Chapter 23: Lanny

Chapter 23: Lanny

Kanto Region, Cerulean City.

A few Wingull frolicked across the vast blue sky, while the bustling harbor below teemed with crowds weaving through the chaos.

A sharp blast of the ship’s horn echoed across the dock as a massive luxury liner slowly came to a halt. The gangplank was lowered, and the passengers disembarked in an orderly line.

A young man in the standard red-and-blue uniform of the League trainers lounged against the deck railing. He adjusted his cap, loosened by the sea breeze, and a faint smile played at his lips.

Lanny was an up-and-coming League trainer, currently challenging the Kanto region’s gyms, aiming to collect all the badges and make a name for himself at the League tournament. Of course, his confidence was not unfounded—he harbored a secret identity: a member of the D-2 Squad, Combat Division of “Dark Star.”

However, due to a long-term undercover assignment from the organization, he had temporarily withdrawn from his original squad.

Now, Lanny possessed a new, spotless identity. His mission was to earn a certain status within the League, granting him access to confidential information that he could relay back to Dark Star headquarters.

After all, Dark Star was a fledgling organization. Though formidable, it lacked the deep roots of the older villainous groups. There were few long-trained infiltrators like “spies” within Dark Star; those few that existed were too valuable to be risked carelessly.

Currently, Dark Star was in a precarious position, making enemies worldwide, with the colossal Pokémon League watching its every move. Cultivating a cadre of elite spies to gather intelligence was an urgent matter, essential for the organization’s growth and survival.

Lanny was one such carefully chosen candidate.

Gazing at the bustling city beyond the docks, Lanny felt a twinge of unease.

As a former member of Dark Star’s combat division, his strength was considerable. But years of field missions had made his choice of Pokémon well-known among rival groups. To maintain his cover this time, he had left his higher-level Pokémon behind.

To match his new identity as an up-and-coming League trainer, the organization had equipped him with a Fire-type starter: a Cyndaquil.

With the natural potential of a starter Pokémon, and Lanny’s experience, he had trained the Cyndaquil well—it had already evolved into a Quilava.

Along the way, Lanny had also captured several other Pokémon he deemed promising, and they were coming along nicely. Still, his team lacked complete type coverage, as he hadn’t been on the road for long.

And now, Cerulean Gym’s focus on Water-types exposed the biggest weakness in his lineup.

Since his goal was to climb the ranks within the League, earning as many badges as possible was essential—he had to prove his potential through gym battles.

Skipping Cerulean Gym was not an option.

He hadn’t been worried at first; gym Pokémon were kept at manageable levels for newcomers, and with his battle experience, he believed he could play the “master of type disadvantage” and still win.

However, on the journey to Cerulean City, Lanny’s greed had gotten the better of him, leading him deep into Cerulean Cave. As a result, his team was either badly injured or utterly exhausted.

With the League tournament fast approaching, waiting for his Pokémon to fully recover would cost precious time, making his plans rushed and less effective.

As he pondered this dilemma, an idea sparked in his mind.

Lanny looked around and saw no one paying him any attention.

He pulled a compact smart device from his pocket, tapped the screen, and opened what seemed to be an ordinary messaging app.

With practiced ease, he entered his credentials and navigated the labyrinthine security procedures, unlocking a hidden portal within the app—the exclusive platform for Dark Star operatives.

He selected the “Pokémon Loan” section, and a long list of available options appeared before him.

…

[Tyranitar]

Ability: Sand Stream

Power Rating: Champion Main

Available Moves: Thunder Fang, Ice Fang, Fire Fang, Rock Slide, Earthquake, Giga Impact…

Review: Specializes in physical attacks; excels in positional warfare

Points Required: [Locked] (Contact ID: 36952 if interested)

…

[Bisharp]

Ability: Inner Focus

Power Rating: Elite Ace

Available Moves: Metal Burst, Pursuit, Metal Sound, Sucker Punch, Swords Dance…

Review: Highly mobile, strong single-target attacker; excels in infiltration and assassination missions; outstanding Dark-type potential

Points Required: 28,500/day (items or Pokémon trades accepted; contact ID: 69531)

…

Lanny winced at the staggering point costs for the top-tier Pokémon.

Even after years in the well-rewarded Combat Division, his account balance was a mere drop in the bucket compared to these prices.

Besides, as a League rookie, carrying such powerful Pokémon would only arouse suspicion.

He entered a few keywords into the search bar: [Electric Type] [Power Limit: Rookie Ace – Pro Main].

Electric type was, of course, chosen to counter Cerulean Gym’s Water-types. For power, his own ace—Quilava—was at the Pro Main level, so he didn’t want anything much stronger, lest he draw the League’s attention.

In Lanny’s world, Pokémon levels were not strictly quantified; instead, trainers’ overall strength was divided into broad categories: Rookie, Pro, Elite, Elite Four, Champion. Each category was further split into Rotating, Main, and Ace, making fifteen ranks in total.

Due to the rough nature of these divisions, even Pokémon within the same rank could vary greatly in strength.

With a swipe, the list refreshed, and the results were much more reasonable.

…

[Luxio]

Ability: Intimidate

Power Rating: Pro Main

Available Moves: Tackle, Leer, Spark, Charge Volt…

Review: Excellent Electric-type potential, good speed

Points Required: 70/week

…

[Mareep]

Ability: Static

Power Rating: Pro Rotating

Available Moves: Tackle, Growl, Hidden Power (Dragon)…

Review: Strong battle aptitude, high adaptability and learning ability

Points Required: 45/week

…

[Magneton]

Ability: Magnet Pull

Power Rating: Pro Rotating

Available Moves: Tri Attack, Thunder Shock, Thunder Wave…

Review: Exceptionally talented in special attacks; serves as a long-range artillery unit

Points Required: 45/week

…

Lanny pondered his options.