Pokémon Detective Case Files.

"What's wrong?" Officer Jenny looked at the detective with his mouth agape, puzzled.

"It seems... the wind is picking up."

A breeze blew in from the other side of the city, carrying the damp coolness unique to a coastal city night, brushing against the chestnut-haired girl's cheek.

In that instant, Azure felt something indescribable.

It was as if something painful was quietly appearing in the distant distance with this gust of wind.

Chapter 483 The Old Man and the Sea

The essence of wind is the difference in air pressure.

Wind is generated when air flows from a high-pressure area to a low-pressure area.

Typhoons or hurricanes are the ultimate manifestation of this phenomenon—initially, it's just a cloud of water vapor over a warm ocean surface; as the first wisp of warm, moist air rises and condenses, the released heat, like toppling the first domino, triggers a violent cycle that expands step by step. It compresses a huge pressure difference within a range of hundreds of kilometers, thus creating the most violent winds on the planet.

The coastline of Ripple City is being caressed by such a wind at this moment.

Ripple City in the Unova region is usually quiet during spring, autumn, and winter. But it comes alive in summer—the beaches are packed with vacationers, the streets are bustling with crowds, and even the corner convenience stores stock up on extra boxes of ice cream. However, it's currently springtime, late spring nearing early summer, but the rainy weather during this seasonal transition has dampened the residents' enthusiasm for travel. Not to mention the recent rumors of riots spreading across various regions—although the Alliance has tried its best to suppress much of the news, rumors such as "new troublemakers have appeared in a certain city" still quietly spread among the people, making those who had planned to travel during the holidays even more cautious.

There were very few tourists.

Joggs stood on the beach, the sea breeze ruffling his blue robes. He summoned his only remaining Pokémon besides Landorus—Symbolic Bird. His Rhyperior, Aerodactyl, Crabtree, and Volcarona had all been defeated in the battle against Hatchling, and he hadn't had time to retrieve them during his hasty escape.

The reason why the blue-robed bishop did not return to the Plasma Group castle, which the cult had turned into its headquarters, at this time was, of course, because he had another goal—the underwater ruins that had once been mined by Quetzs and his large forces.

He hadn't planned to come here in the first place. Who could have imagined that the situation would change so quickly in just a few days?

An attack meticulously planned to destroy evidence left behind in Snowflake City, and even with an overabundance of combat power, resulted in an unprecedented and devastating defeat for Team Plasma simply because the Alliance had made advance personnel adjustments.

It's worth noting that Group Plasma has done countless similar "dirty jobs" on its path to rise over the past decade—the nickname "Soul Thief" for Asura isn't without reason. Yet this once invincible order, just as it was about to reach its zenith, was suddenly kicked to the ground by the forces mobilized by the Alliance.

It's no wonder that Quixote was so furious in the communications after learning the news. Even after calming down and re-analyzing the pros and cons, he still recklessly launched the Plasma Group's "Final Plan".

After all, news arrived at the same time that Vio and Acromura's project in the Giant's Cave had been completely shut down by Interpol agents who had crossed the border. Vio and all the people on site were arrested, while Acromura disappeared alone with the sealed Pokémon. Compared to this, the king's unauthorized disposal of the rebellious and deserted Team Aqua was nothing more than a minor matter.

Moreover, in this series of events—

The league didn't even use the four elite players.

There are many things in the world that seem worthless when left unmeasured, but once their true power is revealed, they become incredibly heavy. There are also many things that appear glamorous and prosperous, but once placed on a scale, their hollow nature is exposed.

Between the plasma cluster and the alliance, does it belong to the latter or the former?

Regardless of the outcome, given the current situation, all Joggs, as a sage, can do is one thing—add a few more weights to the side of the scale that belongs to the plasma cluster.

Many people would assume that if this historian, who only knows how to bury himself in old books, wanted to take a gamble, he would use the Landorus he had already captured as bait to lure the remaining two legendary Pokémon that could control the weather.

