Ariel retracted his gaze from the ocean view outside the porthole and looked at Cliff.
That weather-beaten face was now filled with a soldier-like solemnity.
"Are there people from other organizations on this ship?"
Ariel's voice was flat, devoid of any discernible emotion.
"Reporting to Executive Sir," Cliff replied quickly without the slightest hesitation, "there are a few League officials who are guests of the organization. As for trash like Magma Team and Team Aqua, the victory's passenger list isn't that cheap."
Ariel nodded noncommittally.
League officials—now that was interesting.
Were they collaborators, or hostages in some sense?
Given Team Rockets' style of operation, both were possible.
He changed the question, his tone remaining casual:
"Besides me, are there any of our people on board?"
This question caused a momentary freeze on Cliff's resolute face.
His lips moved as if weighing his words, and his eyes subconsciously avoided Ariel's direct gaze.
"This..."
Just as a single word escaped his mouth, a piercing alarm tore through the silence of the captain's quarters without warning.
"Wooo—wooo—wooo—!"
Crimson lights replaced the soft illumination, flashing frantically in the room and casting a blood-red hue over everyone's faces.
A small LCD screen on the wall instantly switched its display, showing several dilapidated ships flying skull flags, closing in on the victory from different directions.
Pirates.
Cliff's surprise lasted less than a second, immediately replaced by a cold hardness mixed with annoyance and disdain.
"A bunch of sightless scum,"
He cursed under his breath, his fist subconsciously tightening,
"to actually dare set their sights on the victory."
He didn't show the slightest panic; his years at sea had made him long accustomed to such scenes.
He walked to the communication equipment, pressed a button, and his steady, powerful voice spread throughout the cruise ship via the broadcast system:
"Attention all passengers, this ship is being harassed by unidentified vessels. Please stay in your rooms and do not panic. I repeat, please stay in your rooms. The victory's security system will resolve all issues within five minutes."
The reassuring broadcast ended, and Cliff hung up the communication, turning to face Ariel.
His posture was respectful, yet his eyes held an inquiry, like a fierce dog waiting for its master's command.
Ariel's reaction was unnaturally calm.
From the moment the alarm sounded until now, his expression hadn't changed at all, as if those menacing pirate ships outside the window were nothing more than a few annoying flies.
He even had the leisure to pick up the black tea on the table and take a gentle sip.
"Lead the way."
Three words, stated nonchalantly.
Cliff felt a chill in his heart and immediately bowed:
"Yes, Executive Sir!"
He strode forward to lead the way, taking Ariel through a pure white metal corridor.
The wall lamps on both sides of the corridor had also turned red, casting eerie shadows.
At the end was a heavy alloy gate. Cliff pressed his palm against the scanner beside the door, and the gate slid open silently to both sides.
Behind the door was a completely different world.
This was a true combat command center.
Dozens of screens occupied the entire wall, with countless complex data streams flowing across them.
In the center of the room was a massive circular platform. Above the platform hovered a 3D holographic sea chart. A model of the victory sat quietly in the center of the chart, with the surrounding Gyarados guard unit and the pirate ships accurately marked as red light points.
A cold technological feel and a murderous atmosphere intertwined here.
"Executive Sir, this is the heart of the victory. We can directly command the Gyarados guard unit from here."
Cliff explained, then sat at the main control console, his hands tapping rapidly on the virtual keyboard.
"Gyarados squad, execute the Scavenger Plan! Target: enemy ship propulsion systems. Hydro Pump authorized, Hyper Beam prohibited!"
The command was transmitted through a special sonic device, instantly reaching the minds of every Gyarados in the surrounding waters.
On the holographic chart, the blue light points representing the Gyarados immediately sprang into action.
They were like arrows released from a bow, slicing through the water's surface and charging towards the pirate ships.
The water surface exploded as thick pillars of water soared into the sky, accurately striking the sterns of the pirate ships.
The pirates clearly hadn't expected the victory's defensive force to be so fierce. For a moment, they were in total disarray. The pokémon on their ships released a few scattered skills, but they couldn't even scratch the Gyarados' scales before being completely suppressed by the subsequent Hydro Pumps.
The entire process was smooth and efficient, showcasing the high level of professionalism of Team Rockets' Superior members.
A hint of self-satisfaction appeared on Cliff's face. In his view, the battle was already over.
However, Ariel never once looked at that one-sided "slaughter."
From the very beginning, his gaze had been Locked-On to a small screen below the central sea chart. What was displayed there was an energy signal analysis of the pirate ships.
"Too weak."
Ariel suddenly spoke.
"Huh?"
Cliff was taken aback, thinking Ariel was evaluating the Gyarados' attack intensity.
"Executive Sir, to avoid causing too many casualties, I limited their output."
"I'm not talking about the Gyarados."
Ariel's gaze still hadn't left the screen.
"I'm talking about these pirates. Crude equipment, uneven pokémon levels, chaotic tactics—they look like a makeshift mob thrown together."
He extended a finger and tapped the air, pointing at the signal source of one of the pirate ships.
"Look here. Their energy readings haven't exceeded a certain threshold since contact began. In other words, their strength is so weak that they don't seem like pirates who would target the victory."
Don't seem like it?
Cliff's heart skipped a beat. Following Ariel's lead, he looked over, and fine beads of cold sweat broke out on his forehead.
He had only thought about resolving the trouble quickly and had overlooked these most basic details.
Ariel's voice continued, without a ripple of emotion, yet it struck Cliff's heart like a heavy hammer.
"Pirate raids are either for wealth or for lives. What is the point of such a half-hearted attack? Unless their role is merely to distract us."
Distract us... Cliff's face instantly turned pale.
If the attack on the surface was just a feint, then the real threat...