The Rattata’s trainer sprinted through the streets, turning corner after corner, until he finally rushed into a dilapidated residential area.
Large sections of the residential area’s wall plaster had peeled off, revealing the mottled and old bricks beneath, as if narrating the vicissitudes of time.
The streetlights within the residential area emitted a dim, yellowish light that flickered unsteadily, as if it could go out at any moment, casting an eerie shadow over the entire area.
On both sides of the road, several dilapidated cars were parked, their bodies covered in dust and rust, clearly having been abandoned for a long time.
However, this old residential area was crowded with people, all of them dark-skinned Black individuals with dreadlocks and tattoos on their shoulders, gathered in groups of three to five, their eyes revealing a fierce glint, clearly not good people.
“Yo, Rat, what’s up with you? Running so fast, rushing to reincarnate?”
“Did you go out for some fun again without paying, and now someone’s chasing you with a knife? Haha!”
Seeing the person nicknamed “Rat,” everyone laughed and teased him.
But at this moment, “Rat” had no mind to respond; he was already scared out of his wits, continuing to sprint deeper into the residential area without looking back.
Even without the Rattata’s warning, he could clearly feel the danger dogging his heels.
“Rat” rushed into a house deep within the residential area, his heart pounding, and only then did he slightly relax.
In stark contrast to the dilapidated, moldy, and chaotic environment outside, this house was extremely luxuriously decorated.
The floor of the room was covered with soft, thick Persian rugs, their exquisite patterns intricate and delicate; stepping on them felt like being on clouds.
On the walls hung priceless oil paintings, their colors vibrant and dazzling, their brushstrokes fine and meticulous, each one seemingly from the hand of a master.
In the center of the room stood a large solid wood desk, its surface as smooth as a mirror, neatly arranged with documents and an exquisite computer.
Behind the desk was a wide executive chair made of soft leather, which looked incredibly comfortable just by looking at it.
A burly Black man sat in the executive chair; he had a neat buzz cut, dark, shiny skin, and deep, resolute facial features.
He wore a well-tailored white suit with a bright red tie at the collar, looking exceptionally energetic. Several diamond-studded rings adorned his fingers, glittering brilliantly under the light.
At this moment, he was leisurely leaning back in the chair, toying with an exquisite cigar cutter. Seeing “Rat’s” flustered appearance, he couldn’t help but frown and said in a low, authoritative voice:
“What are you panicking about? Look at your pathetic self.”
“Rat” was panting, his hands on his knees, and after a great effort to catch his breath, he stammered:
“Boss… this is bad. Black Pig and I went to do what you asked, and it seems we ran into a tough opponent. That guy has a terrifying Pokemon; it instantly froze ‘Black Pig,’ and now it’s been chasing me. That Pokemon is too strong; I can’t shake it off at all.”
The Boss sneered disdainfully, tossing the cigar cutter onto the table, and said, “How strong can it be? It’s just an Ice-type Pokemon. I told you and Black Pig to train your Pokemon more often, but you wouldn’t listen. You can’t even kidnap a child; you’re useless.”
With that, the Boss stood up, saying casually, “I’ll handle it.”
As the Boss, with his subordinates doing work for him, he naturally had to step up and reclaim their dignity, otherwise, how could he command respect in the future!
Hearing the Boss say this, “Rat” felt a little relieved and obediently followed the Boss out.
Don’t let this Boss’s suit and refined appearance fool you; it’s all just a facade. He is a well-known gang leader in Paris, and on the streets, everyone respectfully calls him “Iron Legs”!
Boss Iron Legs possesses extraordinary strength, owning several Pokemon whose power is close to Elite-level (below Level 70). The gang’s current territory was all kicked out by him, step by step, with his pair of Iron Legs!
However, as soon as they stepped out of the room, the sight before them made Iron Legs gasp, and the heart that “Rat” had just put down once again leaped into his throat.
The other gang members outside were all frozen in blocks of ice. Despite their bodies being confined, their faces still held smiles, as if they had been chatting and laughing, and before they could react, they were instantly encased in ice.
Under the cold light of the dilapidated residential area at night, this scene appeared particularly eerie and terrifying.
And in the entire area, only a strangely shaped Delibird, resembling a mechanical bird, was not frozen.
It stood silently there, emitting a strange glow, its gaze fixed on “Rat” behind Iron Legs.
Just its presence, the invisible oppressive aura it exuded, was enough to make Iron Legs feel a chill. What was even more terrifying was that Iron Legs couldn’t discern the strength of this Pokemon at all!
Seeing this, “Rat” was scared out of his wits, his eyes wide, letting out a scream, then turning and running, his speed so fast as if a grim reaper was chasing him.
