The next three days passed.
Steven's private wing was a bubble of comfort, nicer than most hotels Enzo had ever stayed at. The bed fit him perfectly. The shower memorized his preferences. The windows darkened upon his command automatically whenever the sun was too bright for him. Even the lock knew its master by the time his hand touched the panel.
This level of luxury could easily break a lesser man. Enzo considered it a part of recovery.
He finally slept well for the first time in days and spent most of his waking hours in Steven's personal lab, studying and cataloging Mega Stones. With Steven's assistance, he used various media platforms to inspire the people rise up against the League, reuniting with Enzo through his propaganda to avenge Pallet Town against Team Aqua.
Porygon-Z sorted all the potentially dangerous communications from Enzo's inbox, removing metadata before transferring them to his TR Device.
Anna provided Enzo with brief, concise reports about the progress at the hidden storage. The egg remained unchanged, the incubator showed no visible problems, and Ronnie told Enzo that Meowth lost a fight to Steelix.
Proton's reports were more helpful.
New members have been processed. Jessie, who is a bit irritable yet functional, has a connection to the Joy clan through her father's side. James, who is submissive and has received numerous corrections, also has ties to a wealthy clan, but it appears he has been disowned. This is important information that could be useful, perhaps these individuals aren't completely useless after all.
Xenon and Xedron remain calm, protecting the goods and helping coordinate the material personnel still grouped in fives.
The evenings Enzo and Steven spent together sorting through Mega Stones with Steven's usual obsession, that is, an enthusiasm of someone who wanted to create a fully labeled library of the universe, but had no desire to sort everything else at the same time.
Some Stones got their labels assigned. Some remained unexplained, and Steven found this fact annoying enough to try testing them with a variety of instruments.
By the third day, Steven came to the side office with two folders in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other.
"They'll meet," Steven announced, laying the folders on the table.
"All of them?"
"Enough of them."
"Good. That's exactly what I wanted."
Steven sat across from Enzo and looked at him with that mixture of warning and exhaustion peculiar only to him. "Don't sound too pleased. Bringing them together is the easiest part."
"I know."
"No," Steven said, pulling the first folder closer. "You know politics as a concept. Now you must learn these specific people."
He laid the first page of the folder on the table.
"Lucy. Champion. Pike Queen. Charismatic when she wishes to, ruthless when challenged, and utterly obsessed with the Battle Frontier. She believes that this project will change Hoenn's prestige on the international level."
"Does she care about the region?" Enzo asked.
Steven's lips pressed into a thin line. "I really don't know. I think she cares more about the success of her idea than anything else."
"I see," said Enzo, pondering.
"Here's Glacia, an Elite Four member and an Ice-type specialist. She is highly responsible, disciplined, and significantly underappreciated. In fact, she is the only person in the Elite Four who cares more about the region than her own ideals. Many of the best ideas that have helped hold the league together have come from her, including the hiring of a new gym leader and ongoing efforts to improve welfare conditions for the people of Hoenn.
However, I must warn you: if anyone in the Elite Four can discover your true identity, it's her. She is incredibly intelligent and is often considered the real champion of the region. Nothing gets approved without her consent, so if you want to achieve anything, you'll need to convince her or corner her."
"so she is the real deal here right?"
"Yes, don't underestimate her, the others are easier to persuade. If you want to catch Wallace's attention, appeal to beauty, culture, international prestige, and Pokémon contests. Phoebe will be difficult to persuade through direct pressure, as she comes from a wealthy family with a 200-year history. Just give her some compliments and show respect, nobles tend to be superficial. Lastly, Drake appreciates power and straightforwardness, but he's been at sea for so long that he allows ethics to affect his decisions. He is probably the strongest trainer in Hoenn, but his lack of commitment to the League is a significant reason why his status isn't higher."
"And Jenny and Joy?"
"Policing and healthcare," Steven said. "If you want to attract their attention, use practical arguments. Discuss issues like refugees, the increased burden on policing, medical challenges, and orphanages. They are heavily burdened because, aside from Glacia, no one is competent enough to ease their struggles."
Enzo stared at him.
"Good, I think I got it," Enzo said, getting up and ready to go to the meeting.
The building hosting the League in Lilycove didn't match Steven's description of Hoenn.
