9:00 PM.
Reiji and Naoki finished checking their equipment and left the villa, both wearing specially made black suits designed to resist knife attacks. The material was tough and nonreflective, making it ideal for moving around unnoticed at night.
Outside, they released their Flying-type Pokémon and took off toward the waters west of Mandarin Island North.
Tonight's auction would take place aboard a Black Ship, which struck Reiji as a rather bold decision.
The League was cracking down on illegal operations throughout the Orange Archipelago, and patrol vessels were everywhere. He couldn't imagine what gave the organizers enough confidence to hold a major auction under such circumstances.
Riding on Pelipper's back, Reiji watched the dark ocean stretch out ahead of him. He was looking forward to the auction, although he couldn't entirely shake his curiosity about the people running it.
He'd seen an auction from a distance once before, back when he was still a relatively weak Trainer. At the time, he hadn't been important enough for anyone to notice, much less wealthy or powerful enough to participate.
Things were different now.
With an Elite Four-tier Pokémon at his command, Reiji finally had the strength to attend an event like this without worrying constantly about whether someone might rob him afterward.
In the Orange Archipelago's underground world, Elite Four-tier Trainers stood near the top of the food chain. Ordinary Trainers couldn't hope to compete with them, and the gap only became more ridiculous as their strength increased.
Reiji could understand how someone who reached an even higher level might start looking down on everyone around them.
At that point, you'd probably be tempted to tell everyone in the room they were trash.
The thought amused him, but before long, the distant lights of a ship caught his attention.
"Naoki, is that the one?"
"Yeah, that's our ship."
The vessel was brightly illuminated, with lights spilling from its upper decks onto the surrounding water. Even from the air, Reiji could see people moving about, drinking and chatting as though they were enjoying an ordinary evening cruise.
Without knowing what went on beneath the surface, he might have mistaken it for a luxury passenger ship.
In fact, it was the only Black Ship in the Orange Archipelago still openly conducting illegal business. The others had suspended their underground operations while the League's crackdown continued, and those that ventured out to sea were sticking to legitimate trade.
That made tonight's gathering even more unusual.
Reiji and Naoki circled overhead until they spotted a quiet section of the deck, then had their Pokémon descend away from the crowds.
"Boss, I know this place pretty well," Naoki said as they landed. "Just follow me."
Reiji had no reason to object. Naoki had been aboard this very ship before, during the scheme involving Rico and his Larvitar. The operation had given him a good understanding of the vessel and the people who frequented it.
Having someone familiar with the place would make things considerably easier.
The moment they entered the ship, music and conversation washed over them. The air smelled of food, alcohol, and seawater, while passengers gathered around tables and bars, enjoying themselves without any obvious concern for the League patrols outside.
Neither Reiji nor Naoki was interested in joining the festivities.
They headed straight for the lower decks, where the auction hall was located. The bidding was scheduled to begin at ten, leaving them plenty of time to get settled.
According to Naoki's contacts, this wasn't an ordinary auction. Some of the merchandise was valuable enough to interest Elite Four-tier Trainers, and the organizers had imposed strict admission requirements to keep out people who couldn't afford to participate.
Anyone who wanted to enter had to demonstrate Elite Four-tier strength or prove they possessed at least 50 million in liquid funds.
Naoki had verified the requirements through several different sources before bringing Reiji here. They had no intention of arguing with the organizers over admission, especially when meeting the conditions was easy enough.
At the entrance, a group of black-clad security guards inspected the masked guests approaching the doors.
Reiji chose the simpler method of proving his qualifications.
A powerful aura suddenly spread from beneath his dark cloak, the unmistakable pressure of an Elite Four-tier Pokémon bearing down on the nearest guard.
The man's expression changed immediately. He went pale, his legs trembling as he struggled to remain standing under the oppressive presence.
Once the pressure eased, he stepped aside without asking another question and hurriedly gestured for them to enter.
A waiter in a neat uniform approached as soon as they passed through the checkpoint.
"This way, please. Guests with Elite Four-tier strength are entitled to a private box."
The waiter led them into an enormous auction hall, where rows of red upholstered seats stretched around a central stage. The main floor had room for well over a thousand guests, while dozens of private boxes lined the upper level.
Several of the boxes were already occupied, their doors closed to provide the occupants with privacy.
Reiji and Naoki were escorted to Box 22.
Inside, comfortable sofas surrounded a polished wooden coffee table, and a large window overlooked the auction floor. The furnishings were understated compared to the rest of the ship, but the room offered plenty of space and a clear view of the stage.
Reiji settled onto one of the sofas as the waiter brought them tea and a plate of fresh fruit.
Something had been bothering him ever since they'd passed the other boxes.
If everyone up here had entered by demonstrating Elite Four-tier strength, the auction might have attracted more than twenty Trainers of that caliber.
