Six days later, the S.S. Anne was less than half a day away from reaching shore.
At this moment, the grand ballroom was hosting the final farewell banquet.
Ash and his group moved together through the crowd, frequently scanning their surroundings with caution. Earlier, everyone had already shared intelligence—Team Rocket was extremely likely to launch a counterattack in the ship's final hours.
"Kidnap the rich and achieve common prosperity."
Blue scratched her head belatedly and said in surprise,
"Eh? Doesn't that sound pretty good?"
"That's just the slogan," Brock replied seriously. "It's purely to fool idiots. In reality, they rob the rich—but they also rob the poor. So you'd get robbed too."
Blue: "?"
…That felt oddly offensive.
"Starmie, use Water Gun!"
"Raticate, use Hyper Fang!"
Two sharp shouts drew the group's attention. Pushing through the crowd, they saw a plump, yellow-brown rat Pokémon facing off against a Starmie, surrounded by onlookers enjoying the spectacle.
At the command of a gentleman in a black top hat, the Raticate forced its way through the Water Gun, its massive incisors biting straight into Starmie's central gem.
Crack!
The gem seemed to shatter. Starmie was knocked backward, its strength completely drained by that single Hyper Fang, its body going limp.
"I lost…"
The trainer could only recall his Starmie and look at the gentleman with admiration.
"Heh heh~"
Clearly pleased, the gentleman straightened up proudly. As someone of high society, he thrived on praise.
He bowed elegantly, then suddenly raised a hand toward the crowd.
"Ha ha! Is there any other brave Trainer who'd like to challenge my Raticate?"
"I—I do!"
Ash eagerly jumped forward, raising his thumb.
"Alright! Pikachu, I choose you!"
A mouse Pokémon? Naturally, you counter it with an Electric Mouse.
"Pika!"
Pikachu leapt from Ash's shoulder to the floor, its black eyes sizing up the plump Raticate as electricity crackled from its cheeks.
"Oh, young man, my Raticate is quite strong, you know~"
The gentleman smiled, clearly not taking Ash seriously.
"Raticate, Quick Attack!"
"Pikachu, Quick Attack too!"
Two streaks of white light burst from both Pokémon as they charged at the same time.
Just before impact, Pikachu subtly shifted its steps, lowering its body slightly—
Then sprang upward at the moment of contact!
Clang—bang!
The two Pokémon passed through each other, but as they brushed past, Pikachu slammed its head straight into Raticate's jaw, sending the larger Pokémon flying backward from the sheer force.
"So fast!"
The gentleman was startled and immediately issued another command.
"Raticate, use Hyper Fang!"
Raticate stabilized itself midair, its massive incisors glowing with a chilling red light as it lunged toward Pikachu.
The power of Hyper Fang is something an Electric Mouse can't withstand!
The gentleman was confident.
He had bought this Raticate for three million from a middle-aged man—an ultra-rare specimen rumored to possess ancient bloodlines, with a chance to awaken into a Golden Raticate.
But Ash's eyes lit up as a strategy formed instantly.
"Pikachu, strike the ground with Iron Tail!"
"Pika!"
Pikachu halted, curled its tail, and slammed it hard against the red-carpeted floor.
Now airborne behind Raticate, Pikachu's cheeks were already fully charged, terrifying electricity surging across its body.
Danger!
The gentleman hurriedly raised his hand.
"Alright, let's stop here. Let's call this battle… fifty–fifty—"
Before he could finish, yellow lightning exploded from Pikachu, electric serpents crashing down like thunder.
Thunderbolt!!
BOOOOM!!
Electric light shot skyward, scattering violently. Even the deck was blasted into a small crater.
When the smoke cleared, Raticate lay sprawled on the ground, completely blackened—utterly drained, with a faint smell of charred fur.
Ash scratched his head and looked at the gentleman in confusion.
"Uh… I didn't hear clearly just now. What exactly was fifty–fifty?"
The gentleman: "…"
His expression twisted before quickly returning to a smile. He walked up to Ash and spoke gently.
"Seems you've raised your Electric Mouse very well. How about exchanging it for my Raticate?"
"Exchanging?"
Ash blinked. It was his first time hearing such a thing.
"Trainer exchanges are very popular, you see. When both parties like each other's Pokémon—"
Wait a second… did that shady merchant scam me?!
The gentleman was already plotting to break that middle-aged man's legs later.
Ash, however, looked at him like he was an idiot.