It was tall and pale and made of stone and glass. Flags, plants, and guards added to the impression of order created by its exterior. The sea breeze was warm and salty, and Wingull squawked somewhere above. Ships moved through the water in front of the city, and somewhere out there Team Aqua had connections too entrenched to be broken by the League.
Enzo came inside following Steven. The meeting wasn't advertised to the public, no crowds, no camera crews. No autographs from excited fans.
This silence was more intimidating than a loud and clearly visible pressure that he had dealt with previously. Public pressure was loud, obvious, and predictable. Private ones killed dreams and futures quietly and efficiently.
Steven wore a grey suit, and Enzo sensed how many times he had stepped into this building. Enzo himself wore civilian clothes, none of his usual black, no mask, no tactical equipment. Just his clothes and his face.
An attendant brought them into a conference hall, where there was a huge table facing tinted windows. There was also a certain number of people standing behind the chairs at the table. They weren't delegates but still important enough to pay attention.
There, in the seats of the table, sat power of Hoenn.
Champion Lucy sat close to the middle, posture elegant and face already showing irritation. She was beautiful in her own dangerous way, she knew that she had proven herself worthy long ago and now people stopped questioning her right to the title.
Glacia sat by her, pale and still and sharp-eyed in a way making clear that she could easily spot through any act or disguise.
Wallace looked graceful and composed in an unusual manner characteristic only to him. Phoebe appeared quietly, almost invisibly sitting somewhere on the side of the table. Drake looked old, old enough to remind Enzo of the man made by years of storms and sea winds. The Jenny and Joy representatives also appeared, both of them holding folders with information.
Steven took his seat at the conference table. Enzo took the guest chair to the right from his friend. Unofficially, he was a problem.
The meeting barely recognized his presence when Lucy's voice rang through the hall.
"The Battle Frontier is not a vanity project," Lucy said, speaking clearly and firmly. "This project defines the future of Hoenn's international influence. Tourism, high-level training facilities, challenge formats, broadcasting contracts. Every day wasted is the lost opportunity for us."
The face of the Jenny representative turned sour. The Joy representative lowered her head and began reading her notes. Wallace looked uncomfortable, Phoebe hoped that this building was falling into the ocean, and Drake seemed to lose interest.
Glacia didn't tear her eyes off Lucy.
"You are requesting additional funds for the project, which can be considered a prestige project, while our coastal security is getting worse, criminal organizations are growing stronger, and one of them has crossed the region boundaries, destroying the historical town of Kanto."
The atmosphere in the hall changed immediately.
Lucy squeezed the table.
Glacia didn't let her to get a chance to respond. "You know that the Battle Frontier may be beneficial. But value doesn't change the fact that it's timed badly."
Wallace glanced at Glacia, looking embarrassed, and then at Lucy. "Champion," Glacia continued without wasting time, "contests are important to the culture of our region. You are responsible for the public image. But you are also Elite Four. Your responsibilities don't end in just image you must help."
Wallace nodded. "I'm sorry. I'll try to improve."
"Try less. Do more."
Wallace accepted this correction gracefully.
Glacia turned towards Phoebe, who shrunk in fear in front of the first sentence that Glacia uttered. Then Glacia sighed, as if choosing to show some restrain.
"Phoebe," she said, "your silence may be your specialty. However, absence is still absence. The League needs your help regarding Ghost-type trainers, settlements, and ancient sites."
"You are supposed to react to calls," Glacia continued calmly, "and not just before the call is sent."
Phoebe nodded again.
Then Glacia turned to Drake. This Dragon-type specialist met her challenging gaze without showing any signs of intimidation.
"Drake. You are one of the strongest trainers in this region. While maritime threats increase, people expect that you will notice something before we read the reports. Team Aqua acts from the coast, from islands, and ships. It is not surprising that the attack on the Pallet Town happened."
Drake's jaw clenched. "Kanto is weak now. As far as the international relations are concerned, it works to our advantage."
Everyone understood what it meant. It didn't mean anything good.
"We're not at war with other regions," Glacia snapped coldly. "We don't celebrate victories obtained at a cost of other people's lives." Glacia's gaze flew to Enzo briefly.
Drake looked at him too, remembering suddenly that there was a survivor of a Kanto tragedy here. His face didn't soften exactly but changed.
"My apologies," Drake said sincerely.
"No offense has been taken," Enzo responded smoothly. It was a lie but it didn't really matter.
