"How's the water temperature?"
Luo Mu held a stack of dry, neatly folded Naranja Academy uniforms and called toward the bathroom, where he could hear the dense patter of dripping water.
Nemo enjoyed the comfort of the hot water against her skin, and her tense mind relaxed somewhat. She called loudly toward the door, "It's perfect!"
Luo Mu nodded, placed the uniforms in the laundry basket beside the bathroom door, and reminded her, "Your clothes have already been washed and dried by Serperior and the others. They're by the door!"
"Okay~"
Hearing Nemo's energetic reply, Luo Mu smiled and shook his head. His expression quickly settled back into calmness, though a hint of solemnity had appeared in his eyes.
The stream wasn't far from this little house, only a dozen minutes away. It had been less than half an hour since he had rescued Nemo from the water.
Although he was anxious and uneasy, Luo Mu could only wait patiently for Nemo to finish washing and then give him directions.
Luo Mu walked out of the little house and looked at the five Pokémon already gathered before him, along with the Mimikyu that had always followed him but had an incredibly faint presence. Solemnly, he said, "The top priority of this rescue operation is to ensure the safety of the kidnapped children. Is that clear?"
"Meow!" "Boof!" "Gara!" "Ssslo." "Swamp!" "Miku~"
The six Pokémon, led by Luxray, all displayed absolute confidence. It was a high level of trust in their own strength, as well as a response to Luo Mu's request.
Luo Mu nodded slightly and returned them to their Poké Balls one by one, leaving only Dragonite outside.
Luo Mu looked ruefully at the six Poké Balls around his waist. Ever since he had finished challenging the Paldea Champion League, this was the first time he had gone out with a full-strength lineup.
As he stroked Dragonite's wonderfully soft belly, Luo Mu recalled what Nemo had told him about the situation on their way back.
She had chosen to run away from home after arguing with her family the day before.
The reason for their argument had been childish.
Nemo didn't want to become a Trainer. She wanted to help with her family's company like her older sister.
Leaving aside why the battle fanatic Nemo didn't want to become a Trainer...
After running away from home, Nemo hadn't expected that she would be kidnapped without anyone noticing after spending only a short while on the beach near Small Key Town.
When Nemo woke up, she had already appeared in a dim storeroom. Several other children were beside her, apparently having been captured for some time, and they all looked dispirited.
Some were the same age as her, while others were even younger.
During her captivity, Nemo heard the three kidnappers laughing loudly outside without the slightest restraint, as well as their plans for dealing with her and the other children.
They planned to smuggle the other children out of the Paldea region and sell them to Team Rocket in the Kanto region for a high price. As for her, they intended to use her to extort money from her family so they could enjoy themselves on the road.
They had set their sights on Nemo, the wealthy young lady, long ago. They simply hadn't been able to act because her family's security was too tight. Then Nemo had run away on her own.
What followed was Nemo being freed when a Sprigatito that crawled out of a hole bit through the rope binding her, allowing her to seize the opportunity to escape.
Although Luo Mu had hoped to live a peaceful and leisurely life, these kidnappers had clearly come to ruin it. The reason Dr. Jacq had reacted so strongly last time was also the result of this group's actions.
As luck would have it, Nemo knew where the kidnappers' hideout was. After failing to find her, those people would probably return to the hideout to move the kidnapped children. With Dragonite's flying speed, they could definitely catch them off guard.
A few minutes later, Nemo emerged from the bathroom at a hurried jog, wearing clothes that had dried again. She hadn't even had time to tie up her hair. "Big Brother, let's hurry and rescue them!"
Luo Mu nodded slightly, scooped Nemo up, and placed her on Dragonite's back, which was already poised for takeoff. He then climbed on as well and smiled. "It's going to be a little fast, so hold on tight, okay?"
Nemo nervously clutched her collar and nodded carefully.
Sensing that the two people on its back were seated securely, Dragonite's gentle, good-natured expression instantly sharpened, and an imposing aura slowly rose from it.
As its small wings beat rapidly, a violent gale swept across the ground. The wild grass, which reached the height of a calf, bent beneath the powerful pressure.
In the next instant, Dragonite's figure had already appeared high in the sky. Nemo looked curiously at the rapidly moving buildings and landscape below, which resembled ants, and asked, "Why am I not feeling any wind even though we're flying so fast?"
Luo Mu kept his eyes fixed on the distance and replied, "Dragonite is using Flying-type energy to create a shield that blocks the gale for us. Otherwise, at its flying speed, we wouldn't be able to sit on its back at all."
Nemo nodded, half understanding.
East of Pingdie Town, inside an abandoned warehouse.
Three cursing figures returned there. This was their hideout, as well as the warehouse where they temporarily kept the children they had kidnapped.
The bearded man in the lead spat a thick glob of phlegm onto the ground and cursed the short man on his left. "You actually let a ten-year-old girl escape. You're getting more useless with age!"
The short man said nothing, simply allowing the bearded man to curse his entire family.
The tall, thin man on the right couldn't stand watching any longer and tried to smooth things over. "Boss—"
The bearded man, who had been called Boss, didn't buy it at all. He was so angry that he panted heavily and said viciously, "Since we can't find that little girl anymore, she was probably rescued by someone or drowned in the water."
"Either way, we should move our base now. Let's sell these few goods to Team Rocket first, then go kidnap people in a major city like Breg Light City!"
The tall, thin man hurriedly agreed. "The boss is right."
The short man, who had remained silent, took out three Poké Balls. After releasing three Ninjask, he said softly, "I'll stand guard."
The bearded man snorted. "Don't be so useless this time!"
With that, the bearded man led the tall, thin man into the warehouse to move the goods into the van.
He failed to notice the nails the short man had driven into his flesh, or the chilly look in his eyes.
After the bearded man had gone some distance away, the short man gritted his teeth and muttered, "Sooner or later, I'll make you kneel and beg me to let you go."
"You probably won't live to see that day."
Suddenly, a faint male voice came from above. The short man's pupils contracted, and he instantly looked up at the sky.
The man riding Dragonite—and the wealthy girl who had escaped, the one called Nemo!
The short man immediately prepared to shout a warning to the two people inside the warehouse, but Luo Mu and Dragonite had no intention of giving him that chance.
As five beams of red light flashed, Luo Mu's Pokémon charged into the warehouse, each with a clearly assigned role.
At the same time, an immense, boundless Dragon-type intimidation descended from the sky. The short man's eyes nearly bulged from their sockets as the pressure forced him flat onto the ground, leaving him unable to move.
What about the Ninjask?
The only response he received was three consecutive sounds of bodies hitting the ground. The Ninjask he had placed all his hopes in were instantly defeated in a single exchange when Dragonite swept its wings and sent a howling, sky-blue Air Slash flying toward them.
The short man's lips trembled as he struggled to force out two words. "Monster..."
He had never possessed a clear understanding of what constituted a strong person. But beneath this despairing gap that seemed to separate heaven and earth, he understood.
Based on his shallow experience, only the great figures at that level could possess such overwhelming pressure.
The pinnacle of this world's pyramid, the synonym for power, the summit of individual strength—the Champion.
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