Phoebe is in danger!
At that moment, the only people capable of erasing the psychic mark Cain had left on Phoebe's body were those psychics belonging to the Sacred Church.
"The psychic mark I left on Phoebe has been erased!" Cain's expression turned extremely serious, even grim.
If one thought about it optimistically, it only meant that the mark had been removed; but if one thought in the worst possible way... it was very likely that Phoebe was no longer alive in this world.
How could Cain remain calm in the face of something like that?
Although the relationship between Cain and Phoebe might not have reached the level Cain had with Steven, in reality the difference was not great.
Ever since Phoebe left Mt. Pyre, the relationship between the two had always been quite good. Phoebe was a relatively simple girl; although powerful, what she revealed from the depths of her heart was purity and kindness. That trace of innocence was something Cain had always longed for, but had never possessed.
And not only Cain. Steven and Wallace also maintained an excellent relationship with Phoebe.
Even Cynthia and Diantha, although they had not spent as much time with her as Cain and the others, had had quite a lot of contact with Phoebe during the last Sinnoh Tournament, the Elite Four challenges, and this current exhibition. Both felt great affection for that small dark-skinned girl, the youngest woman in the group and one with such a pure character.
Therefore, when they heard what Cain said, everyone's faces became serious. The cheerful atmosphere that had arisen with Diantha's addition was extinguished in an instant, sinking into a heavy silence.
"The mark disappeared, but you should more or less know her location, right, Cain? Let's go right now!" Steven said decisively, immediately shaking off the discomfort he had earlier felt with his Aerodactyl. Now a companion's life was at stake.
Hearing this, Lance slowly shook his head.
"Even though I don't want to say it, right now we're already flying at full speed. Even Cain's Salamence is flying thanks to Pokéblocks. With our current speed, it's not certain that we'll arrive in time."
"And even... there's a possibility that this is an enemy trap, meant to lure us straight into their net."
Lance's words became difficult to utter toward the end, but as the most senior member of the group and the one who had spent the most time in the League's research department, his judgment carried great weight.
That the Sacred Church might use Phoebe as bait was not impossible.
However, accepting that was extremely difficult, especially for Steven and Wallace.
"Then what do we do? We can't just stand by and watch Phoebe fall into their hands!" said Wallace, who had remained silent until that moment.
Knowing that Phoebe was in danger and doing nothing was something he could not accept.
If he gave up on saving her this time, it would become the greatest regret of his entire life, one that would torment him every time he remembered it. That guilt would follow him forever—something he could not tolerate.
"Exactly! We have to save Phoebe!" Steven affirmed firmly, with a determination that could not be shaken.
Seeing the determined looks of Steven and Wallace, Cain felt deeply comforted. People like them were worthy of becoming Champions of the Hoenn region; they had both the potential and the necessary qualities.
Cynthia gave a resigned smile.
"I think you've misunderstood Lance. If he were someone who abandoned his companions so easily, would you really be friends with him?"
She said this because she had noticed the helplessness on Lance's face.
He had something he wanted to say, but Steven and Wallace had seized the floor from him.
"That's not it," Lance finally explained. "What I mean is that even if we set out right now, we'll probably still be too late. Moreover, we could fall into an ambush. Instead of rushing in hastily, it would be better to think calmly, prepare a strategy, and rescue Phoebe while ensuring our own safety."
"I'm sure Phoebe wouldn't want all of us to end up in a dead-end situation because of her."
At last, he had time to explain himself. If he ended up falling out with the people of Hoenn over this matter, it would probably be the stupidest decision he would make in his entire life.
Although Lance was a direct member of the Drako family, he was neither born nor raised within it. His childhood was only slightly better than that of an ordinary family, and his starter Pokémon, like that of many League trainers, was a Charmander.
As a child, he did not receive much attention from his family, but Lance was always very socially adept: he had an outstanding ability to make friends, and friends with enormous potential at that. Over time, rumors of an extraordinary young man in Viridian City caught the attention of the Drako family.
That was how they discovered that they had a genius wandering outside the family, and one who also belonged to the main bloodline.
He was brought back to Blackthorn City in Johto, and according to the tradition of the direct lineage, he obtained an opportunity to enter the Dragon's Den. There, with incredible luck, he captured a Dratini of great quality, and from then on his rise was unstoppable, becoming the most outstanding figure of the family.
Even with that status, Lance never let arrogance get to his head and continued doing what he had always done: making friends.
For Lance, it was not just a saying; his friends practically extended throughout the entire Pokémon world.
That was why Cain was convinced that someone like him would never abandon a companion.
Phoebe had to be saved, but what Lance said also made a lot of sense.
For a moment, the group once again fell into silence, not knowing what to do.
Steven and Wallace looked at Cain almost at the same time. Ever since he mentioned that Phoebe might be in danger, Cain had not spoken again. They trusted that he would make the right decision.
"Lance is right," Cain said in a deep voice. "We can't risk everyone just to rescue Phoebe."
Hearing that, Steven and Wallace showed expressions of disbelief.
But Cain was not finished yet.
"However, we are going to save Phoebe, and we must do it as quickly as possible, or it might be too late."
"I propose that we split into two groups. One team will advance at full speed from behind, while we send a single person—the fastest and strong enough—for an immediate rescue. That person can also scout the terrain and confirm whether there really is an ambush."
That was Cain's plan.
But it had an extremely dangerous point: all the pressure and risk would fall on a single person.
For any of the six present, it would be a deadly mission. Moreover, it was not even certain that the first to arrive would manage to save Phoebe; there was a possibility that they would end up sacrificing themselves as well.
Therefore, that person's strength had to be extraordinary, at least enough to hold out until reinforcements arrived.
In the very passive situation they were in, this was the plan with the highest probability of success and, at the same time, the least risky for the majority.
Although for the one who advanced first, it would be like throwing themselves straight into the tiger's mouth.
(End of chapter)