Chapter 131: The Gathered Trainers
After leaving the shop, Ash and his group followed the notice to the gathering point. Besides the three of them, two other trainers from the same shop followed behind at a short distance.
The gathering place was near the boarding point at Yumachi Wharf. From a distance, Ash and the others could already see police officers assembled there. In addition to about twenty or thirty officers, several individuals in red and white uniforms stood among them.
These uniforms matched the colors of a Poké Ball, sleek and well-fitted, giving a sense of authority. This was the Pokémon League's combat unit—a small but highly trained force. Only nine members were present in Rampur, divided into three teams of three. While two teams were patrolling the area, one was stationed at the wharf.
Beyond the League fighters, about thirty to forty trainers had already gathered. However, the total number of trainers in Rampur was much higher. Many were likely still on their way.
Despite the crowd, the atmosphere was eerily quiet. Tension was thick in the air. Many trainers were participating in a mission like this for the first time, shifting uncomfortably. Even those with past experience felt the weight of the moment—this was an A-level mission, the most dangerous type in recent years.
Missions of this scale were rare. While similar incidents had occurred before, the highest prior mission rating had only reached B-level.
After arriving, Ash and his companions showed their trainer IDs to the person in charge. Only official-level trainers were allowed to participate in an A-level mission. Normally, even Poké Ball-ranked trainers could join, but due to Rampur's remote location, only full-level trainers were permitted this time.
Ten minutes later, Officer Jenny arrived at the scene, scanning the assembled trainers with a deep frown. The turnout was far lower than expected.
According to the Pokémon Center's records, at least two to three hundred trainers were currently in Rampur. Yet, barely one hundred had answered the call.
Even more concerning, the majority of those present weren't from the Kanto Alliance. Many were visiting trainers from other regional leagues.
"Kanto Alliance... has it really fallen this far?" Officer Jenny muttered under her breath, her voice tinged with disappointment. She had always been a proud citizen of Kanto, but seeing this made her heart ache.
"If only we had a true Champion…" she sighed inwardly. Kanto's biggest problem was the lack of a unifying leader. Without a Champion, the region lacked direction, making situations like this harder to handle.
But dwelling on that wouldn't help now. She had a mission to lead.
Officer Jenny quickly divided the trainers into 30 teams, assigning three trainers per group. She then placed nine combat unit officers as captains, forming three larger squadrons. Each squadron would be led by an experienced fighter from the League.
Once formations were set, Jenny addressed the crowd.
"Everyone, our primary objective is to defend Yumachi Wharf and prevent the Tentacruel horde from reaching the city!" she declared.
If this was merely about driving off wild Pokémon, the mission wouldn't have been rated A-level. The true danger lay in the sheer number of Tentacool and Tentacruel.
If too many Tentacruel gathered and used Surf simultaneously, they would create a massive tsunami. If that happened, all of Rampur would be flooded, causing severe destruction and loss of life.
To prevent that catastrophe, the trainers had one job—push back the Tentacruel before they could gather in dangerous numbers.
A police officer monitoring the sea suddenly shouted, "They're here!"
Everyone turned toward the horizon.
Far out on the water, a series of red glows flickered in the distance. The agate-like orbs atop the Tentacruel's heads reflected the city lights as hundreds of them surfaced, densely packed together.
The sight sent shivers down the trainers' spines.
"All teams, follow the plan! Attack immediately!" Officer Jenny commanded.
Meanwhile, a separate unit was searching for the Tentacruel leader. Defeating the alpha Pokémon would force the others to retreat, making the battle significantly easier.
Ash and his team, along with their assigned captain, rushed to the far left side of the wharf. As they ran, they watched wave after wave of Tentacool and Tentacruel emerge from the water.
"This is insane... how did it come to this?" Misty muttered, biting her lip.
As a Water-type specialist, she had always admired Tentacool and Tentacruel. Seeing them like this—forced into violence because of human greed—filled her with deep sorrow.
"Humans and Pokémon are supposed to coexist... Why do we keep ruining that peace?" she whispered.
The Tentacruel clan had lived peacefully in the coral reefs, but due to corporate greed, their homes were destroyed, and they were forced out.
If this had been about human survival, Misty might have understood. But this wasn't about survival—it was about selfishness.
Ash clenched his fists. "Why didn't the League catch this problem sooner?" he wondered. "Why did it take a wild Horsea's warning for us to act?"
But there was no time for answers—only action.
After a few minutes of running, they reached their assigned location. Even though it was just one section of the wharf, the number of Tentacruel was overwhelming—and still increasing.
A League officer quickly took charge.
"All Water-type trainers, move to the front lines!" he commanded. "All Rock-type trainers, take position along the pier to hold the defensive line!"
Since Rock-types couldn't fight well in the water, their job was to block Tentacruel from reaching the land and provide ranged attacks.
Trainers with other Pokémon, including Ash, were stationed in the middle, acting as support attackers.
Ash surveyed his team—Pikachu, Charmeleon, Ivysaur, Pidgeotto, and Beedrill. They weren't Water-types, but they could still attack from a safe distance.
Nearby, another trainer joined their squad—a young man named Mosu, a visiting trainer from Sinnoh. He released a Gyarados, its massive form towering over the battlefield.
"Let's end this fast," Mosu muttered, gripping his Poké Ball tightly.
The battle was about to begin.
Ash took a deep breath.
"Alright, team… let's go!"
To be continued…
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