Pokémon Detective Case Files.

Scattered shouts of panic could be heard from the streets, and Homiga's voice no longer held the nonchalant tone it had before.

As a Gym Leader, Homika is still relatively new to the role, but she has already experienced quite a few thrilling adventures. While touring with her band members, she even witnessed firsthand the legendary Pokémon Tornado creating a massive whirlwind in the valley of Goldenrod Town, far from the center of Unova.

However, the gray vortex that appeared above the sea, slowly rotating and covering half of her field of vision, made all the "storms" she had ever seen look like soap bubbles blown by a child in just a few seconds.

The wind started to pick up.

The music magazines at the shop entrance were being tossed around and made a rustling sound, while in the distance, the masts of fishing boats began to tilt, as if being slowly pressed down from the side by an invisible hand.

Homiga squinted, trying to make out what was in the eye of the storm.

Then, she saw it.

It's the kind of thing that only appears in those popcorn movies that silly dads like to watch.

It was a huge outline rising from the sea.

Sharp edges, like some kind of deliberately cut geometric shape...

The top of a massive... pyramid is breaking through the surging waves, slowly rising to the surface.

"Are you kidding me?"

At the top of the tower, three dark figures, indistinguishable due to their distance, hovered.

The three black dots were each filled with different elemental energies. Sometimes they converged, sometimes they confronted each other, sometimes they paired up, and sometimes they chased each other, leaving three colors of afterimages in the dim sky.

Homiga was able to notice them because whenever the shadows overlapped, a chilling tricolor flash would burst across the sky—ochre, blue-white, and purple-green. Each flash made the storm heavier, as if a hand was winding up the entire world.

Then, in a certain instant, the three shadows, as if finally tired of wasting their infinite power on each other, scattered and flew away after one last fierce collision.

One of them, accompanied by lightning, streaked across the sea and flew straight towards Ripple Town. Although it was hundreds of miles away, its approaching speed made it seem as if it would appear right in front of them at any moment.

Faced with the power of nature, the moves used in Pokémon battles at the Rikyu City Gym seem so ordinary and insignificant.

"Tsk, they really don't let people rest for a moment."

A sudden downpour had begun, and raindrops pelted the asphalt road, splashing up white foam.

Regardless of the true form of the Pokémon dragging dark clouds toward them, Homiga was certain that if he didn't do something now, this resort town might not have the infrastructure to host a performance for the next two or three years.

Amidst the oncoming gale, she furiously grabbed her white hair, which was tied into a high ponytail, and was about to take out her Crobat Poké Ball to meet the uninvited guest from the sky—but just then, the girl's hand reached into her pocket, but she was startled by a deep bass funk.

It's a cell phone ringtone.

As if bolstering his courage for what he was about to do, the young gym leader answered the phone without even glancing at the number, yelling into the phone, "Who is it? I'm busy right now! I'm about to go save the world!"

"is it?"

A calm sound came from the speaker.

The voice sounds familiar, I just heard it recently, that guy is...

“Master Homiga, whatever you intend to do, please calm down first. You are now on the front line of the entire alliance in the face of this natural disaster, and every discovery you make will be of great help to our disaster relief efforts.”

Rational, calm, and reassuring. Regarding the tone of his voice alone, although he sounded somewhat lacking in confidence due to fatigue, the understanding and considerate nature of his words made up for it perfectly.

It was Victor Hugo.

The detective she had met once was now the champion of the Unova League.

"Now tell me, Miss Homiga, what exactly is happening before your eyes... Judging from the sounds coming through the phone, has Team Plasma gained the power of all three Cloud Gods?"

“It’s even worse.” Homiga tried to keep his voice down from the increasingly noisy wind. “A pyramid has appeared on the sea east of Ripple Town, and three Pokémon that look very ominous are rampaging in three different directions.”

Among them, the figure accompanied by strong air currents and tornadoes headed towards the northern sea, while the earthen-yellow figure moved south along the coast. The one approaching Ripple Town at this moment was filled with boundless lightning.

"Are they tornado clouds, land clouds, and thunderclouds?" Hugo asked again to confirm.

“I think it should be them, but…” The gym leader hesitated for a moment, but was interrupted by the champion’s voice.

"Their forms have changed, and the weather energy they've brought along is enormous, isn't it?"

