Pokemon:Trainer

Time was not on Link's side, and he didn't have enough time to use the simulator to prepare.

Under the moonlight and amidst the roar of the waves, he was led to the deck by the Aqua Team members. As he moved, he couldn't help but wonder which "timeline" he was in:

Was it the source timeline, the foundation of all derivatives, the one with the most authority? Or perhaps the anime timeline, frozen in its 20-year loop, where time seemed more confusing than Bleach's eternal school year?

Could it be one of the alternate worlds, like those featuring Akechi, Takeda, or Nobunaga, with even Black Rayquaza thrown into the mix? Or one of the fan-made universes, where combat power and settings were hopelessly collapsed?

Surely, it wasn't a fantasy beast-taming world where money, random phrases, or energy cubes let people fly with one foot on the ground and one in the sky.

Despite his criticisms of TPC for using Ash as a cash cow in the TV series, if Link had to choose, he'd prefer to be in the anime world.

Thinking of this, he observed the Aqua Team members, accompanied by their Mightyena and Poochyena.

This criminal group, with their sailor-themed uniforms, committed crimes under the banner of "protecting the ocean." Taking advantage of Hoenn's vast waters, they aimed to expand the already overwhelmingly large ocean area. They were radical environmentalists who believed they could control nature's power.

Water may be the source of life, but Link couldn't understand their end goal. If the entire planet were submerged, where would humans and land Pokémon live? These lunatics thought they could command nature itself.

After a while, all the passengers were herded onto the deck.

A tall, dark-skinned woman in a modified Marine Corps uniform, flanked by a Mightyena, stood at the center. She smiled as she surveyed the crowd.

Behind her, four Aqua Team members restrained a middle-aged man with a bruised face. Judging by his uniform, he was a ship employee.

"Alright, passengers," the woman began. "Let me introduce myself. I'm Reni from the Aqua Team. I'm sorry to inform you that this cruise ship has been requisitioned."

Before she could continue, a man in a suit angrily interrupted, "How dare you do this? Do you know how much my company stands to lose if this ship is even a minute late?"

There's always someone who can't read the room. At Reni's signal, one of her subordinates approached the man with a grim expression.

"You… What are you doing? This is illegal!" the man stammered, but before he could finish, he was punched in the stomach. He collapsed, retching on the deck.

At the same time, Reni's Mightyena let out a powerful bark, sending shivers through the crowd.

"See? The sea is ruthless," Reni said with a smirk. "Are you truly prepared to face it?"

Finally, the passengers realized their status as hostages.

"But don't worry," Reni continued. "The Aqua Team isn't a criminal gang. We're a righteous organization protecting the ocean from human parasites like the Great Purple Violet Holdings, who pollute it. All we ask is that you disembark at the next port and let the Alliance deal with your aftermath."

She then turned to the captain with a mocking smile. "Of course, the crew will stay behind."

The restrained captain glared at her but couldn't resist.

Most passengers, thinking they'd be fed to Sharpedo, were relieved to hear they'd be let off at Mushui Town. Being alive was all that mattered.

But Link wasn't so quick to relax. A realization struck him like lightning.

He understood the Mightyena's barks.

"Idiots," the Pokémon growled. "You've boarded a pirate ship, and you're all destined to be sold as laborers!"

Link froze. He couldn't fully understand the words, but their meaning was clear.

Could I be a waveguide genius? he wondered.

His hopes were dashed when he recalled the system:

[④~ Language Analysis: Enables seamless communication with the language of this world, including Pokémon. (Active)]

It wasn't his talent but the system's doing. Still, the ability to understand Pokémon added a new layer to his opinion of the Aqua Team. They were lunatics fighting pirates while being pirates themselves.

"Hahahaha! You think you can catch me?"

A loud voice echoed from the ship's upper deck, near the swimming pool.

"The sea, the slaves, the goods, and your bounties all belong to me!"

Reni and her subordinates froze, looking up.

Under the moonlight stood a figure identical to the captain, laughing triumphantly.

Wait… if he's up there, then who…?

The "captain" restrained by Reni emitted a chilling aura.

Its disguise melted away, revealing a decoy made of ice and water.

A blue light flashed, followed by a violent explosion of icy energy.

The decoy's destruction sent a freezing shockwave across the deck. Reni, her Mightyena, and her team were instantly encased in ice.

Nearby passengers screamed in panic as the situation spiraled further out of control.

Chaos erupted. Some passengers worried for the captain, while others panicked over the cryptic statement about bounties.

Link, ignoring the turmoil, focused on cutting his ropes with the sharp [Learning Crystal].

Freed, he slipped into the smoke-filled cabin while everyone else was distracted.

This is just a dog-eat-dog fight, he thought. I'm not entrusting my life to either side.

He moved quickly, seeking the Pokémon storage area or a safe place to call for help.

Reality offered no retries, so Link resolved to survive with one life.

(End of Chapter).

Chapter will be available in patreon from tomorrow book your advance seat