Glacia turned to the Jenny representative. "Provide me with a detailed analysis of Aqua and Magma activities, including their movements along coastal routes, inland excavations, and port staff management. If the local police force isn't enough to deal with the problem, call on the Gym Leaders. If they aren't able to cope with it, send Elite Four members as an assistance. The League can't allow criminals to spread our reputation across the regional borders."
The Jenny representative nodded sharply. "Understood."
Then the representative of the Joy Clan put on her glasses. "We need help, the situation is strained, but we have managed to survive. However, we will require additional assistance if refugees continue to arrive from Kanto."
Steven took a note, which did not pass unnoticed by Enzo.
Finally, Glacia looked at him.
"Enzo Vance. Thank you for coming, and for what you have done in Pallet Town. Reports claim that your actions have prevented the situation from getting any worse."
"Anyone in my situation would have done the same," Enzo replied.
"That's incorrect," Glacia retorted. "Many people in your position would have left, leaving it worse."
Silence settled in the room.
Glacia's expression became even colder. "However, I do not appreciate you declaring that you are going to hunt Aqua and Magma, before consulting the Hoenn League. These organizations are connected with Hoenn. It is a Hoenn issue, and we would prefer it to remain a Hoenn problem."
Her pressure was obvious. It was so obvious that most people would apologize. Some people would overcompensate with their apologizing.
Enzo smiled, but not too brightly to appear sincere.
"Thank you for letting me speak," he started. "But if I may, just a minute."
Glacia remained motionless, not encouraging him with nods or any gestures. Enough to proceed.
"This problem isn't just yours anymore," Enzo continued. "One of those terrorist organizations has managed to leave the boundaries of your region. Because of it, children died, families perished, and refugees were created. The public didn't witness only a Hoenn-related issue; instead, they witnessed a regional failure becoming an international tragedy."
Wallace looked miserable, Lucy looked interested, and Drake's expression hardened slightly.
Enzo continued calmly. "I came here because I promised people justice. And because if Team Aqua and Magma will be allowed to cross the borders without consequences, it won't be Hoenn's shame anymore but the shame of the entire region. If helping you in this issue requires me to join your structure, I am ready."
Lucy leaned forward with an evident interest in Enzo's words.
"Do you wish to belong to the Hoenn League?" she asked, sounding amused. "Why? And don't pretend that it's all about revenge."
"Not only," Enzo responded.
And it delighted Lucy.
"What do you see here?" she asked.
Hoenn was quite different from Kanto, he said. Kanto was old and tired; the structures in it were rigid, and its League operated slowly. It was understandable, because old things move slowly. But Hoenn was much more flexible.
Lucy asked with amusement. "Explain."
"Alot of potential," Enzo answered.
Everyone reacted almost simultaneously. Lucy smiled, Glacia's face became colder, and even Steven stopped taking his notes for a second.
Enzo leaned forward. "Most regions focus on one aspect: battles, culture, history, or strength, but Hoen, in my opinion, is the only one with all."
Lucy's eyes gleamed in expectation. "Please continue"
"I see an interesting concept," Enzo answered. "Battle Frontier. Other regions don't have anything similar to it. And while they still see a Gym contest as the primary public activity connected with a trainer development, Hoenn is creating something more than that. A place for special challenges, specialized battle theories, advanced battles, tourism, broadcasting, prestige and publicity."
Lucy's eyes shone brighter, and everyone behind her was listening intently.
"You're absolutely right," she said.
Glacia looked at him in disgust.
"The Battle Frontier is not a replacement for traditional Gym culture," Enzo said. "However, it contributes in one significant way: it allows the Gym circuit to specialize and focus on public purposes. A new type of Gym contest will provide Hoenn with unique opportunities and help us utilize our people more effectively. We have historic clans that can enhance the cultural experience and excellent facilities that could boost the entertainment industry. Furthermore, due to recent occurrences, we could leverage this to strengthen our military power. The people would understand."
Wallace looked thoughtful, Drake's lips twisted to a smirk, and Glacia looked at him with understanding of exactly what he was doing at the moment.
"The Battle Frontier would become Hoenn's platform for elite ambition."
Lucy smiled. This smile wasn't kind. "I like the way you think, Enzo Vance."
Glacia didn't appreciate it much.
"You said you wished to become a part of Hoenn's structure," Lucy said with the hint of curiosity. "Tell me, what are you offering?"
