As Cole entered the cave, he heard hurried footsteps nearby and quickly hid in the shadows.
"Hurry, get out there for support — there are intruders!"
From this, Cole realized they were going to confront the Masked Man.
Once the footsteps faded, he released a long breath and quietly emerged from his hiding spot. This was his first time sneaking around, and his nerves were on edge.
"Do you know any hidden routes that lead straight into the base? I need to find someone," Cole whispered, glancing down at the Purrloin in his arms.
The cat, now allied with him, nodded without hesitation.
"Meow~ Meow~"
The Purrloin pointed in a direction while meowing, showing no remorse about betraying its former masters. In fact, it hoped the police would capture the entire gang!
Following the Purrloin's guidance, they soon discovered a ventilation duct. The cat gracefully leaped from his arms, skillfully opened the vent, then gestured inside while meowing at him.
"This is your hidden route?" Cole's face fell, "This..."
Isn't it too narrow? Can we really get in?
"Meow meow meow~"
Purrloin nodded vigorously, urging him to hurry.
"Alright, I'll trust you this once!" Gritting his teeth, Cole bent down and crawled into the vent.
The duct was incredibly narrow — he felt confined the moment he entered. Had he not been just twelve years old and still small, he likely wouldn't have fit at all.
As Cole disappeared inside, Purrloin nimbly followed and carefully sealed the vent behind them.
The pair crawled through the ventilation system. Cole had completely lost his sense of direction, simply moving forward and choosing paths at random whenever they reached a junction.
After what seemed like ages, he peered down and found himself above what appeared to be a breeding facility. Below, small glass enclosures housed numerous Paras and Parasect.
The Pokémon lay still, as if in deep sleep, while mechanical Combee buzzed overhead. These robotic insects worked tirelessly, repeatedly landing on the Paras and Parasect to harvest mushrooms from their bodies.
Despite their unconscious state, Cole could see the Paras and Parasect wincing in pain whenever their mushrooms were taken.
These harvested mushrooms were clearly meant for drug production. They looked unusual — likely specially cultivated. While regular Paras and Parasect mushrooms were also brightly colored, their hues were more consistent, typically red and yellow.
The mushrooms emitted an eerie sheen, displaying five or six colors on each cap — an unnaturally bizarre sight. As the mechanical Combee harvested them, colorful spores would drift down, looking suffocating even from Cole's distant vantage point.
After observing briefly, he moved on, determined to find Omura and the others quickly. The Pokémon here would need Officer Jenny's help!
As he crawled forward, he discovered more breeding areas, each more horrific than the last. In one chamber, he found over a dozen Vileplume with unnaturally bright coloring.
Staff members tasked with "caring" for the Vileplume would whip them repeatedly. When provoked, the Pokémon would spray massive amounts of toxic pollen from their head flowers.
After collecting and storing the pollen, the handlers would force-feed the Vileplume strange granular substances that left them as drowsy as intoxicated humans.
If any Vileplume refused to eat or showed the slightest resistance, they faced immediate and severe punishment.
Each Vileplume wore a black metal ring around its ankle. At the press of a control device, these rings would release dark electrical charges, inflicting unbearable pain.
In another section, water tanks housed countless Tentacool and Tentacruel. Handlers used small knives to extract the red crystals from their foreheads. The Pokémon's agonized wails filled the air, yet the handlers worked on expressionlessly, clearly desensitized to the suffering.
Unlike human blood, Tentacool and Tentacruel blood was transparent with a light blue tint, dissolving instantly in water. While this made the crystal extraction appear less gruesome, the Pokémon's cries were like tortured sounds from the depths of hell.
Though Tentacool and Tentacruel possessed remarkable regenerative abilities — their forehead crystals growing back after extraction — this only meant endless cycles of harvesting.
Cole overheard handlers discussing how many of the Tentacool and Tentacruel had endured multiple crystal extractions. The systematic torture of these Pokémon was beyond horrifying.