Iron Legs stood rooted to the spot, his brows furrowed tightly into a knot, silently cursing his luck, wondering what massive trouble these few subordinates had gotten him into!
But he was, after all, a gang leader. He feigned composure, cleared his throat, and tried to speak in a steady voice:
“Hey, friend! Let’s be frank; anything can be discussed. There’s no need to make things so tense.”
Iron Legs guessed that there must be a trainer behind this strange “Delibird.”
However, his voice echoed in the silent and eerie space, but only that Delibird stood quietly in place, like a cold statue, giving no response.
After a while, just as he was about to lose his patience and prepare to strike regardless, a strange voice suddenly echoed in his mind, cold and mechanical, as if from another world:
“Tell me, why did you arrange for your subordinates to commit kidnapping?”
Iron Legs flinched at the sudden voice, his body trembling violently. He widened his eyes, cautiously looking around, trying to find the source of the sound, but all he saw was the Delibird still standing silently, emitting a strange light.
His throat was dry, and he swallowed with difficulty, secretly pondering the connection between this voice and this strange Pokemon.
After a good while, Iron Legs recovered, gritted his teeth, and pretended to be tough, saying:
“That’s my business, it has nothing to do with you. You sent this Pokemon to trespass on my territory and injure my men; I haven’t settled that score with you yet!”
Despite his words, his voice unconsciously carried a hint of tremor, betraying his inner fear and panic.
Just as he was nervously waiting for the voice to respond again, the Delibird, which had been standing quietly, suddenly moved.
It didn’t spread its wings and fly as usual but suddenly took off, rushing in the direction “Rat” had fled with an incredibly fast speed.
The speed was so fast that Iron Legs had no time to react; by the time his brain registered what had happened, the Delibird had already run far away, leaving only a blurry shadow.
Iron Legs stood frozen, his mouth slightly agape, his eyes filled with astonishment.
His previously tense body instantly relaxed due to this sudden turn of events, and he involuntarily let out a long sigh of relief, as if he had just escaped from a nightmare.
He released his tightly clenched Poké Ball, his hand somewhat numb from the long exertion.
He wiggled his fingers, secretly relieved that this terrifying Pokemon had finally left.
He could only pray for “Rat’s” good luck, while secretly warning himself that next time he recruited subordinates, he definitely couldn’t take in such brainless ones.
However, before he could fully relax, that cold and mechanical voice echoed in his mind again: “I’ll ask you one last time, who sent you to kidnap people?”
Iron Legs’ face instantly turned pale, and cold sweat once again seeped from his forehead. He looked around again, and this time, the surroundings were so quiet that he could hear a pin drop. He truly couldn't understand who was talking to him.
But he knew in his heart that the mastermind behind this kidnapping case had immense power, and once he spoke out, he and his entire gang would face annihilation.
He gritted his teeth, a hint of determination in his eyes, and bravely said, “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I didn’t arrange any kidnapping.”
But no sooner had he finished speaking than the air in front of him suddenly twisted, as if an invisible force was wantonly stirring the space.
Immediately after, a bizarre-looking Tyranitar appeared out of thin air.
This Tyranitar was extremely similar in appearance to the Delibird from just now, also seeming like a creature crafted from machinery, completely unlike a normal flesh-and-blood body, exuding a dark green metallic luster all over.
The Tyranitar emitted a faint green glow, giving Iron Legs an even stronger sense of oppression than the Delibird.
Although Iron Legs was terrified by the sudden appearance of the strange Tyranitar, his years of experience as a gang leader quickly forced him to calm down.
He felt that this might just be some kind of illusion, just like the voice in his mind, a move used by a Psychic-type Pokémon to try and disturb his mind and trick him into telling the truth!
Thinking of this, he gritted his teeth, quickly pulled a Poké Ball from his waist, threw it forward with force, and shouted, “Come out, my ace!”
A white light flashed, and a robust Mudsdale appeared in the area. It was nearly three meters tall, with muscles bulging all over its body, and its four thick legs were like four sturdy stone pillars, standing firmly on the ground.
Its body was covered with a thick layer of mud, mixed with some crushed stones, like a natural armor.
This Mudsdale was around level 68 and was Iron Legs' most prized Pokémon, having accompanied him from Africa to fight in the gangs of Paris, which was also the origin of his nickname, Iron Legs.
Iron Legs loudly ordered the Mudsdale, “Use Earthquake, attack the surroundings, and find the enemy’s position!”
Upon hearing the command, the Mudsdale immediately pawed at the ground with its front hooves, kicking up scattered stones. Its body began to shake violently, and the surrounding ground also trembled slightly as a powerful force rapidly gathered within it.
However, the bizarre Tyranitar was incredibly fast. Almost the instant the Mudsdale began to use the Earthquake move, it moved like a dark green lightning bolt.