Enzo raised both hands, resting them on the table.
"A Dark-type Gym."
Wallace lifted his eyes. Drake grinned, and even Jenny's representative put a pause in writing and listened carefully.
"A type that doesn't exist in Hoenn," Enzo explained. "It's a new type with a trendy reputation among younger people. I specialize in it, and my reputation is closely tied to this type. It would be unique to Hoenn, providing an opportunity to stand out and create a brand without relying on fakes."
Lucy loved branded projects; Wallace appreciated uniqueness, and Drake enjoyed a sense of danger. Jenny and Joy representatives waited for the practical benefits, while Glacia waited for the trap. Enzo was sure she did.
Enzo gave her his public response.
"A Gym alone doesn't make a difference," he said. "It must have proper security, infrastructure, medical assistance, surrounding population, and the goal. That's why Steven and I discussed the possibility of creating a new settlement."
Joy representative became more attentive immediately. "Settlement?"
"Yes," Enzo confirmed. "A small town initially, privately financed and built with Devon Company resources. To build a Gym there, to build a controlled wild area, to build training grounds, to create security infrastructure. And maybe to take in refugees and orphans from Pallet Town."
Refusing him would mean rejecting not only a foreign trainer but also investments, refugees, orphans, security, a new Gym, and the Frontier vision of the Champion. It was a dirty trick. And it had worked.
"I believe in further assessment," Lucy continued, looking smug. "Provided that you successfully pass the tests from Hoenn, I cannot see a reason why not to explore this."
Glacia's gaze flicked at her, but Lucy ignored it, reveling in the praise.
The others also expressed their approval.
"Well," Glacia said and turned her attention back to Enzo. "I accept this offer on the condition..."
Enzo met her gaze. "Which one?"
"I will personally evaluate your skills."
Internally, only a thought formed: "fucking ice bitch!"
He bowed respectfully and said, "I consider it a privilege, thank you for the opportunity."
Glacia showed no sign of approval. "Tomorrow. At this place."
"Understood."
Politics never stops after an important decision was made.
Thus, Lucy continued speaking about budgets, Wallace suggested some form of cultural program, Drake complained about delays, Jenny requested coordination from patrols, and Joy insisted on real financing and not just symbolical one.
But the shape of today had already changed. He entered the office of the regional leaders as a famous foreign trainer, and he left it as a candidate. Not an accepted one, not a safe one, but within the gears nevertheless. For now, that was enough.
While going out, Glacia's voice called out to him. "Enzo, a word, please."
Steven slowed his pace. Enzo gave a brief, silent signal of non-intervention. Steven was obviously not convinced, yet he went away.
As soon as the rest left, Glacia looked intimidating. Some people become less imposing when the crowd goes away, not Glacia.
She turned away from the table and stared at him as if he was not playing anymore and it was time to show what was underneath.
"I don't know what your intentions may be," she said calmly.
Enzo did not say anything in reply.
"You see," Glacia continued, "we have plenty of selfish leaders around here. Plenty of egos. And numerous glorious projects that require money, resources, and human sacrifices in order to satisfy their creators' egoism. I am not going to accept someone else into this group just because he knows how to play this game properly."
"That is reasonable," Enzo agreed.
"If your intentions involve exploitation of Hoenn's vulnerability, I will stand in opposition."
"My purpose lies in improving the quality of the locals' life and revenge upon those whose death leaves them unable to take action."
Glacia watched him for a couple of seconds. "We'll see," she finally said. Turning toward the door, she paused again and added, "Tomorrow. Don't be late."
"I won't," he said as he left.
Waiting for him in the hallway was Steven, looking as if he was hearing absolutely nothing. As soon as Glacia was gone, he turned toward his friend.
"So?" he asked.
"She approves," Enzo replied.
"She threatened you," Steven stated with disbelief.
"Professionally."
Steven rubbed his forehead and said, "Your attitude always gives me a headache."
"did you resolve the second part?" Enzo retorted.
Steven removed his hand and couldn't suppress a smile. "I've already made arrangements with the sellers."
The sellers belonged to the Hoenn family who, while not rich enough to completely ignore the amount of seventy million Pokédollars, still took great pride in owning their piece of land.
