"You see," Kofu said, wearing an expectant look that invited Alex to try the food, "we received a report about the attack on Area Zero earlier today, as well as your help in saving Professor Briar. For Paldea, that incident was like catching a pot just before it boiled over, and you had a hand in both drawing out the trouble and stopping it before it spilled everywhere. We truly appreciate that kind of work."
"I see," Alex said as he took a bite of the steamed Basculin under Kofu's watchful gaze.
Alex's eyes lit up at the superb taste, the rich sauce perfectly complementing the heavy, savory flavor of the fish. His reaction clearly pleased Kofu, whose broad grin deepened as he watched Alex savor the dish.
"I was already properly compensated for it, so there was no real need to go this far," Alex said.
"We've also read up on what you've accomplished in the other regions. After sampling so many secondhand stories, I thought it was time to meet the man himself and offer a bit of Paldean hospitality."
"Well, it's certainly delicious, at least."
"Gahaha!" Kofu laughed heartily, holding his stomach as he did, drawing the attention of everyone in the restaurant. Nobody seemed to mind, though, since he was both the owner of the place and the Gym Leader of the city.
"I also heard you went on a hunting trip," Kofu said. "How did it turn out? Was it cooked to perfection, or was it one of those days where the pot barely simmered?"
"I don't know. I'd have to ask Gardevoir to compile a list of our haul. As for the base itself, there were only about three dozen people left to keep things running. I believe all of Team Dominion's leaders in Paldea were captured in Area Zero."
"Ha, that's a relief," Kofu said with a satisfied nod. "Sounds like you scraped the pot clean. Did you hand the leftovers over to the police?"
"No. There were too many of them to bring back, and it was an underwater base. I was about to request a pickup and a thorough investigation of the location before your man had me come over."
"Then leave it to me," Kofu said easily. "I'll have my people handle the cleanup. Just send me the coordinates."
Alex sent the coordinates of the underwater base, along with two more he hadn't gotten around to raiding yet. He had planned to head to them immediately until he was called over.
"Ho? There's still a few more dishes left?" Kofu said, eyebrows rising.
"Yes. I believe these three are the only locations they have left in Paldea… well, two of them, anyway."
"I take it you'll want to finish what you started."
"That's the plan, but I'm flexible if you have any suggestions."
"No need to be," Kofu replied, waving a hand. "Take whatever you need. Our only concern is shutting their whole kitchen down for good. Just let us know if you run into anything you can't handle on your own, or if you uncover any further plans they might have for the region."
"Thanks," Alex said, beginning to finish his meal.
"Right then, I'll leave you to it. Enjoy the meal on the house," Kofu said, rising from his seat. "Oh, and when you finish up the other two locations, just let Ryme and Iono know. I'll give them a heads-up."
Alex made an okay sign with his hand while his mouth was full, prompting Kofu to laugh again as he headed to the kitchen. Once Alex finished his meal, he made his way to the police station and used the teleportation network to travel to Montenevera.
Montenevera is a picturesque city built on the slopes of Glaseado Mountain, blanketed in snow for much of the year. Its streets wind along steep inclines, lined with timbered buildings and stone pathways that glisten under a layer of frost.
Smoke curls from chimneys, hinting at warm hearths inside cozy homes and cafes, while the crisp mountain air gives the city a serene, almost isolated feel. Bridges and staircases connect the multi-level city, making Montenevera both a practical hub for winter travel and a scenic, tranquil escape from the bustle below.
Alex made his way along the city's stone streets in the dead of night, his breath frosting with each exhale. It was a good thing his bodysuit was temperature-resistant and he wore a heavy coat; otherwise, he would have frozen to death in this climate.
As he left the city proper, he noticed there weren't many large buildings. Most, if not all, were constructed from wood, which limited how tall they could be. Calling Montenevera a city felt generous. Sprawling town was more accurate.
"Reminds me of Lavender City," Alex muttered as he passed beyond the city's tall walls.
