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The Cat's Nest.
The largest stronghold of the Iron Cats Gang.
Here, Incineroar saw the most massive gathering of members in nearly a month.
Countless, densely packed, truly beyond measure. A wide variety of species, not limited to cats and pandas, but including some strange Pokemon as well.
"There are nearly ten thousand... brothers here now, right?"
Incineroar couldn't help but ask Absol, who was in front of it.
Absol turned its head and mumbled, "About that. Anyway, you two should observe more and speak less today. Many of the Elders are in the Nest."
Elders.
A general term for retired senior executives and former gang leaders who were past their prime. They were the Iron Cats Gang's final shield.
Their status was second only to the current gang leader, but when angered, they wouldn't even listen to him because they were almost all relatives or elders by seniority.
The core area of the Cat's Nest was called the Cat's Throne, located on a small hill. From the very top, one could overlook the entire Nest.
In theory, only core members were allowed up, but...
"It's so crowded."
Incineroar carried Riolu on its shoulders, weaving through gang after gang of cats. Some cats deliberately blocked the way, lying in the middle of the path licking their fur.
Perrserker and the others ignored them and simply walked around.
"These guys are looking at me like they want to eat me."
Riolu tugged at Incineroar's fiery mane.
"Well, your species is a senior executive, and you're the human boss's partner. If they don't resent you, who would?"
Speaking of this, Incineroar couldn't hide its schadenfreude. Even Pokemon from the same egg group rarely crossed species romantically, but there were exceptions to everything.
The current boss of the Savage Hounds Gang was one such brave one.
He had three partners: Senior Executive Lucario, Senior Executive Ninetales, and Executive Delphox.
All different species, and he even had a harem. It would make a certain someone jealous beyond recognition.
Of course, rumor had it that his becoming the boss of the Savage Hounds Gang was inseparable from the help of these three capable wives.
"Them being them, me being me."
Riolu remained unmoved.
They finally arrived inside the Cat's Throne.
Dozens of cats, bearing the undeniable signs of advanced age, stood there waiting for them. Leading them was a Perrserker sitting on straw, its gray whiskers turning white.
Its eyes were cloudy, its fur slightly sparse and dull, and the helmet on its head wasn't so shiny anymore.
In its mouth was an old, unlit pipe, its bowl stuffed with crushed catnip and silver vine.
It seemed to be enjoying the scent.
This must be the original gang leader, the first-generation Perrserker.
"Grandpa! We're back!"
Perrserker shouted vigorously at the old cat, its voice full of energy. In its prime, the contrast with the first generation was stark.
"Good to be back, good to be back."
The first generation chuckled, then looked at the dull-looking Galarian Meowth beside it. "Ah-Dai, come here, come to your great-grandfather."
"Meow."
Galarian Meowth trotted over to the first generation, surprisingly obedient.
"Good, good." The first generation licked Galarian Meowth's head, then looked at Perrserker. "You spent nearly a month with Zoroark. Any chance of persuading it?"
Perrserker shook its head. "No, it's determined to be the King of Kings. With Li Mingxuan backing it, it has no reason to fear."
"Sigh... I've already tried advising the Savage Hounds Gang side, but it's a pity my old friend is gone. The remaining dogs, none dare challenge its authority." The first generation sighed.
The first generation of the Savage Hounds Gang had passed away two years ago due to health reasons, and Zoroark had instantly become a runaway horse.
Completely out of control.
Its prestige within the gang had soared, and it even disregarded many Elders.
A war among the Pokemon of the Mist City seemed inevitable.
"I think once Zoroark gets out and the Dean retires, it and Li Mingxuan will start taking action." Perrserker said with certainty.
"Boss, there's been a change."
Absol stepped forward and told it about the Houndoom situation.
Perrserker looked surprised.
"Something like this actually happened!"
At a time when the Savage Hounds Gang was advancing like an unstoppable force, a dog actually dared to hold them back, and succeeded!
"Yes. Should we try to get into the isolation room and tell Zoroark?"
Absol whispered.
Pokemon in isolation were absolutely forbidden from contacting the outside world, but if they really wanted to communicate with those inside, it wasn't completely impossible.
"Do you think Zoroark would believe anyone other than a member of the Savage Hounds Gang?"
Perrserker glanced at it.
True, with that Zoroark's personality, it wouldn't trust others.
The group of cats was talking up front. Incineroar and Riolu were watching from behind.
They were getting a bit impatient.
The main reason the cat and dog had joined the Iron Cats Gang was to get information about the Misty Lake from Perrserker, wasn't it?
Perrserker had been out for so long, and the cat and dog still hadn't had a chance to talk to it. What was that about?
Fortunately, even though it felt like a long wait, it wasn't actually that long.
After a lot of chattering up front, Luxray stepped forward and whispered something in Perrserker's ear.
