Just as Sieg, along with every Trainer exploring the depths of the Verdant Cavern, received the League's emergency summons…
At that very moment, outside the gambling stone parlor at the cavern's entrance, a convoy of wailing police cars roared onto the scene.
A unit of stern-faced officers in Police Bureau uniforms swiftly surrounded the entire gambling establishment. At their lead stood a heroic and commanding female officer, Officer Jenny.
Officer Jenny stood atop a massive armored SUV, a megaphone in hand. Her firm and commanding voice instantly spread through the whole stone parlor.
"Attention all League citizens and Trainers! There may be agents from a criminal underground organization hidden among you. Please remain calm and cooperate with the instructions made by the Police Bureau. We will guarantee your safety!"
She repeated these words over and over through the megaphone, doing her utmost to avoid inciting panic. Still, despite Officer Jenny's assurances, fear was already spreading like wildfire among the crowd.
Handing the megaphone to her assistant, Officer Jenny turned toward a nearby technician and asked, "Well? Has the emergency mission broadcast been sent out yet?"
"Don't worry, Captain Jenny, the forced transmission has already been issued to every Pokédex inside Verdant Cavern."
Hearing that, the weight on Officer Jenny's shoulders eased ever so slightly.
She immediately took command, directing officers to evacuate and separate the crowd in an orderly fashion, while also urging higher-ups to dispatch Pokémon reinforcements as soon as possible.
The moment Sieg received the emergency mission notice, he dared not linger around. He had his Murkrow scout ahead and quickly made his way to the entrance.
As soon as he reached the exit, the police surrounded him and the others, conducting identity checks and crowd control. With no other choice, Sieg could only follow the main group and wait for League processing.
Officer Jenny's sharp eyes scanned the crowd, and the moment she saw Sieg, along with his Crawdaunt following closely at his side, a flicker of suspicion crossed her face.
Among those being hunted from the criminal organization, many were known to favor Crawdaunt as their representative Pokémon.
"Name?" she asked.
"Sieg."
"Please show your identification."
Sieg wasn't the least bit surprised at being singled out by Officer Jenny. Calmly, he handed over his ID for inspection.
"Huh?"
Officer Jenny swiped Sieg's card across the scanner. As the data appeared, her expression shifted into a slight frown of uncertainty.
"I apologize, respected Trainer Sieg. Due to the current emergency, I hope you understand."
She had noticed Sieg's League-certified identity and his Level Two clearance. Her doubts vanished instantly.
Straightening her posture, she brought her long legs together with military precision and gave him a sharp salute, her expression now solemn and respectful.
Sieg responded with a slight nod, expression calm as ever, ready to leave, but was suddenly stopped by Officer Jenny, who stepped forward with a request.
"Respected Trainer Sieg, I trust you've already received the emergency notice. The League has now issued a Level One emergency mission. Though it's not a compulsory order, as part of the League, we hope you can lend us your strength."
Sensing Sieg's strength, after all, Crawdaunt only evolves at Level 30, Jenny seemed eager to recruit him. Afraid he might decline, she quickly added, "If you help the League complete this mission, we will provide you with generous rewards afterward."
Her voice was unusually gentle, but only toward Sieg. Had it been a regular civilian Trainer, they would've been forcefully drafted into the combat team without a second thought.
Sieg lowered his head in silent contemplation. Truth be told, with his current situation, there was no real need to risk going on such a dangerous mission.
Just by selling Pokéblocks, he could earn a stable stream of Pokédollars.
"Can I have the reward be converted into League Points instead?" he asked after a moment.
Compared to Pokédollars, League points were undoubtedly more valuable. They were the highest-grade currency in the official rewards system.
Even those with only basic clearance could exchange points for treasures like Pokéblocks or high-quality Pokémon eggs.
Those with higher-ranked League clearances could even access the starter Pokémon trio and League-exclusive training manuals.
With his Level Two clearance, Sieg had access to an even wider range of rare items and Pokémon eggs.
As for Level Three clearance, Sieg suspected that it might unlock the ability to exchange points for pseudo-legendary Pokémon, though he had no idea how to upgrade his clearance level yet.
As expected, Officer Jenny hesitated for a moment when she heard Sieg request League points instead of Pokédollars.
"Very well, no problem. On behalf of the League Police Bureau, I approve your request!"
She remembered Sieg's Level Two clearance and didn't press the matter, agreeing swiftly.
Still, deep down, she felt a trace of annoyance. Wasn't this just robbery in broad daylight?
It was a pride unique to the Jenny family. No one had ever dared to reject her requests, let alone use the situation to raise the stakes.
Officer Jenny stared deeply at Sieg's face, committing it to memory, surprised that someone like him could exist.
As Sieg joined the ranks of Trainers responding to the League's summon, several others quickly approached him to start a conversation. After all, everyone had just witnessed Officer Jenny personally invite him.
With a Crawdaunt by his side, it was obvious he wasn't weak. In an unpredictable mission like this, banding together was the smartest move.
But before the small talk could go any further, a deafening explosion erupted from deep within the Verdant Cavern.
BOOM!!!
Everyone watched, stunned, as part of the cavern collapsed in on itself. Officer Jenny and her squad of officers immediately shifted to full alert.
Then, three Pokémon emerged at the tunnel entrance in an instant.
"Camerupt, use Eruption!"
"Sharpedo, bypass the enemy Pokémon and strike that girl directly, Aqua Jet!"
Two figures, one in red and one in blue, commanded their Pokémon with overwhelming authority. The sheer pressure from their attacks forced back all nearby Pokémon.
Even Officer Jenny's Arcanine struggled to withstand the pressure, barely managing to maintain a protective barrier.
Many Pokémon fell unconscious and a lot of Trainers were hurt. The enemy commanders continued their barrage of attacks, most still standing Trainers and Pokémon barely able to even protect themselves. That was the difference in power between normal trainers and high ranking members of criminal organizations.
But as all hope seemed lost, a giant Steelix appeared, its massive silver body rising like a skyscraper and glinting sharply in the sun.
Atop its head stood a girl, eyes burning with anger, shouting, "Probopass, use Zap Cannon on Sharpedo! Golem, Earthquake on Camerupt!"
The counterattack came just as fiercely. The massive electromagnetic energy sphere engulfed the sky above the crowd, casting a shadow before crashing down on Sharpedo.
BOOM!!!!!!!
The girl standing atop Steelix didn't flinch, coldly continuing to command her Pokémon in a heated battle against the enemy forces.
Below, the remaining Trainers were locked in battle with red-and-blue-uniformed grunts from the criminal organizations. Yet their eyes couldn't help but drift toward the battlefield beside them.
The power radiating from those few Pokémon was overwhelming. Even the shockwaves alone were knocking out their own Pokémon.
"So this… is the power of Elite Pokémon?"
Officer Jenny stared at the top of the tunnel, watching the fierce duel between the Rsutboro Gym Leader and the enemy commanders. For a moment, her long snow-white legs even began to shake.
Sieg too turned his gaze toward the girl's figure in awe and exclaimed, "Roxanne?!"