"A banquet!" Miles spoke rapidly.
"Three days from now, at 'Starlight Hall' in the Alliance's core district, there will be a very high-level evening banquet.
Nominally, it's to celebrate the Alliance's founding anniversary, but in reality, it's an occasion for several major factions to maneuver and probe each other!"
"Chairwoman Alicia, as Alliance Chairwoman, will definitely attend. That's your only chance to approach her calmly!"
"Under what identity?" Kairos asked.
"Janitor!" Miles answered extremely quickly.
"The banquet requires a large number of temporary service personnel, including janitors. I can arrange for you to infiltrate. I'll handle the identity documents!"
"Although it's just the lowest-level temporary worker position, it's enough to let you move around in the banquet hall!"
Kairos thought for a moment and nodded.
"That works."
"Then listen carefully."
Miles's expression became serious.
"Security at that banquet is very tight. Chairwoman Alicia has the most elite guards around her, and furthermore, the big shots from both the War Faction and the Maintenance Faction will all be present!"
"Colonel Walker will also be there. He's a very dangerous man. Once you're exposed, you'll surely die, and I'll be finished too. Understand?"
He stared intently at Kairos.
"So it's still not too late to back out now. I also think this is too crazy."
"Don't worry, you won't die. Just tell me the time, location, entry method, and the areas where Chairwoman Alicia is most likely to appear."
Kairos wasn't very concerned.
Death wasn't going to happen. At most, discovery would be a bit troublesome.
Miles looked at Kairos's calm demeanor and finally let out a dejected breath.
He didn't know where Kairos's confidence came from, but he knew he definitely couldn't dissuade this young man.
"I'll send the time, location, and employee passages to that communicator in your hand. As for Alicia..."
He recalled for a moment.
"She'll generally give a speech near the main podium, then might briefly stay in the VIP lounge. If she's in a bad mood, she might go alone to the top-floor observation terrace to get some air."
"The view is good there. You can see... the artificial starry sky, heh."
"Understood." Kairos turned to leave.
"Wait!" Miles stopped him.
"Before you go, can you tell me... what exactly are you?"
Kairos stopped at the doorway without turning back, his voice coming through clearly.
"What I am isn't important."
He paused.
"But my purpose is roughly the same as yours."
Having finished speaking, he pushed open the door, his figure disappearing into the dim corridor.
Miles stood in place, looking at the empty doorway, then lowered his head to look at his own hands, covered in calluses and trembling slightly from overwork.
Could this young man called Kairos truly bring a thread of change?
Before he could think further, he shook his head slightly as enormous exhaustion and confusion submerged him once more.
---
Three days later.
Aztec City, the Alliance core district's most magnificent building—Starlight Hall.
In a warehouse emanating the smell of cleaning agents and faint machine oil, Kairos changed into the equipment Miles had prepared.
A dark blue banquet janitor's jumpsuit with the brim pulled very low, and a matching mask covering most of his face.
A spray bottle, a cloth, and a palm-sized portable vacuum cleaner were all his belongings.
The temporary work permit Miles provided was already hanging on his chest, the photo a processed, blurry image, the name still Lynn.
He mixed in with a group of temporary workers similarly dressed in cleaning uniforms with numb expressions, passing through a concealed employee passage into the logistics area of Starlight Hall.
Security here was relatively lax, seemingly mainly scanning for weapons or explosives.
Aside from cleaning tools, Kairos had nothing on him, and that Chandelure was, as usual, hiding in his shadow.
The next moment, the scanner's green light came on.
The guard waved his hand, signaling them to pass through.
Passing through the noisy kitchen and storage areas, he pushed open a thick soundproof door, and deafening music and clamorous voices instantly flooded over him.
Kairos stepped into the main venue of Starlight Hall and observed the environment.
This truly was worthy of being an Upper City building—it was luxurious.
The ceiling overhead was composed of countless pieces of transparent material embedded with luminescent crystals, simulating a brilliant starry sky scene.
Countless suspended crystal lamps emitting soft light were dotted throughout like stars.
Massive holographic projections shifted in the air, showing the Alliance's logo and magnificent cityscapes. The air was filled with the mixed scent of premium fragrances, fine food, and alcohol.