The deal took place in the Devon Legal Offices outside of Rustboro, not because they were supposed to but since Steven believed that negotiating rooms played an essential role. The elderly owner had arrived wearing a brown suit that must have been expensive once. His younger counterpart wore contemporary business clothes and sized up his opponent, apparently weighing whether to feel insulted or grateful.
The sellers possessed an area in the north of Oldale Town, accessible from Route 103 by historical rights, located near the river and crowned by a rather uninteresting mountain with no useful Pokémon in sight, making any development of the territory extremely difficult.
From the point of view of most prospective owners, this mountain was merely another problem disguised as an inheritance. For Enzo, it was exactly what he had come for.
Steven dealt with the legal stuff with great skillfulness, discussing surface, subsoil, mineral, and construction rights, mentioning possible development of the territory, environmental obligations, speed of transferring the territory, disputes insulation, and official witnessing done by Devon Company. The seller made as if he wanted more, while Steven made it clear that he had not.
Eventually, the price settled at seventy million Pokédollars. Enzo paid it. Not through Rocket's accounts, nor in a direct way. It was sent in a series of transactions through cleaned layers, using prepared cards and systems capable of surviving standard verification.
Steven noticed that there was machinery behind the transaction and deliberately avoided asking questions. The contract was printed, signed by both parties and Steven as a witness, while Enzo put his signature last. The mountain belonged to him officially.
Enzo stored the documents into a secure suitcase. "I need to examine the new land before tomorrow."
"The assessment is set for morning," Steven reminded him.
"Believe me, I won't be late."
Steven looked skeptic. So did Enzo's smile.
By late afternoon, he stood on his new acquisition, staring at a mountain that seemed to rise from the earth with obstinate pride.
As usual, he brought no trace of documentation to the location of the hidden container site, instead summoning his team to a tree line in front of the mountain—something that could be considered ordinary, mundane, but in fact carried a silent challenge. The very fact of that constancy—of the mountain being itself without the demand to draw notice—was the first thing that Enzo found appealing.
For any common observer, it appeared to be just a plot of bad land.
Too far off the beaten paths. Of no use for tourism. Hard to build on. Steven's reports, now sitting in his hands and practically mocking him with their dismissiveness, talked about the area housing low-level Pokémon, predominantly Zubat, and small bug-types with poor commercial potential, lack of interest from trainers, and absence of rare species.
Perfection.
Anna was standing beside him, tablet already opened and scanning the area as she tried to figure out how to record a spreadsheet and suddenly found herself unable to. Proton took the reports from him, quickly scanning the property transfer and the accompanying map, while Ronnie was sporting the usual grin whenever Enzo did something that seemed to make absolutely no sense to him. Meowth was crouching on a rock with his arms crossed, gazing at the mountain with obvious disapproval.
"Boss, did we get it?"
"The mountain is ours," Enzo replied, raising the safe case just a little.
"Nice."
Meowth raised his single claw. "I want to know: why? We flew here, stashed our container, spent hours on paperwork and god-knows-how-many millions—"
"—for a mountain?" Proton cut him off.
"For that?" Meowth gestured toward the mountain, clearly irritated. "We flew here, stashed our container, spent hours on paperwork, and wasted god-knows-how-many millions on… that?"
Ronnie nodded slowly. "A mountain."
"A mountain," Anna confirmed, tablet never leaving her sight.
Proton chose not to pay attention to him. "Why this place? There were plenty of better spots, ones with easy accessibility, better roads, proximity to settlements, more wild Pokémon. According to your reports, there's not much but some low-level Zubat and route trash here. Why the hassle?"
"Intuition."
"Seventy million Pokédollars worth of intuition?" Meowth exclaimed.
"Yes."
"That isn't intuition; that's financial crime with confidence."
"Doesn't make the two mutually exclusive," Anna remarked, still scrolling through her tablet.
Enzo almost grinned.
And then his gaze fell on the mountain. Again.
In his previous life, this mountain had belonged to a forgotten corner of Pokémon world. Altering Cave. Said to be a place with some hidden secrets inside, connected to unused event data and offering a chance of encountering rare creatures. Instead, everyone had seen it as just another cave inhabited by Zubat—low-level, useless, disappointing Zubat.
He gazed at it with narrowed eyes, analyzing.
Now, this wasn't a game.
This was real.
And in this real world, things held meaning. Mountains had interiors. Caves weren't confined to game dimensions. If Altering Cave existed in reality, it didn't need to be a tiny chamber with some bugs in it. It could be the whole mountain with some interior hidden in it and waiting for someone to discover it.
