It was not yet dawn.
A thunderous boom erupted, as if ten thousand tons of explosives had detonated by the shore!
The ground throughout Lampurchi City trembled.
Window panes rattled loudly.
The sleeping city was instantly jolted awake.
"Ah!"
In the villa, Misty let out a startled cry and sat up abruptly in bed.
Delia was also startled awake at the same time.
"Roy!"
Misty was the first to react; not even stopping to put on her slippers, she ran out the door barefoot.
Delia followed closely behind.
Both were wearing only thin nightgowns.
Misty's pale pink nightgown was very short, barely reaching the top of her thighs, revealing much as she ran.
Although Delia's white nightgown was longer, its material was thin, and in the dim light filtering through the window, her curves were faintly visible.
They rushed into Roy's room in a panic.
Bang!
The door was pushed open.
Roy was already standing by the window, looking into the distance with a frown.
"Roy!"
Misty lunged forward and tightly hugged Roy's waist.
Delia also walked to Roy's side, her face pale, but she forced herself to remain calm.
"It's all right," Roy said, putting an arm around Misty and patting Delia's shoulder. "That was the sound of an explosion."
He looked out the window.
On the distant horizon, firelight and thick smoke were faintly visible.
The direction... was exactly where Paradise Resort was located.
"That direction..." Delia noticed as well.
"Yeah." Roy's gaze turned cold. "Something's happened."
He turned and began to get dressed.
"You two go get changed quickly; we need to go take a look."
Misty and Delia nodded quickly... Five minutes later.
The three of them were fully dressed and rushed out of the villa.
The streets were in chaos.
Awakened citizens poured out of their homes, looking toward the sea in terror.
The sound of sirens approached from afar.
"Look over there!"
Someone pointed at the sea and screamed.
The main building of Paradise Resort in the distance was slowly tilting.
There was another loud bang.
The iconic Ferris wheel collapsed with a roar, sending water splashing everywhere.
"It's over... the park is finished..."
"What on earth is going on?"
"Run! A tsunami is coming!"
Someone shouted.
Everyone looked toward the sea.
A giant wave several meters high was surging toward the coastline at a terrifying speed!
Within the waves, dense blue figures were faintly visible.
They were Tentacool!
Thousands upon thousands of them!
They surged with the giant wave, tentacles waving, their eyes filled with rage.
"How... how are there so many!"
Misty's face turned pale with fear.
Delia also tightly gripped Roy's arm.
Roy's expression was grave.
The worst-case scenario had happened after all.
And... it was even more serious than he had anticipated.
"To the pier!"
Roy pulled the two of them along, running against the crowd toward the shore... to the pier.
It was a complete mess here.
Although the giant wave weakened on the beach, it still washed away parts of the boardwalk.
Even more terrifying were the Tentacool.
They crawled ashore, using their tentacles to wrap around anything they could.
Streetlights, benches, signs... Poison Sting attacks were being fired everywhere.
"Retreat! Everyone retreat!"
A middle-aged man in a suit shouted through a megaphone.
He was surrounded by a group of people who looked like officials.
Among them was Sato, who had received Roy yesterday.
At this moment, Sato's face was deathly pale, and he was drenched in sweat.
"Mr. Mayor... I... I didn't know it would turn out like this..."
Sato's voice was trembling.
The middle-aged man he called Mayor was furious.
"You didn't know? Didn't you say all the paperwork for Paradise Resort was legal? Didn't you say the Pokemon were properly settled?"
"You call this 'properly settled'?"
The Mayor pointed at the collapsed buildings on the sea and the swarms of Tentacool coming ashore.
"Do you know how massive the losses are this time?"
"Do you know that if any citizens are hurt, both you and I are finished!"
Sato's legs went weak.
"It was... it was Old Woman Jin... she guaranteed it..."
"Guaranteed? You're still bringing up guarantees to me now?"
The Mayor was so angry he almost smashed the megaphone into his face.
Just then.
