Pokémon: Master of the Rain Team

”Well, that’s suspicious.”

Reiji snapped his fingers, signaling Gengar to do something about the surveillance equipment hidden inside their private box.

Darkness spread from his shadow, swallowing the light until the entire room was enclosed in a thick curtain of Ghost-type energy. The barrier blocked more than just sight; it prevented anyone outside from seeing or hearing what happened inside.

With their privacy secured, Reiji turned to Naoki.

”This auction is a trap.”

”A trap?” Naoki hadn’t heard anything suspicious while gathering information about the event, so he couldn’t understand how Reiji had reached that conclusion within minutes of arriving.

”Think about it. The League’s been cracking down on illegal businesses all over the Orange Archipelago. Most of the black markets have closed, and the Black Ships have practically disappeared. Yet somehow, these people are holding an auction this big right under the League’s nose.”

Reiji took a cigarette from his pocket and lit it, briefly illuminating his face inside the darkness.

”Unless the League knows about it and is letting them operate. That would explain a lot.”

Naoki considered the possibility as Reiji continued.

”Look at the admission requirements. You need at least 50 million in available funds or an Elite Four-tier Pokémon to get inside. Anyone who can meet those conditions is probably a quasi-Elite Four-tier Trainer at the very least.”

”And the more powerful Trainers they attract, the happier the League will be. What better opportunity to arrest a whole bunch of them at once?”

The argument was beginning to make an uncomfortable amount of sense. Holding a major underground auction during such an aggressive crackdown was already strange, but deliberately gathering the region’s wealthiest and most powerful criminals in one place seemed almost suicidal.

Then Reiji brought up the detail that bothered him most.

”They’re even auctioning off two pseudo-Legendary younglings. One of them is a Dragon type, for crying out loud. It’s almost like they’re trying to make sure a certain someone hears about this.”

”Wait. You mean Lance?”

”Who else?”

With Lance overseeing the League’s operations in the Orange Archipelago, an auction advertising a Dragon-type pseudo-Legendary was practically begging for his attention.

Everyone knew how much the Blackthorn clan valued Dragon-type Pokémon, especially rare pseudo-Legendaries. Naoki couldn’t imagine the organizers being unaware of that.

”I wouldn’t be surprised if that Dragon-type pseudo-Legendary was the bait,” Reiji said, getting up from the sofa and approaching the window.

Below them, more masked buyers were entering the hall. With most other illegal markets temporarily closed, the auction had become an ideal gathering place for people who normally operated beyond the League’s reach.

If Reiji’s suspicions were correct, the League wasn’t merely trying to shut down another Black Ship. It was attempting to gather as many dangerous individuals as possible before making its move.

Unfortunately, he and Naoki had walked straight into the middle of it.

And leaving might be even more dangerous than staying.

If the League had planned this carefully, its strongest Trainers would already be positioned around the ship to intercept anyone who noticed something was wrong. The entrance, the corridors, and the surrounding waters could all be under surveillance.

Reiji doubted the organizers were innocent, either. A Black Ship wouldn’t risk staging an event like this during the crackdown unless it had some kind of arrangement with the League.

More likely, its owners had already agreed to cooperate in exchange for favorable treatment, and tonight’s auction was their contribution to the operation.

”Boss, if that’s true, shouldn’t we get out of here right now?” Naoki asked. He had no intention of sitting around waiting to be arrested.

”Too late. We’d probably run into four or five Elite Four-tier Trainers if we tried leaving now.”

Reiji flicked some ash from his cigarette as he considered their options.

”Unless we can cause enough chaos to get everyone running for the exits at once, I don’t see us slipping away that easily. If the crowd splits up and runs in different directions, we might have a chance.”

”Then what are we supposed to do?”

Naoki was starting to panic. He still had his revenge to think about, not to mention Aya. After everything he’d survived, the last thing he wanted was to spend the rest of his life in a League prison.

”What do you think? We wait. The auction hasn’t even started yet.”

Reiji glanced toward the neighboring boxes. Every curtain was drawn, leaving no way to tell who was sitting behind them or whether those guests had noticed anything unusual.

”Relax. We’re not the only people here with brains. Someone will figure out a way out.”

He gave Naoki a reassuring pat on the shoulder before returning to his seat. There was no point rushing into a confrontation when they didn’t yet know how many League Trainers were involved or where they were positioned.

Naoki forced himself to settle down. He was the one who had brought Reiji to this auction, and the possibility that he’d led his boss into a trap weighed heavily on him.

But panicking wouldn’t help. Reiji was clearly thinking through their options, so Naoki decided to follow his lead rather than make the situation worse.

Once Naoki had calmed down, Reiji reached for the call button on the coffee table.

Gengar withdrew its dark barrier at the same time, allowing the room’s normal lighting to return. A couple of minutes later, the waiter knocked and entered.

”How may I help you, sir?”

”I have two Elite Four-tier Pokémon I want to auction. Bring me someone authorized to arrange that.”

”Of course, sir. I’ll be right back.”

The waiter left immediately, returning about two minutes later with a middle-aged man in a dark suit. He carried himself like someone accustomed to negotiating expensive transactions, while the waiter accompanying him held a slightly worn instrument for measuring a Pokémon’s energy level.