Once he was outside, he released Hydreigon, who roared in immediate complaint at the cold.
"I know, girl but the flight shouldn't be too far so endure it for a little bit okay?"
She roared in complaint again, but allowed him to climb onto her back before taking off into the night sky and flying north. As promised, the flight lasted only a few minutes before they reached the coordinates Alex had memorized.
Directly below them was a crack in the ice, an unassuming crevice that hardly seemed worth attention. They dove as deep as they could before reaching the bottom, noting the lack of any sign of a hidden base.
"This is going to take a bit of work," Alex said before releasing Frosmoth.
"Frosss…," she chimed with delight, clearly relishing the rare cold environment.
"I need you to look for the hidden base," Alex said. "It should feel like a pocket of missing ice in your surroundings."
"Frosmoth!" she agreed, before setting off to scour the area.
A few minutes later, she returned and gestured east of their position. Alex followed her for nearly half an hour through pitch-black darkness before stopping in front of a cold metal wall. It didn't seem like the entrance to the base, as there was no gate or access panel, but it was all the same to Alex.
He knocked on the wall a few times, each strike producing a dull, heavy thunk that spoke of considerable thickness. It was Champion ranked material. Barely cold to the touch, too, which meant it was at least resistant to the surrounding cold. Metal like this was typically resistant to heat as well, leaving only one way through.
He released all his Pokémon and called out.
"Everyone with Focus Punch, power up, line up, and punch through," Alex commanded.
Kommo-o, Togekiss, Dusknoir, Rhyperior, Lucario, Gallade, and Lopunny stepped forward and began buffing themselves. Once each had reached the maximum stack of Attack, they lined up shoulder to shoulder in a concave formation in front of the wall and prepared to use Focus Punch. As they charged, the rest of the Pokémon finished their own buffs and began using Helping Hand to further amplify the attack.
Finally, with a thunderous crash, they unleashed their Focus Punch in unison, every strike landing on the same reinforced spot. The metal shuddered violently, buckling under the combined force, and a section of the wall sheared inward, creating an opening into the base.
"Same as before," Alex said, and his Pokémon rushed into the breach with Rotom in the lead.
Alex stepped inside calmly after them, taking note of the layout. They had busted through the side of the base, emerging directly into the training grounds, where blaring sirens immediately signaled a breach to the inhabitants.
Unlike the other base, this training ground was crisscrossed with metal platforms, each mounted with cannons. It looked as though Team Dominion intended to place them on Titan Pokémon and bombard from a distance.
As the raid continued, with the sounds of battle and sporadic gunfire echoing around him, Alex couldn't help but admire the weaponry. Argent Solutions had clearly stepped up their game, moving into the production of artillery weapons.
They weren't the same threatening size as the artillery from his own world, but since they were loaded with Pokémon moves, the threat was likely similar. Each gun measured about 10 feet (3 meters) in length, with a bore of approximately 6 inches (15 centimeters) that was rifled to improve accuracy.
The ammunition beside them consisted of large, bullet-shaped crystals filled with Elite ranked energy. Based on their increased size, they posed a threat equivalent to Champion ranked moves.
Each platform looked like it could be fitted into a more complex saddle designed for a Titan Pokémon, with each Pokémon carrying anywhere from one to five cannons depending on its size. This gave Alex an idea of his own regarding his plans for a Flying type Titan. Wouldn't it be impressive if he could equip something like these cannons on one?
"No," Alex said, dismissing the thought. "Why bother with these cannons when Champion ranked Pokémon can deal far more damage? I get that they're trying to bridge the gap with technology, but this is clearly insufficient."
Instead, Alex's gaze drifted to the mounds of ammunition beside each cannon, a spark of interest lighting his eyes. With a bit of repurposing, these cannon bullets could make an even bigger B.O.M.B. than the one he was carrying now.
"Either way," Alex said, looking around with a wide smile, "this place is a jackpot."
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