Sasaki Taro stepped from the shadows into the bright spotlight, a microphone in his hand.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome. I am Sasaki Taro, the host of tonight's charity gala. First, I want to thank you all for gracing us with your presence. Tonight, I will be auctioning off several unique pieces from my private collection. All proceeds will be donated. Please, enjoy yourselves—all drinks tonight are on me!"
Sasaki spoke with high-spirited passion to the crowd on the deck.
So that's the man, Feng Che thought, eyeing the silver-haired, somewhat cool-looking middle-aged man. He bore a 70% resemblance to James from the animation.
The Sasaki family definitely has ties to Team Rocket, and Apollo must know that. The only logical explanation is that they are connected to the Three Executives, not the Four Generals. That's why Apollo has no qualms about kidnapping Sasaki to get the Thunder God Crystal.
Feng Che was currently disguised as a waiter, moving through the crowd of socialites. He knew the plan for tonight: plunder the jewels and the Pokémon of these wealthy guests. Many rare Pokémon were playing on the deck, some with excellent potential.
Talon was fixated on Sasaki's every move. He saw the billionaire flirt with a fashionably dressed noblewoman before the two of them disappeared into the Presidential Suite. A long while later, the woman stumbled out of the room alone.
"Follow her. Be discreet—don't let her notice," Talon whispered to a nearby grunt.
On the deck, the music was reaching a crescendo, and laughter filled the air. Suddenly, every light on the ship vanished.
"What's going on? A blackout?" "Is this part of a show?" "Hey, stop the lights, I'm afraid of the dark!"
The crowd erupted into a flurry of confused chatter. Then, a single spotlight flared to life, illuminating a figure.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I am Apollo, one of the Four Generals of Team Rocket. I hereby announce that this ship has been hijacked. Surrender your treasures and your Pokémon, and I will grant you a path to live. Resist, and I'll toss you overboard. These waters are the territory of Sharpedo; a single drop of blood and you'll become their dinner. And don't worry—if you die, I'm sure your families will celebrate inheriting your vast estates. All I want is your property. We've scouted you for days; we know exactly what you're carrying. Don't be foolish. Life is priceless."
Apollo laughed triumphantly.
"Hmph! My Pokémon is Gym-level! Team Rocket is nothing! Go, Charizard!" A young man in a gentleman's suit tossed a Poké Ball. A two-meter-tall dragon soared into the sky, launching a Flamethrower at Apollo.
"We outnumber them! Fight back!" Other wealthy guests followed suit, releasing their Pokémon for battle.
"Fools," Apollo said coldly. "I was going to let you go. Now, I've changed my mind. I'll capture you all and demand ransom from your families."
Apollo unleashed his powerful psychic energy, literally warping the Charizard's flames in mid-air and slamming them back into the dragon's own chest. The Charizard crashed into the deck, leaving a deep crater. Rocket grunts released their Pokémon, and a massive melee began.
"Talon, move out. Secure Sasaki Taro now," Apollo commanded via his communicator.
"Understood. Moving in." Talon and his squad stormed the Presidential Suite. He burst in to see Sasaki sitting calmly on the sofa, wearing sunglasses.
"Mr. Sasaki, come with us," Talon said with a smirk.
But the "Sasaki" on the sofa suddenly began to ripple and melt, transforming into a purple blob—a Ditto.
"Crap! It's a substitute! The woman who walked out earlier was the real Sasaki! He knew our plan and disguised himself as a woman! Move! After him!" Talon shouted, leading his team toward the deck. There, he found several Rocket grunts knocked unconscious.
"Dammit! The big fish got away!" Talon growled into his communicator.
"What?! He escaped?" Apollo's face turned ashen. "A slippery old fox. We can't let him leave. Talon, initiate Plan B."
Following the order, grunts began rolling 200kg wooden barrels onto the deck. They opened the lids, pouring thick, pungent blood into the sea. The blood would cling to the hull and spread through the surrounding waters, luring every Sharpedo in the region to the ship.
In a remote corner of the lower deck, Kahili and Nikola were huddled around Sasaki Taro, who was now disguised as a young, innocent girl.
"The situation is tense," Nikola whispered. "Wealthy guests are fighting the grunts, and Rocket is hunting for you. They've poured blood into the water—we can't escape by sea anymore."
"Don't worry," Sasaki said calmly. "They usually just want money. But I suspect this time they want my Divine Crystals. I have the Water, Fire, and Thunder crystals. If I'm right, Apollo is specifically after those."
"I thought you had ties to Rocket?" Kahili asked.
"Rocket is fractured into factions—Generals, Executives, the Dark Division. My connection is with Lt. Surge of the Three Executives," Sasaki explained. "We stay here for now. If it comes down to it, I'll hand over the crystals to save our lives."
On the deck, Feng Che dodged an attack from two Houndoom, commanding his Ditto (transformed into an Arbok) to strike back. His backpack was already bulging with looted treasures.
"Arbok, Glare!" The Houndoom flinched at the terrifying patterns on the snake's hood. "Now, Iron Tail!" The Arbok slammed them both into the deck.
These rich kids' Pokémon are so weak—too much pampered living, Feng Che thought, busily stripping the Houndoom of their collars, which were studded with high-grade Dusk Stones. Perfect for Torracat's evolution.
Rocket had set up a specific cabin to store the loot. "Hurry up! Everything must be turned in! No skimming!" a Captain yelled at Feng Che.
Feng Che deposited his "haul" into the cabin. A squad of grunts guarded the door. This hoard was Apollo's ticket to expanding his influence.
The heavy door slammed shut.
Among the pile of treasure, a single gold coin rolled onto the floor. It rippled and transformed into a Ditto. The Ditto opened its mouth and spat out a Storage Ring, beginning to vacuum up every piece of treasure in the room.