Lucas and his group arrived at the dock where the S.S. Anne was berthed.
"Who are you people? Entry beyond this point is prohibited."
Two sailors on duty noticed someone approaching the cruise ship. One of them immediately stepped forward and shouted loudly.
He assumed they were just curious passersby—after all, the S.S. Anne was world-renowned, and whenever it docked, there were always overly curious individuals wanting a closer look.
"Why don't you two take a good rest."
Archer curled his lips into a strange smile. A shadow flashed, and the two sailors instantly collapsed.
Two devil-like horns stood tall above a muscular black body—Archer's mainstay Pokémon, Houndoom, had emerged.
"So weak. Is this the level of security on a world-famous luxury cruise ship?"
Seeing the two guards fall unconscious in an instant, Marnie blinked her eyes.
"It's just a cruise ship. What did you expect? That they'd have top-tier guards on board?"
Lucas chuckled softly. Though the S.S. Anne was indeed a renowned luxury cruise liner, at its core, it was still just a commercial vessel.
Expecting it to have Elite Four- or Champion-level security was a joke.
Even Silph Co., headquartered in Saffron City—wasn't that a massive corporation?
As a leader in Pokémon technology, Silph Co. pioneered the development of modern Poké Balls and continued innovating over time.
In terms of global standing, Silph Co. was undoubtedly a top-tier enterprise.
But what happened?
In the original story, Team Rocket covertly seized control without making a sound—even the company president was taken hostage.
This world might appear peaceful on the surface, but the world of trainers and civilian life are not the same. No matter how developed a civilian industry is, it doesn't equate to having strong military power.
That's why the Pokémon League sits at the pinnacle of authority. Aside from political leaders like the League President and Council Members, the League also possesses the strongest deterrent force—the regional Elite Four and the Champion!
The Elite Four represent the peak of regional power, and the Champion is the strongest trainer in that region.
One leads politically, the other militarily—together, they form the League's unshakable foundation in every region.
Once aboard the S.S. Anne, Archer directly took control of a sailor and had him lead the group to the captain's quarters.
A Team Rocket member flung open the captain's office door. An elderly man appeared before Lucas and the others.
"Who are you people…?"
The door burst open so abruptly that the captain frowned, about to speak—until he looked up and saw the uninvited guests, his face instantly filled with shock.
He was a seasoned man who had weathered many storms at sea, but even he had never experienced something like this.
"Esteemed Captain, allow me to introduce ourselves. We are from Team Rocket. Forgive the intrusion, but we'd like to borrow your S.S. Anne."
Lucas offered a polite nod toward the captain sitting at the desk. His smiling demeanor was friendly—like greeting an old friend.
"Team Rocket…?"
The captain's eyes widened instantly. That infamous criminal organization from Kanto—his heart immediately sank.
"Young man, the S.S. Anne will only be docked here for three days. It holds little value for your organization. If it's money you're after..."
"No, no—we're not interested in money. We simply want to use your ship to host a grand banquet. I'm sure a generous man like yourself will be more than happy to support us, won't you?"
Lucas smiled slightly, walking over to the captain's desk. His tone was warm as he gazed at the captain, whose forehead was already drenched in sweat.
A grand banquet?
The captain's heart instantly filled with dread when he recalled Team Rocket's notorious reputation.
"No! Don't be foolish, young man! Even if you're Team Rocket, this is Vermilion City! The S.S. Anne is under public attention! The League won't stand idly by!"
He clenched his teeth and refused to give in. These Team Rocket members had already made it this far, which likely meant the ship was under their control.
Inwardly, he cursed the useless sailors. The enemy had taken the ship and he—the captain—hadn't even gotten wind of it?
Still, he couldn't accept it. The S.S. Anne was his life's work. After decades of effort, he'd finally built it into a world-renowned vessel.
If Team Rocket ruined it, his lifetime of effort would go to waste.
"If you people now—"
Just as the captain was about to continue, a sinister hiss suddenly echoed in his ear.
