Pokémon: Raising Abandoned Pokémon into Legends

Chapter 297: Pokémon Hunter Organization (Two-in-One)

Seeing Lugia’s stunned little expression, Rio smiled.

Lugia stared at him in surprise, unable to speak for a long moment.

"I can also tell you this—I won’t restrict your freedom. You can still be the Sea Guardian out there, raise your child, and fulfill your divine duties." Rio added.

"Really?" Lugia’s eyes lit up.

Those words struck right at its heart. The main reason it had resisted having a human trainer was its love of freedom—it didn’t want anyone giving it orders.

"Really. I generally keep my word. But the condition for giving you freedom is that when I need you, you must come immediately." Rio said.

[Lugia’s friendship has increased]

[Friendship: 20 (-15 → 20) ]

As soon as Rio finished speaking, the notification rang in his mind. Capturing it in a Poké Ball had already raised its friendship from -15 to 15, and his words just now had added another 5 points.

"Fine. In that case, I agree." Lugia was convinced.

"When you need me, just light this feather, and I’ll come find you immediately."

Lugia’s body glowed faintly, and a pure white feather flew out from within, landing in Rio’s hand.

The conversation went smoothly, and Rio was very pleased. But then the baby Lugia’s next words made things a little awkward.

"Since my mom is your Pokémon too, does that mean I can drink whenever I want now?"

"Drink?" Lugia shot a scrutinizing look at Rio.

It knew what alcohol was—many humans who worshipped it would offer it as tribute. It had tried it before, and it made its mind foggy, so it wasn’t particularly fond of it.

"Uh... about the drinking—that had nothing to do with me. They drank behind my back. And I strictly refused to give it alcohol from the start." Rio quickly distanced himself. "I suggest you discipline this little one properly when you get back. At such a young age, it’s already thinking about stealing adult drinks."

The baby Lugia’s eyes widened, ready to retort—but its mother sent it flying with a single wing slap.

After a brief rest, Lugia’s injuries had healed enough for it to move again. It exchanged a few more words with Rio, then left with the baby Lugia and Phione.

Rio watched its retreating figure and suddenly thought that maybe he could set Articuno, Raikou, and the others free as well. Keeping them by his side all the time wasn’t doing much—why not let them roam free like wanderers, and when they felt like it, they could come back to visit, or he could summon them with their feathers when needed.

With that thought, Rio directly asked his Pokémon if they wanted to go out and roam, and come back when they felt like it.

Articuno immediately agreed.

[Articuno’s friendship has increased]

[Friendship: 48 (-20 → 48) ]

It had been wanting this for a long time. Having power without showing it off was the same as not having power at all.

Mewtwo, Charizard, and the others, however, weren’t interested. Mewtwo had already roamed enough in the past—it now found life with Rio, its drinking buddy, far more enjoyable than being alone. Charizard, Gengar, and the little chubby Snorlax simply wanted to stay by Rio’s side and didn’t see the appeal of wandering around.

And so, Rio released Articuno. After granting it freedom, he rode Charizard back toward Indigo Plateau. He planned to ask Zapdos, Raikou, and the others the same question when he got back.

A week later—three days after Rio had returned to work—a case from the Johto region landed on his desk.

It was about the Pokémon Hunter Organization. Reports indicated that Pokémon hunters were operating in the restricted area of Ecruteak Forest. The Pokémon Police were having trouble dealing with them and hoped for League assistance.

Seeing this case, Rio raised an eyebrow—it caught his interest. He remembered promising Greninja that he would help it wipe out the Pokémon Hunter Organization.

Now that he was the Kanto League Champion, overseeing both regions under its jurisdiction, it was time to help Greninja fulfill its dream.

"Serīna, tell the officers in Ecruteak City that I’ll handle this case personally." Rio said to his secretary.

"Huh? You’re going personally?"

Serīna was surprised that Rio would personally take on such a case.

"What, is that not allowed?" Rio smiled.

"No, no." Serīna quickly shook her head. "It’s just that it seems like overkill. They’re just a bunch of Pokémon hunters—not worth your personal attention."

"The reason is simple—I don’t like them." Rio shrugged. "Go ahead and make the arrangements."

"Understood, Mr. Rio." Seeing that Rio was determined, Serīna didn’t argue and turned to make the arrangements.

And so, a day later, Rio arrived in Ecruteak City.

His arrival surprised the local police. They had expected the League to send some skilled investigators—not the Champion himself.

"Let’s skip the pleasantries. Tell me what trouble the Pokémon hunters have been causing." Rio asked Officer Jenny of Ecruteak City.

"They’re too frequent. Every year we receive reports of them capturing rare Pokémon in the restricted zone. We’ve caught them many times, but they never stop. And this year, there seem to be more hunters than usual. We want to conduct a crackdown across the entire Johto region." Officer Jenny explained.

Rio laughed.

"A crackdown won’t work. To stop them, you have to go to the source. First, catch them, then force out the location of the Pokémon Hunter Organization’s headquarters, and then go destroy it."

"Destroy the Pokémon Hunter Organization’s headquarters?" Officer Jenny was astonished by Rio’s words.

"That’s right. Exactly that." Rio shrugged, and without saying more to Officer Jenny, he released Mewtwo and Gengar into Ecruteak Forest.

Before long—about an hour later—every human in Ecruteak Forest had been brought before Rio. Rio had Gengar hypnotize them all, then used Hypnosis to interrogate the hunters about the organization’s location.

The answer: the Sinnoh region. The Pokémon Hunter Organization’s headquarters was in Sinnoh.

