Pokemon: Bounty Hunter Alex

Chapter 144: Chapter 144. Veiled Entry

Alex decided against taking the job. Too many innocent people were mixed in with the guilty, and eliminating everyone on the list would require a monumental effort. He wasn’t chasing money anymore, and even he questioned whether everyone in their group deserved to die since most of them were simply grieving for lost loved ones.

Lirien deserved death for what she had done to the city, but it didn’t feel like Alex’s problem. It was Brock’s responsibility to deal with the issue once he knew who was behind the disasters.

All he wanted was to hit her main base and relieve her of her armory. Everything else could be ignored because human supremacists without guns were just angry people.

”Why haven’t you given this information to Brock? He would have appreciated the opportunity to get rid of the problem that’s been plaguing his city for a decade,” Alex asked.

”Those two have been together for quite some time now. It would have been pointless,” the old man replied.

Alex nodded in understanding.

Brock had a reputation for chasing women relentlessly. Lirien had likely taken advantage of that, leading him away from the truth. It seemed the city would have to keep suffering under Brock’s womanizing habits.

”It’s worth a shot. You never know. He might actually choose his city over a woman he’s involved with,” Alex said. ”Either way, I’m declining the job. I have another objective that might help you out, but you’ll need to find someone else to take down their operations.”

”As for Lirien, I might take her out if I come across her, but I’m not going to go looking. Once I’m through with their base, you should have an easier time dealing with the rest.”

”I’ll let management know.”

”Thanks for the noodles. I’ll come back for them once I’m done with my business.”

Alex left and made his way to what passed for a luxury hotel in the city. It was significantly below his usual standards, but it would have to do.

The next day, he visited an orphanage under Lirien’s control and released Zoroark.

He hadn’t had much time to train her, given how busy he had been lately, but he had at least made sure to cover her basics.

Name: Zoroark, Expert

Type: Dark, Female

Ability: Illusion

Moves:

Novice: Skitter Smack, Thief, Snarl, Fling, Foul Play, Dark Pulse, Crunch, Lash Out, Throat Chop, Low Kick, Low Sweep, Focus Blast, Sunny Day, Burning Jealousy, Confuse Ray, Hex, Night Shade, Shadow Claw, Shadow Ball, Spite, Grass Knot, Dig, Take Down, Scary Face, Facade, Swift, Endure, Body Slam, Sleep Talk, Hyper Voice, Encore, Helping Hand, Giga Impact, Hyper Beam, Tera Blast, Pain Split, Psych Up, Sludge Bomb, Toxic, Trick, Psychic, Calm Mind, Rain Dance

Basic: U-turn, Scratch, Leer, Torment, Hone Claws, Fury Swipes, Knock Off, Fake Tears, Imprison, Nasty Plot, Brick Break, Flamethrower, Aerial Ace, Protect, Swords Dance, Substitute, Roar, Rest

Advanced: Sucker Punch(+50% Damage), Night Slash(+50% Damage), Night Daze(+50% Damage), Hone Claws(Effect Up +1), Taunt(Effect Up +1), Agility(Effect Up +1)

Description: Zoroark, the Illusion Fox Pokémon. Known for its ability to create powerful illusions, Zoroark can disguise itself as other Pokémon or even humans to deceive and evade foes. It uses this ability not only in battle but also to protect its pack and territory. Though cunning and elusive, Zoroark shows deep loyalty to those it trusts, making it a mysterious yet fiercely protective guardian.

Zoroark was older than most of the others and had survived through a combination of camouflage, stealth, and speed, favoring assassination-based techniques when it came to her Advanced proficiency moves.

Alex hadn’t had her for long, so her move pool was still mostly at the Novice rank, but it was a work in progress. He had built her for Attack and Speed, knowing that investing in defenses would be pointless given her specialization.

As for why he chose her for this operation, he thought a more stealthy approach was appropriate given the circumstances and it would serve as a good test run for her abilities.

As Alex entered the orphanage with a Pikachu on his shoulders, he noted that it was fairly well kept. The children seemed happy, and nothing appeared out of place. It could have been a nice place if they weren’t being indoctrinated to hate Pokémon from a young age.