"Hsssss~"
A chilling sound slithered across his eardrum.
His entire body froze, a cold sweat sweeping up from the soles of his feet.
He slowly, mechanically turned his head—only to be met with the horrifying image of a giant golden cobra staring at him with icy, murderous eyes.
And it was right in his face.
"AHHH!!"
The captain screamed and fell out of his chair, staring in terror at Arbok.
"Captain, would you be willing to cooperate now?"
Lucas crouched beside the fallen man, a playful curve to his lips as he asked once more.
"I... but..."
The captain's face was pale. His chest heaved as he stared, panic-stricken, at the huge cobra.
"It seems the captain still hasn't made up his mind. Arbok."
Lucas raised an eyebrow and called the Pokémon's name.
Arbok slithered over immediately and, without hesitation, opened its massive jaws and swallowed the captain's foot whole.
Under the terrified, despairing gaze of the captain, it continued to work its way upward—bit by bit.
"What the hell?!"
Surge blurted out a vulgar curse.
At the doorway, Marnie, Archer, and Surge—wearing his signature cap—all stared wide-eyed, perfectly embodying the phrase shocked beyond words.
In a matter of seconds, Arbok had swallowed the captain entirely.
Through Arbok's semi-transparent body, they could even make out the outline of the man inside.
"This..."
Even Archer stood stunned, unable to come up with anything to say.
"Alright, spit him out."
After a few seconds, Lucas patted Arbok on the head and smiled.
Plop!
Arbok obediently opened its terrifyingly wide mouth and vomited the captain onto the floor.
Soaked in digestive fluids, the man coughed twice and instinctively scrambled away from the golden serpent, his face full of fear and psychological trauma.
Damn it, this wasn't something a normal person could endure! He'd actually been swallowed by an Arbok. That kind of mental damage might never fade.
"Arbok's stomach acid control is pretty good. You didn't get completely dissolved. But I can't guarantee it'll go the same way next time."
"Captain, how are we feeling now?"
Lucas stood up and looked at the man with a smile. But now, that smile sent shivers down the captain's spine.
"No problem! The entire ship is yours! I'll cooperate fully, I swear!"
The captain nodded frantically. He was genuinely terrified.
He'd always known Team Rocket was evil—but this level of intimidation? He couldn't handle it.
The fact he didn't have a heart attack on the spot was probably thanks to his years of maritime experience.
"Now that's better."
Lucas smiled in satisfaction. The S.S. Anne was huge, and there were many systems onboard. He still needed the captain's expertise.
"Tsk tsk… You really are something, Lucas. Even this you could come up with."
Leaving two Rocket members to guard the captain, Surge gave Lucas a thumbs-up.
Watching Arbok swallow the captain earlier had been so intense that even he got goosebumps.
"Shame he gave in so fast. If Arbok had gone another round, it might've been even more fun."
Lucas chuckled softly, then said with mock regret: People just have too soft a backbone nowadays.
This guy couldn't even handle that much pressure—and he was the captain of the S.S. Anne?
Archer and Marnie both twitched. They really wanted to say: It's already a miracle he didn't pass out instantly, but wisely chose to remain silent.
"Next, I'm counting on you, Archer. Send your men out to distribute the tickets—quietly. We don't want to attract the League's attention."
Lucas turned to Archer, ending the topic.
He didn't want the League's people to board the ship—that would introduce too many variables.
"Leave it to me."
Archer smiled confidently. He was Archer, after all.
If he couldn't handle something this simple, he'd stream himself doing a handstand while having diarrhea!
"Alright then—everyone go handle their business. Miss Marnie, may I have the honor of a stroll with you around the S.S. Anne?"
Lucas casually invited Marnie, turning to her with a pleasant smile.
"...Fine. I'll give you a chance."
Marnie tilted her delicate chin and replied with her usual cool pride.
Archer and Surge exchanged a glance—then silently sped up to escape the incoming wave of PDA.
