normally be too demanding.
A violent confrontation would inevitably give the enemy a chance to escape.
"It wasn't that difficult..." Roy shrugged and smiled. This wasn't false modesty—infiltrating the Illuminati had genuinely been easier than he anticipated.
The organization's personnel shortage, combined with their over-reliance on the Master Observer's abilities, had created numerous vulnerabilities.
"Dragonite is incredibly powerful—it defeated all opponents with a single attack."
Hearing Roy's comment, Frances shook his head and gazed at the lake's surface, now melted by Draco Meteor and shrouded in rising vapor.
"Those were merely small fry..."
"Come out. Are you still planning to play dead in front of me?"
The moment those words left his lips, the rising vapor suddenly stagnated, as if caught by some invisible hand.
Then, it dispersed in a sudden burst.
"Now I understand where such a powerful Dragonite came from."
The figure that appeared was the Illuminati Executive who had ordered Roy's execution earlier—a muscular blond man resembling a professional wrestler. Seated on a Drifblim with a gloomy expression, he spoke solemnly:
"Champion Frances..."
"So it's you leading this team, Hermes." Frances nodded with recognition. "No wonder you managed to infiltrate Alola's spirit realm. As a Ghost-type specialist, you were indeed the most suitable person for such a mission... Heh, to think they'd deploy one of the Three Swordbearers—quite the commitment."
The Swordbearers held extremely high positions within the Illuminati, second only to the mysterious president.
In terms of strength, they were equivalent to Elite Four trainers of major nations.
Their opponent was an Elite specializing in Ghost-types.
"With these liabilities, do you really believe you can detain me?" Hermes gestured toward the students, particularly Roy on Dragonite's back, and threatened: "My Mismagius is already in the Dream World, watching these poor lambs. Should any of them dare leave Dragonite's protective range, they'll certainly die."
"Besides Dragonite, none of your other Pokémon can defend them adequately."
Hermes suddenly burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! Without Dragonite's combat power, without a single Legendary Pokémon, what distinguishes you from an ordinary Elite Four member?"
"If Avi were here, facing two Legendary partners, I would immediately surrender without resistance. Unfortunately, while you're clearly not inferior to Avi in skill—your talent and achievements rank among the strongest Champions worldwide—your luck in acquiring Legendary partners hasn't been as favorable..."
Avi, the new Japanese Champion who had defeated Frances in the Asian Championship, was only 32 years old.
Mentioning his name was clearly an attempt to destabilize Frances's composure.
"...You're as cunning as rumors suggest, Hermes."
Frances smiled slightly, understanding the opponent's strategy.
During battle, Hermes would certainly attempt to attack the students.
Ghost-type curses were invisible and insidious. If Hermes was determined to harm the students, Frances couldn't protect them unless Dragonite remained close at all times.
This related to each type's specialty. Dragon-types excelled at destruction, not protection.
Ghost-types specialized in stealth and assassination.
The opponent had clearly stated his intention to use Mismagius to constantly monitor the Capital University students, thereby preventing Frances's strongest Pokémon from participating in battle.
A calculated strategy.
"You're right. Without a Legendary partner, theoretically, there's little difference between a Champion and an Elite Four member."
"However, even among Elites, significant power gaps exist. Do you truly believe... that without Dragonite, I can't defeat you?"
Noting the other's solemn expression, Frances shook his head with amusement and said:
"Dragonite, take them away and protect them."
"Roy, after returning, inform the examiners it's time to act. Capture all Illuminati members still active in the snowfield. Anyone resisting arrest should be neutralized."
"Understood."
Roy nodded.
Since Dragonite couldn't transport everyone simultaneously and couldn't allow them to leave unprotected, it had to escort the students and the six experimental Pokémon on foot.
As they departed, Roy contemplated the meaning of "Legendary partner."
Was the difference between Champions and Elite Four members really determined by whether they possessed a Legendary Pokémon?
What exactly constituted a "Legendary partner"?
Did it literally refer to Pokémon whose strength rivaled Legendary beasts?
But what did that have to do with "luck"?
Pondering these questions as they traveled, Roy soon felt several earth-shattering energy fluctuations from behind. The entire mountain range, covering more than 50 square kilometers, seemed to be crumbling.
Roy couldn't determine the specific battle situation.
However, after this confrontation, only two of the sixteen peaks remained standing, and the battle had spilled over into the neighboring country across the lake.
Shortly thereafter, the Safety Zone was closed to the public, no longer permitting visitors.
Hermes, Ghost-type Elite and one of the Illuminati's Three Swordbearers, consumed poison after his defeat, ending his life.
After two hours of travel, Roy led everyone back to the shelter.
With the crisis over, many students collapsed to the ground in exhaustion, while the braver ones began to cry.
Who could have imagined that a wilderness survival test would turn into such a nightmare?
The examiners were dispatched to arrest the remaining Illuminati members in the snowfield.
Other students who had escaped capture came forward to comfort the victims.
"My Misdreavus is dead—killed by them!" A girl mourned, weeping as her starter Pokémon was gone forever.
"Three students missing from our group, two from the day shift."
"Class Two is missing three people who haven't returned."
"Class Four is also missing two."
The squad leaders counting heads looked distraught.
In kidnapping cases, it wasn't uncommon for victims to become homicide victims due to fierce resistance.
Some had died even during the rescue operation.
In the crowd, Cade remained silent, clenching his fists.
The teachers hadn't disclosed the full details of the incident to all students.
Only two close friends, Roy and Cade, knew the complete truth.
'All of this happened because of me...' Cade thought silently, suddenly recalling his father's words:
—Since you've enjoyed the privileges of being an Elite Four member's son, you must accept the responsibilities that come with that status.
Meanwhile, Roy sat wearily on a nearby stone and sighed.
Having been absent from school for two months, he knew few of his classmates, let alone those who had died.
But when someone your own age dies, it inevitably brings a sense of depression.
At that moment, Elekid's surprised voice rang out.
"Ele! Elekid—!"
Thinking something might be wrong with the experimental Pokémon still wary of humans, Roy quickly looked over.
He was slightly taken aback by what he saw.
Elekid was holding a gaseous spherical Pokémon in both hands, crying out continuously.
This Pokémon had its eyes tightly shut, was covered in scars, and remained in an unconscious state.
It was—
"Cosmog?"