Everyone saw low-level Zubat.
He saw an opportunity for excavation.
Rather than carving a mountain into one big hole, he could walk up to it and find an entrance to an already hollow mountain.
He just needed someone to guide him through this maze, pointing at the direction in which to go.
And of course, he couldn't say that out loud.
How could he?
He couldn't explain to Proton that his decision to buy that piece of land had been guided by his memories of a video game in a different lifetime. He couldn't explain to Anna that the future of Lambda's infrastructure could rest on an abandoned event cave from another world of digital Pokémon. And he couldn't tell Meowth that he had no right to be surprised—because Enzo wasn't guessing from local reports.
He was using his memory.
And memory had done good to him so far.
He opened his case and stepped forward.
Proton, Anna, and Ronnie followed him hesitantly.
No signs of civilization around them. Brush, loose stones, stubborn roots covering the surface of the mountain. No entrance. No path. Nothing that would distract a surveyor in the slightest.
Again, the point.
Entrances were obvious; once they were, they were recorded. And once they were recorded…
He walked along the bottom of the mountain, assessing it with a professional eye. Distance from the riverbank. Slope of the mountain. Vegetation growing thinner near several rocks, as if the roots never managed to establish themselves in sufficient numbers. He stopped in front of the wall.
Proton glanced at the stone and then at him.
"Here?"
Without saying a word, he threw another Poké Ball. "Krookodile!"
As usual, red light flashed and the sturdy creature emerged, ready to follow the command.
"Open it."
Krookodile stepped forward to deliver the command with brutal efficiency.
First hit chipped the stone, the second broke bigger pieces. On the third, he got his first result—there was an obvious crack on the rock. His fourth attempt shook the ground under his feet.
"Clear them."
The mountain groaned.
Zubat swarmed outside.
"I see," Meowth said. "We're digging a mountain by intimidation tactics."
Ronnie chuckled and activated a Poké Ball. "Mountain has tenants."
"You can do it," he told Krookodile with satisfaction, watching the entrance open up and letting darkness flow outside with a vengeance.
For a few seconds, there was nothing but stagnant air and the chill of the opening.
Then the darkness exploded.
Zubat swarmed the entrance, screeching angrily, dozens upon dozens of creatures flying around, ready to kill anyone who would dare enter. Anna had been right—it was low-level creatures, nothing dangerous, just a bunch of angry Zubat that attacked their home with enthusiasm.
Meowth jumped from the rock, yelping. "Okay! That's many bats!"
"Haha," Ronnie said, snapping his Poké Ball. "Mountain is angry."
"It doesn't matter anymore," he said calmly, not showing any sign of distress. "Inside."
"We're sure of this?" Proton asked, holding his Poké Ball.
"If you don't want to, I'll have to do it alone."
"No, no, we're coming," Proton said hastily. "Just... give us a second to get organized."
Krookodile blocked the entrance, roared with such ferocity that some bats were knocked out mid-flight.
Corviknight appeared above them, landing gracefully. Weezing started sending toxic clouds towards the bats, pulling them out of flight and making them fall. Anna stayed behind them, recording the location of the entrance.
"Boss, I think there are some better Pokémon for this purpose," Proton pointed out.
"What would they do?"
"They're not as effective."
He rolled his eyes and tossed a Poké Ball.
Proton sighed and threw his own Poké Ball. Crobat flew from it instantly, ready to participate in the battle. Ronnie followed suite, activating Fearow.
"And keep your distance," he added without turning.
"Got it," Anna responded.
The situation changed immediately. Within minutes, there was no screaming any more. Just a dead silence and dozens of unconscious bats at the entrance to the mountain.
"Inside."
Proton was still standing at the entrance. "Maybe... we should scout it first?"
"Do you feel up to it?"
"With our bodies?"
"Not really," Ronnie said helpfully. "We'd rather send our Pokémon."
"Is that supposed to be reassuring?"
"Of course, since boss is collecting information for a research paper," he explained patiently.
Proton shot him a sharp look.
"I mean, there is a difference," Ronnie said defensively. "Boss gets useful data either way."
Proton rolled his eyes. "Exactly the problem."
He ignored them, stepping into the mountain.
The temperature dropped instantly.
Cold. Damp. Old.