-----------------------------------------
Although it was rather strange that the world-renowned S.S. Anne would suddenly organize a Trainer Festival onboard, most people followed the philosophy of "a fool misses out on free opportunities"—and so, they didn't question it too much.
Most of the Trainers happily accepted their boarding passes, preparing to board this luxurious cruise ship to see what it was all about.
And now, that day had arrived—the day the S.S. Anne set sail.
The entire cruise ship was bustling with excitement. Lavishly dressed gentlemen and elegant ladies could be seen everywhere, mingling with Trainers in every corner. Under the brilliance of the crystal chandeliers, guests engaged in lively conversation, creating an atmosphere that was both harmonious and festive.
Among these people was a certain "little idiot" and his two faithful companions.
"Woo~ So delicious! The food here is so good!"
"Pika~chu!"
In one of the corners, a boy with a tender and youthful face was devouring food at the banquet table with his head buried in plates. He wore a duckbill cap and was stuffing his face while letting out muffled sighs of satisfaction. Sitting beside him, the electric mouse was also happily gnawing on a large apple.
"You idiot…"
Misty's expression twitched, and finally, with a helpless smack, she covered her face. Her cheeks were burning red. This was such a classy and elegant setting, and yet Ash had completely turned it into his personal buffet.
"Well, I guess it's fine. We just came aboard to look around anyway. Still, the S.S. Anne… it really does live up to its name."
Brock chuckled as his gaze swept across the hall, letting out a sigh of admiration.
Golden decorations could be seen everywhere, a pristine red carpet covered the floors, a magnificent crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling—every corner radiated an atmosphere of elegance and extravagance.
Meanwhile, in another corner of the ship—
Wearing a refined bowler hat and a luxurious tailored suit, Rose was quietly seated on a sofa.
"Sir, I've finished investigating. Everything in the hall appears to be completely normal. There are no signs of Team Rocket's presence."
His trusted aide returned to his side and reported softly.
"Normalcy is the greatest abnormality. This so-called Trainer Festival is clearly orchestrated by Team Rocket. We just need to wait."
Rose gently swirled the red wine in his glass, his deep, magnetic voice calm and unhurried.
"But, sir… aren't we taking too big a risk? After all, this is Team Rocket we're talking about."
His aide hesitated for a moment. There were only two of them, and if this truly was a scheme set up by Team Rocket, then by the time things escalated, there might not be a single safe place left aboard this ship. If anything were to happen…
"If you want to obtain the fruit of success, how can you expect not to take risks?" Rose remained unmoved, his profound gaze as steady as ever.
Of course, he knew this was dangerous—but so what?
Did people really think he, Rose, was just some delicate chairman who couldn't even truss a chicken?
Back in the day, he was the runner-up in the Galar Region Championship! While his strength might not match Leon, he was still an extremely formidable Trainer.
Otherwise, what gave him the confidence to go after Team Rocket?
For an evil organization like that, if you didn't have a few cards up your sleeve, it would be no different than throwing yourself into the lion's den.
What's more, as the Chairman of the Galar League, he absolutely could not afford for anything to happen to him. Otherwise, the entire Galar region would fall into utter chaos.
"…Maybe once this is over, I should have a proper conversation with Leon."
Taking a small sip of red wine, Rose sighed inwardly. The incident with Eternatus being stolen had completely thrown his plans into disarray.
After the events in Hammerlocke, although Leon and Raihan hadn't said anything outright, Rose had clearly sensed that a shadow of doubt had begun to grow in their hearts. The complete trust they once had in him… was gone.
Keeping Eternatus in the Energy Plant…
No matter how you looked at it, it was suspicious, wasn't it?
It was only natural that Leon and Raihan had their doubts. But at the time, Rose had been so focused on Eternatus that he hadn't had the chance to properly explain things to them.
Now that the dust had settled, he really needed to talk things through with Leon.
Everything he did—everything—was for Galar.
Rose believed that Leon would understand him.
But… would he really understand?
(End of Chapter)