Free Web NovelIt didn't take long before most of the elite-level trainers of Mauville City had gathered in the assembly room.
Despite the city's size and importance, not a single Champion-level trainer (three Pokémon at level 60+) was present, which subtly lowered the overall confidence in the room, even if no one voiced it aloud.
Alex took a seat near the center alongside Wattson, the mayor, and six other late-level elite trainers, immediately placing him among the strongest available defenders.
Wattson, who clearly held the highest authority here, didn't waste any time waiting for perfect attendance. His expression remained serious as he began, "Alright, we'll start now. A large number of sub-elite Pokémon are approaching from the north, and alongside them, a considerable number of elite-level Pokémon have already crossed the barrier. Some of those are even mid- and late-level elite."
His gaze swept across the room before he continued, his tone firm and decisive. "Whether this was triggered by a powerful wild Pokémon or an organized group, our priorities are clear. We must hold back the incoming waves and, at the same time, send a capable team north to identify the source of the raid."
After a brief pause, he added, "My proposal is simple. The mid- and low-level elite trainers will remain here to defend the city. The seven of us at the late elite level will head north and deal with the root of the problem directly."
The room fell quiet for a moment, but Alex didn't hesitate.
Leaning back slightly, he spoke in a calm, almost indifferent tone. "That's an unnecessarily risky plan. Whatever caused this is, at minimum, is power is comparable to a low Champion-level Pokémon. There's also a real possibility it's much stronger than that."
A few trainers shifted in their seats, clearly not pleased with his bluntness, but Alex continued without concern. "If that's the case, sending the seven of us out won't make much of a difference. It just spreads our strength thinner."
He glanced briefly around the room before finishing, "It makes more sense for all of us to focus on defending the city and wait for Alliance reinforcements. This kind of situation is better handled by an Elite Four member."
His words hung in the air, and although he knew how it sounded, Alex didn't care.
He had no interest in chasing after an unknown threat that could very well be far beyond their level. If this raid had been triggered by someone like the leader of Team Magma or Team Aqua, stepping into that situation blindly would be reckless.
Even if it turned out to be a wild Pokémon, there was no guarantee it wasn't something far stronger than expected.
Wild Mid-Champion-level Pokémon were rare, but not unheard of, and there had even been scattered reports of late-Champion-level creatures appearing in the wild—existences so uncommon that they were often mentioned in the same breath as true legendary Pokémon.
Alex had no intention of gambling his life just to confirm which one it was.
He didn't want to take that kind of risk.
As long as there was no reliable information about the cause of the raid, he had no intention of stepping into the unknown. Charging toward something that could potentially surpass their combined strength wasn't bravery in his eyes, it was just stupid.
For a brief moment, he wondered if Bastiodon's death had made him more cautious than before, but he quickly dismissed the thought. He had always been this way. Calculated, careful, unwilling to rely on blind assumptions.
The situation back then had been different.
He had acted with certainty, believing the "do not kill" rule would protect both him and his Pokémon. That rule wasn't just a guideline, it was something enforced with absolute consequences. Anyone who broke it would face death without exception.
Only someone completely insane, someone who didn't value their own life, would ignore something like that.
In his mind, that test had been as safe as a regulated tournament. In both situations, the rules themselves were supposed to guarantee a baseline level of security. That was the only reason he had allowed his guard to drop even slightly.
And that was exactly what still bothered him.
Not the loss itself, but the fact that he had trusted something external to keep him safe. That small lapse in judgment, that moment of lowered vigilance, was what irritated him still now.
A late elite trainer named Paul looked at Alex with clear disdain before letting out a short, mocking laugh.
Paul said, shaking his head slightly. "Ha, what a cowardly trainer you are, It's unbelievable what kind of trainers get so much hype these days, even though they don't deserve it."
Several people in the room went quiet at the blunt remark, their attention immediately shifting to Alex.
Alex turned his gaze toward Paul, his expression calm and completely unaffected by the insult.
He said evenly, his tone steady without the slightest hint of irritation. "You can call my actions whatever you want, But my duty as an Alliance trainer is to defend the city. Everything beyond that is voluntary, and no one here is going to change my mind."
A faint chill entered his voice as he continued, his eyes sharpening slightly. "I'm not going to gamble my life and the lives of my Pokémon on a plan built on uncertainty."
For a moment, the room fell completely silent after Alex finished speaking, the tension thick enough that even the quieter trainers at the edges stopped whispering among themselves.
Paul let out a short scoff, clearly unsatisfied with the answer. "Then stay behind and hide if that's what you want," he said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Some of us don't need to wait for others to solve our problems."
A few of the mid-level elite trainers exchanged uncertain glances, while others shifted in their seats, visibly torn between caution and pride.
Before the tension could escalate further, Wattson raised a hand, his voice cutting cleanly through the room. "That's enough."
Although he didn't raise his voice, the authority behind his words was unmistakable, and even Paul fell silent, if only out of respect for his position.
Wattson's gaze moved between the two before settling on the group as a whole. "Both arguments have merit, We are dealing with an unknown threat, and underestimating it would be a mistake. At the same time, doing nothing but waiting also carries risks if the situation escalates."
He paused briefly, clearly thinking before continuing. "We'll adjust the plan. The city's defense remains the priority, so no one leaves without purpose. However, we also can't ignore the source of the raid."
His eyes shifted toward the late elite trainers. "Instead of all seven going, we'll send a smaller reconnaissance team—fast, mobile, and prepared to retreat immediately if they confirm something beyond their capacity."
A quiet murmur spread through the room as people processed the compromise. ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm
Paul frowned slightly but didn't argue this time, while several others seemed visibly relieved that they wouldn't be forced into a full confrontation without more information.
Wattson then looked toward Alex. "You'll stay with the main defense?"
Alex gave a small nod. "That was always my intention."
Wattson held his gaze for a second before nodding in return. "Ok. Then we move immediately."
The meeting shifted from debate to action almost instantly, as trainers began standing up, some heading out to prepare for the incoming wave, while others moved to organize communication and positioning.
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