Lorelei glanced at the Poké Ball in Nozomi's hand, hesitated for a moment, and finally shook her head. "Forget it. You should be the one to handle Articuno."
As a specialist in Ice-type Pokémon, she had always dreamed of having Articuno. But since it was Nozomi who had captured it, it was only proper that the decision be his.
"What would I even want Articuno for?"
Nozomi looked exasperated. He already had Mewtwo—adding Articuno would be nothing more than embellishment. It wasn't of much practical use to him.
That was why he intended to hand Articuno over to Lorelei. Giving it to her not only strengthened her power, but also ensured she'd have the means to defend herself in the future—without having to call him for help.
"Take it."
Without giving her a chance to refuse, Nozomi shoved the Poké Ball directly into Lorelei's hand.
Standing nearby, Hunter J felt as if she'd just been force-fed a mouthful of dog food.
The two of them were treating the legendary Articuno—something she had dreamed of capturing—as if it were some cheap roadside trinket. Passing it back and forth like this was a blatant insult to her dignity as a Pokémon Hunter!
Hunter J's temper flared. She could barely contain herself—
But the instant she moved a finger, a silver spoon glowing with blue psychic light pressed against her throat.
"You can try moving again."
Mewtwo's cold, emotionless voice echoed directly inside her mind.
Hunter J's body trembled violently.
Whatever courage she had just summoned instantly crumbled away.
She froze in place, not daring to move an inch.
Man is the knife, I am the fish, she thought bitterly. For the sake of her own life, she decided to stay obediently still.
In the end, Lorelei couldn't win against Nozomi's persistence. She silently accepted the Poké Ball containing Articuno.
"I'll keep Articuno safe for now," Lorelei said softly. "If you ever want it back, you can come to me anytime."
She didn't plan to release it back into the wild—after all, the League had no laws against capturing Legendary Pokémon.
It only forbade evil organizations and Pokémon Hunters from using despicable methods to capture them. For Nozomi's sake, she decided it would be best to keep Articuno under her protection.
"Alright."
Nozomi nodded. He had no intention of reclaiming Articuno anyway. In effect, it was a permanent gift.
And so, without realizing it, Articuno had changed ownership.
"So… what should we do with Hunter J?" Nozomi asked, turning his gaze toward her.
Hunter J tensed immediately.
This was about her fate—her future.
"According to League law, she'll probably spend ten, maybe twenty years in prison," Lorelei said with a sigh. "Hunter J has always been extremely cautious in her operations, so the League doesn't have much solid evidence against her. Ten or twenty years is about the most they can sentence her to."
Hearing that, Hunter J didn't show the slightest sign of relief.
Ten or twenty years… At her current age, that would make her a middle-aged woman by the time she got out.
To spend the best twenty years of her life behind bars—she couldn't accept that!
"Let me go, and I'll give you an important piece of information!"
After a long silence, Hunter J suddenly spoke up.
Nozomi and Lorelei both froze mid-discussion.
Lorelei was the first to speak. "What information?"
Hunter J remained silent, her eyes saying everything:Release me, and I'll tell you.
Nozomi frowned. He hated the feeling of being threatened.
"You'd better start talking," he said coldly. "If you really know who I am, then you should already know—I don't take kindly to threats."
That line was pure bluff.
He'd never said anything like that before.
But Hunter J didn't know that.
Her preconceived image of Nozomi's overwhelming strength, combined with his emotionless expression—and the psychic spoon pressing against her throat—convinced her that he meant every word.
She shivered, her mind flashing back to the scene of her four Pokémon being utterly crushed by him.
The world-renowned Pokémon Hunter's pride crumbled entirely, replaced by raw fear.
She no longer dared to play games. Words spilled from her like beans from a bamboo tube as she confessed everything she knew.
By the time Hunter J finished, Lorelei's expression had turned grave—almost tense.
"Is that true?" Nozomi asked, frowning.
If what she said was real, then Kanto might be in serious trouble.
According to Hunter J, ever since Team Rocket's withdrawal, more than half of the world's Pokémon Hunters were converging on Kanto—each hoping to carve out a piece of the pie left behind.
It all tied back to the role Pokémon Hunters played in the world's shadow.
The Pokémon world was divided into several regions—Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh…
And each region had its own underground powers. Kanto and Johto were under Team Rocket's influence, Hoenn was divided between Team Magma and Team Aqua, and so on.
Together with the League, these groups formed an enormous web of power that spanned the globe—each maintaining a fragile balance.
The League controlled the public world; the dark organizations controlled the underworld. They often clashed, but neither side could eliminate the other.
Pokémon Hunters, as scattered independent operators, existed between the two—disliked by both but tolerated for their usefulness.
But now, with Team Rocket expelled from Kanto, everything had changed.
Their departure left a void—a vacuum in Kanto's criminal underworld.
And the Pokémon Hunters had noticed. They wanted to seize that opening and establish their own dominion, just like Team Rocket once did.
Thus, under the coordination of several major poaching syndicates, Pokémon Hunters from all over the world began swarming toward Kanto—
—to claim it as their new hunting ground.
That was why Nozomi had run into three separate waves of Hunters in such a short span of time.
It wasn't coincidence. It was inevitable—part of a much larger invasion.
Lorelei's brows furrowed deeply.
If what Hunter J said was true, then the Kanto Elite Four would have to take the front lines in defending the region.
"But… could it really be true?" she asked quietly.
"It likely is," Nozomi replied.
His telepathy detected no signs of deceit in Hunter J's words.
Even without that, his own instincts told him she was telling the truth.
Everything—the recent incidents, Team Rocket's withdrawal—all pointed to one conclusion:
Hunter J was right.
"This is going to be trouble," Nozomi muttered.