This is exactly what Homiga wanted to say.

Take, for example, that terrifying creature that resembles a tornado cloud but has a pair of wings and is heading north. She had witnessed storms caused by tornado clouds before, but compared to the scene before her, it was like the same piece of music being played with ten times the distortion and sound pressure. It was so violent that it was suffocating. The difference between the two was not even in terms of magnitude.

"No doubt about it, that's the power these transformed Pokémon originally possessed," Hugo said into his phone.

"It was the Plasma Cluster that forcibly altered the forms of those elves using the underwater pyramids. However, the good news is that even that illegal organization probably doesn't have enough power to control them right now. As long as the Alliance can withstand this wave of attacks when the Cloud God unleashes its berserk power, the Thunderclouds, once they regain their senses, will naturally leave."

"Heh, can we survive... this wave of attacks?"

Looking at the dark cloud that was already approaching the town, Homiga gave a wry smile.

That passion to "save the world" was gradually retreating into her shell as the thunder grew louder. She had released Crobat and the signature Pokémon of the Liyong Gym, Centipede, along with Toxicroak. If she could successfully execute her proud "Toxic" strategy here, she might be able to hold out a little longer against that raging cyclone cloud.

Meanwhile, police sirens were already blaring in the streets.

It seems that the Detective Champion's command had already begun long before he even called him—the League members who were nominally on "vacation" had already taken action. The fully equipped police officers were carrying several large Pokémon such as Mantle Rocks to act as wind walls while advising nearby people to seek shelter in nearby buildings to avoid the storm.

"There's no need to worry too much about the lightning clouds." Hugo's voice rang out steadily like a drumbeat amidst the noisy background. "The situation on the other two sides is still uncertain, but at least the crisis in Ripple Town should be manageable."

Third-rate outdoor bands often turn up the volume of their bass drum to cover up their poor performance.

Unfortunately, this tactic had very limited effect on Homiga, a seasoned bassist.

"Alright, no need to put on airs. I'm not going to run away." The gym leader waved her hand at the detective, who hadn't turned on his camera and couldn't see what was happening. "Although I've caused quite a few embarrassing incidents back home, I'm still a respectable gym leader."

She has responsibilities she must bear.

The chilling thunder seemed to subside slightly as it approached the city. Perhaps it was because the thunderclouds hadn't completely lost their rationality—and this was precisely the opportune moment for the girl to launch her surprise attack.

But just then...

"Homiga Gym Leader—is there a Pokémon Center on your street?" Hugo suddenly asked out of the blue over the phone.

The girl subconsciously glanced around. There was indeed another music store next to the music store, but it was currently packed with people seeking temporary refuge.

“Very good.” Hugo seemed to have heard the answer from the change in her breathing. “I will now have someone send a Pokémon to the transfer device you found. Because of the suddenness of the event, the Pokémon may not obey commands for the time being… In short, just let go and let it act on its own.”

With that Pokémon around, Ripple Town should be able to withstand this attack.

Until the girl squeezed through the crowd and, with the help of staff, reached the transmission device and received the Poké Ball that seemed to have been transported from a great distance, Homiga thought the champion was just spouting comforting platitudes.

However, she saw—

Through the sphere's translucent red structure, the outline of the Pokémon inside is clearly visible.

Inside was a Pokémon that looked somewhat similar to the Tornado she had seen before, but it was entirely pink and unlike any she had ever seen before.

It stood there with its eyebrows raised high, hands on its hips, glaring impatiently at the dojo leader who was so late in coming to greet it and was still in a daze.

Chapter 490 A Great Wind Rises

At the very moment that the lingering cloud emerged from its Poké Ball, bringing with it the warm spring breeze and colliding head-on with the thundercloud's lightning, Unova Champion Hugo was sitting in a familiar temporary command center converted from a hospital basement, deliberating on how to deal with the other two legendary Pokémon.

The alliance officials sat around the long table, their eyes fixed on the young man in the white coat at the head of the table, like a group of sailors waiting for their captain to speak in a storm.

Ironically, even during Mr. Ardek's years as champion, the elder statesman known for his seniority and prestige never had the power that Hugo has now, to directly mobilize all available resources across the league.