Unlike a Slowpoke's tail, which can be removed painlessly, extracting crystals caused excruciating pain for Tentacool and Tentacruel. Though these red crystals were valuable materials deemed necessary for production, the constant harvesting left many of the Pokémon showing signs of psychological trauma.
Throughout the facility, various breeding zones housed different species of Pokémon, each subjected to continuous material harvesting.
Cole learned from overheard conversations that not all harvested materials went directly into drug production — some served as experimental components for developing new drugs, their final use determined by research outcomes.
For these Pokémon, the facility was nothing short of hell on earth.
After crawling through the vents for what felt like an eternity, Cole finally reached a pharmaceutical lab where he spotted his teacher.
Omura and a man around his age were imprisoned in a cage. His teacher looked worse for wear — his clothes were filthy, and an angry welt had formed on his forehead.
Lab workers in blue and green uniforms hurried about, organizing harvested Pokémon materials in transparent containers, preparing them for drug production.
Cole quietly inserted earplugs, then released his Brionne with a whispered command: "Brionne, use Sing."
In such tight quarters, precise targeting would be impossible — the earplugs were essential to avoid being caught in his own attack.
✲ Sing ✲
The Purrloin was still wondering why the human put in earplugs when suddenly it heard singing. Its head tilted, and it passed out.
Y-you... fight without honor!
Without hesitation, Cole scooped up the unconscious Purrloin.
"Did you hear something?" One of the drug makers asked.
His companion paused his work and listened, "Sounds like someone singing — and it's quite lovely!"
Another trafficker slapped him, "Are you an idiot? We're under attack!"
But before he could sound the alarm, people began collapsing one by one until he too succumbed to sleep.
Omura and his friend watched with secret satisfaction as everyone inexplicably fell unconscious — then they too slipped into slumber.
"What... what kind of song? It's... poisonous..."
Once everyone in the lab was asleep, Cole emerged from the ventilation duct with Brionne.
"Phew~ I was suffocating!" He gulped in fresh air, "Well done, Brionne!"
He gave the costumed sea lion a thumbs up before rushing to his teacher's cage, only to find it locked.
"Brionne, let's find the switch to open this cage." Cole said anxiously. Time was crucial — if they took too long, other traffickers in the base might be alerted.
He lacked the masked man's superhuman ability to fight hundreds alone. If surrounded, escape would be difficult. While he might manage on his own, he couldn't risk his teacher getting hurt.
Fortunately, the cage switch was easy to spot on a nearby control panel. Cole quickly opened it.
He helped Omura and his friend out, then fed them each a Chesto Berry. The berries' sleep-curing properties soon took effect.
Seeing Cole, Omura's eyes widened, "Cole, why are you here?"
While steadying the professor, Cole replied, "Professor Omura, we can discuss that later. We need to leave quickly before we're discovered!"
Omura gestured at the unconscious traffickers, "Is this all your doing?"
"That's right!" Cole nodded as his Brionne proudly lifted its head.
It was all thanks to me!
Hearing this, Omura held back his questions. He understood the urgency — now wasn't the time for explanations. But as they prepared to leave, his friend suddenly spoke up.
"We have to destroy all the data and equipment here. If the traffickers keep these, they'll continue making dangerous drugs." The man said gravely.
Their captivity had shown him the true horror of this place. The traffickers had nearly forced drugs on them both — only his threat of suicide had kept them from becoming addicts themselves.
Omura glanced at Cole, who nodded, and they began destroying the data and equipment together.
After wiping the computers clean, Cole turned to his Pokémon, "Brionne, use Disarming Voice to destroy this lab!"
"Bri~"
✲ Disarming Voice ✲
Brionne stepped forward, gesturing for himand the others to cover their ears, then began to sing. As the song rang out, the air began to vibrate violently, followed by a series of explosions throughout the laboratory.
✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲
While Cole and the others were destroying the laboratory, Officer Jenny had already surrounded the base with her forces. Upon hearing this, the drug trafficking leader immediately abandoned his subordinates, choosing to escape with only two trusted followers.
