Rescue

Su Hao rode Dragonite ahead, leading the way. He was high in the sky and had not chosen to fly over the sea's surface.

Since those Poachers had chosen the sea route, they only had three ways to travel: by air, by water, or by Dive.

Ahead lay the boundary between the Divine Land Alliance's waters and the Sakura Nation Alliance's waters.

Based on Su Hao's guess, the Poachers would not choose the air route. They were fleeing with stolen Pokémon and certainly would not swagger across the border so openly. That would draw far too much attention.

The Poachers had probably chosen the water route. To conceal the rare Pokémon, they would most likely disguise themselves as a fishing boat or merchant vessel.

Pokémon existed throughout this world's oceans, and powerful ones were everywhere.

Therefore, nations did not maintain as tight a grip over their waters and maritime borders as they had before Su Hao's transmigration, allowing these Poachers to slip into other countries with ease.

To avoid alerting the enemy and provoking the Poachers into harming the Young Pokémon, Su Hao decided to approach from the sky first, then have Gardevoir and Alakazam bring him into the place where the Pokémon were being held.

Following the direction indicated by the mark at full speed, the sensation from it soon came directly from beneath them.

He had Dragonite descend to a height where the people below would not spot them, but where his Wave Power could still reach. Then he closed his eyes and controlled his Wave Power to investigate.

There were two people on the ship below, both dressed as fishermen. One was short, the other brawny. Both were men.

There were no Pokémon responsible for keeping watch within the range he could detect, though he could not rule out invisible Ghost-type Pokémon. Still, he was more inclined to believe that the two had not released any Pokémon in order to maintain their disguise as fishermen.

"Since that's the case." After finishing his investigation, Su Hao opened his eyes. A moment's thought was enough for him to devise a rescue plan.

Alakazam would use Teleport to bring him into an empty cabin. Gardevoir would conceal herself in the air to keep watch and relay information.

The Alakazam line had always been exceptionally fond of Teleport from childhood to adulthood. This Gym Level Alakazam had mastered it to perfection, and taking someone along would not be a problem.

Dragonite, Salamence, and Garchomp would remain on standby in the sky. Once they received Su Hao's signal, they would descend and subdue the two men!

After finalizing the plan, Su Hao immediately explained the operation and its guidelines to the five Pokémon.

"Then, Alakazam, I'm counting on you. Teleport!" After assigning their tasks, Su Hao immediately began the operation with Alakazam and Gardevoir.

He leaped from Dragonite's back. Before Su Hao could experience the sensation of freefall, Alakazam's Mental Power swiftly transformed into Psychic-type power and caught him.

After descending to the lowest safe point, Alakazam's Psychic-type power warped space, and then Teleport activated!

His vision flashed, and the damp smell hit his nose. Su Hao and Alakazam had already arrived inside the ship's cabin.

He looked around for a moment, then quietly walked toward a corner.

The cabin was filled with all kinds of seafood, making it look like a genuine fishing boat headed to the Sakura Nation Alliance for trade.

But those things were merely a cover at most.

Su Hao's Aura detected another layer of space beneath this cabin.

And the passage was right in the corner before him.

He released his Aura, and together with Alakazam's Psychic-type power, began searching.

Under the Aura's scan, he quickly found the hidden switch concealed within the cabin wall.

He directed Alakazam to gently remove the section of wall hiding the switch, revealing a red button before Su Hao.

It was an old-fashioned push-button switch and probably had no alarm or communication function.

A faint unlocking sound came from beneath the floor, and a hidden passage just wide enough for an adult to pass through appeared.

He did not go down immediately. He used his Aura to inspect the area below once more, and only after confirming there were no guards lying in wait did Su Hao prepare to descend.

Before going down, Su Hao asked Alakazam to keep watch in the cabin, just in case the two Poachers suddenly came inside.

Climbing down the ladder, Su Hao entered an extremely cramped compartment. Through his Aura, he could sense that all the captured Young Pokémon were there.

When he turned on the light, he saw seven Pokémon locked inside an iron cage that occupied most of the compartment. Yet one of them looked strangely familiar.

Why was that somewhat peculiar Feebas he had seen when he, Carbink, and Incineroar had sheltered from the rain in the cave here too?

Su Hao specifically brought up the System Panel. No matter how he looked at it, it was the same Feebas from last time, and its Aura matched perfectly as well.

Besides Feebas, there were Dratini, Bagon, Gible, Abra, Ralts, and Hatenna.

Even counting Feebas, they were all rare Pokémon with tremendous potential.

Adding the group Latios and Latias had captured, Su Hao was certain that they were connected to the evil Criminal Organization Su Hao's father had mentioned.

Su Hao looked painfully at the Young Pokémon huddled together before him. They were still at the age when they should have been playing carefree under their parents' care, yet they had been locked in this dark, cramped space to face the terror of the unknown.

He could only release as much benevolent Aura as possible to reach them and ease their tension.

Of the seven Pokémon, Feebas showed the strongest reaction.

Feebas's body, which had been sprawled in the cage like a salted fish, suddenly sprang upright. A gleam instantly appeared in her vacant eyes.

[(｡･∀･)ﾉﾞ Isn't this the human who came to shelter from the rain last time?!]

"Feebas, Latios and Latias asked me to come rescue you."

Su Hao crouched down, meeting Feebas's vacant gaze directly as he spoke sincerely.

He roughly understood now. The Pokémon Latios and Latias had taken in was probably Feebas, while the others were descendants of the Pokémon living on the island.

[(°ー°〃) I can sense big brother and big sister's aura on you.]

Just as Su Hao was preparing to continue communicating with Feebas and have her help reassure the other Young Pokémon,

an idea came to him—one that could safely get these Pokémon out.

Su Hao took out a Luxury Ball and released Carbink. Looking at Feebas, he said, "This is an item called a Poké Ball. It can hold all of you inside."

He then began explaining the Poké Ball's functions and his plan to Feebas.

After Su Hao's explanation, Feebas understood. That round ball could hold them, then Su Hao would go up and have Alakazam use Teleport to leave this fishing boat, while the Pokémon above subdued the two bad men outside.

With Feebas's cooperation, although the Young Pokémon were somewhat timid after being frightened, they were still willing to cooperate with Su Hao.

"Carbink, cut an opening in the iron cage wide enough for them to pass through. Remember, don't make any noise."

"Na na." [Okay.]

After responding to Su Hao, Carbink controlled Rock Energy to form a sharp blade, then sliced open an opening in the iron cage large enough for the Young Pokémon to pass through.

Once Carbink finished its task, Su Hao immediately exchanged seven red-and-white Poké Balls from the System Store. He placed them on the ground and gestured for them to choose one and enter it.

After Dratini, Bagon, Gible, Abra, Ralts, and Hatenna had all willingly entered Poké Balls, he looked up at Feebas, who was still lying motionlessly in the cage.

[(•́ω•̀ ٥) Hurry up, I'm the only one left.]

As a Water-type Pokémon, Feebas could not yet move freely on land.

Su Hao could only walk slowly to the cage and crouch before it, reaching his hand inside.

Holding a Poké Ball, Su Hao slowly pressed it against Feebas's head.

A red flash passed, and Feebas was drawn into the Poké Ball.