Chapter 243: Life Isn't Easy, Right?

Haunter did not disappoint Cain and caused a great commotion on the battlefield on the other side. This drew much of Team Aqua's attention. Although some members stayed behind to guard the captives, the battlefield's defense was significantly weakened.

Cain considered taking the opportunity to free all the captives, creating even more chaos. However, after thinking it through, he decided against it. Although freeing everyone seemed feasible, it would draw too much attention from Team Aqua, and then it wouldn't be so easy to get the rewards.

He patted Slowpoke, who immediately understood the signal. Using the move Teleport, they appeared at the podium where the rewards were kept. Haunter, after causing the commotion, quickly slipped back into Cain's shadow.

Cain, cloaked in his black cape, which also covered Slowpoke, approached the podium. Haunter used Shadow Ball, breaking the glass protecting the rewards, and Cain quickly gathered the four moves inside.

It was only when they heard the sound of shattering glass that some members of Team Aqua reacted. But looking up, they only saw the broken cabinet and a fleeting shadow. All the rewards inside the cabinet had disappeared.

Team Aqua stirred a bit, but soon calmed down. To them, the positive thing was that the intruder had only stolen the rewards and hadn't freed the captives. If the captives had been released, the resulting chaos might have forced them to kill some to restore order—something their leader had said they should avoid to prevent provoking the League too much and risking their trophies.

However, they knew that if another incident occurred, they would be much more cautious. They would prioritize protecting the captives.

Taking advantage of a moment of calm, Cain changed his clothes and, once again using Slowpoke's Teleport, returned to the bathroom.

The sailors who had been waiting, visibly impatient, instantly surrounded Cain. Cain, encircled by these burly men, felt the air grow a little heavy.

"Cain, what happened? Has the captain already made his move?" asked the head of the sailors, calming the others.

Cain shook his head and, with a slightly hesitant expression, replied, "I didn't see what happened to the captain because there were too many enemies. But the captain managed to divert attention. Now we should be able to rescue the captives without any problems."

The remaining sailors were quite competent. After all, they were men who had survived the harsh conditions of the sea. Without skills, one cannot survive the dangerous seas.

Even on a luxury cruiser like the S.S. Anne, attacks by wild Pokémon and pirates were not uncommon each year, and each time the sailors played a crucial role in overcoming those dangers.

According to the head sailor's introduction, he had recently reached the level of an advanced trainer, while the others were intermediate trainers.

"Come on, let's get out of here. These Team Aqua guys are going to find out who we are!" said one of the sailors, unable to contain his impatience. The others, equally eager to fight, stood up, tired of hiding in the bathroom.

The head sailor hesitated, but seeing that Cain did not oppose, he finally gave his approval.

"At any moment, the League will be here. We need to protect the passengers and make sure Team Aqua doesn't take them!"

When Cain heard that the League was about to arrive, he felt a small knot in his stomach. Not because he feared the League—after all, he had even conversed with the League Leaders.

What worried him was that, if the League intervened, they might check his space ring, and then he wouldn't be able to hide the fact that he had stolen those four TMs.

This, in turn, could lead to the discovery that he had instigated the captain, which would ruin the relationship he had cultivated with old Matsuda. And if they suspected he had approached them with hidden motives, it would be even worse.

Cain didn't want to destroy the relationship he had worked so hard to build—a relationship that could help him integrate into the League. If he achieved that, he was sure Giovanni would invest even more resources in him.

Cain was thinking long-term; this relationship with old Matsuda could be key to his future. So, breaking it now was not an option.

He needed to find a way to escape, but he had to do it in a way that wouldn't raise suspicion.

His thoughts lasted only a moment, as he now had to lead the sailors in an attack on Team Aqua's detention area.

The hallways were nearly empty of Team Aqua members; some were guarding the prisoners, others in the submarines, and others had been drawn away by the captain.

Cain knew that the Team Aqua Grunts weren't too strong. He hadn't seen anyone above the level of an advanced trainer, so even if they couldn't free everyone, they could save some.

With that determination, the sailors, led by their chief, charged straight into the battlefield. Cain, however, did not follow immediately. Instead, he reappeared on the observation platform.

(End of Chapter)