There was a reason why Hakuya and the other Elite Four candidates were making such slow progress through their assessments.
Ever since the incidents involving Team Galactic and the Hodgepodge Organization had come to light, the Sinnoh League had subjected them to exceptionally rigorous internal scrutiny. Cynthia had even suggested that there might be infiltration within the Pokémon League itself.
Had Bertha not been so determined to retire, the Pokémon League would have urged her to postpone her departure from the Elite Four. At this critical juncture, her retirement created a delicate situation for the Sinnoh League.
Before leaving, Luther gave Hakuya and Junna an encouraging look.
From a friend's perspective, Hakuya's elevation to the Elite Four was the best possible outcome. His relentless efforts to prove himself had finally paid off, and his sense of accomplishment was indescribable.
Despite Junna's relentless attacks, Hakuya continued to persevere. Luther couldn't help but wonder what inner turmoil was plaguing him.
"Keep fighting," Luther whispered to Junna.
Junna chuckled dismissively, her expression conveying, "As if I need your advice."
During the three-day break, Luther did nothing but relax.
He resumed his long-neglected morning training routine and spent time afterward strengthening his bond with Mai's Pokémon. Fortunately, Aggron and the others held Luther in high regard and readily accepted his commands in their daily routines.
Meanwhile, Dakota returned Darkrai to Professor Crimson's lab for regular check-ups, data collection, and stress reduction sessions facilitated by the research team.
Ash's Pokémon had also returned to Professor Oak's research lab to be transferred back after the main tournament draw.
All of Etorre's Pokémon were on standby in the Contestant Village. After the preliminary rounds, the once crowded village had become eerily quiet, allowing Etorre's Pokémon to enjoy the facilities at their leisure.
Thanks to ample Pokémon rotation during the preliminary rounds, Etorre hadn't needed to worry about stamina depletion.
"Tonight, we'll light the Sacred Flame and hold the opening ceremony. Tomorrow marks the start of the main tournament. Let's all give it our best," Etorre declared.
He swirled the orange juice in his glass, a smile playing on his lips.
Throughout the preliminary rounds, the group hadn't managed to get together properly, only catching glimpses of each other during mealtimes. Now, with the afternoon sun less intense, the four of them had finally reunited.
Mao, Brock, and Dawn had gathered at a table nearby, giving the quartet space on purpose.
"Dakota, is your Darkrai all right?" Etorre steered the conversation towards Dakota. "It was present for every match in the preliminary rounds, and some unknown opponents targeted it with all sorts of strategies, leaving it battered and bruised. Don't let it falter in the first round of the Main Tournament."
Dakota snorted. "Their strategies were pathetic."
Etorre and Luther exchanged glances, stifling their laughter.
In fact, the strategies targeting Darkrai weren't that bad. During that period, every opponent approached each battle assuming that Darkrai had already expended a lot of stamina in the previous round. They employed a mix of harassment tactics, aggressive assaults, and ambushes.
No matter how strong Darkrai was, the relentless pace of these battles took a heavy toll. If a match failed to end in a one-hit knockout, the opposing Pokémon Trainer would force Darkrai into a grueling, monotonous stalemate with virtually no entertainment value.
Perhaps Luther's arrival had altered the original course of events. During this tournament phase, Dakota still displayed immense strength, but he was no longer absolutely dominant.
He had lost his overwhelming, crushing power, and he no longer had Latios — he had diverged completely from the original storyline.
With fewer references to rely on, Luther's ability to predict the tournament's outcome as a transmigrator had become largely ineffective.
As he watched Pikachu and Joltik, the two Pokémon munching on food together, Luther asked, "How's your grasp of those techniques coming along?"
Ash waved his hand dismissively. "Just so-so. I'm starting to get a feel for them, but saying I've truly mastered them would be a lie."
Throughout the preliminary round, Ash had been trying to implement Etorre's techniques for identifying and exploiting weaknesses. Judging by his performance, however, he hadn't yet fully integrated them into his fighting style. It remained to be seen whether he could combine his reckless abandon with these newfound skills during the tournament.
Dakota ate a biscuit and asked expressionlessly, "What about Mai? She's usually glued to your side, but I haven't seen her all day."
"She's off making money. You know I'm short on cash at the moment, so Mai's working hard as a supervisor."
Although they didn't fully understand what 'supervisor' meant, none of them asked for clarification.
"You're always asking us questions, but what about you?" Ash asked curiously. "Etorre and Dakota told me you're the most likely to be eliminated right now."
"Let me make this clear: if we come up against each other early on, I'm definitely going to petition for a full-team battle format," Dakota spoke while glaring at Luther.
"Same here," Etorre echoed.
"If the rules allow it, I'd want that too," Ash agreed.
Dakota's meaning was clear: if they could force a full-team battle, Luther would be severely weakened even if he won.
However, Dakota was not interested in a straightforward three-on-three match against Luther, nor did he want to face Ash and Etorre in the same format.
He was determined to prove himself, and only an all-out six-on-six battle would suffice.
"I don't care," Luther replied nonchalantly, stretching lazily.
Since he needed to check on Team Rocket's progress, he excused himself midway through the conversation and left.
On the way, he stopped by the Pokémon Center to ask the White Wind Gym staff to transfer his Pokémon back. After all, tonight was the opening ceremony, and it would be a good opportunity for his Pokémon to experience the atmosphere of the tournament for the first time.
When he arrived near Team Rocket's camp, James and the others were still hard at work.
Meowth and James were busy making snacks to serve as souvenirs, while Jessie and Mai were crafting plush dolls.
In addition to these handmade items, James had also secured a promising supply of merchandise. He was confident that, by combining these with their handcrafted products, they could make a strong initial impression and dominate the market at the start of the Main Tournament.
James proudly showed Luther the fruits of their three days of overtime: a hot air balloon overflowing with finished goods.
"This is the fastest we could possibly produce. Now, it all depends on what the audience likes after tomorrow's opening matches. If any Pokémon put on an especially impressive performance, we'll rush to create new items based on them."
"If you can win with style, sales will be no problem at all."
Team Rocket's plush dolls featured mainly Pokémon from Luther's and Ash's tournament line-ups. They had now decided to put their faith in Luther's abilities.
If he could advance deep into the tournament, the profits would undoubtedly be substantial.
"That's not enough," Luther said. "Let me know where your booth is tomorrow after you set up. I'll come by to support you after I win my matches."
James' eyes lit up; Luther himself was going to help advertise their products!
If they still couldn't rake in profits after this, all their preparations would have been for nothing.
(End Of This Chapter)
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