At least that shrewd detective from Flying Cloud City must have anticipated this possibility. Therefore, with Team Plasma and the Alliance now at the height of their war, the Alliance forces, which have already disbanded from their headquarters area, must be laying a trap near the Shrine of Abundance south of Mountain Road Town.

After all, that was the ancient battlefield where the Earth Cloud defeated the Thunder Cloud and Tornado Cloud. Later, people built a shrine there to worship the Earth Cloud, and the village gradually grew around the shrine, continuing to this day.

Even today, that place still experiences sudden gales or thunderstorms on certain special holidays—legend has it that these are caused by resentful tornadoes and lightning clouds returning to challenge the land clouds once more.

However, Joggs was not the first genius to capture the land cloud.

He had indeed visited the Shrine of Abundance several times in the past, but had never been fortunate enough to encounter the remaining two legendary cloud gods. But this did not mean that the keeper of the "Exiled Shards" had not obtained anything of sufficient value from that town.

As the symbolic bird took flight, the sage in blue robes took out an ancient mirror from his bosom.

The sea breeze swept up into the historian's sleeves, the blue fabric fluttering in the wind, while he simply gazed silently at the gray sky reflected in the mirror.

The edges of the mirror are engraved with ancient kingdom inscriptions that are now little known to most people, and something seems to be slowly flowing deep within the smooth surface of the mirror.

—That luster cannot be replicated by any known process in the world.

Its name is "Mirror of Revealing Form".

Upon reaching their destination, Joggs gestured for the symbolic bird to release its black claws on either side of its body. He then landed on a mechanical platform suspended high above the sea.

This area was once the site of Quigish's excavation of underwater ruins. The founder of Team Plasma purchased and modified an underwater mining platform to salvage treasures from the underwater temple ruins marked on his family's secret treasure map. In those years, this place worked day and night. Artifacts and gold were hoisted up, their seaweed wiped away, registered, and then quietly transported away under the cover of night.

Today, this fixed platform has completely lost its original use. The huge elevator hangs in mid-air above the wellhead, never to be lowered since some unknown operation; two of the four winch towers are jammed, with thin barnacles growing between the gears. But dismantling it would be too troublesome, so it was simply abandoned—given the current power of the plasma cluster, no one would specifically point out the problem of such disposal in terms of polluting the marine environment.

However, this place is indeed quite convenient.

Location, altitude, tides, ocean currents... everything surrounding this platform is just right.

After firmly establishing itself on the platform, the Blue-Clad Sage returned the Symbol Bird to its Poké Ball and then released Landorus. Due to the excessive energy expended while escaping the League's pursuit, the legendary Pokémon's wounds had not yet fully healed.

Without hesitation, Joggs picked up the mirror and shone it on his partner.

……

Nothing happened.

Only the land cloud showed a rather disgusted expression.

"As expected, this ancient relic can't function without gathering the three legendary Pokémon together or drawing out enough energy."

Joggs, on the other hand, seemed to have expected this and nodded to himself.

The Revealing Mirror can bring out the ferocious side within the three cloud gods, including Land Cloud, transforming them into spirit beast forms symbolizing the pure, primal power of nature. For Land Cloud and the others, who have now grown into their avatars, that state of being out of control is probably like a dark chapter in their history.

"If only Bictini were here."

The blue-robed bishop sighed. Based on the information Team Plasma later gathered, in retrospect, the white-coated detective's victory over the former champion at the Tower of Heaven was most likely due to the power of the Pokémon that brought him that victory. He had unwittingly created a formidable enemy for himself…

If Hugo hadn't become the champion of the Unova region, what would Team Plasma be facing now?

The sage shook his head vigorously.

It's pointless to waste your intellect on guesswork that will never yield answers. History, in many ways, is created through chance.

"Moreover, it's not like there aren't alternative methods."

He slowly turned his head—

"Is that so, Your Excellency Quetzs?"

In the sea breeze, the dim light began to distort slightly, and a figure draped in a magnificent robe slowly emerged from the transparency.

Joggs remained unmoved, while Land Cloud raised one eye in surprise.