"Everything else can be abandoned, but we must save the experimental data and drug formulas!" He told several trusted subordinates before fleeing. With these, he believed he could rebuild his operation someday.
He rushed toward the laboratory where Omura was held, but suddenly heard explosions from that direction.
"The pharmaceutical lab is under attack!" The leader's face paled, and he fled with his subordinates, no longer daring to approach. Being cautious and cowardly by nature, he had no stomach for confronting the police.
Cole and the others remained unaware that this misunderstanding had prevented an early confrontation with the leader.
After destroying most of the laboratory, Cole prepared to escape with the professor. He woke up the Purrloin with a Chesto Berry.
"Purrloin, do you know a safe route out of here?" Cole asked.
"Meow meow meow~" — Of course I know!
Purrloin's expression said "you've asked the right cat".
"Perfect, lead the way. I'll repay you properly once we're out!"
"Meow meow meow~" — It's a deal, follow me!
With that, it darted off, with Cole, Brionne, Omura, and his friend close behind.
What Cole didn't realize was that Purrloin was leading them straight to the drug trafficking leader's secret escape tunnel.
✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲
Outside the valley, the police and Blaziken Mask had already subdued most of the drug trafficking underlings, including high-ranking officials like the second-in-command.
The second-in-command, pushed out as a decoy to draw police fire, remained unaware that his leader had abandoned him. He waited foolishly for a rescue that would never come.
"Officer Jenny, now that your police force has arrived, my work here is done. Farewell!" Blaziken Mask called from a distance as he prepared to depart on his Noivern.
"Blaziken Mask!" Officer Jenny glared at him, "Arcanine, stop him — Flamethrower!"
Though she wanted to capture the drug traffickers, she couldn't let Blaziken Mask escape. This meddler had thrown their entire police operation into chaos!
"Arr~"
An unusually large Arcanine leaped from behind her, unleashing a scorching flame toward Blaziken Mask and his Noivern.
"Sa~"
Mega Blaziken sprang in front of its trainer, dispersing Arcanine's Flamethrower with a single kick.
Officer Jenny's face darkened — they still couldn't match him!
Blaziken Mask mounted Noivern's back with ease, "Don't be so hot-tempered — we're old acquaintances after all. Until next time, Officer Jenny!"
He recalled Blaziken to its Poké Ball and soared into the sky on Noivern.
Watching him vanish into the horizon, Officer Jenny clenched her teeth,"Damn it, one of these days I'll catch you!"
Blaziken Mask was simply too powerful. Every encounter with him left Officer Jenny at a loss. Not only had she failed to capture him, but she hadn't even uncovered his true identity.
The frustrated officer channeled her anger toward the captured drug traffickers, who bore the brunt of her wrath.
✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲
Meanwhile, under Purrloin's guidance, Cole entered the base's secret escape tunnel, which led directly outside the valley — a route the cat had discovered by chance.
As the group walked along, they suddenly heard voices echoing ahead. The secret tunnel was so quiet that even the slightest sound carried far.
Cole's group froze. He turned to Purrloin and whispered, "What's going on? Didn't you say only you knew about this place?"
The cat put on an innocent expression — it truly hadn't known anyone else was aware of the tunnel.
As Cole's group detected movement ahead, the drug trafficking leader also sensed something behind him. Both parties carefully investigated, until they met at a corner.
The drug trafficking leader instinctively stepped back and demanded, "Who are you?"
His eyes fell on Omura and his friend behind Cole — the escaped hostages.
He added, "Are you with the police? How did you find this place?"
He assumed Cole was a police operative sent to rescue the hostages, but couldn't fathom how they'd discovered his secret tunnel. Could one of his people be an undercover agent?
The thought made him cast a suspicious glance at his trusted subordinates.
"Brio~"
Without hesitation, Brionne leaped forward to protect Cole, while Helioptile burst from its Poké Ball.
The drug trafficking leader turned to his subordinates, "Daishi, Rod, hold this person back."
The two exchanged glances before reluctantly stepping forward. Each released two Pokémon — two Clauncher and two Phantump.