It was definitely noticeable from the harsh stares Pikachu was getting on Alex’s shoulders, both from the staff and the children. Most of them wore complicated expressions. Some showed curiosity, but most carried a clear hatred in their eyes.

Alex entered the main office and met with Marla, one of Lirien’s henchmen and the director of the orphanage Alex was currently in.

”Mr. Wattson, your visit was a bit unexpected, but very much appreciated. We have many children here who would truly benefit from finding a loving home,” she said.

”Thank you for taking the time to see me, Marla. I know I’m still fairly young, but I believe I’m at a stable point in my life, especially financially, where I can genuinely consider adoption,” Alex replied.

”Of course. Please, have a seat and we’ll go over a few details together.”

They discussed the procedure for adoption and Alex found the process quite easy. So long as the person interested was well off financially, they were immediately given the green light for adoption. It was a significantly lower standard than what Alex had read about in his previous life.

”If you’re ready, why don’t we meet the children? It might help you feel more confident in your decision.”

”Absolutely. Lead the way.”

Marla stood and walked toward the door, passing Alex when he suddenly grabbed her by the neck and locked the Poké Balls at her waist. In a single motion, he twisted her neck, killing her instantly.

He stored her body, Poké Balls, and access card before walking over to her open computer, where his details had just been recorded.

He opened the browser and navigated to one of Nyx’s secure sites designed to wipe all data and destroy the device entirely, including the software and operating system. It even triggered cloud-based deletions once Nyx received the signal on her end, using the access she would gain from this device.

Alex took a quick look around the office and noted the lack of cameras before moving onto her files. He found his own and took it with him before escaping through the window.

Once outside, he headed north past the city gates into the mountainous wilds beyond Pewter City.

He took out his files from the orphanage and threw them on the ground before giving the order.

”Flamethrower.”

A stream of flames erupted beside him, incinerating all evidence. At the same moment, the Pikachu on his shoulder vanished, along with the subtle illusion that had altered his facial features. The disguise faded completely, revealing Zoroark standing silently at his side.

”Good job. Did you manage to memorize her appearance?” Alex asked.

”Zo,” Zoroark replied.

”Good. Change my appearance to match hers.”

A shimmer of illusion spread outward, wrapping around Alex like a thin veil. His silhouette flickered, and in an instant, his appearance was overlaid with that of Marla. His taller frame seemed to shrink, his broader shoulders concealed beneath the illusion of a fitted gray skirt suit.

His face took on Marla’s refined features, sharp cheekbones, pale skin, and cool hazel eyes behind thin framed glasses. Her dark brown hair appeared tied in a neat bun, just as she had worn it moments ago.

Beneath the illusion, Alex remained unchanged. The effect was purely visual but flawless to the eye.

”Let’s see how far this gets us,” he said.

Zoroark gave a quiet nod before disappearing.

Alex summoned Hydreigon, and the three of them continued northwest toward the coordinates of the hidden base. It was located far from the city, deep within the mountainous region.

An hour into their journey, Alex spotted the entrance to the hidden base nestled within a jagged slope of the mountain range. From a distance, it looked like nothing more than a narrow, weather-worn cave easily overlooked amid the scattered boulders and twisted trees that lined the mountainside.

But as he approached, subtle signs gave it away: faintly worn tracks leading inward, the unnatural smoothness of the stone just past the mouth, and a barely perceptible hum of energy deeper within. The cave sloped sharply downward, vanishing into shadow and concealing whatever lay beneath the mountain’s surface.

Alex stored Hydreigon and calmly stepped into the cave. His eyes quickly picked out the well hidden cameras embedded in the rock, quietly tracking everyone who entered. He regretted not bringing Rotom, since its skills would have made the infiltration far easier. But given the need to conceal his identity, he couldn’t risk it.

The Human Advocacy Group maintained a carefully crafted image of innocence, and Alex couldn’t afford to be linked to their destruction. He didn’t know where Brock stood on the group’s true nature, and until that became clear, discretion was his only option.

At the bottom of the slope, he came across a sleek metal door embedded in the stone, with a scanner panel mounted to its side.

He pulled out Marla’s access card and swiped it. With a soft beep, the door slid open, revealing the interior of the hidden base.

He stepped inside without hesitation and stood still, momentarily taken aback by what he saw. The facility was far more advanced than he had expected.

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