Pokémon Detective Case Files.

This detective not only possesses keen insight, always able to astutely detect the most hidden schemes of criminal organizations, but also boasts an astonishing network of connections. Back in Sinnoh, he could effortlessly summon numerous exceptionally skilled trainers to his aid, many of whom now hold important positions in the Sinnoh League.

Three years later, he decided to seek the detective's professional assistance and connections once again.

Pokémon under the permafrost?

Because he had been following up on the situation at the Giant's Cave beforehand, the handsome man didn't need to spend too much time describing the current situation when talking to Hugo.

"Team Plasma's current goal is probably not to capture that Pokémon immediately, but to secretly move this frozen Pokémon to another location."

The detective paused for a moment on the other end of the phone, arriving at the same conclusion as the criminal investigator—

"However, the Giant's Cave is already located in a remote area, so what's the point of moving it?"

"Perhaps for research purposes?" the handsome man asked tentatively, recalling Akromma's iconic white scholar's robe.

“Unlikely,” Hugo immediately denied.

"Leaving aside Akromar who just arrived, the Plasma Squad leader you described should be Vio, the mathematician from the original Seven Sages—he's not the kind of person who would be interested in applied technology. When Quixote sent him here before, he was probably just sending someone to keep things in order, to let this scholar who made a mistake get a second chance in the mission, without intending to let him participate in combat or research."

"The key issue is the giant Pokémon beneath the tundra..."

The detective's voice suddenly became focused—

"Why was it frozen under the ice? Was it due to geological changes during the seal, or did the long-term leakage of energy cause ice to spontaneously condense around it? Hmm... Judging from the legends circulating in Kagome Town nearby, the latter seems more likely. But would a Pokémon really freeze itself because of the cold air it creates? If the reason for the seal comes from the Pokémon's own Ice-type energy, why is there frozen soil around the Pokémon instead of just ice? Did it deliberately bury itself before being sealed?"

Hugo kept raising questions and then refuting and correcting them one by one, as if he were helping himself to organize his thoughts.

"Could it be related to the local meteorite legend in Kagome Town?" the handsome guy, who had done his homework before starting the operation, asked. "A meteorite from outer space plunged into the soil, and the ice-type Pokémon was sealed inside it. The cold air it emitted from the seal accumulated over time, causing the surrounding soil to turn into frozen ground?"

"This explanation has flaws."

The person on the other end of the phone objected without hesitation, and the handsome man could almost see the detective's frowning and head-shaking face.

“Although this is my sister’s research area, as far as I know, there are ancient legends about giant monsters circulating in Kagome Town. An Ice-type Pokémon that has been sealed away since it fell underground could not possibly have left such a legend among the people without possessing special dream-telling abilities.” Hugo’s voice carried obvious skepticism. “You’ve observed that underground Pokémon up close. Can you confirm that it has psychic abilities?”

The detective recalled that the gray shadow under the ice had a terrifying aura, but it had nothing to do with superpowers.

"I don't think so," the handsome man answered honestly. "At the time, Miss Lila's Alakazam didn't react much to that Pokémon either."

“This makes the existence of the permafrost even more suspicious.” Hugo’s speech quickened. “There shouldn’t be soft soil at that depth. The most reasonable explanation is that the Pokémon once awoke. Both the huge cavities and the soil are traces left by this Pokémon’s activities, and the interconnected Giant’s Cave is very likely the passage it left behind!”

"How would understanding this help our current actions?"

"There's a contradiction here," Hugo said, quoting his classic line from Sinnoh.

"If that giant Pokémon chose to hibernate on its own, it shouldn't have allowed the tundra to completely seal it away. And if an outsider defeated it, forcing it into a passive seal, the outsider wouldn't have used such a slow and gentle method as freezing the tundra to suppress a Pokémon that was originally Ice-type... Rather, this layer of tundra seems more like a safety measure set up after the Pokémon was already sealed, to make its slumber even more thorough... Wait a minute!"

Hugo's explanations and reasoning began to quicken for some reason, which sent a chill down the handsome man's spine.

"I understand!" the detective's voice suddenly boomed through the receiver.

