In the shadow of impending defeat, the sounds beyond the battlefield became increasingly clear in Rylan's mind.
A wave of frustration rose within him, and instinctively, he glanced toward Raihan in the audience. After all, the Duraludon he was using belonged to him.
When he saw the man shake his head slightly, Rylan's last bit of fighting spirit faded. He raised his hand and called out plainly, "I forfeit!"
The second those words left his mouth, Shiro, already expecting this, took out a Poké Ball and recalled Corviknight. Simultaneously, Rylan retrieved his own Poké Ball and withdrew Duraludon, but instead of immediately removing his ID card, he walked slowly toward the other side of the battlefield.
The psychic barrier that surrounded the field not only served as protection but also had a sound-dampening effect. With over ten meters of distance and the barrier between them, no one outside could hear what was being said inside.
Knowing his opponent had something to say, Shiro walked to the center of the battlefield to meet him.
After the two met in the middle, Rylan spoke first, "Shiro, you're really strong."
The praise was sincere, and with a smile he added, "I think you're stronger than Raihan. Your commands are always unpredictable, almost like you're talking directly to your Pokémon. Raihan and even Leon are nowhere close to that level."
Shiro just chuckled at that.
Psychic-based command techniques might look like cheating, but at the end of the day, it's a power. There are many who use such abilities, and it's not some one-of-a-kind gift. If he has it and others don't, isn't that still part of strength?
Rylan let out a soft laugh too, then his expression turned serious. In a low voice, he asked, "Do you know about Kabu from Motostoke?"
Shiro nodded, remembering what Raihan had told him—that Kabu was the culprit behind the Golem explosion incident. "The Fire-type Gym Leader, right?"
Rylan replied, "He's very good at putting on an act. I'm pretty sure he was the one who made that Dynamaxed Golem explode."
"Raihan told me the same thing."
"Oh…" Rylan glanced at his cousin, who was still standing in the spectator area on the side, then shook his head and said, "Shiro, we really don't want to start a fight with Macro Cosmos. Our family knows how much power Rose holds now. We just want a fair competition through the Champion Cup."
"Fair competition…" Shiro murmured.
Only those in weaker positions long for fairness, but the company doesn't think that way, nor do the rest of the Gym Leaders, who stand between allies and enemies.
Macro Cosmos and the Dragon Tamer family—two colossal forces. If they truly clash and blood is spilled, that's what others would love to see.
"I understand what you're saying," he responded calmly. "I'll report it to Chairman Rose when I return."
Of course, he had to make it back safely first.
A good amount of time had passed since he barged into Hammerlocke. Shae and Edgar should've already regrouped with the B5 unit. They might've even entered the city by now.
So far, the Dragon Tamer family had been relatively gentle, and hadn't used force or intimidation. But once the company came to confront them, whether things escalated would depend on how those two old veterans acted, and on what Rose decided.
Shiro's goal was to protect himself in the coming conflict and, ideally, bring Gareth out of Hammerlocke. If he could do that, his mission would be complete.
With the conversation finished, the two returned to their respective sides of the arena, pulling out their ID cards at the same time.
The psychic barrier vanished instantly, and the noise from the outside crowd swelled.
"What were they talking about in there?"
"The Dragon Tamer family lost, didn't they? How come there wasn't a fight?"
"Man, I really wanted to see that big guy throw some punches..."
"Start a fight! Come on, let's see some action!"
"Hey! What are you all yelling about? Quiet down!"
As the battle concluded, several white-uniformed staff who had been standing nearby quickly raised their hands, shouting to maintain order. But there were just too many people here, most of them seasoned regulars of the stadium. Naturally, they took advantage of the chaos to shout freely among the onlookers, paying no attention to the authority of the powerless staff.
"Hey! Rylan! How could you lose? You had Raihan's Pokémon!"
"Shiro! You've got to defeat Piers and win the championship! You're the one I'm rooting for!"
"Damn it, stop pushing! You're stepping on my foot..."
Trainers from all sides started surging forward, pressing into the battlefield and surrounding Rylan and Shiro, who were trying to leave.
In this kind of situation, it was impossible to calm things down without taking action.
From inside the crowd, Raihan didn't hesitate. He threw a Poké Ball high into the air.
"Come out, Flygon!"
With a flash of red light, a sleek green dragon-type Pokémon appeared in the sky, its wings fluttering as it let out a clear, resonating call.
For a moment, many of the mentally weak trainers froze in place. The public battle zone quieted considerably.
"That's a Gym-level Flygon..."
"Careful, shhh... don't say a word."
"..."
Flygon flapped its wings again, summoning a flurry of sand particles. These fine grains were carried by an unknown gust of wind, forming a small sandstorm that began swirling through the area.
Those caught in it felt a sharp sting on their faces. Yet none dared speak another word.
* * *
Meanwhile, outside the main gate of Hammerlocke.
Two gatekeepers stood nervously near the entrance. Though their legs were trembling like leaves in the wind, they didn't retreat.
Dozens of Macro Cosmos employees dressed in black stood in formation on the steps. At the very front, Shae raised her cane and shouted, "You blind fools! Get out of the way!"
"W-We..." The sturdier gatekeeper on the left gulped and stammered, "To enter... at least... you have to swipe your ID card…"
He shakily held out the scanner, prompting Edgar, standing beside Shae, to chuckle.
"Well now..."
He crossed his arms with a faint grin.
Shae, however, was far less polite. With a sharp swing, she knocked the scanner aside with her cane and yelled, "Everyone, follow me in!"
As soon as her voice fell, Vanilluxe soared forward, icy mist trailing behind as it carried Shae toward the gate.
The two gatekeepers didn't dare get in the way. The instant they saw the Elite-level Pokémon charging in, they panicked and leapt off the stone railing on either side of the gate.
Fortunately, both sides were covered in grass, so they weren't hurt.
But the Macro Cosmos squad marched into Hammerlocke in full force.
"We're screwed..." One of the gatekeepers clambered to his feet and pulled a communication device from his pocket. "Emergency! We have an emergency! The Hammerlocke main gate has been breached..."
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