Finally, the cat and dog were called up. Together with Perrserker, they went to an open area.
"New brother!"
Perrserker enthusiastically opened its arms to embrace the cat and dog.
The cat and dog perfunctorily hugged it back, then sat on the ground. Without any further ado, they directly asked Perrserker about the purpose of their visit.
"Boss, I want to know what's actually inside the Misty Lake."
For this one small question, they had spent nearly a month in this organization.
Not sleeping at night, acting as hired muscle, stabilizing the situation.
"Inside the Misty Lake?"
Perrserker's expression turned strange upon hearing this. "Why do you think I would know?"
"Huh?"
The cat and dog were dumbfounded, looking at Luxray beside them.
Luxray looked a bit embarrassed, licking its fur to calm itself, then asked Perrserker, "But boss, didn't you say that sooner or later, our territory would spread all the way to the Misty Lake?"
"Did I?"
Perrserker seemed to have a poor memory.
"Of course you did! You were so confident and solemn about it back then!"
Luxray looked like it had been betrayed.
"Ah, sorry, I must have had too much catnip back then and was bullshitting."
Perrserker awkwardly scratched the back of its head. "I've never been inside the Misty Lake either. I really don't know."
"How could this be..."
Luxray was utterly dejected. Didn't this make it seem like it was the one who had spoken big?
Off to the side, the cat and dog were completely stunned. They looked like youngsters who, after working for free, realized they had been cruelly deceived.
Perrserker looked at their expressions and gradually began to feel guilty.
Huh? Without knowing, had someone made a promise on its behalf?
It didn't know anything!
"Y-Y-Y-You—You lied to me!"
Incineroar grabbed Luxray's mane, tears welling up in the eyes of this naive big cat.
It had been looking forward to giving Li Xiang a surprise.
And now?
What a fucking surprise!
"I-I-I-I didn't know it would turn out like this either..." Luxray's face fell; it didn't dare meet Incineroar's eyes.
Riolu tilted its head back, eyes rolling white, as if its soul was flying out of its mouth.
On a rock, Greninja, who had been lurking, covered its head, feeling a bit withdrawn.
Fortunately, just as Incineroar was about to lose its temper and start a fight, a voice rang out, "If it's the Misty Lake you want to know about, this old one might know a little."
Several heads quickly turned. It was the first-generation Perrserker, flanked by Absol.
"Really?"
Incineroar decisively dropped Luxray and, together with a revived Riolu, rushed over to the first generation.
"But what I know isn't much. The secrets there aren't easy for me to fathom. I'll just tell you what I do know."
The first generation, with the pipe in its mouth, squinted its eyes in a very human way.
As the original gang leader of the Iron Cats Gang and one who stayed by the Dean's side, it had watched the Mist City develop all the way.
The inside of the Misty Lake was no exception.
Back then, when they were consolidating all the Pokemon of the old Mist City and expanding their territory into the wild, suddenly, they encountered a powerful and highly intelligent Slowking.
It claimed to be from the Misty Island, a subject of the Misty Island, and a member of the Knowledge Museum.
"Misty Island? Knowledge Museum?"
The cat and dog were puzzled.
"Yes. It also later said it was a disciple of wisdom." The first generation recalled the past.
The first generation leader fought Slowking but found it impossible to win; the gap between them was too vast.
The Mightyena back then was no match for it either, despite being Dark-type.
Finally, the young Dean rescued them.
But just as they were feeling disheartened and at a loss, Slowking said, "Please come with me to Misty Island! We greatly appreciate your actions and wish to invite you to be guests on the island!"
It turned out Slowking had come to invite them, but only the three of them; none of the others were included.
The Dean, young and decisive back then, entrusted some matters to his companions, then led the first generation and Mightyena, following Slowking onto the Lapras it had summoned, heading into the unknown depths of the Misty Lake.
As a former ranger, he never lacked the courage for adventure.
Strangely, this time, sitting on Lapras's back, they weren't blocked by the mist. Instead of being turned away, they penetrated deeper into it.
Countless shadows peered at them from within the mist, and at the forefront, Slowking's forehead glowed red, like a lighthouse guiding the way.
"How did you get in!"
Incineroar's eyes lit up. What it wanted to know most now was the method to enter.
Unfortunately….
"Regrettably, I don't know either. Slowking never told me the way to break through the intangible mist barrier." The first generation shook its head and continued.
Even after penetrating deeper, things weren't over. The so-called Misty Island didn't appear before their eyes. Instead, there was only a giant whirlpool, an incredibly massive whirlpool.
Led by Lapras, they plunged completely into the whirlpool.
'The Misty Island was inside the whirlpool!? An underwater island?'
Incineroar and Riolu looked at each other but didn't interrupt.