Sea Star Ocean Liner: Presidential Suite
The multi-billionaire Sasaki Taro was currently indulging in a life of high-quality luxury. Clad in a finely crafted bathrobe, he sipped coffee worth hundreds of thousands of League coins per cup. On his table sat a steak worth over a million, accompanied by vintage wine imported from the Sinnoh region.
"Kanto is about to descend into chaos again," Sasaki sighed. "I truly don't know what Goodshow is thinking, letting a perfectly stable situation rot like this. Even the Four Kings have broken ties with him. Supporting Goodshow was the biggest mistake I've ever made."
He felt a twinge of annoyance, as if a massive investment had just gone down the drain. "Inflation in Kanto is going to skyrocket soon. Send word down—find a way to stabilize prices for our assets in the region."
He turned to his secretary, Nakamura. "What's my schedule like, Nakamura?"
"Mr. Sasaki," the secretary replied robotically, "at 10:00 AM, a video call with the Hoenn Champion. At 12:00 PM, a call with the Clan Leader of the Dragon Clan in Sinnoh. At 3:00 PM, the weekly routine board meeting for the Sasaki Group—"
"Enough. Cancel everything except for the charity gala tonight. Tell them I'm unwell. I'm tired; I need a rest. You're dismissed until the gala," Sasaki waved him off impatiently.
"Understood, Mr. Sasaki." The secretary bowed deeply and quietly closed the door.
"What's wrong? Is there a problem with your secretary? You sent him away quite quickly," said a beautiful woman nearby, who was busy polishing a golf club.
"Kahili, you don't understand," Sasaki said with a wry smile. "That man pretended quite well, but he forgot one thing: my real secretary is never that polite. Because I'm lazy and hate working, my hardworking secretary usually has a long face and spends his time scolding me to get to work. It seems this trip is going to be troublesome."
"It seems there are quite a few 'little mice' on this ship," Sasaki's expression grew grave. "If I'm not mistaken, the entire vessel has been compromised. And in the Sevii Islands, the only ones bold enough to do this are the fearless Team Rocket."
"Don't worry, Mr. Sasaki. I will ensure your safety," Kahili said, tossing her pale blue hair over her shoulder with a relaxed look. In her shadow, the silhouette of a Decidueye, native to Alola, flickered momentarily.
"You don't know Team Rocket. They are ruthless. I've heard their Executives have Elite Four-level strength. If several of them team up, we're in trouble. Promise me: if you encounter an enemy you cannot defeat, leave me. I have my own ways of escaping."
Sasaki laughed. "In the end, all they want is money. I'll just give it to them. It's just a bit of cash—a mere drop in the bucket for the Sasaki family."
Outside, "Nakamura" walked to a secluded corner and removed a mask, revealing the face of Talon. He was immediately surrounded by Rocket grunts.
"Sasaki Taro hasn't realized his secretary has been swapped yet. Keep a death watch on his room. No one enters or leaves except for our people," Talon ordered.
Nearby, Feng Che used his psychic abilities to eavesdrop on the comms. So, Apollo's plan is to hijack the gala and steal the Thunder God Crystal? He wants to use it to capture Raikou and solidify his position in the organization, huh?
The Thunder God Crystal is a top-tier relic, Feng Che thought. If I use it on my cloned Zeraora... the one with Zekrom's genes... damn, that thing might become the strongest Mythical below the level of a True God.
A mischievous smirk played on his lips. As a High-tier psychic, I can easily blend into the Rocket ranks. Apollo might try to kill me if he finds out, but for that crystal, the risk is worth it.
He had already replaced a Rocket member named Junpei, having used a memory-scan to absorb the man's entire life history.
Rocket plans to strike during the charity gala tonight. They've rigged the ship with explosives. God, Apollo is a psychopath—if this liner sinks in the middle of the deep sea, thousands will die.
Fortunately, I have a mini-sub in my storage ring. I can slip away whenever I want. But man, the amount of wealth on this ship...
He watched several socialites walk by, wearing necklaces made of high-purity Evolution Stones. I really don't understand the world of the ultra-rich. Do you have to be this flashy? One necklace is worth billions. It's making me want to rob them too.
Maybe I'll wait for Apollo's men to do the dirty work of gathering the loot, then I'll find the vault and clear it out in one go?
Night fell as the Sea Star reached the deep ocean. A bright moon hung in the ink-black sky, casting a silver mist over the decks. Orchestral music filled the air as the wealthy guests began to dance.
Suddenly, the lights cut out.
As the crowd murmured in confusion, the spotlights suddenly converged on a single point...