"Before asking others, shouldn't you first introduce yourself?" The middle-aged man smiled slightly, releasing Ash. This gesture reassured Ash that the man had no ill intentions.
Ash moved his wrist, looked at the middle-aged man and the two youths in surprise, and said casually, "I'm just an ordinary tourist."
"That's a bit dull..." The middle-aged man shook his head slightly, noticing the attention of people nearby, and gave a subtle signal to the two young men.
Understanding the signal, the young men nodded and flanked Ash, guiding him into a nearby alley.
Ash considered resisting but, given the situation, reluctantly entered the alley.
"Ash... born in Pallet Town, became a Trainer a few months ago, thwarted Team Rocket's operation in Viridian City, saved the Pokémon Center's Pokémon, and was exceptionally granted the status of a Poké Ball-level Trainer..."
Just as Ash was looking for an opportunity to escape, the middle-aged man took out a small notebook and recited Ash's information.
Ash's expression changed. Although his information wasn't classified, the man's ability to access it so quickly indicated significant power. Could he be from Team Rocket?
"I've already said, I have no ill intentions..." The middle-aged man closed the notebook, returning it to his pocket, and sighed. "I don't understand why someone so young is so vigilant."
"Wouldn't any normal person be suspicious?" Ash looked at the man, unconvinced, his right hand subtly reaching towards his waist.
"Relax, relax..." The middle-aged man gestured to the youths on either side. At that moment, Ash noticed they were holding Poké Balls.
Cold sweat trickled down his back.
"I truly mean you no harm. After all, I observed you sending Pikachu into Silph Co. to investigate, and I didn't intervene." The middle-aged man smiled at Ash, revealing information that shocked him.
Ash hadn't expected his actions to be monitored, let alone the fact that the man knew about Pikachu's mission.
"You seem suspicious of Silph Co.?" The middle-aged man, seemingly oblivious to the fear in Ash's eyes, inquired casually.
Ash hesitated but decided to answer. The man knew his every move and possessed detailed information about him. If he intended harm, he would have already acted.
"Yes," Ash nodded.
"What's the reason?" The middle-aged man's smile broadened as Ash cooperated. He was intrigued by Ash's suspicion of Silph Co.
"Intuition." Ash pointed to his head, unable to offer a concrete explanation.
"Intuition..." The middle-aged man didn't question Ash's response. After all, Ash was young and his background as Professor Oak's student seemed legitimate.
"So, what do you think is happening at Silph Co.?" The middle-aged man continued his inquiry.
"Perhaps it has been infiltrated, and an unknown organization has taken control..." Ash hesitated but voiced his suspicions.
"What leads you to believe that?" The middle-aged man seemed surprised by Ash's deduction.
"The Master Ball..." Ash had prepared this answer. The Master Ball, rumored to capture any Pokémon without fail, served as a plausible explanation for the infiltration of Silph Co.
Although Ash hadn't explicitly stated it, the middle-aged man understood his implication. The organization's motive was to acquire the Master Ball.
"Such terrifying and keen intuition..." The middle-aged man stared at Ash, impressed. Even the two young men beside him were surprised.
"I can confirm your suspicions. Their target is indeed the Master Ball, and Silph Co. has been occupied by Team Rocket," the middle-aged man revealed.
"As I suspected..." Ash, unsurprised, had anticipated this based on the game's plot. However, he remained curious about the identities of the three men before him.
"Are you curious?" Sensing Ash's inquisitive gaze, the middle-aged man smiled and produced a badge from his coat, displaying it to Ash.
"We are Interpol, a law enforcement agency formed by various alliances to investigate and disrupt illegal organizations across regions. My codename is Handsome." The middle-aged man introduced himself.
"Interpol... Handsome..." Ash glanced at the ID and remembered where he had seen this middle-aged man. This was the man who appeared in the Pearl and Diamond chapter of the anime, also known as Handsome.
"You don't seem too surprised..." Handsome put away his ID and commented, but didn't pursue it further. Now wasn't the time to delve into those things.
Ash, his back slightly damp with cold sweat, had forgotten to feign surprise. Fortunately, the situation at Silph Co. was more pressing.
Handsome didn't pry further.
"We need the information your Pikachu gathered." Handsome explained his reason for approaching Ash. After witnessing Ash send Pikachu to investigate Silph Co., he had this idea.
"No problem." Having confirmed the identities of the three men, Ash readily agreed. With Interpol's help, they might be able to thwart Team Rocket's plan.
After all, relying on his strength alone, it would be impossible to deal with the numerous Team Rocket members in the Silph Co. building. Reality wasn't a game where opponents fought one-on-one.
Back on the street, Pikachu had returned but, finding Ash gone, anxiously looked around. When he saw Ash emerging from the alley with three strangers, his expression changed, and sparks crackled from his cheeks.
"Wait, Pikachu..." Ash quickly stopped Pikachu and, before anyone noticed, hugged and reassured him, "It's okay, don't worry. They're not bad people."
"Pika...?" Pikachu looked puzzled, and the sparks subsided.
After a brief explanation, Ash inquired about the situation inside Silph Co.
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