The newcomer gave a disdainful snort, seemingly venting his displeasure at Joggs's unauthorized arrival, and spoke in his signature unpleasant tone: "You sent me these coordinates, so don't pretend you have some kind of precognitive ability."

“Lord Quixote is right. If you rely too much on that ring, you’ll pay the price sooner or later, won’t you?” Since there were only the two of them on the mining platform at the moment, Joggs’ tone became a little more presumptuous.

"If you're so concerned about even the interest, then the money in other people's pockets will just stay where it is forever."

The newcomer—Quechice, the "Foolish Fool"—walked to Yoggs and stomped on the rusting iron platform beneath his feet, making it creak.

"You called me here because you wanted these things, right?"

He took two hard stone tablets from his robe with one hand and waved them in front of Jogos without any hesitation.

"Burned within the underwater ruins of the ancient kingdom are three divine stone tablets—the emerald stone tablet symbolizing life and grass-like energy, the steel stone tablet representing resilience and steel-like energy, and the rock stone tablet signifying unwavering will."

Quixote said—

"It was because of these three stone tablets that the royal family of Ancient Unova was able to establish contact with the legendary Three Swords Pokémon after the departure of the Black and White Dragons. After retrieving them from the sea, we traded the first tablet to Team Magma. You probably intend to use the remaining two to activate the power of Landorus, right?"

"One of them is enough."

Joggs looked at the yellowish-brown rock slab.

"It's currently the rainy season between spring and summer. The moist, warm winds from the ocean will first reach Ripple City, the easternmost point of Unova. This means that cyclone clouds and tornado clouds, which are often associated with lightning and storms, will likely linger in this area. At that time, if you use a stone tablet to activate Landorus's Rock-type move 'Sandstorm,' the presence of this legendary Pokémon will be immediately sensed by the other two Cloud Gods."

“Unlike the Shrine of Abundance, this coastal region is considered the territory of two other legendary elves. Once the Earth Cloud displays its power here, the Thunder Cloud and the Tornado Cloud will inevitably attack this old enemy who has provoked them in anger—after all, they have never gotten along well to begin with.”

Quixote nodded and continued—

"You plan to use that item you have to take advantage of the situation and wipe out the remaining two Pokémon in one fell swoop?"

"Heh, there's no need for you to test me." 'Exiled Osmanthus' waved his hand. "If I only wanted to do this much, Lord Quidditch wouldn't have come here personally, would he?"

Instead of him, the three ninja trio who have recently started to slack off should have taken the stage.

"Alright, let's be frank."

The leader of the Seven Sages lowered his feigned confusion and looked scrutinizingly into the historian's eyes—

“The architectural mechanisms that Jero set up in the basement of the Alliance headquarters are not entirely original; they have a much older source of inspiration—the underwater ruins we once explored. In those ruins, anyone who enters by any means will have a wave automatically surge up inside the structure to sweep them back to the surface if they stay inside for more than a certain period of time—and this level of warning is far beyond the limits of what this device can achieve.”

“Yes.” Joggs nodded in agreement. “If that base is pushed to its limit, the entire ruin will emerge from the seabed like a bamboo shoot after rain, just like the Order’s castle that destroyed the headquarters of the United States Alliance. At that time, the true function of this ruin will be put into use.”

"According to ancient texts, to activate that function, one needs to gather the three cloud gods who wander throughout the land and represent the climate and celestial phenomena."

Quidditch's gaze swept over the Earth Cloud before settling back on the blue-robed sage—

“Now tell me, Joggs.”

Even the most cunning and ambitious person couldn't help but take a deep breath before asking the question.

"Why...why do you intend to destroy Unova?"

Chapter 484 Where the Heart Leads

"By learning from history, we can understand the rise and fall of dynasties."

Ignoring Quixote's reaction, Joggs walked to the edge of the platform alone. One more step forward—or a push from behind—and he would plunge thirty meters into the sea. At that height, the fluid seawater would instantly harden like concrete. However, the land cloud behind them, feigning sleep with its eyes closed, naturally wouldn't allow that to happen.