"That frozen ground wasn't originally in the Giant's Cave! It was created by Team Plasma! They poured soil and water around the seal where the Ice-type Pokémon was sleeping, using its own temperature to completely freeze it. This was the 'ice coffin' that Team Plasma made for that creature! This also explains another question—the transportation of that giant block of ice!"

"Besides the passages we've blocked, does Team Plasma have any other way to get the ice blocks containing the Pokémon out?" the handsome guy asked anxiously.

"Yes! There must be underground passages we haven't discovered! Right beneath that frozen ground! That's why they were able to carry out such large-scale excavations with such impunity!"

Hugo raised his voice on the phone, recalling the staged kidnapping incident on the Road to the Champion; these intricately designed caves often connected to…

"An underground river! That passage likely leads to a nearby underground water system!"

The detective's voice held a hint of realization—

"Damn it, no wonder we can't find that huge ship they stole anywhere in the Union!"

At the same time, the Alakazam next to the handsome man suddenly trembled, its eyes lit up, and it raised its hand to press its yellow forehead—it was Miss Lyra from underground who sent a message using her Espeon!

Chapter 406 Breaking the Ice

In the deep, dark underground river, a destroyer covered in silver armor is slowly traversing the water.

To accommodate the cramped cave passages that are too narrow for a ship, the bridge and mast on top of the hull have been temporarily removed. The entire warship resembles a giant metal shuttle, propelled solely by the energy generated by the Electric-type Pokémon in the engine room.

"I didn't come to Unova to help you sail your ships."

Among the Plasma Team members dressed in white and gray uniforms, a woman in blue stood out. She leaned against the cockpit window, her fingers tapping absently on the metal frame, her long black hair seemingly swaying with the ripples of the water outside.

"Our leader is about to go online in the west to fight against the United Alliance, but I'm stuck here guarding this piece of black ice to kill time."

With the course already set, the autopilot system kept the ship moving with mechanical precision. Bored, the woman irritably ground her boot against the cables on the ground—

"I'm surrounded by a bunch of boring guys. I should have switched places with Ah Chao back then."

"Please don't say that... The mission in the Giant's Cave is also very important."

Faced with the sharp gaze of the female officer from the newly arrived Fleet Aqua, the members of Team Plasma exchanged uneasy glances.

Finally, one of the members, wearing a mask and seemingly of higher status, was pushed forward by his companions and, with a forced smile, responded—

"This plan was personally classified as top secret by the Sage of Quixote. To ensure its absolute success, the Sage even specifically requested the assistance of your leader, Mr. Mizuki-no-Tori." His tone was cautious and restrained, yet tinged with a hint of probing. "Miss Izumi, your remarks just now... do they mean you have some dissatisfaction with Mr. Mizuki-no-Tori's arrangements?"

"Oh?" The female officer of the water fleet didn't seem to be provoked. Instead, she raised her diving goggles, which were perched on her hair, with interest.

"You're quite the talker, aren't you? What's your name?"

“Brad.” He straightened his back. “I was originally a direct subordinate of Sage Vio of the Plasma Group, but I was transferred here because of the casino incident. My current responsibility is to ensure that the transportation mission can proceed smoothly.”

"Hmm, a very loyal subordinate." The female officer didn't know much about the inner workings of Team Plasma, but she looked at Brad with curiosity. "To ensure the mission goes smoothly, do you have any 'valuable suggestions' for me?"

“Sir, please… take this mission more seriously.” The plasma team member raised his eyes from under his hood, looking directly at Miss Izumi—

"Although Dr. Akromma's involvement has accelerated the cult's progress in excavating the ice, we cannot rule out the possibility of accidents during the process. As the support force for the transport operation, we must be prepared to face any unexpected events at any time."

"Oh dear, so you do know I'm your superior now." Miss Quan narrowed her eyes dangerously, like a serpent before an attack, a playful smile on her face. "Alright, seeing how brave you are, I'll be merciful and just break three of your ribs for now."

Brad's pupils contracted sharply, and almost instinctively he took a half-step back, his right hand quickly reaching for the Poké Ball at his waist—

However, before his fingertips even touched the sphere, a blue afterimage shot out from beside Ms. Izumi!

"too slow."