The entrance to the tunnel opened after a few hits, and the tunnel, jagged from Krookodile's assault, opened up and widened after a few meters. The sound of footsteps echoing with a delay, the slope, the air thick with the stench of minerals.
Then he sensed it.
An airflow.
The same air moving in the mountain but not due to the weather, as if there was some force feeding it from another room.
His steps slowed only slightly.
Tunnel opened up, revealing—
No one spoke.
Even Ronnie didn't say anything.
It wasn't a normal cave at all.
The mountain had opened itself, unveiling an enormous natural cavern large enough that their torches failed to illuminate even a bit of it. Columns of stone stood tall and proud, arching high into darkness. Natural terraces ran along the inner walls, branching in different places and leading to tunnels, while an underground stream shone in their lights.
The air felt like breathing deep into a mountain.
Anna put her tablet down. "Well…"
Proton was silent for a moment. "That is..."
"…a huge cave." Meowth was staring in disbelief. "That is not a cave, Boss. That is..."
He took a second to look around, and then answered with certainty.
He could tell by the expression on Proton's face that the answer was already dawning upon his mind.
"Boss… you knew?"
He smiled quietly.
Proton gazed back, the realization settling in slowly. "Yes."
Anna resumed her work, starting to type fast on her tablet. "Oh."
Meowth gazed at the cavern with fascination. "You just bought a mountain and discovered a city-sized hole."
"It's not a city," he said softly. "Not yet."
Proton finally turned to look at him and sighed. "This explains why you wanted to buy this one sorry for no beliving you."
Ronnie smiled. "What are we going to do next?"
"I think," Anna said, "we'll start with lighting."
Proton, after several moments of silence, finally said. "So what's the next step?"
"First, we'll organize ventilation, then structural survey, water inspection and mapping. Then waste management, electricity supply, entry and exit points. I'm afraid it will cost quite a bit," he said quietly.
"Excited yet?" Meowth asked sarcastically. "This is madness."
"Absolutely possible," she corrected him. "Let's see how many workers we'll need."
Proton was still staring at the cavern and then nodded slowly. "Boss…"
"You heard me," he replied, stepping farther into it.
He envisioned a city forming in his mind's eye: a Gym above ground, a settlement for refugees, a controlled zone, and infrastructure accepted by Devon Corporation. Below, Rocket labs, storage vaults, safe houses, incubation facilities, black market channels, barracks, command center—all inside a mountain the League was pretending to have inspected.
It wouldn't just be a squad of terrorists anymore.
It would be his city.
"This," he said with a grin, "will be our city."
"And I thought it would take weeks," Meowth groaned, rubbing his paws against his face. "You were right, it's crazy."
"Enzo…" Proton's voice sounded unusually soft. "What do we need to begin with?"
He reached into his pocket and took Giovanni's business card. There was a single phone number in it, expensive and anonymous enough to give them a construction ally.
Stepping closer to the cave opening, he dialed the number and waited. After four rings, an elderly voice came to life on the other side of the line.
"What?"
"My name is Enzo," he said softly. "This number is supposed to connect me to a person providing construction assistance."
"Well, you got the wrong number," he said curtly. "We don't build shacks for spoiled rich kids."
"This isn't a shack."
"What is it?"
"Settlement project."
There was a pause.
"We don't dig holes in mountains."
"I'm not asking you to," he told the man, still gazing at his vision of the cavern. "How about constructing a city in a mountain?"
Silence.
"Who gave you this number?" the old man eventually demanded.
"Giovanni."
The tone changed completely, becoming professional and cautious.
"…Hold."
A moment later, he replied.
"Coordinates."
"Send them."
"Three days."
"Thank you."
"Don't thank me until you see your city inside a mountain."
The call ended.
Enzo put the phone away and continued to stare at the impossible cave.
Hoenn had provided him with land. League had provided him with a route in. The mountain had provided him with a city-sized secret.
Behind his back, Meowth said softly. "Normal people start with buying a house."
"Boss starts with building a city inside a mountain," Ronnie finished, smirking.
Anna's tablet hummed and showed their first internal map coordinates.
Enzo smiled.
"Let's begin."
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AUTHOR NOTE:
Hi guys, let me just thank all of you who are supporting me with comments and power stones, and a special thanks to Kulha for kicking me out of the nº1 spot. Thanks for all the support.