"Some people think history is a clay figure that can be altered at will, while others think it's ashes that have already burned out." The Blue Cardinal, facing the sea, continued, "Lord Quixote, in your eyes, someone dedicated to creating history, what does history look like?"

“A pool of filthy, foul water.” Quixote stood in the center of the platform and answered without the slightest hesitation, “It is filled with corpses, lies, and crushed bones. The victors of each generation squat by the muddy water, teaching those who come after to drink from it.”

A sarcastic smile crept across his lips.

"Then, they learned the same trick by using that fishy smell."

“Very insightful.” Joggs didn’t turn around. “Then, in your opinion, what kind of person is qualified to be a victor?”

“The most popular person.” Quixote took a step forward, the rusty metal platform creaking slightly beneath his feet.

"Of course, public opinion can be manipulated. Public opinion, propaganda, fear, hope—these things are like the wind. As long as you know which way they are blowing, you can drive the crowd like a flock of sheep. You and I both know what the Plasma Group has done to the United States over the years. The so-called 'public opinion' is not some sacred and inviolable scale; it is just a variable that can be measured, calculated, and guided."

"In other words, those who win the hearts of the people..."

“The one who is best at calculation,” Quixote replied without hesitation. “That’s why I chose N, that monster, to be king.”

Jorge was silent for a moment.

Swans, startled from the distant reefs, soared and flew towards the gray sky. The seawater beneath their feet lapped against the platform's supports, producing a dull, rhythmic sound.

"...No, that's still not right."

The historian suddenly spoke, his voice not loud, but like a stone thrown into a deep pool.

"Lord Quixote, this is a classic example of circular reasoning. The one who becomes the victor in history is, of course, the one who has the support of the people; and the one who has the support of the people is, of course, the one who can best win the trust of the people—you have just repeated this logic in a more unpleasant way."

"And what do you think?" Quixote's voice came from behind, indifferent. "What kind of person should a king be?"

Joggs did not answer immediately.

He took another half step forward, his boot toes almost protruding from the edge of the platform. Thirty meters below, the sea shimmered a dark, leaden gray in the twilight, the waves rising and falling like the breath of some enormous creature, never ceasing.

“A king doesn’t have to be the wisest person,” he said. “He doesn’t have to be the most powerful person either. He doesn’t even have to be the best at uniting people.”

"Oh?" Quixote raised an eyebrow slightly.

"For wisdom will dry up, strength will grow old, and hearts will betray. And even if these things were perfectly intact, they alone could not support a stable throne. They are like the wind you just mentioned—the direction changes, the force diminishes, and a flag that blows east today may point west tomorrow."

Seemingly tired of gazing at the boundless sea, Joggs turned to the side and sighed wistfully. The sea breeze clung his blue robe to his body, outlining his slightly gaunt figure.

“There is something that lasts longer than any of these.”

Quixote remained silent. The eye that was visible outside the blindfold narrowed slightly, with the alertness of a wild beast sensing danger.

“It’s sabotage,” Joggs said directly, without keeping anyone in suspense.

"The ability to cause maximum destruction at any time—that is the true qualification of a king."

“Destruction?” Quixote repeated the word, his gaze unconsciously drifting to the mirror that Joggs had hidden in his sleeve.

"Destruction itself is certainly not the goal." Joggs turned completely around, looking directly at the head of the sages before him. "But the ability to destroy—especially the ability to 'overturn the chessboard at any moment'—is the cornerstone of all power. Think about it carefully, what do those who truly sit on the throne rely on? Wisdom? Virtue? Popular support? None of these. These are merely the paint they use to embellish their appearance."

"I never expected that your views on politics and history would be even more critical than mine."

"This is the calculation you most admire, Lord Quixote," the Blue Cardinal stated sternly, revealing his opinion.

"A king is a king because the cost of 'keeping everything as it is' is lower than the cost of 'making them disappear.' To put it more bluntly—if someone has the ability to turn the entire United States into ashes in a day, then before that, everyone will surround that person and persuade him not to do it. They will give him land, titles, and everything he wants, as long as he stays quiet and doesn't ignite that powder keg."

"That sounds a bit like robber logic," Quixote sneered.