The S.S. Anne cleaved through the ocean waves, pressing steadily onward across the open sea. As a massive ocean liner displacing tens of thousands of tons and capable of carrying countless passengers, this maritime behemoth stood as a proud testament to human technology. It seemed as though no storm or disaster at sea could possibly destroy it.
But that wasn't entirely true.
In this mysterious and unpredictable world, human technology was not the dominant force. It was only because most powerful sea-type Pokémon preferred to dwell in the deep ocean—and because humans rarely provoked them—that they generally left human vessels alone.
Kael stood at the highest point of the deck, both hands resting on the railing, eyes half-closed as he enjoyed the sea breeze blowing straight at him. The weather was excellent today—the wind gentle and pleasant, brushing against his face like a veil of soft silk.
"Hm?"
At that moment, two figures caught Kael's attention.
Near the corner of the forward deck, the leather-clad woman who had boarded at the same time as him—seemingly warm and outgoing—appeared to be speaking with a burly bald man. Their expressions were calm, revealing nothing that might hint at the nature of their relationship.
Kael didn't recognize the bald man with the tattooed neck. As for the voluptuous woman in leather, he remembered her name should be Lisa. When had these two gotten acquainted? The thought piqued his curiosity.
Though their expressions remained composed, neither of them let their guard down. They were clearly keeping an eye on their surroundings—and the moment they noticed a familiar figure on the deck not far away, they immediately stopped talking.
The bald man seemed to give a few final instructions, then shot Kael a brief glance before striding off the third-level deck. Lisa curved her lips into a knowing smile and walked toward Kael with an easy, confident sway.
"Hey there, kid~ Fancy running into you again," she called out before she even reached him. "Looks like we really are destined to keep meeting!"
She reached out, as if to pat his shoulder in a familiar gesture—but Kael straightened slightly, sidestepping the touch without making a fuss.
Coming back to himself, Kael smiled and said, "I came up to enjoy the view and get some fresh air. Didn't expect to see you here too, Lisa. By the way—who was that bald guy just now? You seem to know him."
Lisa didn't look the least bit flustered by the question. She replied with a casual shrug and an easy smile, "His name's Mondo. I met him on a bounty job some time ago. Didn't think I'd run into him again on this escort mission, so we exchanged a few words."
Halfway through, her tone subtly changed.
She studied Kael's sunlit profile, her eyes flickering with interest as she said lightly, "You know, kid, I've got a pretty good impression of you. Most guys are loud and rough around the edges—but you're different. Calm, polite. I like that."
She tilted her head, her smile turning playful. "How about it? Want to come by my room later? Just to chat and pass the time. I could even share a few things that might come in handy out there on the road."
"Things that might come in handy?"
A sudden voice cut in, breaking the moment.
A young man wearing plain glasses appeared seemingly out of nowhere, his expression eager and far too animated.
He hurried over, face flushed. "Lisa! I'm interested too! I want to learn—"
"Idiot."
Lisa shot him a contemptuous glance, didn't bother acknowledging him further, and clicked away from the deck in her black knee-high heels.
Kael adjusted the brim of his cap, glanced at the man's drooling, lecherous expression, chuckled softly, and prepared to leave as well.
"Kid—hold it right there."
The voice was no longer greasy or fawning. In an instant, it became steady and forceful.
Kael turned back.
The man was leaning against the railing now, arms crossed, head slightly lowered, striking a thoughtful, composed pose entirely different from before.
"Let me introduce myself," the bespectacled man said, pushing his glasses up as his voice dropped. "My name is Cole. Bounty hunting is just a side job. My real identity is that of a League Elite Inspector."
"Oh?" Kael nodded calmly.
"You're not surprised at all?" Cole stared at him. Seeing such a bland reaction, he immediately lost his composed demeanor, and that familiar sleazy grin crept back onto his face.
"So, Inspector," Kael said lazily, stretching as he turned his head toward him, "what exactly do you want with me? If there's nothing important, I'm heading back to my room."
Cole scanned the surroundings. Seeing no one else on the deck, he leaned in close and lowered his voice.
"Kid, I'll give you a warning. That woman—Lisa—is not someone you want to mess with. Stay far away from her. According to my investigation, every partner who's teamed up with her on bounty missions over the past few years met a bad end. They either vanished without a trace, or were so badly injured that they stopped breathing before even reaching the hospital."
He lowered his voice even further, speaking mysteriously. "And that's not all. I've discovered that she's involved in underworld dealings. She has deep connections with Team Rocket, the Kanto region's criminal organization."
…
After hearing this, Kael gave him a thoughtful look and said, "If that's the case, then the bald man she spoke with earlier is very likely a Team Rocket member."
"Exactly." Cole nodded firmly. "We already received reliable intelligence—Team Rocket is planning some kind of terrorist operation against the S.S. Anne during this voyage. By now, there are probably quite a few Rocket members already mixed in among the passengers."
"But what does any of that have to do with me?" Kael said with a faint smile. "Aren't you worried I might be with Team Rocket too? I could turn around and sell you out."
"Heh." Cole let out an exaggerated sigh. "Kid, that' s where you and I differ-experience."
He straightened up, looking thoroughly pleased with himself. "I trust my eye for people. And you? You've got 'promising up-and-comer' written all over you. Give it time, keep your head straight, and I wouldn't be surprised if you ended up among the League's top brass one day."
Kael turned around and started walking away.
"Alright, alright—I'll tell the truth!" Cole hurriedly grabbed Kael's arm, his expression turning pitiful. "The truth is, this operation was put together way too hastily. The League didn't have time to deploy enough manpower. So our boss told us to privately contact strong trainers on board. When Team Rocket makes their move, we can ask those trainers to assist us."
"Nice idea," Kael said calmly as he brushed Cole's hand aside. "But unfortunately, I'm a bounty hunter. If there's no benefit involved, why exactly should I help you?"
Cole choked on his words, face flushing with anger. "Hey! You little brat—don't you have even the most basic moral sense as a League citizen?! Helping League inspectors combat criminal forces is every citizen's duty, isn't it?!"
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