Team Plasma's years of infiltration and provocation have dismantled the United States' bloated bureaucratic system into dozens of mutually restraining factions and interest groups. Among them, there are definitely quite a few voices that, upon closer examination, argue that "the champion should stay quietly in the final room of the league like a mascot, and should not and should not participate in the distribution of the power pie."

Perhaps due to the corruption of the former, violent agencies like the League Investigation Bureau and the police system have developed a natural barrier between themselves and the League's bureaucratic system, effectively operating independently. After all, their promotion channels are limited to specialized police academies and internal assessments, creating a transparent wall between them and ordinary trainers in the League who lack formal education—the so-called "League Champion" is nothing more than a title in a competitive event for them.

In this situation, the plasma clusters actually did Hugo a great favor unintentionally.

After all, the fireworks display those guys put on at the Alliance headquarters was far too educational.

After this battle, even the old bureaucrats who were most dismissive of the newly appointed young champion had to admit that the "temporary leave" had saved their lives.

The fact that the headquarters was bombed into ruins also physically broke down the invisible wall between the various departments of the alliance—under the extremely convenient pretext of "temporary mobilization," Hugo could bypass the reviewing officials and middle-level clerks who were only responsible for managing the seals and directly connect with the individuals in charge of specific matters.

The former is crucial for upholding procedural justice in the name of the United States and has greatly alleviated regional employment pressure, but it is clearly useless in the current situation.

Even more fortunately, Hugo had already figured out the general outline of the "list of responsible persons" in the two months after he became champion - the compilation of which was largely thanks to a certain beginner Pokémon who was in Team Plasma's castle at the time and was very good at using the "Grass Knot" move.

As for the Bureau of Investigation and the police force—to be honest, there, the title "Detective Hugo" is far more useful than "League Champion." And even if some people haven't heard of his detective exploits in other regions, the fact that Hugo accurately predicted the Plasma Group's attack on headquarters is enough to shut everyone up.

Moreover, even if we take a step back, it would be difficult to find another person in the current United Alliance who possesses both a publicly recognized legitimate identity and internal credibility, and also has a proven track record of dismantling large-scale illegal organizations in other regions.

The most crucial point is that, in a time when the league is constantly at risk of more unexpected terrorist attacks and every bit of fighting power is precious, the current champion only needs to make a phone call to bring in at least one more champion from across the ocean—a capability that has been proven in previous incidents in the Far East.

Who could be more suitable than him?

The answer to this question is self-evident to the Alliance leaders who know more about Hugo's background.

After all, not everyone can have a relative who has won consecutive championships in the Sinnoh League.

"Everyone..."

At this moment, the champion, who embodied the hopes of the entire United Federation, raised his head, and everyone eagerly awaited his next decision.

Has the chaos in Ripple Town subsided? Will he be able to predict the exact location of Team Plasma's next disturbance? How many troops should be deployed this time? Should the police be called in? Or the Gym Leader? Or perhaps the remaining Elite Four member, Cattleya, who hasn't yet joined the battle?

Has his detective's mind already devised a brilliant plan to counter Team Plasma's mysterious king? Will Cynthia Champion be able to come? How's the battle between the three Elite Four members in the headquarters ruins going? Isn't it about time to settle things with that illegal organization?

The detective in the white coat scanned the expectant eyes of everyone present, and finally chose to look at Vice President Gloria—

When was the most severe natural disaster the Unova region has ever experienced?

"Natural disaster?"

Gloria was taken aback, clearly not expecting the question to fall in this direction.

"The most severe natural disaster... if we include records from before the alliance was established, it should be the 'Great Tide' three hundred years ago."

She recalled for a moment, her tone gradually calming down—

"According to records from the late Old Kingdom period, there was a seven-day, seven-night torrential rain that caused three major rivers in the Unova to overflow simultaneously, flooding most of the eastern plains and turning the capital city into a floating city. However, the most severe event since modern meteorological records began was a hurricane about forty years ago. That storm made landfall in Trisolaran City and swept north across the entire Unova, causing enormous economic losses and casualties. It was after that that the Alliance formally established a regional meteorological monitoring network and disaster emergency response system."

"And what about sandstorms?" Hugo then asked.

He asked Gloria because he had heard that she had been in charge of the Alliance Archives for a period of time before she was promoted to vice president, but he did not expect her to know so much about it.