It instantly rushed in front of the Mudsdale, its right fist immediately covered with a thick layer of ice, and then it slammed it hard towards the Mudsdale.
Before the Mudsdale could react, it was struck by this fierce Ice Punch.
The enormous impact directly smashed it into the ground, which instantly collapsed, forming a large pit.
The Mudsdale let out a painful whimper, then stopped struggling in the pit and passed out.
The residual power emanating from that single punch was even more astonishing; the entire neighborhood vibrated violently.
The surrounding houses shook violently, windowpanes rattled, and some old, dilapidated walls even developed cracks, with large chunks of plaster peeling off.
At the same time, as that powerful residual force spread, the ice blocks containing the previously frozen subordinates instantly shattered, freeing them to fall to the ground.
However, they were still very weak, each with a face as pale as paper, their bodies trembling uncontrollably, clearly indicating that the previous freezing experience had severely depleted their energy.
They struggled weakly to stand up, but fell down again and again, able only to gaze with terrified eyes at the horrifying scene before them.
Iron Legs was stunned by this sight, his eyes wide open, almost unable to believe what was happening before him.
Only at this moment did he fully realize that this was neither an illusion nor a dream.
He had truly provoked an existence he shouldn't have.
“It’s the Nisus Company,” Iron Legs no longer dared to conceal anything, blurting out:
“Their full name is Lumi Nisus Technology Company. They are one of the top technology giants in France. People from their company hired me to kidnap that Dragon Country student, but as for why they wanted to kidnap him, I truly have no idea!”
As he spoke, Iron Legs’ legs gave out, and he directly knelt down: “Please, I didn’t know they provoked a noble young master from Dragon Country.
Please spare my life, I will never dare again. I will leave Paris, leave France, I will go back to Africa, I promise I will not bother you again.”
It was unclear which of Iron Legs’ words satisfied the other party, but the strange Tyranitar disappeared as abruptly as it had appeared.
Iron Legs immediately felt relieved, rushing back to his room and stuffing all the valuables he could carry from the safe into his bag. The items that were too heavy to move, he dared not take any more.
He ignored his weak subordinates nearby and quickly fled as if his feet were greased.
He dared not stay in Paris any longer amidst such a conflict between big shots.
Even if this big shot was in a good mood tonight and let him go, the Nisus Company would definitely not let him off easily tomorrow.
He had to flee back to Africa overnight and find a place to hide.
Meanwhile, on the rooftop of the neighborhood, the Delibird had already captured the "Rat," its gaze fixed on the fleeing Iron Legs.
Just then, a voice suddenly came from the previously empty spot beside the Delibird: “Since Iron Legs is indeed leaving Western Europe, let him go.”
Upon hearing this, the Delibird withdrew its gaze and actually spoke, “What about this one then?”
The "Rat," who had been playing dead, didn't understand what the Delibird was saying, but he was scared half to death: This Pokémon can actually talk? Is this still Blue Star? Paris is too deep, Mom, I want to go back to Africa!
The abrupt voice sounded again: “Sigh, since you’ve already spoken, you must have made up your mind. Just like the person in the hotel, I’ll leave this to you.”
The "Rat" had been in the underworld for years, and just by listening to the tone, he knew that the conversation between this absurd Pokémon and the voice from an unknown source was one hundred percent unfavorable to him.
So, the "Rat" stopped playing dead. He began to struggle desperately under the Delibird’s sharp claws, letting out terrified Growls: “Please spare me, please spare me!”
However, the Delibird's claws did not loosen.
After a long while, a slightly regretful mechanical voice came from the "Rat's" mind:
“I regret to inform you that you were the first to kidnap someone. Since kidnappers usually lead to the kidnapped person facing dire circumstances, similarly, you must also pay the price for this.”
The "Rat" said with snot and tears, “I know, I know, I’m willing to pay the price, please, can you be a little gentler?”
The voice in his mind said, “You may continue.”
The "Rat's" mind raced. Combining the fact that these Dragon Country people let his boss escape, he deduced that they definitely just didn't want to expose their whereabouts.
So he said, “My accomplice Black Pig’s Pokémon can erase people’s memories. You can have Musharna erase our memories. We will be punished for it, suffering headaches for several years!”
The voice in the "Rat's" mind said with slight displeasure, “What about that Musharna?”
“It’s at the big shots’ disposal,” the "Rat" quickly responded. He believed that if his brother Black Pig had to choose, he would also choose this.
Silence fell on the rooftop for a moment, with only the cold moonlight shining down.
Finally, the voice from an unknown source said helplessly, “Let it be. Following them isn’t a good thing either. Take that Musharna for now, and put it in Area Zero after a while.”
Although the "Rat" didn't understand Dragon Country language, he felt that his life had been saved.