Cynthia couldn't find the words to say. She silently picked up her cup, took a sip, and lowered her head in thought.
She had grown up in Sinnoh and had seen plenty of cases where the League worked together with various organizations. It was no secret to anyone with connections that high-ranking members of the Sinnoh League openly associated with the Hunters Guild, even controlling pirates in the nearby seas and collecting protection money.
But personally helping the Hunters Guild build a base, with the main League itself getting involved? That sounded like something out of a fantasy.
As one of the League's new generation and a future pillar of its strength, Cynthia had always believed the League would continue moving in a better direction.
After hearing this news, however, she still felt dazed.
"Hunter W... this person is terrifying." Carolina sighed after a long silence.
A powerful criminal with a Legendary Pokémon hadn't used that power to force others into serving him or satisfy his own desires. Instead, he had relied on strategy and somehow reached an unbelievable partnership with the main League.
That alone proved Hunter W understood one thing very clearly. A Master-level Articuno alone wasn't enough to truly threaten the League.
The League had stood strong for so many years because it had both the people and the means to deal with Legendary Pokémon like Articuno.
"Hunter W still wants to keep building his power. He's practically on the same level as Team Rocket's leader... No, he's even more frightening than Team Rocket's leader."
At least Team Rocket's leader had never been capable of making Team Rocket appear legitimate.
Carolina tightened her grip on her cup. Even from her broader view of the League's overall situation, she couldn't help feeling powerless.
The regions were divided and only appeared united on the surface. Team Rocket had grown rapidly and was now capable of fighting the main League head-on. Every region also had its own criminal organizations watching for opportunities, while the various Legendary Pokémon remained ticking time bombs.
On top of that, there were still parts of the world outside the League's reach, either undiscovered or not under its jurisdiction, like Alola.
Compared to all of that, the difficulty ordinary people faced in becoming trainers and the widening gap between strong and weak trainers were only minor issues. A few good policies could solve those problems easily.
The real challenge was creating those policies and actually putting them into effect.
Buzz!
The communication device vibrated and was answered immediately.
Rowan quickly straightened his back and leaned toward the phone. "Yes... yes. This is the Rowan Research Institute. Elite Bertha, you're looking for Shiro? He hasn't returned yet, but he should be back soon."
"I'd like to ask what exactly happened during that main League mission."
* * *
On the other end, Bertha sat in her office at the Sinnoh League headquarters. Holding her scarf over her mouth, she replied in a muffled voice, "We entered the Hunters Guild headquarters. It was a massive space built with precious Dark-type materials, and Psychic teleportation didn't work inside."
She paused for a few moments as her brows tightened at the memory.
"And Hunter W… He is absolutely the most vicious criminal of the past ten years! Since Team Rocket's leader of Kanto, he's the most dangerous criminal there has been."
"The most evil hunter!"
Just then, someone calmly walked into the office and quietly stopped by the doorway.
The tall, broad-shouldered man in a T-shirt with a crew cut was none other than the current Sinnoh Champion, Allen. His expression remained calm, showing no reaction to what Bertha had just said.
She lowered her gaze slightly, set the phone aside for the moment, and looked at him critically. "What are you here for? Weren't you already preparing to resign and retire?"
"I came to ask whether you'd managed to contact Shiro. It looks like you haven't," Allen replied honestly.
"His phone isn't getting through. Something may have happened," Bertha explained briefly. "I'm contacting Professor Rowan's institute."
"I see." Allen gave a slight nod before hesitating for a moment. "You were talking about Hunter W, weren't you? He's a hunter, but he seems to have already earned Chairman Goodshow's approval. Besides, he can't really be considered a criminal anymore."
"Oh? Then what is he?" Bertha mocked. "One of our colleagues?"
"..."
Allen stayed silent and stepped outside the office to wait.
A round face soon peeked in through the doorway. It was Sinnoh Elite Four Vince.
"Of course he's a colleague!" Vince called out. "Even Chairman Goodshow praised that hunter. Doesn't that make him one of us?"
Bertha's face darkened. "Get out of my office!"
No one hated Hunter W more than Bertha, who had personally lived through everything that had happened.
What made it even worse was that so many people in the main League actually admired that criminal. Some even praised him for knowing how to read the situation.
"..."
Meanwhile, Rowan didn't know what to say. He felt as though the anger from the Sinnoh Elite Four member on the other end was practically coming through the phone.
After several moments, Bertha finally calmed herself and said, "Professor Rowan, tell Shiro to call Chairman Goodshow. If he weren't so far away from Kanto, the Chairman would definitely meet him in person."
"Understood," Rowan replied with a nod.
* * *
Click.
The call ended.
Carolina let out a quiet sigh. "These are truly troubled times."
Rowan barely heard her. Only one question kept circling through his mind.
W. A hunter accepted into the League by Chairman Goodshow.
A vicious criminal, a legendary trainer, or a cautious opportunist?
Just who was Hunter W?
Knock, knock, knock...
While everyone remained lost in their own thoughts, several knocks came from the open doorway.
Shiro stood there with a smile, letting his eyes sweep across everyone before speaking softly, "Did I come back at a bad time? Why does everyone look so worried?"
"Shiro!" Rowan immediately stood up, hurried over, and carefully looked him over. "You're not hurt, are you? I heard there were Legendary Pokémon during that mission!"
"There were. An Articuno and a Moltres."
Shiro showed a relieved smile at the right moment.
"A Master-level Legendary Pokémon is really terrifying... and that Moltres seemed a little strange."
Rowan wasn't paying attention to whether Moltres seemed strange or not. Instead, he complained with genuine concern.
"That was far too dangerous! Shiro, it was simply too dangerous! I told you not to keep running around. If the main League gives you a mission, just refuse it. You're not the only League trainer. What could Goodshow possibly say?"
He was worried that Shiro's early fame and exceptional talent would make him an easy target for certain people who wanted to use him.
All it took was a little moral blackmailing and some flattering words, and many young trainers would willingly throw themselves into dangerous work.
"Ahem." Carolina coughed into her fist. "Rowan, you shouldn't say things like that."
She was about to ask about Moltres when Shiro quickly waved his hand. "My ship will be arriving soon, Professors. I came to pick up Sapphire."
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