The weather had not yet reached the cold season, and the Hoenn region was known for its year-round warmth. Yet the two security guards felt an inexplicable chill surge through their blood, as though it had frozen mid-flow. Facing that bizarre figure, their scalps tingled with instinctive dread.
"Uh… this is Alto Mare City Hall," one of them said, forcing himself to speak. "It's closed to the public at night. If you head east for two streets, you'll reach the bar district—there's plenty of nightlife there. But, sir… dressing like this so late at night is, well… kind of frightening."
He swallowed hard. Despite their fear, duty compelled both guards to step forward and address the unsettling figure.
The cloaked person remained motionless, as though pondering their words.
The guards took a deep breath, preparing to continue persuading him—when the mysterious figure suddenly spoke.
"…Do you know what Pokémon are depicted on those two statues?"
The voice was not unpleasant, yet it sounded eerily artificial—like synthesized audio. It was impossible to tell whether it belonged to a man or a woman, or whether some kind of voice modulator was being used.
The guards frowned and exchanged glances. Their hands slowly moved toward their waists, fingers hovering over the alarm triggers.
"They're Latios and Latias, the legendary Pokémon of Alto Mare," one guard replied with a strained smile, pressing the alarm button as he spoke. Only then did he feel a hint of relief. "Everyone in Alto Mare knows them."
"Then tell me," the mysterious figure said coldly, "where are Latios and Latias now?"
The figure did not move, yet the tone allowed no room for refusal.
"Haha… you must be joking," the guard laughed nervously. "They're called Legendary Pokémon. How could we possibly know where they are?"
"I see. Asking you truly was pointless," the cloaked figure replied calmly.
"Then I'll simply draw them out myself—using the Soul Dew."
"The Soul Dew?!"
Both guards stiffened.
As natives of Alto Mare, they were well aware of the legend. It was said that Latios and Latias had entrusted the Soul Dew to the city's ancestors, which was why they continued to protect Alto Mare. Yet like the Pokémon themselves, the Soul Dew existed only in legend—no one had ever seen it.
But the way this mysterious figure spoke… it sounded as though he knew exactly where it was.
"It seems you've heard of it," the figure continued. "What you don't know is this—
that legendary gem is hidden inside this City Hall."
The guards were still reeling from the revelation when the figure suddenly raised a hand.
Time itself seemed to freeze.
An obscure yet terrifying wave of psychic power erupted from the cloaked figure. Before the guards could react, a psychic storm exploded outward from its center.
"Ugh—!"
Both guards felt as if their chests had been smashed by a massive hammer. The sudden psychic impact sent them flying, slamming them violently into the railing at the edge of the plaza.
"B-Be careful! There must be a Psychic-type Pokémon hidden under that cloak!"
One guard shouted in terror.
They had lowered their guard precisely because the mysterious figure appeared unarmed. In modern society, an unarmed person rarely drew attention. Who could have imagined that the Pokémon was concealed beneath the cloak itself, launching a sudden ambush?
Aside from identifying the psychic energy and judging that the hidden Pokémon was relatively small based on the cloak's shape, the guards gained no further intelligence—other than the sharp pain of broken ribs.
"Call the captain—now!"
One guard roared into his communicator while throwing out his Poké Ball.
They were not Trainers—only standard combat personnel trained by League institutions. Though far inferior to professional Trainers, they were still a law-enforcement force far stronger than ordinary civilians.
"So… two Mightyena."
The mysterious figure chuckled softly as the guards released their Pokémon.
Either these guards were unusually clever—or those were simply the only Pokémon they had. Coincidentally, both were Dark-type, capable of countering Psychic moves.
The cloaked figure leaned toward the latter explanation. Standardized enforcement units were issued standardized Pokémon—much like how police in Kanto almost always carried Growlithe.
"But even so… it changes nothing."
The hem of the cloak suddenly fluttered upward.
The guards stared in shock.
There was nothing beneath it.
The figure was not walking on the ground at all—it was floating.
In the next instant, two blue orbs shot out from beneath the cloak at blinding speed. Before the Mightyena could react, both were struck square in the face.
Two sharp cries rang out as the Pokémon were hurled backward, crashing into the railing alongside their trainers and instantly losing consciousness.
—Aura Sphere.
"Mightyena!"
The guards cried out, clutching their chests as they struggled to rise. But before they could reach their Pokémon, terrifying psychic power gathered once more beneath the cloak.
With a violent psychic eruption, the ground of the City Hall plaza exploded upward. Stone tiles were ripped from the earth and hurled into the air like shrapnel.
A thunderous explosion echoed through the silent night, waking countless sleepers. Lights flared on across the city, turning Alto Mare bright as day once more.
Rapid footsteps approached. Alarms blared from loudspeakers around City Hall, their shrill cries tearing through the sky. In seconds, the plaza erupted into chaos—even the distant bar district fell silent, unsure of what had happened.
"City Hall is under attack!"
"Everyone move! Stop him—don't let him destroy the historical artifacts!"
"It's a Trainer! Notify the Alto Mare security forces! Send people to the Pokémon Center—get Trainers from the tourists!"
"…!"
From afar, the mysterious figure could hear the patrol captain shouting orders.
The response was correct. If the attacker truly was a powerful Trainer, this patrol unit alone stood no chance. Overwhelming numbers—or other Trainers—were the only viable options.
Normally, unless the attacker was Gym Leader-level or above, a regional defense force would suffice. That was why Trainers held high status yet did not destabilize society. But if the assailant exceeded that threshold…
Then fate would decide the outcome.
Ignoring the chaos, the cloaked figure ascended the steps and stopped before the sealed City Hall doors. With a simple lift of his hand, a tearing psychic storm erupted, shredding steel and glass alike. The doors disintegrated into powder.
He strode inside without sparing a glance at the antique displays, moving straight to the massive bronze structure at the building's center—half machine, half statue.
"…The Soul Dew is here."
Footsteps thundered behind him. Shouting echoed as a patrol squad rushed in through the destroyed entrance. Flashlights locked onto him, and Pokémon were released, surrounding him completely.
"Hah… good. Everyone's arrived," the mysterious figure laughed softly.
"If this didn't turn into a spectacle, I'd actually be annoyed."
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