It wasn't like no other seated hunter had thought of using this method to divide the foreign trainers before. In the end though, everyone came to the same conclusion. It simply wouldn't work.
Those foreign trainers weren't fighting to the death. Once a winner was decided, the conflict would only shift back to the Hunters Guild.
Many wanted criminals could have their memories searched by Psychic-type Pokémon. None of them cared about how the guild's benefits were divided. The moment someone broke the rules, every hunter involved would be finished.
They could stall for time, but without a backup plan, they would only end up surrounded and slaughtered.
Even so, not a single hunter was willing to leave.
The people gathered here were all leaders of Hunters Guild branches from other regions. They had come to split the profits of the wealthy Sinnoh branch. Everyone feared that if they left first, the others would come up with a solution without them. Worse, they might even seize the businesses from their own regions.
No one could fight everyone else alone, and there was no trust between them. All they could do was continue waiting.
When Hunter T suddenly chose to leave, several of the others looked at him with confusion. None of them asked any questions or made a move though. Instead, quite a few had already begun calculating how to take control of the Hoenn Hunters Guild under Hunter T's command.
* * *
Meanwhile, Inside the passageway, Hunter T sprinted toward the staircase almost as if he were flying.
There was still time. He was terrified that if he ran too slowly, he would miss the still-functioning teleportation device. If that happened, he would be completely doomed.
As for the foreign trainers, the League trainers, and all those idiots still down below, they could all die here.
* * *
Jubilife City Hunters Guild Branch.
Outside the pharmacy that served as a disguise for the guild, two strangely dressed visitors arrived, a man and a woman.
The woman did not look to be too old, yet half of her hair had already turned silver as though it had aged before its time. Even in the mild weather of late spring, she wore a thick coat and a heavy scarf that covered most of her face.
The man beside her wore a cold expression and carried himself with the stern presence of a League Investigator.
Behind the pharmacy counter, the elderly woman half-opened her eyes as she examined them. The silver-haired woman looked somewhat familiar, so she slowly asked, "Are you two... here to buy or sell something?"
Bertha lowered her head slightly, gave a small cough, and asked, "How do we get inside?"
The old woman froze for a moment and looked them over again. After seeming to confirm something, she quickly replied, "It's already closed and everyone inside has been cleared out. Even if you go in, you won't find anyone. Don't waste your time."
Bertha frowned slightly before turning toward "Shiro."
She found it strange that he hadn't said a single word… Shouldn't Shiro be familiar with places like this? Has he never been here before?
Feeling her gaze land on him, Unown G's heart skipped a beat as its mind raced. Has it been exposed? What should it do?
It seemed this woman wanted to enter the black market. But wasn't the black market accessed by teleporting directly inside? That was how it had always seen Shiro do it.
Without saying anything else, Unown G grabbed Bertha's arm and whispered, "Let's go."
The next instant, both of them vanished.
The old woman behind the counter wasn't surprised in the slightest. She simply let out a helpless sigh.
* * *
The two appeared inside the black market in an instant.
Looking at the devastated trading district that now stood completely deserted, Bertha realized the old woman outside hadn't lied.
The woman had probably recognized their League identities. Even so, the hunters inside had clearly received the news much faster and had already evacuated everyone.
Had they sensed danger and escaped, or were they hiding somewhere?
If they had fled, then where were those hyenas who had rushed here after hearing the news?
After thinking for a moment, Bertha took out her communicator.
Unown G quietly leaned over to peek at the screen.
It saw her send a message to a League Investigator.
[We've entered the black market. No personnel have been found, and the area has already been cleared. Please speed up the civilian evacuation.]
Without looking at him, Bertha quietly explained, "We're actually one of the advance teams. Quite a few others entered before us, but contact with them was quickly lost. It seems they've reached a heavily sealed location. That should be the Hunters Guild's headquarters, which has remained hidden for many years."
"Our mission is to eliminate the wanted criminals and use this opportunity to learn the true strength of the Hunters Guild."
Unown G nodded seriously. "Mm."
After putting away the communicator, Bertha took out a Poké Ball.
"Come out, Golem!"
As an Elite Four member who specialized in Ground-type Pokémon, Golem was naturally her trusted partner.
A massive Golem over four meters tall appeared with a heavy thud. Its sturdy rock body shook the ground and sent dust flying everywhere.
"Use Earthquake, but be careful not to bring this place down," Bertha instructed.
"Goleeeem!"
Following her order, Golem stomped heavily on the ground.
Boom!
The surrounding buildings shook violently like Ash after getting shocked by Pikachu. They trembled nonstop as chunks of stone and clouds of dust crashed down from somewhere above. Fortunately, Unown G quickly raised a Psychic barrier, sparing itself from getting covered in dirt.
The attack lasted only a few moments before everything settled down.
Its results were immediate. Several hunters who had just reached the upper floor to carry out the evacuation order hurried back downstairs in panic. Waving their hands frantically, they shouted for Bertha to stop.
"Ma'am, please call back your Pokémon. This place really can't withstand another quake like that."
The hunters hurried over and looked nervously at the towering Golem. Their voices were filled with respect.
Bertha got straight to the point. "Where did all the wanted criminals go? And where is the person in charge?"
"Uhh…"
The hunters exchanged uneasy glances. Seeing Golem slowly open its fierce-looking mouth, they shivered and immediately decided to tell the truth.
"M-Ma'am... Lord F and Lord W have both gone to headquarters. All those important visitors from the other regions have gone there as well."
"Headquarters?" Bertha nodded with satisfaction. "Take us there."
The hunters hesitated and awkwardly looked at each other.
Seeing this, Bertha frowned. "Is there a problem?"
One of them carefully explained, "Ma'am, we've actually never been to headquarters ourselves. We've only heard about it. But Lord F often entered a place upstairs. There's also a machine there, so it might be connected to headquarters."
Bertha nodded. "Take us there."
* * *
A short while later, the two arrived at the end of the upstairs hallway and stopped in front of the teleportation device.
The ordinary hunters hurriedly stepped back.
"We'll be leaving first..."
Only after Bertha nodded her approval did they flee in panic. Two of them were so nervous that they even ran in the wrong direction.
After finally reaching the black market outside, they slowed down, caught their breath, and quietly started talking.
"That guy just now... wasn't he the Galar Champion everyone was talking about online?"
"He really looked like him."
"And that old lady seems to be Bertha, one of Sinnoh's Elite Four."
"What are they doing here?"
"Why do you care? Hurry up and run. I don't want to get caught up in this."
After whispering a few more words, they all rushed toward the passageway.
The hunter in front suddenly felt his vision blur as a chilling cold spread across his neck.
In the final moment before darkness claimed him, the last thing he saw was a familiar headless body still running forward under its own momentum.
**
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