Smartly dressed men and women with smiles on their faces, holding wine glasses, shuttled between giant crystal pillars and dining tables.
Four words to describe it: lavish decadence.
Such a scene was completely unlike the same world as the Lower City's dilapidated filth.
Kairos's gaze quickly swept across the entire venue without lingering too long.
He noticed that many guests had Pokémon of various forms following beside them or at their feet.
But without exception, all were Steel or Electric types, which fit this world's circumstances.
He saw Magnemite hovering beside waiters, carefully using magnetism to support trays holding small pastries.
Several Voltorb and Electrode were tethered by their owners with special energy collars in corners, rolling around boredly, occasionally bursting with electric sparks.
Most eye-catching were several wealthy people or officers who appeared to hold extremely high positions, with large-bodied, dangerous-aura-emitting Magnezone following beside them.
These Magnezone were even weaker in strength compared to those in Quinn's army earlier, probably only at the threshold of Elite Four level—completely unimpressive.
Kairos pulled down his cap brim, picked up the spray bottle and cloth, and, like a truly unremarkable janitor, began wiping along the edges of the mirror-bright railings, cleaning nonexistent dust.
His gaze simultaneously scanned the entire hall, capturing information.
Soon, he locked onto his target.
---
A slight commotion came from the hall entrance—someone had arrived.
It was a beautiful woman.
She wore a crisply tailored silver-white gown that outlined her slender figure, with smooth silver hair simply bound behind her head.
Her features were delicate, and her eyes were an especially beautiful ice-blue color.
However, Kairos keenly caught the trace of unmistakable exhaustion deep in her eyes; clearly, her mind wasn't on the banquet at all.
Beside her followed four guards in sharp black uniforms, their eyes sharply scanning their surroundings, on guard against anyone who might approach.
More eye-catching were the two Magnezone hovering at their sides.
Their bodies were even more massive than those Kairos had seen before, their metallic shells showing a deep dark silver color, emanating powerful energy fields.
These two were also at early Elite Four level.
Kairos immediately made this judgment.
What surprised Kairos most was the Pokémon hovering at low altitude beside Alicia.
It maintained a form about half a person's height, with four thick metallic giant claws folded at its sides, its huge silver cross-shaped metal body radiating cold, chilling light.
This was a Metagross!
Just hovering there, a powerful and condensed psychic pressure permeated outward, causing several nearby hovering Magnemite to tremble slightly and instinctively move away from that area.
Peak Elite Four level.
Kairos instantly judged its power level.
Given this world's circumstances, this was already among the very pinnacle of trainer strength in the entire world.
Alicia's arrival instantly attracted the entire venue's attention.
She walked into the hall like a queen, politely but distantly nodding in acknowledgment to important figures who approached to greet her.
Almost simultaneously with Alicia's appearance, Kairos's gaze also locked onto another focal point at the other end of the crowd—a man wearing a military uniform.
This should be that Colonel Walker.
This lean man carried the distinctive bearing of a professional soldier. Kairos confirmed his identity at a glance.
Around him gathered several people with similarly cold, hard demeanors who clearly had military backgrounds at first glance.
Beside Walker was an Electivire.
Kairos assessed its strength—roughly early Elite Four level.
This confirmed his earlier judgment was correct.
Everyone present combined probably wasn't enough for Chandelure to burn.
At this moment, Colonel Walker's gaze lingered on Alicia for a moment, carrying undisguised pressure.
His gaze also swept like a searchlight over the staff area.
When it swept toward Kairos's direction, Kairos immediately lowered his head, using the cover of wiping a nearby giant crystal pillar to avoid that scrutinizing gaze.
---
Just like that, several minutes later.
Alicia finished her brief pleasantries.
Seeming to feel fatigued, surrounded by guards, she walked toward the VIP lounge entrance.
Kairos immediately pushed a nearby cart loaded with cleaning supplies, following inconspicuously.
He needed to find an opportunity for private conversation before Alicia entered the lounge.
Using the crowd as cover, he quickly approached near the VIP lounge entrance.
Alicia had already reached the door, with guards pulling it open for her.
Just as she was about to step into the lounge, Kairos quickened his pace, pretending to clean the carpet near the lounge entrance, moving several meters closer toward Alicia's direction.