”Good evening, gentlemen,” the man said as the door closed behind him. ”I understand you’d like to add some Pokémon to tonight’s auction. May I see them?”

”Right here.”

Reiji tossed him two Poké Balls containing the Elite Four-tier Pokémon he’d taken from Riku’s brother.

The man caught the Poké Balls and examined their contents, quickly noticing that both Pokémon were injured. Their wounds had only received basic treatment, and blood was beginning to seep through some of the bandages.

That would affect their selling price, but he wasn’t about to dismiss two potentially valuable Pokémon without checking their strength.

He took the measuring instrument from the waiter and began his assessment. The device displayed a series of readings, confirming that both Pokémon had reached Elite Four tier.

Their injuries were unfortunate, though hardly impossible to treat with modern medical techniques. As long as their strength hadn’t been permanently affected, they would still attract considerable interest from wealthy buyers.

”Both Pokémon meet the requirements for newly advanced Elite Four-tier specimens,” the man explained after completing his examination. ”They’re injured, which will affect their value, but one of them is a Swampert. A fully evolved starter Pokémon at this level is an excellent find.”

He placed the Poké Balls on the coffee table and turned his attention back to Reiji.

”Is there anything else you’d like us to know about them?”

”I have a few conditions. I want these two sold at the very beginning of the auction, preferably as the first lot. The buyer also needs to complete the transaction immediately afterward.”

Reiji had already decided how he wanted the sale handled.

”If the buyer hasn’t shown up to complete the transaction by the time another five lots have been auctioned, the deal is canceled.”

The man was clearly surprised by the request. Elite Four-tier Pokémon were valuable enough to serve as major attractions, and selling them at the beginning would be unusual.

”Sir, Pokémon of this quality are normally offered around the middle of the auction. Given their rarity, we could even arrange to present them among the final lots.”

He tried to explain why waiting would be more profitable.

”By then, the atmosphere will be much livelier, and buyers will be more willing to compete. You could get a considerably higher price.”

”I’m not interested. What’s your commission?”

Reiji had no intention of waiting until the auction’s final stages. If the League really was preparing to raid the ship, there was no telling how long the event would continue.

He wanted the transaction completed before anything went wrong, preferably with enough time to collect his payment and put it to use.

The man answered without hesitation.

”Five percent for Pokémon and ten percent for inanimate items. Those are our standard rates.”

”Then I’ll give you ten percent for these two, provided they’re the first lot and the buyer pays in cash.”

Reiji leaned forward slightly, making it clear that he wasn’t finished.

”Those are my conditions. If you can’t agree to them, forget the auction. We’ll leave right now.”

That last remark changed everything.

The man had been prepared to negotiate over the timing and commission, but he couldn’t allow these guests to leave.

His superiors had issued strict instructions: once a Trainer entered the auction, they were to be kept aboard until the League made its move.

The guests occupying private boxes were especially important. Most were either exceptionally wealthy or powerful enough to pose a serious threat, making them priority targets for the League.

Whatever arrangements the organizers had made with the authorities, losing two such guests now would be a serious problem.

”Very well, sir,” the man agreed, abandoning his objections. ”We’ll adjust the auction order and arrange for your Pokémon to be presented first.”

”Excellent. Glad we could work something out.”

Reiji’s Ditto mask formed a smile as he offered his hand. The man shook it, and after confirming the agreement, he and the waiter excused themselves.

The two Poké Balls remained on the coffee table.

Reiji wasn’t foolish enough to let the organizers take possession of his Pokémon before the sale. If they wanted to guarantee the transaction to prospective buyers, they would have to rely on their own reputation.

He had already paid a deposit of 20 million as security. Should he refuse to hand over the Pokémon after a successful bid, the auction house could confiscate that money and use it to compensate the buyer.

That was more than enough protection for the organizers, and it allowed Reiji to retain control of his merchandise until payment was made.

Once the door closed, Gengar spread its dark barrier across the room again, cutting off the hidden surveillance equipment before Naoki spoke.

”Boss, I don’t understand. If we’re sure this is a trap, why are we still selling those Pokémon?”

”Why wouldn’t we?”

Reiji seemed amused by the question.

”We’re already here, and getting out won’t be easy. Might as well make use of the auction while we can.”

He settled back against the sofa.

”If we sell those Pokémon early, we’ll have the money ready to buy anything useful that comes up, and when the League finally makes its move, everyone will be too busy saving their own skin to worry about anything else.”

At that point, escaping with their purchases would depend on each person’s strength and how quickly they could react. There was no guarantee that the people who spent the most money would actually leave with their merchandise.

Naoki finally understood why Reiji had insisted on selling the Pokémon first.

If they waited until the middle or end of the auction, the League might intervene before the transaction was completed. By selling immediately, they could collect the money while there was still time and avoid having to carry two additional injured Pokémon during their escape.

They might even find something worthwhile to buy before the trouble started.

And if nothing caught their interest, they’d still have converted the captured Pokémon into cash.

”Got it, Boss. That makes sense.”

Naoki felt considerably better about their situation now that he understood the plan. They were still trapped aboard a ship that might be crawling with League operatives, but at least Reiji wasn’t sitting around waiting for someone else to decide their fate.

For the moment, all they could do was prepare, watch the auction, and wait for an opportunity.

When the League finally closed its net, getting out would come down to speed, strength, and a little luck.

[End of chapter]

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