Suddenly, there was a commotion in the sky. A pair of giant wings flapped twice before pausing above the street. The strong winds generated by the massive wings made it difficult for everyone on the street to stand.
Alex squinted, looking at the person standing atop the giant machine, feeling a slight unease in his heart.
"System, check the Pokémon in front of me," Alex quickly requested from the Host in his mind.
"There is no Pokémon in front of the Host. No record of Pokémon appearing. Over," the Host replied, and Alex frowned.
"Such a huge machine, and you're telling me it's not a Pokémon?" Before Alex could ponder further, a large net descended, trapping him and Haunter. The net surprisingly shot out from within the giant bird.
"So that's it! It's a machine," Alex realized with a start.
"Damn it, this net is so sturdy that even Haunter can't break it," Alex gritted his teeth.
"Alex!" At that moment, Ash and the others rushed over, anxiously shouting as they saw Alex being captured.
But if even Haunter couldn't break the giant net, it was impossible for Ash and the others' Pokémon to do so.
"Alex!" Ash and the others watched helplessly as Alex was pulled into the giant machine, powerless to intervene.
Inside the machine, Alex felt confused. Who were these people? Why were they capturing him? Had something happened?
Meanwhile, Ash and the others, seeing Alex being taken away, contacted Officer Jenny. Soon, many people were mobilized to search for information about the giant machine that had flown across the sky.
"Ash, do you think Alex will be alright?" Misty asked, worry etched on her face.
"He'll be fine. You know Alex's strength; he definitely won't be in trouble. We'll do our best to find out where he was taken," Ash reassured her.
"That's right, Misty. We need to find him as soon as possible so we can figure out what's happening," Brock added, frowning.
While Alex was still trapped inside the giant machine, the Host's voice suddenly rang out.
"Main quest +1: Achieve first place and obtain the prize."
"What kind of quest requires first place? System, explain it to me clearly."
But the Host remained silent afterward.
After flying for an unknown amount of time, the machine finally came to a stop.
Then, Alex was led away, his hands bound.
The man who captured him threw Alex into a small dark room and looked at him coldly.
"Hey, who exactly are you? What's your purpose in capturing me? Or rather, what do you want to do?" Alex asked disdainfully.
"You're quite bold. In this situation, instead of worrying about your own safety, you're wondering what I want to do," the man replied, amused.
"If you wanted to harm me, why wait until now? You could have dealt with me on the airship," Alex stared directly at the newcomer.
"I'm becoming more and more interested in you. You actually noticed that it wasn't a Pokémon, but a machine airship. You should know that this thing underwent extensive research and could easily be mistaken for the real thing, yet you saw through it at a glance," the man smiled.
"Heh heh, have you ever heard the saying, 'Don't underestimate your enemy'?" Alex replied playfully.
"Of course, I know this isn't a Pokémon, but a big machine. After all, I have the Host, and if it were a Pokémon, it would definitely be able to identify it. It can even recognize Pokémon not from the Kanto Region, let alone something like you," Alex thought to himself.
"Alright, you're very astute. Calm in the face of danger. If given time to grow, you will definitely become a prominent figure that will shock the entire region," the man said, nodding.
"Alright, stop with the pleasantries. More than one person has said that; I'm tired of hearing it. Who exactly are you? Give me a straight answer! I don't want to die without knowing how or by whom I was killed," Alex said dismissively.
"Good! You certainly have guts. However, I'm not here to kill you; I'm merely here to assign you a task. You can call me Zaobo," the man said with a smile.
"Assign me a task? Then what's the meaning of tying me up? Who are you? By what right do you assign me tasks?" Alex asked impatiently.
"Untie me quickly."
"Oh, I can't do that. If I untie you, given the strength of your Pokémon, it would take me some effort to defeat you, which isn't worth it," Zaobo said with a mischievous grin.
"As for the task I'm assigning you, I believe you will definitely do it because it's your father's decision. He wants you to do it," Zaobo said slowly, his smile fading.
"My father? Who are you? Are you my father's subordinate? Are you also from Team Rocket? My father has never revealed my identity to anyone to avoid unnecessary trouble. Why do you know?" Alex fired off a series of questions, clearly very curious.
"Oh my, my, you've asked so many questions at once; how should I begin to answer?" Zaobo said, rubbing his hands together.
"Since I know your identity, I am naturally your father's capable subordinate, and I am also a member of Team Rocket." He pulled open his lab coat, revealing a large 'R' inside.
"Do you believe me now?"
"Where is my father exactly? Why didn't he give me the task directly but instead sent you?" Alex asked suspiciously.
"Lord Ye Chen is busy with many affairs and doesn't have the free time to come. So, he specifically sent me to assign you a task. He believes you now have a certain level of strength and can help him," Zaobo explained.
"Is that so? Father thinks I can help him now? He no longer thinks I'm too weak?" Alex murmured to himself.
"When can I see my father?" Alex asked firmly.
"Hmph! Just as I thought, you are indeed very suspicious," Zaobo said, then took out a watch.
He clicked a button on the watch, and a holographic image of Alex's father appeared.
The holographic image was pre-recorded, essentially instructing Alex to obey Zaobo and assist him in completing the task.
"Alright, now I believe you're my father's person. Can you untie me now? And bring my Haunter over too," Alex said, looking displeased at Zaobo.
"Yes, Young Master, I'll untie you now. As for Haunter, he's already in your Poké Ball," Zaobo said with a smile.
"Looking at Young Master's heroic demeanor, I can tell he's just like Lord Ye Chen; surely accomplished at a young age," Zaobo said while untying the ropes.
"Alright, no need for flattery. Tell me, what task does my father have?" Alex asked, glancing at Zaobo.
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