The woman's impatient voice still echoed in the cabin, but it was all over.

Before any of the Team Plasma members could react, a precise "Water Gun" shattered the trigger mechanism of the Poké Ball in Brad's hand.

Metal parts shattered, and the Poké Ball hit the ground with a thud, rolling on the deck with a crisp sound.

"You have the nerve to tell others to watch their attitude? I thought you were something special, but you're just a pretty face with empty words. You Team Plasma guys have been pampered in Unova for too long, and it seems you haven't even mastered the most basic fighting techniques!"

The sound of boots hitting the iron plate rang out, and A-Quan stood in front of the Plasma Group's subordinates, looking down at them and reprimanding them.

"From the blueprints to the riveting and welding, every inch of steel on this destroyer reflects the hard work and dedication of our fleet. Yet you are completely unable to unleash even a fraction of this ship's potential—as a solution, I was sent here, entrusted with this important task, to be the absolute authority to command you bunch of useless trash. Since when has it been the sailors' turn to boss the captain around in my cabins…"

The female officer from the Aqua Fleet gave a cold smile—

"If this were the Hoenn Sea, your corpse would probably be thrown to the bottom of the water to feed the fish. But for the sake of your organization, I'll use this level of punishment as a way of saying hello first..."

As if responding to the trainer's call, a spherical creature used its tail fin to bounce up in front of Brad, knocking him to the ground.

It was the culprit behind that vicious "water gun" attack—a thousand-needle fish covered in sharp spines.

The Poison-type Pokémon now swelled into a ball shape, its sharp spikes standing straight up, and its racket-like tail curved, gathering power to unleash the "Water Tail" move on Brad's ribs...

Unlike the world where civilized people live, evil parties can only use this simple and brutal method to declare their superior and inferior status and power relationship with each other—in this dark sea of ​​the survival of the fittest, violence is the most straightforward calling card.

Just as Brad closed his eyes, bracing himself for the fatal blow from the Thousand Needlefish, the expected excruciating pain failed to materialize.

what happened?

He cautiously opened one eye, only to find that the menacing spirit in front of him had already been captured by Miss Izumi and put back into the net.

"Tsk." Quan's gaze passed over him and landed on the "black ice" outside the porthole, letting out an impatient click of his tongue. "Looks like... now is not the time to clean up the trash."

Unbeknownst to them, the destroyer had silently entered the target area. Before them lay a vast underground cavern, its dark underground river covered by a thick layer of ice.

The ice layer where the frozen behemoth was originally located has been cut and removed, and the ice surface has become much thinner. In its place is a glowing area that is slowly expanding—that is the construction site of Vio's team.

However, at this moment, what burst forth from that area was not normal construction lighting, but a chaotic light of various energy beams intertwining and flashing.

"Looks like the guys you're supposed to be picking up are having a fierce fight up there—" Miss Izumi kicked Brad, who was slumped on the ground, with the tip of her boot, a cold smile playing on her lips. "Of course, if they're not putting on a light show."

The unexpected actually happened.

Brad forced himself to stand up, pressing one hand against his chest, which was throbbing from the impact of the Thousand Needle Fish, and said in a low voice, "I hope you can fulfill the mission entrusted to you by Mr. Water Willow and show us the fighting style that your organization is so proud of."

"You don't need to tell me that."

Miss Izumi tossed her long, glossy black hair, clapped her hands crisply in the air, and suddenly raised her voice—

"Attention, all you good-for-nothing sailors! No matter how long you've been living a life of luxury in the Unova region, now it's time to snap out of it!"

“But…” a member of Team Plasma looked out the window at the thick layer of ice, his voice hesitant, “How are we supposed to get up there with such thick ice in between?”

"Perfect timing, it seems there are other people whose ribs also need some education."

Izumi, a member of Team Aqua known as the "Killer Hound" in Hoenn, grinned, revealing sharp shark teeth, and strode towards the control room—

"Everyone, hold your positions firmly! If this destroyer doesn't loosen its ram soon, it might really turn into scrap metal!"

Chapter 407 The Nickname Wasn't Wrong

Lila was discovered by Team Plasma when they sent Espeon to initiate telepathy.