"Sir!" A guard immediately stepped forward, blocking Kairos's path.
His voice was polite, but his tone was firm.
"Cleaning isn't needed here. Please leave immediately and work in other areas."
As he spoke, his gaze swept over the work badge on Kairos's chest, as if checking something.
Alicia didn't even turn to glance at this "janitor" Kairos.
Her steps didn't pause in the slightest as she walked straight into the lounge.
The heavy door closed silently behind her.
The first approach attempt had clearly failed.
The guards' vigilance was extremely high, giving absolutely no chance for any unrelated personnel to approach.
However, this didn't exceed Kairos's original expectations.
He stood in place, thinking for a moment.
Actually, directly breaking in and dragging that Alicia out to talk with him wasn't impossible either.
After all, all these people combined might not be enough for Chandelure to burn with one fire blast.
But doing so would leave his trip with no secrecy whatsoever.
He still wanted to leave himself some room to maneuver.
---
Just as Kairos was thinking, the atmosphere of the entire banquet hall happened to reach its peak.
Dazzling holographic images flickered beneath the ceiling, simulating brilliant galaxies.
The guests' laughter, clinking glasses, and Pokémon's low cries mixed into a cacophony.
However, at this instant, an extremely discordant, teeth-gritting sharp sound abruptly rang out!
Screech—!
The sound was like a high-speed chainsaw frantically cutting through something.
And the source of the sound was precisely the hall's dome, constructed of high-strength alloy and energy shields!
Everyone's movements froze, laughter stopped abruptly, leaving only that increasingly loud, increasingly piercing cutting sound scraping against every eardrum.
BOOM—!!!
Following immediately after, faster than the sound, came a violent explosion!
A blinding blue-white beam of light fell without warning from the dome's center!!
It tore through the thick alloy layer like an invisible tsunami, surging out from the fissure, instantly sweeping across the entire hall!
The huge crystal chandelier suspended in mid-air bore the brunt, shattered by the shockwave, and countless fragments poured down like a rainstorm.
Next were the surrounding massive light walls.
Spider-web-like cracks appeared instantly, then completely dissipated under another shockwave's tremor, transforming into a sky full of dangerous rain!
Frenzied screaming erupted.
Fear instantly replaced the previous clamor.
The crowd, like exploded ants, frantically pushed and fled in panic, trying to dodge the falling fragments and the energy aftershocks emanating destructive auras.
Tables and chairs were knocked over, exquisite food and wine spilled everywhere, and the entire hall instantly fell into complete chaos and panic.
At the peak of this chaos, several figures emanating cold metallic luster with bizarre forms flew into the hall from that twisted fissure!
They ignored the chaotic fleeing crowd below.
Several unfortunate Pokémon and humans in their descent path were instantly blown away by the shockwave from their high-speed dive, or directly struck silent by the dangerous electric arcs dancing around their bodies.
Kairos watched this scene, his eyebrows raising slightly.
This situation was something he had completely failed to anticipate.
Because these attackers that suddenly appeared in the hall...
Were all Paradox Pokémon!!
What on earth was going on?
---
His gaze fell on those Paradox species—
The leading one had a slender metallic neck with a red-glowing single-eye sensor at the top—it was Iron Jugulis!
Beside it were several Iron Bundle with bodies emanating chilling cold air.
Following immediately after was the massive-bodied Iron Hands.
Besides these, there were also several Iron Valiant.
This number was even greater than what he'd seen on the surface before—at a glance, there were dozens!
However, carefully sensing their strength... they seemed somewhat weaker?
If he wasn't mistaken, they should all be below mid-Elite Four level strength.
And the next moment, all these Paradox Pokémon moved!
Their target was extremely clear, without the slightest hesitation, directly locking onto the large energy crystal pillar in the hall's center that emanated soft blue light and provided core energy and holographic projections for the entire banquet. All charged toward it!
Once this crystal pillar collapsed, the entire banquet hall would be engulfed in violent explosions!
At this moment, among the crowd, the Alliance's guards and military personnel also reacted!
"Enemy attack!!!"
"Protect the crystal pillar!!"
"Stop them!!"
۞۞۞۞
~ Push the story forward with your Power Stones