"Do you take me for a rookie?"
He casually pulled out his Pokédex and scanned the defeated Raticate.
Beep. Raticate, the Mouse Pokémon. Extremely common. Little training value. Teeth may be used as decorative art pieces.
The Pokédex announced.
My Pikachu has emperor-level potential,
destined to command the heavens and summon lightning itself.
And you want to trade that for a common Raticate?
Ash trembled with anger.
The gentleman: "…"
Suddenly, the Pokédex spoke again.
Beep. Pikachu is also an extremely common Pokémon. Ordinary and unremarkable. A decorative vase with little practical value.
Ash: "…"
Nothing disgusts you quite like your own Pokédex.
"Heh heh~"
At that moment, a soft chuckle echoed from the center of the hall.
Elegant, refined, and unmistakably aristocratic—it drew everyone's attention instantly.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we'll be reaching land in three hours. So let's have one final activity~"
Apollo had appeared on stage at some point, microphone in hand, smiling at the crowd.
"Next, I invite all wealthy guests to squat down with hands on their heads. As for poor Trainers—please kneel with your hands on your heads."
As his words fell, staff members stationed throughout the hall sneered and tore off their disguises.
On every chest was emblazoned a large purple 'R'.
Team Rocket's corporate team-building exercise… had finally begun.
"Team Rocket!?"
"When did this happen?!"
Many passengers instantly recognized the symbol. In the Kanto Region, Team Rocket's reputation was terrifying—some said it even overshadowed the Pokémon League itself.
That purple "R" symbolized one thing:
absolute lawlessness.
Apollo scanned the room, sneering as panic spread across most faces.
He then subtly nodded toward two people in the crowd, signaling them to stay calm.
We already reached an agreement last night… they won't turn on me now, right?
Ash & Blue: "???"
The two exchanged confused looks.
Did that flashy guy just nod at us?
Do we even know him?
Should we nod back out of courtesy?
They frowned, torn with uncertainty.
Team Rocket grunts bared their teeth menacingly, instantly frightening the wealthy guests who had never seen real combat.
But there were plenty of Trainers present.
They weren't about to surrender without a fight—Poké Balls were drawn one after another.
Trainers are adventurers by nature.
Team Rocket grunts alone weren't intimidating enough.
"Hmph."
Apollo remained calm. Grunts could scare civilians—but experienced Trainers required something else.
Overwhelming force.
He coldly tossed a Poké Ball.
Bang!
A jet-black canine Pokémon appeared before everyone.
Its body was pitch black, with white, bone-like armor encasing its ankles. A pair of curved, skull-like horns crowned its head, and its muscular limbs radiated menace.
It looked like a hellhound straight out of folklore.
"ROOOAAAR!!"
The beast threw back its head and howled. The sound felt tangible, slamming into everyone's chests like a war drum.
Move: Snarl.
The black dog then spat flames into the air, the heat scorching the atmosphere.
Beep. Houndoom, the Dark Pokémon. The evolved form of Houndour. Extremely dangerous, known to hunt targets in packs.
Even the Pokédex turned serious this time.
With a casual gesture from Apollo, Houndoom stepped forward, murderous intent flooding the hall.
The dozens of Trainers who had been ready to fight all stepped back instinctively.
One Pokémon… suppressing dozens.
This is not an opponent they could handle.
Apollo smiled smugly.
"Hmph. My Houndoom could even—"
Suddenly, he noticed two people in the crowd staring at him strangely, brows tightly furrowed.
Apollo's heart skipped.
Did I go too far?
Was I too arrogant?
They agreed to the robbery last night—are they changing their minds now?
No… confronting them head-on would be suicide.
They're absolute monsters.
Countless thoughts raced through his mind.
A new storm was brewing.
BOOOOM!!
Suddenly, the ship lurched violently.
The deck and walls shook as if the apocalypse had arrived. Everyone grabbed onto something to keep their balance.
"What's happening?!"
Even Team Rocket's grunts were stunned.
Was this also part of Apollo's plan?
At that moment, a white-bearded sailor burst into the hall, panic written across his face, dragging a little girl behind him.
He was the old captain of the S.S. Anne—the one who "wrote The Old Man and the Sea," apparently.
"Everyone listen! The ship has struck a reef! Abandon ship immediately!!"
He shouted desperately.
Apollo: "…"
PS: I've been releasing chapters daily . Honestly, it hurts seeing almost no support on Patreon after all that work.
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