When she peered through the thinned ice layer caused by the excavation of the sealed Pokémon and saw the flowing groundwater below, Lila instantly understood Team Plasma's scheme—these members of an illegal organization planned to escape by water with the sealed Pokémon, and the Interpol agents, in their manhunt, had completely failed to anticipate this other escape route beneath the ice!

Seeing this, Lila immediately sent out Espeon, asking it to use its psychic powers to contact Alakazam outside the cave.

This contact must be made as quickly as possible!

In the rush, the mental fluctuations caused by the lack of Alakazam's psychic barrier caught the attention of Team Plasma Vio.

Just as the red Genesect finished its laser emission, the "Mental Field" and "Mysterious Space" were simultaneously deactivated, and the sage standing next to Akromma suddenly narrowed his eyes.

He noticed that his partner, the geometric snowflake, was swaying unnaturally as it floated—the geometric snowflake, made entirely of ice crystals, was extremely sensitive to changes in energy, and this reaction was highly unusual.

Based on the swaying amplitude of the geometric snowflakes, the mathematician in the plasma cluster quickly calculated the approximate angle of energy transfer in his mind, and with a glance, he was surprised to find the trace of the lurking creature.

"Akromah!" Vio's voice, sharp with gritted teeth, was like an ice blade being drawn from its sheath. "Looks like you came here with a tail as a bonus?"

The sage threw a Poké Ball, and a Sentinel with yellowish-brown stripes jumped out.

""see through"!"

He pointed to the suspicious location.

The luminous glands on the sentry rat's back lit up instantly, and two beams of light, like searchlights, tore through the darkness of the cave. The optical camouflage wallpaper distorted and warped under the intense light, ultimately revealing the Interpol agent hiding within.

"Tail?"

The scholar watched as the unidentified intruder, using discarded mimicry wallpaper as cover in the light, retreated back behind the icicles in the cave. He simply shrugged unhurriedly.

"Don't try to shift the blame. I used 'teleportation' to get into the cave midway through. Even if I was being followed, they could only have caught up with me inside the Giant's Cave."

At this point, his tone became meaningful—

"It seems... this wasn't a tail I brought along, but rather Vio and the others were already being watched."

Akromah ignored Vio's changing expression and, adjusting her glasses, looked at the police props abandoned by Lila: "However... the optical camouflage they're using seems quite valuable for research..."

Vio didn't give Akromma a chance to continue his taunts, decisively waving his hand. Dozens of Plasma Team members immediately and in perfect unison swarmed forward in a fan shape.

On the other side, a glint flashed in Lila's eyes, and Espeon knowingly flicked its forked tail, sending dozens of Velociraptors precisely into the boiler that stored the energy of Darmanitan's flames.

"boom--"

Amidst the deafening explosion, scalding steam instantly swept across the entire construction site like a raging torrent.

“I’ve said it before, this kind of old-fashioned equipment can’t be reliable. Look at these safety hazards…”

Akroma covered his mouth and nose in the steam, and thanks to the cold room temperature inside the Giant's Cave, the steam did not cause much damage.

The scholar's complaints were once again ignored by the original sage—Vio coldly commanded the geometric snowflakes to use "high-speed rotation," their ice crystal bodies transforming into a silver whirlwind that tore a gap in the thick fog. His sentry rat pricked up its ears, lowered its body, and twitched its nose, trying to detect the intruder's presence.

Meanwhile, under the cover of the chaos, Lila and Sun Eevee split up into two groups.

The key to individual combat lies in breaking down a large task into smaller parts.

In the still lingering fog, the female detective rolled away and hid behind the shadow of the drilling rig.

Taking advantage of the fact that no one was paying attention, she quickly targeted a team of Plasma members who were approaching her, and her newly summoned partner Lucario burst out of the Poké Ball.

In an instant, "Sonic Punch" unleashed a deafening sonic boom, and before the two Team Plasma members could react, their Leopard and Hayok had already collapsed to the ground. Lyra herself then delivered two clean and swift chop blows, knocking the trainers of those two Pokémon unconscious as well.

This was precisely a blind spot for everyone else, so to ensure concealment, the detective quickly stripped off a Plasma Group uniform and put it on.