"He's coming! He's coming!"
"What do we do? What do we do? What should I say?"
"It's all your fault! You two were too loud, and now he's coming this way!"
As Ron approached with his Larvitar in tow, the three girls grew increasingly excited, though they had already prepared themselves for his invitation.
Now, the question was—who would be the one to stand out?
"Ladies, this area will soon become unsafe. I suggest you return to your rooms for now."
Standing before them, Ron offered a considerate warning.
"What is this, three at once? Can you even handle it?"
Hearing Ron's words, the same thought flashed through all three girls' minds.
Especially after Gardevoir conveyed their shared sentiment through telepathy, Ron couldn't help but feel underestimated. Three? Five? It wouldn't be a problem! Wait… was he missing something important here?
"This is my Pokédex. The situation on the deck may soon become dangerous, so I urge you to leave quickly. I'll inform the captain next."
With that, Ron turned and walked away. If time weren't so pressing, he would have gladly demonstrated his strength to them.
As the ship sailed onward, the vast ocean stretching endlessly before him, the burden of sorrow and guilt in Ron's heart seemed to lighten, if only a little.
When it came to healing Lily, Ron had already devised a few plans. The most reliable option was the Wind King—legend held that it possessed the miraculous power to revive the dead, with the three Legendary Beasts as prime examples.
Another possibility was Xerneas of the Kalos region, which was known to bestow life.
And if all else failed, there was still Celebi, who could help him travel back in time to save Lily. However, the risk was high—tampering with time could disrupt the timeline and cause unforeseen consequences.
These were only the most feasible Legendary Pokémon. There could also be other Pokémon or rare artifacts capable of healing Lily.
Perhaps even Sabrina, with her Champion-level abilities, could provide a solution. After all, Psychic powers were closely linked to the brain.
The League had failed simply because their strongest Psychic trainer was only top Elite Four level. After all, Sabrina would never reveal the full extent of her abilities to the League.
Yet, Ron had never considered asking for their help. In his mind, if Lily were healed, she could easily become a hostage used against him once more.
Ron had no illusions about the depths to which the League could sink. He had learned not to underestimate their willingness to exploit others.
For now, whether out of guilt or a sense of duty, Bruno would ensure Lily's safety. At the very least, he wouldn't allow any further harm to come to her while she remained comatose.
This would also send a message to other Rangers: even if one were incapacitated, the League would still protect them. It was akin to spending a fortune to buy a worthy reputation.
However, if Lily ever woke up, Bruno might eventually let his guard down. One day, he might even revoke her protection entirely.
With Ron's current strength, he couldn't afford to let Team Rocket waste valuable resources guarding Lily indefinitely.
So for now, it was best to let Lily sleep—until the time was right to wake her.
Upon reaching the captain's quarters, Ron presented his Pokédex and revealed his Elite Four-level strength.
With these two credentials, he was quickly granted an audience with the ship's captain—a rugged, middle-aged man in his forties who exuded reliability.
"Hello, my name is Ron. I'm a trainer from the Kanto region. While training, my Gardevoir inadvertently detected an approaching submarine. Are you aware of this?"
"Are you serious?"
Hearing Ron's words, the captain's expression shifted drastically before he cautiously asked for confirmation.
"Gardevoir, show the captain."
A flash of white light signaled Gardevoir's emergence from its Poké Ball.
Using its psychic powers, it transmitted the surveillance data directly to the captain's mind.
"Understood. Thank you for the warning."
Upon seeing Gardevoir, the captain immediately associated Ron with Psychic trainers. Combined with his status as an Elite Four-level trainer, the captain's attitude became noticeably more respectful.
As for the unidentified submarine, its unauthorized approach and use of radar jamming technology were enough for the captain to classify it as a potential threat.
After all, the Hoenn region was not in a stable state.
Between the frequent presence of Pokémon Poachers and the ongoing expansions of Team Aqua and Team Magma, trouble was never far away.
Especially now, with both Team Aqua and Team Magma expanding their influence. Though their ideological differences often led to internal conflicts, their activities had caused significant problems for the Hoenn League.
So, upon discovering a submarine like this, the captain's first thought immediately went to Team Aqua.
"No worries. If we confirm they're enemies, I'll assist you in defending the ship."
Even before the captain could make an official request after reporting the situation, Ron spoke up proactively.
"Thank you so much!"
"First mate, take the sailors and escort the passengers back to their rooms. Begin security measures immediately and prepare for any potential battle."
"Yes, Captain!"
Following the order, the first mate swiftly set things into motion.
"Mr. Ron, please come with me to the deck. If they turn out to be hostiles, we'll be ready to engage and protect the ship."
"I'd be more than happy to."
Ron was itching for action—his Machamp had just recently mastered its Second Gear, and now someone was conveniently offering themselves as test subjects.
Returning to the deck, he saw that all the earlier tourists had vanished—including the three young women who had doubted his abilities. Now, only a handful of sailors remained on guard.
Before long, with all passengers safely returned to their cabins, the entire ship was placed on high alert. Sailors were stationed at key positions, ready for action.
With the ship's communication system, the captain could quickly assess the situation across the entire vessel, including whether the approaching ship was preparing to attack.
And as long as they were prepared in advance, even if the enemy resorted to torpedoes or similar methods, they could use their Pokémon to intercept and neutralize the threat immediately.
As if realizing it had been spotted, the submarine suddenly accelerated, breaking through the ocean's surface.
A piercing chill spread rapidly, freezing the waters surrounding the ship in an instant.
Seeing that the enemy had so kindly created a battlefield for him, Ron naturally didn't interfere.
This inaction only further confirmed their hostile intent.
Moments later, figures burst out from the submarine, swiftly releasing their Pokémon.
Some of the Pokémon dove into the water, while others leaped onto the ice, preparing for combat.
Judging by their uniforms, these people were undoubtedly from Team Aqua.
"It's Team Aqua! Report this to headquarters immediately!"
"Mr. Ron, please don't hold back—eliminate them with everything you've got. Reinforcements will be here soon!"
With that, the captain took the initiative, releasing his Swampert onto the battlefield.
Ron, on the other hand, first sent out his Persian and Bellossom, holding Machamp in reserve. He wanted to wait until an Elite Four-level opponent appeared before deploying Machamp, just in case they had any tricks up their sleeve to weaken its power.
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