"Clauncher, Water Gun!"
"Phantump, Will-O-Wisp!"
The four Pokémon launched their attacks at Cole's group, but in the next instant, a golden flash lit up before the traffickers' eyes. When their vision cleared, they saw the Claunchers' Water Guns had shattered, and their Pokémon lay defeated amid sparks of electricity.
As for the Phantumps' Will-O-Wisps, Brionne's Disarming Voice dispersed them instantly. When the two Phantump tried to counterattack, Brionne leaped up, unleashing a flurry of Pound attacks that sent them crashing into the nearby wall.
Cole watched in amazement as the Pokémon were defeated so easily. His recent battle with Blaziken Mask had shaken his confidence — he'd thought he was a decent trainer until that overwhelming defeat.
With limited battle experience and few trainers to compare himself to, he'd assumed Blaziken Mask's strength was typical, making him question his own abilities.
Now, facing these clearly weaker opponents, Cole found himself uncertain: Was he actually strong or weak?
The truth was, his strength was considerable. Blaziken Mask was simply exceptional — a true master, which explained how he'd managed to evade even Officer Jenny for so long.
The Officer Jenny of Lumiose City stood apart from those in other cities. As the center of the Kalos Region, any official holding such an important position there had to be formidable.
After subduing the leader's subordinates, Omura called out, "Cole, don't worry about us — chase him down! He's the trafficking organization's leader, we can't let him escape!"
"Yes, Professor." Cole summoned Daisy and said, "Mom, please watch over the professor and the others, and keep an eye on these two traffickers. I'm going after their leader."
"Garde~" — Will you be okay going by yourself?
Her expression was filled with concern.
"Don't worry, I'll be careful. If I can't win, I'll retreat."
Under his mother's watchful gaze, Cole rushed off in pursuit with Brionne and Helioptile.
He followed the tunnel's path but saw no sign of the trafficking leader until he reached the exit. There, in the distance, he spotted the leader attempting to escape on a Pidgeot.
Seeing Cole in pursuit, the leader frantically urged his Pidgeot to take flight. In their haste, the bird Pokémon could only manage an unsteady takeoff.
"Helioptile, use Thunder Wave!" Cole commanded.
"Ah-bi~ Ah-bi~"
Quick as lightning, Helioptile darted beneath the low-flying Pidgeot and unleashed its Thunder Wave.
✲ Thunder Wave ✲
The morning sky blazed with golden light, matching the brilliant flash of electricity that lit up the horizon.
Pidgeot and its rider instantly went numb, their consciousness fading.
"Pid~"
Pidgeot screamed as it plummeted from the sky, crashing heavily to the ground. The drug trafficking leader survived only because the Pokémon cushioned his fall — without that protection, the impact would have crushed his internal organs.
Even with the cushioning, he was severely injured.
As the leader desperately reached for a Poké Ball, Helioptile struck first. Its body crackling with blue electricity, it slammed into him with lightning speed.
"Ahhh!!!"
The Poké Ball slipped from his fingers before he could even activate it.
"That seemed too easy." Cole mused, puzzled, "Is this really the organization's leader?"
In truth, the leader wasn't the organization's military strength — that role belonged to the second-in-command, who was now in Officer Jenny's custody.
The trafficking organization was merely a puppet controlled by a larger, more mysterious group. Both the leader and second-in-command were appointed from above — one to manage operations, the other to command their forces.
Though the second-in-command was stronger in battle, his lack of intelligence made him easy to manipulate. The leader had exploited him like a disposable tool, never viewing him as an equal.
Through years of drug trafficking, the leader had amassed considerable wealth and planned to break away with select followers. But now, caught in police custody, those ambitions would never materialize.
✲✲✲
T/N: If you want more chapters like this, check out my Patreon! Take a look at my other translations too, you might like them!
For just $1.50 you can access all the extra content, and descriptive images, costs only $2!
That's it and happy reading! (-‿◦)
https://www.patreon.com/collection/1305384