That seemed absurd, even for a major underground gathering.
"Does every private box belong to an Elite Four-tier Trainer?" he asked the waiter.
"Not necessarily, sir. Guests who can prove they have more than 500 million in available funds also qualify for a private box."
"Five hundred million?"
Reiji considered the answer. Anyone carrying that much money without the strength to protect it was taking an enormous risk, especially in a place where criminals openly bought and sold valuable Pokémon.
Still, it explained why the organizers could fill so many private boxes without somehow gathering dozens of Elite Four-tier Trainers in one place.
"All right. Where's the auction catalog?"
"On the coffee table, sir. If you need anything else, I'll be waiting outside."
The waiter bowed politely and closed the door behind him, leaving the two Trainers alone.
Reiji picked up the catalog and began looking through the merchandise.
The early pages listed an assortment of valuable Pokémon items and equipment, followed by young Pokémon from several different species. There were even starter Pokémon among them, although Reiji had already seen plenty of those during the cargo ship raid.
Farther into the catalog, he found materials recovered from Elite Four-tier Pokémon, including remains that could be used to manufacture rare held items. Those were certainly valuable, but the final page caught his attention more than anything else.
The organizers had included a special notice announcing that a Dragon-type pseudo-Legendary would be offered for sale.
They hadn't revealed which species it was.
Reiji knew that announcement alone would be enough to attract wealthy Trainers from across the region. Dragon-type pseudo-Legendaries were exceptionally desirable, and the opportunity to obtain one through an auction didn't come along often.
The admission requirements suddenly made more sense. Five hundred million was probably the minimum amount someone could expect to spend on a pseudo-Legendary. Anyone who qualified for a private box through their finances would at least have a chance of competing for the most expensive item.
That didn't mean winning would be easy. Once several wealthy bidders started competing, the final price could rise far beyond the starting estimate.
Reiji considered whether there was anything worth bidding on himself. He had come primarily to sell his remaining Pokémon, but he wouldn't turn down a valuable purchase if the opportunity presented itself.
Naoki took the catalog when Reiji finished reading it. He studied the listings for a while before setting the booklet down and walking toward the large window overlooking the hall.
"Boss, something feels off about this."
He parted the curtains slightly and examined the crowd below. Reiji had been thinking much the same thing, and Naoki's reaction only strengthened his suspicions.
The auction hall was circular, with the stage positioned at its center and rows of seats arranged around it. The private boxes occupied the upper level, giving their guests an unobstructed view of the proceedings without forcing them to mingle with the crowd.
By now, people were pouring through the entrances. Most wore black clothes and masks, making it difficult to identify anyone, but their behavior was no different from that of buyers at an ordinary auction.
Some hurried toward empty seats, anxious to secure a good view before the bidding began. Others moved at a more leisurely pace, stopping to exchange greetings or discuss the items listed in the catalog.
Several groups had gathered around the seating areas, comparing their lists and speculating about how much certain Pokémon might fetch. A few buyers were already watching the stage intently, apparently unwilling to miss a single moment of the event.
There was plenty of excitement in the air, although Reiji couldn't tell how many people were genuinely interested in the merchandise and how many had come for other reasons.
The lower level was becoming uncomfortably crowded. Buyers in black masks squeezed past one another, occasionally drawing irritated complaints whenever someone pushed too hard or blocked the aisle.
The organizers hadn't imposed a strict limit on attendance. Anyone who met the admission requirements could enter, which meant late arrivals were being left to stand wherever they could find space.
Naoki was grateful they had qualified for a private box. He had no desire to spend the evening packed shoulder to shoulder with strangers, particularly when he couldn't see their faces or tell what Pokémon they might be carrying.
"You're only noticing now?" Reiji asked with a faint chuckle. "I thought something was wrong the moment I heard their admission rules."
An auction offering such valuable merchandise would naturally attract powerful and wealthy buyers. That wasn't unusual by itself, but holding it so openly during the League's crackdown made little sense.
The organizers were taking an enormous risk, yet everything appeared to be proceeding as though they had nothing to fear.
Reiji wasn't prepared to assume it was all harmless.
"Gengar, check the room."
A low chuckle answered from the shadow beneath his feet.
Gengar remained hidden as its awareness spread through the private box, searching the walls, furniture, and other places where someone might have concealed equipment.
It didn't take long to find something.
Gengar detected hidden surveillance and listening devices positioned around the room. Part of its body emerged from Reiji's shadow, and it raised three fingers to show him what it had discovered.
"Gengar..."
Its quiet warning confirmed what Reiji had already begun to suspect.
Someone was watching them, and the people running this auction had gone to considerable trouble to make sure their guests didn't know it.
[End of chapter]
[100 Power Stones = Extra Chapter]
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