Roy walked over with Misty and Delia.
"Mr. Mayor."
Roy's voice was calm, but it reached the Mayor's ears clearly.
The Mayor turned, saw it was a young man, and frowned.
"Who are you? It's dangerous here; retreat with the citizens immediately!"
"I am the one who reported the issues to Mr. Sato yesterday," Roy said, looking at Sato. "Regarding the illegal construction of Paradise Resort and the use of chemical agents to drive away the Tentacool."
Sato's expression changed drastically.
"You... you're talking nonsense!"
The Mayor narrowed his eyes.
"Young man, explain yourself clearly."
Roy calmly explained the whole situation.
From Horsea's ordeal to the construction party's use of chemicals, and finally to the destruction of the Tentacool colony's home.
Every sentence was clear and logical.
The more the Mayor listened, the darker his face became.
Finally, he whipped his head around and glared intensely at Sato.
"Is what he's saying true?"
"I... I..." Sato stammered incoherently.
"Speak!"
The Mayor roared.
Sato completely broke down.
"It was... Old Woman Jin said everything was fine... the environmental impact report was forged... I really didn't know about the chemicals..."
Slap!
The Mayor slapped Sato across the face.
"You bastard!"
"I trusted you so much, giving you full authority over tourism development, and this is how you repay me?"
The Mayor was shaking with rage.
But now was not the time for assigning blame.
He looked toward the sea.
Although the giant wave had receded, the Tentacool swarm had fully made landfall.
Even more terrifying... deep in the sea, an enormous shadow was approaching.
"What... what is that..."
The Mayor's voice trembled.
Everyone looked at the sea.
The sea exploded upward.
An unimaginably massive Tentacruel slowly emerged from the water.
Its size was comparable to a small cruise ship!
Every tentacle was covered in poison stingers that glinted coldly.
"A... a monster..."
Someone collapsed to the ground.
The Mayor's face also turned ashen.
"It's over... everything is over..."
"Our city has no Gym... no powerful Trainers stationed here... how can we withstand such a Pokemon disaster..."
"Requesting support from the League now... it's too late..."
The Mayor covered his face in despair.
He knew his political career was over.
He might even end up in prison.
Just then.
Roy took a step forward.
"Mr. Mayor, I can resolve this problem."
The Mayor snapped his head up.
"You?"
He looked at the young man before him; hope flared in his eyes, only to dim immediately.
"Young man, this is no time to show off... that Tentacruel is definitely not something an ordinary Trainer can handle..."
"I can," Roy said firmly. "But I have conditions."
"What conditions? Name them!" the Mayor said, like a drowning man clutching at a straw. "As long as this crisis can be resolved, I'll agree to anything!"
Roy held up one finger.
"First, the Paradise Resort project must be permanently halted."
"No problem!" the Mayor said without hesitation. "Such an illegal project shouldn't have existed in the first place!"
Roy held up a second finger.
"Second, designate this sea area as a protected zone to serve as a habitat for the Tentacool colony, with all development forbidden."
"As it should be!" the Mayor nodded immediately. "Pokemon habitats should be protected! This was my failure, being deceived by others!"
Roy held up a third finger.
"Third, severely punish all those responsible."
"Severe punishment! They must be severely punished!" the Mayor gritted his teeth. "Not a single one will escape!"
"Good." Roy nodded. "Then please remember your promise, Mr. Mayor."
Having said that, he turned to look at Misty and Delia.
"Wait for me here and stay safe."
"Roy..." Misty grabbed his hand, her eyes full of worry.
Delia also looked as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.
"Trust me," Roy smiled.
He released Misty's hand and walked to the edge of the pier.
Then, he took a poké ball from his waist.
"Come out, Pidgeotto!"
A flash of white light occurred.
A robustly built Pidgeotto appeared in the air.
"Let's go."
Roy flipped onto Pidgeotto's back.
Pidgeotto let out a long cry, spread its wings, and flew toward the giant Tentacruel on the sea.