'This… this doesn't make any sense!'
Dark-type Pokémon were immune to Psychic-type attacks and naturally countered them. That was one of the world's basic rules. It couldn't simply be reversed.
Without the help of technology, no matter how powerful a Psychic-type Pokémon was, it couldn't break through this space. Unless it was one of the legendary Pokémon that possessed extraordinary authority.
But the legendary Pokémon created by those four Unown clearly didn't fall into that category.
Blaine couldn't figure it out.
Then another thought crossed his mind, and his suspicion shifted to Hunter W. Since Hunter J's Moltres had been transformed from Unown, what about Hunter W's Articuno? Could it also have been created from four Unown?
Hunter W had taken out a Poké Ball, and there hadn't seemed to be anything unusual about that Articuno. Still, during the fight against Hunter J, Hunter W had also used a Pokémon that looked very familiar: Drakloak.
Blaine immediately thought of someone. A certain Galar Champion who just happened to be in Sinnoh and had also taken part in this mission.
Not long ago, that Champion, who was also a Pokémon Professor, had coincidentally fought Hunter A, the one who controlled the Unown, and had even driven him back.
Although everyone present had denied ever seeing the Unown, a rookie trainer who had happened to be traveling nearby later claimed that the sky had turned into a sea of blood-colored psychic energy.
Besides the Unown, what other Pokémon nearby could possibly create something on that scale?
Judging by its size, it would have taken at least four Unown, which matched perfectly.
Blaine stroked his beard thoughtfully.
Most importantly, Hunter W and Shiro had never appeared at the same time.
Bertha had only told him that Shiro had arrived. Blaine himself hadn't actually seen the man yet.
'Hunter W is definitely—'
"Elite Blaine, why are you here?"
A familiar, indifferent voice interrupted his thoughts, carrying a trace of suspicion.
Turning around, he saw Bertha standing there with her scarf wrapped tightly around her neck. Her face was mostly hidden, leaving only a pair of eyes filled with obvious disdain.
They had been risking their lives fighting below, while the mission leader himself, Kanto Elite Four Blaine, had been relaxing up here taking a nap. Wasn't he supposed to be helping eliminate the wanted criminals?
Or had he planned to fool everyone by dealing with the few weak grunts guarding the entrance beneath the ice?
Blaine's face stiffened. Just as he was about to explain, he suddenly noticed the three people standing beside Bertha.
The tall, muscular man with the flat haircut was undoubtedly Sinnoh Champion Allen. The short, chubby man beside him was probably... well, that wasn't important.
The last one was a black-haired young man with a calm expression. Blaine had seen that face countless times in photographs. Wasn't this the famous Galar Champion, Shiro?
Then who was the Hunter W riding Articuno in the battlefield below?
"Elite Blaine? Elite Blaine?" Bertha frowned when she saw him standing there blankly, and her voice became even firmer.
"Uh... this..." Blaine slowly raised a finger and pointed at Shiro. The two white mustache strips hanging from his upper lip trembled nonstop. "Y... you're Shiro?"
"Yes." Unown G nodded seriously, answering with only a single word.
Seeing the old man's doubtful look, the Sinnoh Elite Four Vince immediately stepped forward and shouted angrily, "Old man, how can you not recognize the famous Professor Shiro?! He's the first newly appointed Pokémon Professor in more than a decade! You don't even know that, and you still call yourself one of Kanto's Elite Four?"
After saying that, he stepped back with a satisfied smile.
Rumor had it that Chairman Goodshow wanted to make the League's trainer lineup younger. Not long ago, the young Lance had been promoted to the Elite Four. As for old relic Blaine, word had already spread that he would be stepping down soon. He was simply waiting for this mission to end before finishing his career on one last high note.
As for Shiro, the Galar Champion and newly appointed Pokémon Professor, he was naturally one of the League's future pillars.
Vince understood his own position very well. He wasn't particularly strong, and his character wasn't anything to brag about either. Since he had the chance to latch onto someone important, he might as well do it while the opportunity was there.
"Hm?"
Only then did Blaine finally pay attention to the plain-looking fat man. After giving him a couple of glances, he turned back to Bertha.
"Did Shiro ever leave your sight during the trip here?"
"Elite Blaine." Bertha's expression became extremely serious. "Are you suspecting Champion Shiro?"
"No, no. It's just..." Blaine paused, pinching the frame of his small round glasses as he fell silent.
At this point, even an idiot could tell what he was implying. He was clearly suspicious of the Galar Champion.
And what else could that suspicion mean in a place like the Hunters Guild? Either Shiro had been secretly working with the hunters, or he was one of them himself.
"Old fool! Don't slander people!"
Vince jumped out again. His tiny eyes widened so much they looked even bigger than the finger he was pointing at Blaine.
"I could just as easily suspect you! You've barely shown yourself from beginning to end. Maybe you're the Hunters Guild's spy!"
"We all took part in hunting the wanted criminals. You shouted the loudest, yet when you finally showed up, you were doing nothing and slacking off."
"Tell me! You're that Hunter J who just escaped, aren't you? You and Hunter J have never appeared together either!"
Vince spoke so passionately that spit flew everywhere, and his finger nearly poked Blaine in the face.
His anger burned even hotter than Shiro's own. As one of Shiro's most loyal supporters, seeing Blaine suspect Shiro made him even angrier than if the accusation had been aimed at himself.
What Kanto Elite Four Blaine? He's just an old dog with a broken back who's about to be forgotten by the League. And he still has the nerve to keep running his mouth?
"Cough, cough…!"
After hearing all that, Blaine coughed several times and nearly lost his breath.
Anyone with eyes could tell Hunter J was a young girl. What did that have to do with an old man like him?
Besides, when he had disguised himself as Hunter M, hadn't Hunter J appeared alongside him? Bertha herself had even given him Hunter M's identity card.
There was no need to frame a soon-to-be-retired old man like this.
"Elite Blaine, there's no need to slander Shiro like this," Bertha said directly. "Ever since he met up with me, we've stayed together the entire time. If anything, I probably slowed Champion Shiro down."
"Right... right." Blaine waved awkwardly. After giving "Shiro" a strange look and seeing him remain silent, he decided not to continue discussing the matter.
If Hunter W really wasn't Shiro… then that person was truly terrifying.
After calming himself, Blaine quickly changed the subject. "By the way, do any of you know how to get out of here? I've explored most of this place, and the teleportation devices at the ends of the tunnels have basically all been destroyed."
"..."
Everyone fell silent.
It was already their first time visiting the Hunters Guild headquarters, and it had also been their first time using those incredible teleportation devices.
The League's current technology wasn't even close to matching them.
Even operating one that still worked would have been difficult, so repairing a destroyed one was completely out of the question.
"Can't Psychic-type Pokémon teleport us out?" Allen asked thoughtfully with his hands on his hips.
Blaine sighed and briefly explained how this space was constructed.
In short, it simply wasn't possible.
"Then... doesn't that mean we're trapped here?"
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