The Shadow Team has officially sunk into the quagmire of Pyrite Town.
When Liu Ge announced the operation, numerous Trainers holding advanced equipment and powerful Pokémon emerged from various factions in Pyrite Town. They appeared when the major forces were retreating, targeting both sides simultaneously.
At first, the Shadow Team paid no attention to this group, but they soon discovered that although these people were fewer in number than the riffraff, their level of difficulty was exponentially higher.
Then.
An even more shocking group appeared before the Shadow Team commander.
"What did you say? Trainers wearing red cloaks using Gyarados, Salamence, and Dragonite?" He looked incredulously at the Shadow Team Member in front of him.
The latter's face was full of agony, nodding frantically, "Yes! A whole bunch of them came out of nowhere, led by an old man in a white hat, look here."
The Shadow Team Member handed over the photo he had taken to the Shadow Team commander.
"Dragon Tamers... Hoenn's Four Heavenly Kings..."
The commander's face turned pale; the soldiers under him who indulged in drinking and playing around might not know, but how could he not recognize these people? The Ore Region is not a completely isolated place.
But what puzzled him was why would Hoenn's Celestial King and Dragon Tamers show up in this remote corner of the world. What in Pyrite Town could attract them?
"Not good! Boss, something bad!"
Another bedraggled Shadow Team Member came running, "The Champion! The Champion is here!"
"Champion!?"
The commander's eyes widened, grabbing the person, "Did you say a Champion? Which Champion? Where is this Champion from!"
"It's Hoenn's Champion! Hoenn's Champion Da Wu!" The Shadow Team Member pointed to the flickering silver meteor across the sky.
This comet continually fell from the sky and then swiftly rose again, causing ground-shaking roars each time it descended and raising clouds of dust up to tens of meters high.
The commander was completely panicked, his trembling hand reaching for the communication device to report this news to Ergin far away in Silicon City.
However, before he could tune to a secret channel free from interference, a hand suddenly covered his mouth, and a paralysis-like sensation quickly surged through his heart.
"At a time like this, we can't let you ruin everything."
A familiar yet strange voice rang in his ears, and before falling into darkness, he saw nothing but a frantic group of Shadow Team Members and a twisted face.
It's you!
He suddenly remembered this person was the only one who survived after delivering an ultimatum to Pyrite Town.
And as the commander fell, the Shadow Team Members beside him immediately became flustered.
"Who are you?"
"Quick, catch him! He took down the boss!"
"Attack!"
Surrounded by grim-faced Shadow Pokémon and Shadow Team Members, Flop remained calm, casually opening a Pokeball.
Bam!
A flash of white light transformed into a Pokémon resembling a blue balloon, with a cotton-like mass the size of its body on its head and each arm.
It chirped crisply.
"Wada~"
"Cotton Spores!"
Then.
The Jumpluff faced numerous attacks from Shadow Pokémon, detonating its three cotton clusters proactively.
Bang!
Countless cotton tufts rushed out, colliding with the black streams released by the Shadow Pokémon, and quickly filled every inch of space around!
"What is this!"
"Yuck!"
The Shadow Team Members immediately tried to free themselves, only to find that these cotton tufts grew tenacious brown-black tendrils, binding them like living things.
Once these cotton tufts were dealt with, Flop was already gone, taking their commander with him.
The Shadow Team Members looked at each other, thrown into chaos.
"Find a way to contact Lord Ergin!"
"Turn off the signal jamming machine! Quickly, notify Lord Ergin!"
"Someone show me how to do it!"
Without their leader, the Shadow Team Members became headless flies.
——
Silicon City.
Unlike Pyrite Town, which had been in chaos for half a month, the place here was not only peaceful but festooned as if celebrating something.
From the citizens' conversations, it's easy to learn that the Ore Alliance is about to be established, with Mayor Ergin becoming the first league councilor to fully open the Ore Region, attracting outside Trainers to establish Gyms.
For the citizens of Silicon City, this is undoubtedly great news.
They had long yearned for Gyms, league conferences, and champion tournaments found in other regions. More importantly, by establishing the league, the Ore Region will have more cities.
Rather than concentrating the population in a handful of towns.
However, unlike the excited citizens, Mayor Ergin was not too happy.
On one hand.
The league-establishment approval that hadn't been granted for almost six months made him feel like the league prosecutors were just playing with him. All the necessary actions had been taken, bribes were given, yet they still delayed.
On the other hand.
The unclear situation in Pyrite Town.
In principle, even if the signal jamming device was activated, they could use a secret link constructed by Rotom to communicate, but now he had no idea about the situation in Pyrite Town.
Considering the Quicksand Team suddenly intercepting forces, Ergin had an ominous feeling.
This foreboding feeling soon came true.
"Boss! The Champion, the Champion has come! We can't beat them!"
Explosions and panting could be heard constantly from the other side of the call, and Ergin fell silent holding the phone.
"Which Champion did you say?"
He asked with a furrowed brow.
But before the other side could respond, a violent explosion sounded, and the phone was taken over by a different voice.
"Hello there."
The tone of the young man's voice gave Ergin a jolt, "This is Pyrite Town."
"Who are you?"
Ergin's face fell, "... Do you know the cost of doing this kind of thing?"
"Oh?"
The young man on the other end of the phone seemed puzzled, "Cost? Hmm… maybe you could tell me in person, if you get the chance, Mr. Ergin."
Click.
The call ended.
Ergin clenched the phone, and the next moment, unable to suppress his anger any longer, he smashed the phone onto the ground.
"Whoever you are, you're dead!"
Seething with rage, he picked up the office landline, trying to call in his confidants, but found that he couldn't make any calls.
The odd phenomenon slightly diminished the anger in his heart.
Something's wrong!
"Is anyone there!"
He shouted, but no one responded.
Supporting himself with a cane, Ergin quickly walked towards the outside of his office, pushing the door open only to find the long corridor deserted, as if he were the only one left in the world.
Thus.
He shouted while roaming back and forth in the Mayor's Mansion, but found no trace of maids, male servants, or Shadow Team Members.
The phone lost signal, and the intelligent household-Rotom had also disappeared without a trace.
The only thing with any response was the adjacent exhibition hall used to announce to the world the establishment of the Ore Alliance, where there was an endless clamor as if many were celebrating.
Ergin, like finding a savior, hurriedly pushed open the door of the hall, only to find one person inside.
That person stood on the podium, looking at him indifferently.
"Dennis, is this your doing?!" Ergin growled through clenched teeth.
But Dennis did not answer, just slowly stood up.
This suit-clad, middle-aged man, like a judge delivering a death sentence, announced loudly:
"Ergin, your era has ended!"
In an instant.
It was as if countless bells were ringing in his ears, and Ergin was dizzy, his face reddening visibly, trembling with rage, his molars making a creaking noise.