The latter answered immediately, as expected: "It's in the current Wilderness Scenic Area. Three years ago, a huge sandstorm broke out, which was later found to be caused by the Plasma Group's activities—the one Hugo asked me to investigate before."

“Then…” Hugo took a deep breath, “be prepared for the three of them to arrive at the same time.”

"What?"

For a moment, the league's officials wondered if there was something wrong with their ears.

"Considering the direction from which the tornado is approaching, the Path of Champions is no longer considered safe."

The champion in the white jacket continued—

"You don't have to believe it, but we must transfer the necessary on-site command and disaster relief personnel to the front lines in various cities and take defensive measures... In addition, the battle between Lianyi Town and the thundercloud is still undecided, and we must be prepared for communications to be cut off by thunderstorms at any time."

"Why?" Gloria, who had provided the intelligence, was the first to ask in confusion. "According to the reports from the people on the ground, shouldn't the chaos in Ripple Town have been contained by that pink Pokémon that came to reinforce it? Or is it because there aren't enough people to stop the remaining two?"

Even though the gym leader and the Elite Four members hadn't all come out yet—she didn't voice the second half of her question aloud. Because when she subconsciously looked around the room, she couldn't find the Psychic-type Elite Four member anywhere.

“No, we have enough manpower just to deal with the lightning clouds.” Contrary to the detective’s words, Hugo’s expression was extremely solemn.

"Elite Four member Caitlin is already on her way to Qinghai Po Town. Even in the worst-case scenario, she can control that Pokémon to prevent it from going too deep into Unova. On Landorus's side, Champion Agent Douko will also put up a fight. If there is enough time, my assistant will also bring a legendary Pokémon-level powerhouse to reinforce Karakusa Town."

The purple armors in the office showed no signs of reviving on their own. In this critical situation, the friendly Cresselia would naturally not hesitate to contribute its strength to the impending disaster in Unova. However, unlike Cynthia, which was defeated by Cynthia, the God of Dreams was unwilling to instantly travel to the front line of the disaster using the convenient means of transportation such as the Poké Ball. She could only hope that Miss Douko could hold on in Karakuri Town for a while longer.

Hugo's thoughts raced, but within the command center, his speech was only paused for a moment.

"The biggest problem right now is not those three legendary Pokémon that are attacking."

United Champions slowly flipped the tablet he had been holding over – the screen displayed a satellite weather map overlaid with wind field vector analysis.

"This is the weather situation over United States that I urgently observed using a space satellite borrowed from Devon. The professional data has been submitted to the Alliance Weather Bureau for analysis, but to put it simply, we are in grave danger."

Ignoring the tense whispers of the officials, Hugo continued—

"Due to the actions of the three Cloud Gods east of Ripple Town, three massive, independent low-pressure systems have appeared on the sea surface east of Unova. Currently, they are only in their nascent stages. As these low-pressure systems develop into cyclones, they begin to draw in warm, moist air from the surrounding sea. The rising air cools and continues to release enormous energy, which in turn lowers the pressure at the center, creating an even stronger and more intense suction force—before long, they will evolve into a self-reinforcing positive feedback loop. According to experts in Hoenn, within forty-eight hours, all three will develop into super-massive hurricanes, each capable of destroying an entire city."

In an instant, the air in the room seemed to freeze.

"At that time, these three super hurricanes will crash head-on into the Unova continent. Accompanying them will be unprecedented torrential rain and tsunamis—storm surges will engulf all low-lying coastlines, and torrential rain will submerge a city until only the rooftops are visible. If this is combined with the tornadoes, lightning strikes, and sandstorms brought by the three legendary Pokémon... the consequences will be unimaginable."

If they hadn't anticipated this situation, how could the Plasma Cluster have let go of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and remained safely huddled within the castle's defensive barriers?

"Wouldn't defeating those cloud gods be enough to resolve this situation?" someone in the audience asked hesitantly, raising their hand.

Hugo slowly shook his head.

"Can we interrupt or intervene in the formation process of those hurricanes?" Gloria asked.

Hugo still shook his head—

"It's too late. In fact, even if we could predict the source of this storm in advance, with the current level of technology, we would most likely still be powerless to do anything about it—from the moment that pyramid rose from the seabed, this disaster was already irreversible."