Bria was still stammering. All of a sudden, she did not know how to explain it.
They were Team Rocket members now. They were doing research for Team Rocket. And outside were heavily armed Team Rocket forces.
This black-cloaked man who suddenly appeared clearly did not look like someone from Team Rocket. Yet he claimed to be a League researcher.
Putting aside whether this "researcher" was real or not, this strange man was most likely a League trainer.
Doing research for Team Rocket and getting caught on the spot by a League trainer.
Bria, who had only been an assistant researcher for less than two months, felt completely doomed.
'I'm definitely going to be locked up in the League's prison…'
Witnessing this scene, Dale felt even more puzzled. He exchanged a glance with Shiro. Both could see the same question in each other's eyes.
This was completely baffling.
It would be better to just continue researching Sea Shard Rock.
So Dale went back to his work. After watching for a few more minutes, Shiro turned his attention to the three stone pillars by the pool. These were the objects called Sea Shard Rock.
The shapes of the three Sea Shard Rocks were extremely strange. Their length and width differed greatly. They looked less like pillars and more like hollow rock shells.
Also, these three dark blue rock shells did not all seem to have formed naturally in this pool.
With psychic power, Shiro could tell easily. Only the Sea Shard Rock in the center was connected to the bedrock below. The other two were like rootless driftwood. They seemed to have been moved here recently and tossed directly into the water.
Yet there were no signs of broken rock either under the pool or inside the cave. The naturally formed Sea Shard Rock in the center also matched what a natural structure should look like.
Did Team Rocket move the other two here? Or was it the work of Red Devil?
Shiro could not figure it out. He decided to ask Dale first.
"The two Sea Shard Rocks near the edge don't seem natural. Did Team Rocket bring them here?"
"Huh?" Dale shook his head as he spoke. "How could that be? Team Rocket only steals things. There were five here originally. They secretly transported two away already. I have no idea what they're for…"
After saying that, he muttered to himself again.
"I haven't even finished my research, yet Team Rocket acts like they already know everything. They never ask about my progress. They came and moved the Sea Shard Rocks right away. I really don't get it…"
Shiro tapped his forehead lightly after hearing that. His head started to ache.
It seemed these two researchers were only here as a cover. Any information they discovered was likely transmitted away through the computer long ago. Team Rocket probably knew the research progress at all times.
So what exactly was Sea Shard Rock?
If it were just a normal Water-type Pokémon material, would Team Rocket really go through all this trouble and even send an executive to oversee it?
Unable to figure it out, Shiro immediately asked Mesprit in his mind, 'Mesprit, do you recognize these rocks?'
'They feel a bit familiar,' Mesprit replied softly.
A bit familiar?
Shiro was even more curious. Mesprit did not seem to know much either. He then asked Unown A.
'A, take a look at these Sea Shard Rocks. Do you remember anything?'
'Ah~'
Unown A sounded half asleep. It smacked its lips, opened its single eye, and released psychic power to sense them.
'This…' It seemed confused. Then it opened its eye again and looked more closely. 'This, this is!'
'Could these be fragments of Arceus's Plates?' Shiro boldly voiced his guess.
Water-type. Pokémon grow stronger after eating it. Made by Arceus. Guaranteed quality.
Unown A froze for a moment, then rejected it outright.
'No! Plates aren't this big. And they aren't this ugly.'
It examined them again carefully before speaking with certainty.
'These are fragments of Kyogre's body.'
So it was Kyogre…
Shiro felt a little disappointed.
That big blue fish did not have much prestige. It got beaten up by Rayquaza and could even be hunted by Pokémon hunters. It was once hauled up with a fishing rod.
Of course, that last part was from the anime. Anime humans did not follow logic.
In reality, Kyogre was still the god of the sea. Its true size should be far larger than shown in animation. Its strength would also be on a completely different level from ordinary Pokémon. It could easily crush normal Pokémon and trainers.
Creating the oceans was an incredible authority and achievement.
'That's the god of the sea,' Unown A said theatrically. 'A legendary Pokémon that ranks among the top tier even among the gods!'
"..."
Shiro raised an eyebrow and said nothing. He simply had Mesprit take action and store the two Kyogre shell fragments at the edge into his bag.
"Huh?"
Dale, who was researching behind them, let out a confused sound.
Why were the Sea Shard Rocks in the pool suddenly gone?
There was no underwater current or hidden cave at the bottom either.
He scratched his head, unable to understand it at all.
Could it be some special effect of Sea Shard Rock that allowed teleportation?
Dale's eyes were filled with pure confusion.
Beside him, Bria was still trembling.
Just as Shiro was figuring out how to cut off and take the third one, a string of bubbles suddenly rose from the pool. Each bubble was as big as a human head. It looked like something a fish had spat out.
"Puh. Gurgle…"
The bubbles kept coming. Some water even splashed onto the rocky ground at the edge.
Unfortunately, none of it reached Shiro's pants.
The culprit finally surfaced from the water in anger.
It was a fish with a dull yellow head, vacant and stupid-looking eyes, and thick lips. It was big and ugly and did not seem capable of any attacks. Aside from its size, it had no other merits at all.
"So it's a Feebas…"
Shiro suddenly realized and lightly tapped his head. When he scanned the area earlier with psychic power, he had somehow missed it.
He did not know if it was because it was too ugly or had too little presence. It had stayed quietly at the bottom of the pool, and he had instinctively ignored it.
"Feee!"
The Feebas angrily flapped its short blue fins and spat bubbles at Shiro on the shore.
It used to live in a small pond and suffered endless scorn from other fish. One day, it was brought here by a group of people in black. It could finally live alone and eat delicious minerals.
Who would have thought these humans were so greedy? Taking two pieces was not enough. Now they were taking more.
Feebas could clearly sense the minerals behind Shiro, even though it could not see them.
Rage burned inside its body.
"Interesting." Shiro examined the Feebas.
Ugly. Take a good look.
Just how ugly was it?
Yet it was still so confident.
Simply… Perfect!
Shiro decisively threw a Poké Ball and called out, "Go, Poké Ball!"
**
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