Watching the S.S. Anne sail into Vermilion City's harbor, Kazuki knew the countdown had begun.
Only two days remained.
If the ship's conspiracy wasn't exposed in time, it would follow the original script—sailing into the open sea and meeting its doomed fate.
"Hey! Have you seen the latest Pokémon research paper?"
Just as Kazuki was racking his brain for solutions, a lively conversation drifted to his ears.
A group of rookie Pokémon Trainers were huddled around a smart device, excitedly discussing a brand-new academic paper.
"Haven't seen it yet. What's it about?"
"It's about the rarest, most one-of-a-kind Pokémon in the world!"
"Not only does it include tons of rare Pokémon data, it even comes with a super clear video!"
"Super clear? Isn't it just barely enough to make out the outline? Wait, what the heck—this Pokémon's huge!"
"Sorry, I take it back—being able to film such a mysterious Pokémon up close at all is already godlike!"
"Yeah! Compared to those articles that just stick one blurry picture from a landline camera, this is amazing!"
"Look, this paper's already shot up to number one in popularity!"
"Experts are predicting it'll easily win this year's Academic Gold Award!"
"Unbelievable! The two authors who caught that footage are total legends!"
Listening to the trainers' excited chatter, Kazuki's heart skipped a beat.
Wait a second...
Doesn't this sound suspiciously like the Giant Dragonite video I sold to Bill?
Curious, he made his way to one of the devices and pulled up the trending academic news.
Before he could even search, the report had already been blasted across all major media platforms—marked as a red-hot headline.
Kazuki tapped into one of the articles.
As expected, the first half was stuffed with all the usual sensational buzzwords.
He scrolled and scrolled, finally finding the paper's actual link tucked away at the bottom.
Clicking in, the title leapt out at him—
And below it, the authors' names: Bill and Kazuki.
Good grief—it was the paper based on the Giant Dragonite research.
And Bill had even credited him as co-author.
Now that was true loyalty!
Wait... but why was it free to access?
In an age where Pokémon research papers were usually locked behind hefty paywalls, this paper—despite being so explosively popular—was being shared openly across all platforms.
Typical Bill behavior.
Heir to a wealthy family, passionate researcher, and apparently someone who didn't need to nickel-and-dime over publishing fees.
Kazuki chuckled.
There went his dreams of maybe earning a little extra from it.
Still, Bill had paid him a fortune for the video already, and generously credited him as co-author. That was more than enough.
Scrolling through the paper, Kazuki noticed that the Giant Dragonite footage was right at the very top—highlighted prominently.
Even though the Dragonite only occupied about 10% of the paper's content, it easily outshone everything else.
The other entries were mostly based on blurry photos—or no photos at all, just vague descriptions.
Only the Giant Dragonite had crystal-clear video.
Without Kazuki's contribution, Bill's paper would've been stuck showcasing grainy silhouettes.
No wonder Bill had placed the footage front and center.
Hearing the surrounding trainers still buzzing about the Giant Dragonite, Kazuki realized just how far-reaching this paper's influence was.
"Hah! Just when I was stressing about how to convince the Officer to act..."
"This blockbuster academic paper came along like a pillow when I was desperate for sleep!"
"Talk about perfect timing!"
"But wait—how did Bill get this massive paper out so fast?"
"I only just parted ways with him a few days ago!"
Curious, Kazuki flipped through the timestamps.
Turns out, Bill had spent years preparing this paper, only missing that one crucial piece—the Giant Dragonite data.
The moment Kazuki provided it, Bill finalized and polished the paper at lightning speed.
And it just so happened to be published today.
Perfect.
Now Kazuki had a powerful card to play.
All that remained was for Giovanni's Team Rocket agents to board the ship.
Over the next two days, Kazuki kept training Wartortle while keeping an eye on the S.S. Anne's activity.
The first day passed without incident—just tourists and trainers boarding to sightsee.
But on the second day, before dawn even broke, a group of shady individuals started sneaking aboard.
Having learned from the previous day's disappointment, Kazuki had set two alarms—one internal and one external: he asked Delia to wake him up as backup.
She did wake him—though, naturally, she used her tender lips as a very special alarm clock.
After taking care of Delia, Kazuki rushed to the harbor.
There, he caught sight of Team Rocket operatives boarding the S.S. Anne.
Once he confirmed their presence, Kazuki immediately contacted Officer Jenny.
Even though she had just gotten up and hadn't eaten yet, the moment she heard it was Kazuki asking for help, she raced straight to the docks.
"What? You're saying there are terrorists planning to hijack the S.S. Anne once it sets sail?"
"The S.S. Anne is a flagship project for Vermilion City tourism!"
"Who would dare attempt such a blatant crime?!"
Kazuki didn't get into the deeper layers—no mention of Giovanni, nor of the true scale of Team Rocket's black-market dealings.
After all, Giovanni still held the public title of Viridian Gym Leader.
Challenging someone that high up wasn't something Officer Jenny could simply act on.
His mission for now was clear: expose the immediate threat aboard the S.S. Anne.
Officer Jenny glanced between Kazuki and the towering luxury cruise ship, hesitation flickering across her face.
"Look, Kazuki... I trust you," she said carefully.
"But like I told you before—we need concrete evidence. Something more substantial."
Kazuki smiled calmly.
"Don't worry. You believe in me, right?"
He pulled out his Pokédex.
"I recorded the suspicious individuals boarding just now."
"As for any illegal equipment on board... my clearance isn't enough. I can't legally conduct a search."
"That's why I need the police's help."
Jenny scrutinized the photos on his Pokédex.
"Hmm... these are definitely suspicious, but by protocol, they're still only 'persons of interest.' Not enough to mobilize the whole department."
Kazuki wasn't fazed.
He pulled out another trump card:
A photo of himself standing side by side with Bill.
"This should do the trick."
"I'm co-author of that hot research paper—the one with the Giant Dragonite."
Jenny's eyes widened.
"Bill... That name sounds familiar..."
She examined the photo more closely—and her jaw dropped.
"Wait! Bill—the rising star researcher who just published that sensational paper!"
"And... and the other author was named Kazuki too!"
Her head snapped back and forth between the Pokédex and the man before her, disbelief growing in her eyes.
"Don't tell me—you're..."
"Yes," Kazuki said, smiling. "That other author is me."
Bill's fame in academic circles was considerable.
A photo with him was ironclad proof.
Jenny nearly stumbled, her legs going weak from excitement.
"Wait right here! I'm heading straight to the station for approval!"
Jenny was fully convinced.
Now, the threat to the S.S. Anne was no longer a hypothetical—it was an imminent crisis in her eyes.
She roared off at full speed, leaving Kazuki standing at the dock, gazing out over the sea.
The first rays of sunlight broke through the dark sky, gilding the surface of the water in brilliant gold.
The final battle...
Was about to begin.