Pokémon: Raising Abandoned Pokémon into Legends

Chapter 105: Committing a Crime

Warning: This Chapter has a portion of PG-13 rated content. You can skip that part.

"We’re not waiting anymore—he’s unreachable now."

Hearing that Hunter I might have been arrested and that Hunter K was also unreachable, Rio paused mid-chew on his grilled Slowpoke Tail. He looked up and silently counted the hunters present. Including himself, there were ten.

So this Hunter J with the killer figure is most likely the Pokémon Ranger. Impressive—she actually found another way to infiltrate. Rio thought to himself.

He’d just run a quick mental analysis. Since the Pokémon Ranger knew about the Raikou hunting operation, she’d probably done the same thing he did—taken out one of the hunters and replaced them. And the news that Hunter I might have been arrested suggested that his Electric-type Pokémon had likely ended up in the Ranger’s hands, giving her the ticket to join this operation.

Of course, the key point was her figure—regardless of what her face looked like, that physique was almost certainly Saurion’s goddess. Still, he couldn’t be sure yet; this was all just speculation based on available information.

"H—why are you staring at me?" Hunter J’s voice rang out, clear and pleasant.

The other hunters immediately turned to look at Rio.

"Is there any reason not to look at a beautiful woman?" Rio said bluntly, then turned to the others. "Don’t you all like looking too? You were practically about to pop your eyeballs out and stick them on her."

The hunters quickly lowered their heads and focused on their food, mentally cursing H for saying out loud what everyone was thinking. Couldn’t he just act like a proper gentleman?

Hunter F argued defensively: "Don’t slander us—I was just having a conversation with D."

Hunter D quickly added: "That’s right—we were just talking."

Rio scoffed: "Talking while straining your eyes sideways? Looks like you’ve got some aftereffects now—two pairs of crooked eyes."

Hunter F and Hunter D were left speechless and lowered their heads. Hunter F muttered under his breath: "As if you don’t like looking too."

"I never said I didn’t. I’m a man who loves beauty—why wouldn’t I look? A true gentleman is open about it. I like looking, and I admit it." Rio shrugged behind his mask, his tone dripping with disdain.

What a bunch of idiots. I baited them, and they all took it. Have they forgotten they’re wearing masks? Do I have X-ray vision to see through them? They’re just used to being guilty. And besides, with masks on, what’s there to be afraid of admitting? I openly admit it—you can’t see my face anyway.

Hunter J let out a laugh: "H—you’re quite something. You’re the first person to admit to being a pervert right to my face."

"Of course—I told you, a gentleman is open. Look at beautiful women openly; sneaking peeks is what creeps do," Rio said matter-of-factly.

Just as he finished, a sharp scraping sound came from the table—Hunter A’s fork had scraped against his plate.

"Cough, cough—this fork isn’t great." Hunter A stood up awkwardly. "Eat up, everyone. Get some rest in your rooms after dinner. We leave at midnight."

And that’s another one confirmed. Rio smirked.

About ten minutes later, Rio finished dinner and returned to his room. The moment he was alone, he pulled out the ancient Poké Ball and released Haunter.

"Haunter—I need you to phase into the walls and keep an eye on Hunter J in Room 406. See if she does anything unusual," Rio instructed.

"Alright." Haunter agreed and vanished through the wall.

Moments later, it reached Room 406 and spotted Hunter J. Just as it poked its head out from the wall, its eyes went wide.

(⊙o⊙)

(PG-13 rated content)

[I will summarise it in the author’s notes for those who want to skip]

Because Hunter J was undressing to take a shower.

"Committing a crime..." Haunter praised internally. It remembered back a hundred years ago, when Gus used to take it to bathhouses to observe and then transmit the memories through dreams. They’d developed a five-tier rating system for human figures: Flat, Notable, Worth a Look, Impressive, and Committing a Crime—from lowest to highest, with Committing a Crime at the top.

"Too bad, Gus—a hundred years ago, I only showed you Committing a Crime once. Now, a hundred years later, I get to enjoy it alone. Well, Rio will see it too later through my memories—lucky bastard... I wonder what she looks like under the mask..."

Haunter quietly moved into Hunter J’s shadow, its expression growing increasingly dramatic.

But just as Hunter J was about to remove her last piece of clothing, a knock came at the door. Haunter’s excited expression instantly soured, and it turned back with irritation.

Whoever’s ruining my fun deserves to die.

Hunter J wrapped herself in a bathrobe and opened the door. Haunter saw a hunter wearing a Granbull mask standing there, inviting her to drink, play cards, or battle later.

"Sorry, Brother E—I’m tired. I’m going straight to sleep after washing up," Hunter J declined politely and closed the door. She turned and headed to the bathroom, ready to take off the last piece. Haunter’s expression brightened again.

A moment later, the last piece came off—but underneath was still a bra. No matter—that’ll be gone soon too, Haunter thought, waiting eagerly.

Knock, knock, knock!

Just as it was anticipating the next step, another knock came at the door. Hunter J’s hands, reaching for the bra clasp, stopped. She wrapped the thick bathrobe back on and opened the door. This time, it was Hunter F, wearing a Snorlax mask, inviting her to have a drink and chat. Predictably, she refused.

As the door closed, Haunter memorized Hunter F’s mask.

You bastards, ruining my fun twice in a row—if you dare sleep tonight, I’ll make sure you wet yourselves in your nightmares... Haunter fumed internally.

It returned to the bathroom, only to find Hunter J pulling out a small phone from somewhere and sitting on the toilet, still wrapped in her bathrobe, fiddling with it—and she never took off the bra. Haunter was livid.

Damn them—even if they don’t sleep tonight, I’ll make them sleep.

"Leon—I’ve successfully infiltrated," Hunter J said into the phone after a moment.

A voice came through the speaker: "I know, Aria. Please stay safe."

"I will. They’re planning to move early tonight—I don’t know where yet. I’ll send you my location once I find out."

"Got it—once I get the location, I’ll head over immediately."

Haunter thought the voice sounded familiar, and it quickly recalled the guy it had scared unconscious a few days ago.

The two talked for about ten minutes, with Aria briefly summarizing what she’d seen and her plans, before hanging up. Her hand moved toward the collar of her bathrobe.

Is she finally going to... Haunter thought eagerly.

Finally—it had waited for this moment.

But what it saw was Hunter J tucking the small phone into the bra underneath the bathrobe, then starting to put her clothes back on one by one. She finished dressing, walked out of the bathroom, and lay on the bed to watch TV. Throughout it all, she never once took off her mask.

(PG-13 ends)

Haunter: "..."

A few minutes later, it phased back through the wall, fuming.

Misery loves company—I’m going to share this agonizing tease with Rio and make him suffer with me.