A faint smile appeared on Silas's face.
This mission practically played right into his strengths.
"Captain Stern, please don't worry. Most of my Pokémon specialize in water battles, and I've always enjoyed sailing and exploring the sea."
Captain Stern's eyes flickered slightly after hearing the young trainer's confident response. After hesitating for a moment, he finally revealed the details of the mission.
"Actually, this operation wasn't proposed by me alone."
"It was jointly requested by Mauville Gym Leader Wattson, Elder Raizo of the Solans Family, the renowned engineer Tsuga, and several other important figures."
One famous name after another left Captain Stern's mouth. It was obvious he wanted to emphasize the significance of this expedition. After a brief pause, he looked directly at Silas.
"Have you ever heard of Sea Mauville?"
Silas's heart stirred.The information broker's files had already mentioned the location. Still, he maintained a thoughtful expression.
"Sea Mauville...The offshore energy extraction facility that once belonged to Mauville Holdings?"
Captain Stern nodded.
"That's right."
"Sea Mauville was originally an offshore energy platform operated by Mauville Holdings. The personnel working there included myself, Wattson, Engineer Tsuga, Elder Raizo, and several others."
A trace of nostalgia flashed across his face.
"Unfortunately, after the cancellation of the New Mauville Project, the company suffered enormous losses and eventually collapsed."
"Sea Mauville was abandoned soon afterward."
"Before the facility was dismantled, however, researchers discovered that the surrounding waters possessed a unique ecosystem."
"Because of that discovery, the structure was preserved as a protected natural reserve."
"Over the years, nature gradually reclaimed the ruins. Eventually, the facility itself became a tourist attraction."
Only then did Silas fully understand the history behind Sea Mauville. Captain Stern continued.
"Many documents and research records from the old company remain scattered throughout the facility."
"We've organized multiple retrieval expeditions over the years."
"Unfortunately, every attempt ended in failure."
"Some teams encountered powerful wild Pokémon at sea."
"Others simply lacked the manpower necessary to thoroughly explore the ruins."
Silas nodded thoughtfully. Now he understood why they specifically wanted trainers experienced in aquatic combat. After pretending to consider the proposal, he asked,
"Besides me, will there be anyone else participating? And how will the rewards be handled?"
After all, Team Rocket's mission remained his top priority But earning extra Pokédollars along the way wasn't something Silas intended to refuse.
Captain Stern smiled.
"Sea Mauville is mostly submerged beneath the ocean."
"The interior passageways are narrow and cramped."
"Too many people would only get in each other's way."
"So there will only be two trainers participating."
He continued.
"Of course, we don't expect you to recover every document in a single expedition."
"Even if you only map unexplored sections or recover a portion of the records, substantial rewards will still be provided."
Silas immediately understood. Captain Stern clearly didn't expect this mission to succeed in one attempt.
Many trainers had likely accepted this bounty before him. After a moment's thought, Silas asked one final question.
"When do we depart?"
"Three days from now."
....
Silas spent the following three days preparing for the expedition.
The timing worked perfectly.
Sharpedo's injuries from the battle against Braviary would have fully healed by then.
...
Three days later.
South of Slateport City.The beach was quiet except for the rhythmic sound of crashing waves.Far out at sea stood the remains of an enormous structure.
Most of it had long since sunk beneath the ocean. Only a massive, rust-covered deck remained visible above the water's surface, tilted at an awkward angle. Silas stood on the shoreline, studying the ruins.
"Tsk."
"Just judging by the size of that deck, Sea Mauville must have been enormous during its prime."
The abandoned facility looked less like a research station and more like a sleeping steel giant slowly being reclaimed by the sea. Just as Silas was silently observing the structure, a familiar voice sounded from behind him.
"It really is impressive."
Silas froze.
That voice sounded familiar.
Turning around, he immediately recognized the newcomer.
"Cynthia?"
The blonde woman smiled.
It was indeed Cynthia. The two had previously fought side-by-side aboard the S.S. Blissey.
Unlike their previous meeting, however, Cynthia wasn't wearing her elegant black dress.
Today she wore a simple sky-blue travel shirt that revealed her slender fair arms. Golden hair danced gently in the sea breeze.
Butterfly-shaped hair ornaments rested near her temples.The casual outfit somehow made her even more eye-catching.
"Looks like we'll be working together again."
Cynthia brushed a strand of golden hair behind her ear.
"You rejected my battle invitation last time."
Silas raised an eyebrow. Of all the people he expected to encounter here, Cynthia certainly wasn't one of them.
Someone with her background shouldn't need to accept dangerous missions for money. After all, Cynthia was already one of the brightest young stars in Sinnoh.
The Sinnoh League invested enormous resources into her development. Not to mention her ace Pokémon.
Garchomp.
A terrifying pseudo-legendary Pokémon.
No matter how he looked at it, Cynthia didn't seem like someone who needed bounty rewards to support herself.
Noticing the questioning look in his eyes, Cynthia surprisingly offered an explanation.
"I accepted this mission at the request of Elder Raizo from the Solans Family."
Understanding immediately appeared on Silas's face.That made sense. The Solans Family possessed considerable influence within archaeological and fossil-research circles.
Meanwhile, Cynthia's grandmother, Professor Carolina, was one of Sinnoh's most respected researchers. The two sides having connections wasn't unusual.
As for Elder Raizo ,Silas had already investigated the man during the past three days. He had even contacted Selene to gather additional information.
According to what she knew, Raizo was one of the elders responsible for the Solans Family's commercial operations.
Still... Silas couldn't accurately judge Cynthia's current strength.
Her Garchomp alone was terrifying. Combined with Cynthia's exceptional talent and flawless command ability, the dragon was likely capable of defeating opponents well above its level.And that was only her ace.Who knew how strong the rest of her team had become?
Just as Silas was lost in thought, both of their Pokédex devices suddenly emitted a notification.
Beep!
Beep!
The two opened the message simultaneously.
As expected, it was from Captain Stern.The file contained maps and records from previous expeditions around Sea Mauville. After reviewing the information, Silas looked up.
Coincidentally, Cynthia did the same and Their eyes met.
"The interior of Sea Mauville has been abandoned for years," Cynthia said. "Wild Pokémon have completely occupied the facility."
"Recovering those records won't be easy."
There was no fear in her voice.
Only anticipation.
She had come here not only to assist with the mission But also to train her Pokémon.
Without hesitation, Cynthia released two Poké Balls.
Flash!
Flash!
Two Water-type Pokémon appeared beside her.
"Miloooootic~!"
"Gastroooodon!"
The first Pokémon instantly drew Silas's attention.
Milotic.
Its elegant body resembled a magnificent sea serpent.Cream-colored scales covered most of its body. Long pink antenna-like fins hung gracefully from its head.Its tail shimmered with beautiful blue and pink scales.
Under the sunlight, rainbow-colored reflections danced across its body. The surrounding ocean seemed dull by comparison.
• Beautiful.
• Elegant.
• Majestic.
Milotic truly deserved its reputation as the most beautiful Pokémon in the world. Beside it stood a Gastrodon.
Although far less flashy than Milotic, the Pokémon's calm demeanor and steady aura made it clear that it was no weakling.Silas examined the pair carefully before a faint smile appeared on his lips.
It seemed this expedition into Sea Mauville was going to be far more interesting than he had expected.
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(End of chapter)