And just as Rio had arrived swiftly, he left just as swiftly. After getting the answers he wanted, he packed up and left, leaving only one sentence for Officer Jenny:

"Don’t worry. Next year, you won’t have to deal with Pokémon hunters anymore."

Back at Indigo Plateau, Rio gave Serīna a new task: to express to the Sinnoh League his intention to eliminate the Pokémon Hunter Organization.

As the Kanto League Champion, if he was going to operate in Sinnoh, it was only proper to inform them first.

But when Serīna heard that Rio wanted to destroy the Pokémon Hunter Organization’s headquarters, she was shocked.

"What’s wrong?" Rio frowned at her expression.

"Mr. Rio, with all due respect, your plan may face significant difficulties." Serīna hesitated before answering.

"Why do you say that?"

Rio raised an eyebrow. But then a flash of inspiration struck—a saying from his past life popped into his head, and he instantly understood Serīna’s hesitation.

That saying was: No buying, no killing. Without customers, there would be no Pokémon Hunter Organization. And the people who could afford to hire an organization that would even attempt to catch legendary Pokémon for the right price were clearly the elite and nobility of society.

Realizing this, Rio laughed. He thought of the phrase "the thief crying ’stop thief’" and the public service announcements currently running in the media.

Those ads urged trainers not to enter restricted zones to capture Pokémon—to protect wild Pokémon, "with you, with me, with all of us."

But now, that advertising seemed bitterly ironic. Ordinary trainers didn’t have the strength to enter restricted zones and capture powerful Pokémon, nor the wealth to hire hunters to catch rare ones. So the ones who could afford to hire hunters were precisely the social elites and high-ranking officials who controlled the media and discouraged the public from entering restricted zones.

Serīna’s hesitation clearly meant she had realized this before him—that the first obstacle he would face would be the higher-ups. Not just within the Kanto League, but throughout the world. Only they would spend fortunes on their own selfish desires, hiring Pokémon hunters to capture rare and legendary Pokémon.

"Don’t say anything more—I know what you were going to say." Rio stopped Serīna just as she was about to speak. "But my answer remains the same. Contact the Sinnoh League and express my request."

"Instead of hypocritically deceiving the public and placing the blame on them, it’s better to eradicate the evil at its root."

Serīna looked at Rio deeply.

"Mr. Rio, your intentions are good—but you’ll face a lot of opposition." She tried one last time to dissuade him.

"I’m not afraid. Let them come after me if they dare." Rio shrugged. "If they have the ability, they can catch their own Pokémon instead of hiring hunters and then telling the public not to poach."

Serīna said no more and turned to leave.

The next day, Rio received a reply. The Sinnoh League thanked him for the reminder—for alerting them that the Pokémon Hunter Organization’s headquarters was in Sinnoh.

But then came the rejection. They refused his request, stating that the Sinnoh League had always been working to eliminate the Pokémon Hunter Organization and currently did not need assistance from other regions.

"Mr. Rio, do you still want to destroy the Pokémon Hunter Organization’s headquarters?" Serīna asked after delivering the Sinnoh League’s response.

"Why not?" Rio shrugged. "Since they won’t allow it, I’ll go in secret."

"In secret?" Serīna’s eyes widened. "You’re going alone? That’s not okay—what if something happens to you?"

"Trust me—I won’t get into trouble." Rio smiled. "Your Kanto League Champion is quite powerful now."

"No, no, no." Serīna shook her head frantically. "Even if you succeed, if anyone finds out it was you, you’ll be held accountable."

"What, are the high-ups from other regions going to hold me accountable for destroying the Pokémon Hunter Organization? Or are some people from our own region going to hold me accountable?" Rio scoffed.

If it was people from other regions, he would just tell the whole world and let them judge. If it was people from his own region trying to gang up on him, he would investigate whether those bastards had ever bought Pokémon from hunters.

"Alright, stop trying to talk me out of it. My decision is final. I’m determined to wipe out the Pokémon Hunter Organization. If Sinnoh won’t allow it, I’ll go by myself. While I’m gone, if anyone asks, say I’m sick and can’t see anyone." Rio waved his hand.

Serīna was speechless. Sick? That excuse is way too fake... She could only grumble silently.

"If you insist on going, Mr. Rio, I have only one condition—your communication must remain open so I can reach you."

"Fine. That’s no problem." Rio agreed to that request, but then made one of his own. "Help me send those Pokémon hunters I caught in Ecruteak City a few days ago to the League. I’m leaving the day after tomorrow."

He needed a hunter to guide him.

Two days later.

Rio wore a mask and led a young man in a hypnotic trance onto a plane from Saffron City to the Sinnoh region.

After about a day of flying, they landed in Jubilife City.

"Rio! Rio!"

As soon as he exited, a familiar figure appeared before him.

Cynthia.

Though the Sinnoh League hadn’t given him permission, he had received permission from the future Sinnoh Champion. This girl was trustworthy and reliable. As soon as she heard he wanted to destroy the Pokémon Hunter Organization, she immediately insisted on joining.

"How did you recognize me?" Rio frowned—he hadn’t expected her to spot him even with a mask on.

"Recognizing you is easy—I’d know you even if you were reduced to ashes." Cynthia crossed her arms smugly.

Rio’s expression turned strange. That sounded a bit odd—was that an expression of deep affection or deep resentment?

"Is this the hunter you brought? What’s wrong with him?" Cynthia noticed the young man behind Rio, who was keeping his head down.

"He’s hypnotized by Gengar. I gave him a command to follow me." Rio shrugged. "Let’s find a quiet place to snap him out of it, and then have him contact his buddies at the organization’s headquarters."