Looker immediately bristled after hearing that, "When have I ever been that perverted? Besides, I was just playing with a child. How does that have anything to do with Sinnoh law?"
"If someone recorded the scene of you squatting down just now and sent it to Sinnoh headquarters, then bribed a few people there, what do you think those upper-level officials would do? At the very least, your reputation would be ruined."
"Is it really that exaggerated?" Looker shivered.
"You'd better be careful." Shiro shifted the conversation back to the important matter. "What mission brought you here? How does it involve me? Are you investigating the Hunters Guild?"
"Uh..." Looker tilted his head and thought for a moment before explaining, "It's related to investigating and arresting Hunter A. But I'm really just here to notify you and also confirm why you came here."
Shiro frowned. "How did you know my location?"
Could there be some tracking chip hidden in the devices on his body?
"Didn't you take a taxi from Jubilife City?" Looker said. "Street cameras caught you. Besides, your appearance and temperament stand out in a crowd. At a glance, it's obvious you're not some ordinary office worker from Jubilife."
"I see." Shiro felt slightly disappointed.
Still, once he returned, he planned to thoroughly check all the items and devices on him again just in case.
"Since we can't determine exactly where Hunter A will act, and headquarters couldn't directly contact you, they sent me to follow you."
With both hands in his pockets, Looker slowly continued, "Kanto Elite Four member Lance has already arrived in Sinnoh. He's currently in eastern Sinnoh. The moment Hunter A shows himself, you two are to immediately move in and attack from both sides."
"Of course, League reinforcements are also on the way. Sinnoh Elite Four member Bertha is on standby as well. This time, the chairman issued a strict order. Hunter A must be killed or captured no matter what!"
After listening, Shiro merely nodded slightly before turning around and leaving.
Since Looker was only here to notify him and had nothing else important to say, it was time to depart.
If possible, he could successfully send Mesprit back to Lake Verity this afternoon.
Tomorrow… or maybe even tonight, he could return to Rowan Research Institute.
Shiro silently planned things out and waved a hand at Looker. "I've got something to do further north. You go handle your own business first. We'll talk later."
"Oh." Looker froze for a second before subconsciously responding.
Shiro moved rapidly. By the time his figure disappeared into the forest, Looker finally remembered something…
"Isn't my job supposed to be following you?"
Yet Shiro had already vanished from sight.
Looker quickly started chasing after him.
The afternoon sunlight was bright, turning the forest golden, but the woods themselves were unusually deep and gloomy. Strange Pokémon cries echoed from unknown places, while the ground was uneven and difficult to traverse. Grass and fallen leaves shifted under every step.
"Ugh!" After running only several meters, Looker was forced to lean against a tree and sigh.
He touched his waist. Today, he had only brought one Pokémon again. Croagunk.
In truth, Croagunk was the only Pokémon Looker had. There was no way he could make Croagunk, whose body was not even taller than his knee, carry him up the mountain.
Looker looked back toward the lush scenery of Twinleaf Town, smacked his forehead, and turned around to head back.
Staying here was just wasting time anyway. Shiro was far stronger than him. If something happened, Shiro would be fine.
The only concern was what if Shiro simply left afterward?
If Hunter A suddenly appeared and caused trouble while he failed to report it in time, he would definitely get scolded…
That would be troublesome.
As a fairly famous International Police officer, Looker suddenly felt the bitterness of being an overworked employee.
* * *
"Once we reach Lake Verity, let's return directly to Professor Rowan's lab."
Shiro swiftly crossed the uneven ground while speaking quietly.
'You're just leaving that Looker in Twinleaf Town?' Unown A poked its head out from his shoulder.
"Yeah." Shiro nodded without hesitation. "This way we can avoid some risks."
That eternal supporting character from the Pokémon world not only had a highly dangerous profession, but his entire life was practically built around trouble.
If fate truly existed in the Pokémon world, then fate had definitely smashed Looker over the head countless times. He could probably run into suspicious little girls just by going shopping.
Now that Looker had gotten involved in this Hunters Guild mission, there was a high chance he would directly run into Hunter A. As long as he avoided sticking with Looker, he probably would not get dragged into it…
At least, that was what Shiro hoped.
If Hunter A's target truly had nothing to do with him, avoiding Looker should work.
After all, Mesprit was about to leave. Without that Master-level bodyguard beside him, his sense of security had dropped sharply.
Unown A could not help retorting, 'Hey, you've still got me and G. What do you mean you don't feel safe?'
Shiro said nothing as he turned sideways and climbed past a fallen tree trunk.
Now he was already a regional Champion and a Pokémon Professor. His strength had also stabilized above Gym-level. The enemies he encountered were no longer the small fry he met in the Galar Wild Area before.
If he accidentally got targeted by some sinister character and ambushed with special devices like Kabu had done previously, Unown A and Unown G could not be relied upon. Not to mention, who knew how many disgusting trump cards those hunters and nobles still possessed beyond just technology.
Compared to them, Team Rocket really were gentlemen.
Especially since Giovanni was someone he could negotiate with.
"Star! Staaarly!"
Above his head, several plump gray-and-white Starly cried out before flying into the distance.
Deep within the forest below, a pair of glowing eyes emerged from the shadows. After pausing for a second, they rapidly moved again, startling another flock of birds into flight.
Shiro instinctively tensed up. Only after using psychic power to confirm it was merely an Advanced-level Bibarel did he relax.
His speed was extremely fast. After only a dozen or so minutes, he was already close to the mountaintop.
The road ahead gradually brightened. A hazy white glow shone so intensely it almost hurt his eyes.
Hummm!
Shiro rushed out of the forest as a faint buzzing echoed beside his ears.
Before him stretched an almost endless expanse of blue water. Ripples danced across the lake surface with the wind, leaving faint white marks. The surrounding green mountains resembled slender fingers gently cradling the crystal-clear lake shaped like a heart.
Fresh wind poured into his body, swaying together with the corners of his clothes.
"Lake Verity... a heart-shaped lake..." Shiro stood there in a daze for a moment and unconsciously murmured.
Right in front of him, psychic power twisted through the air as a small figure appeared.
Mesprit floated silently in midair, seemingly lost in thought. Its two long tails crossed together while the four appendages above its head drifted gently with psychic power.
'This... is my hometown…'
Even its voice sounded absent-minded, so soft it was almost impossible to hear.
Shiro glanced at Unown A, whose single eye had widened on his shoulder. He quickly adjusted his emotions and turned around to leave.
Mesprit had already been successfully delivered here. That could be considered mission complete.
Just as he was about to take his first step, the familiar sensation of ribbon-like tails wrapped around his neck.
'Come with me…' Mesprit spoke softly as it started floating ahead.
Its two gray clover-shaped tails embedded with red gems curved gently in midair, vaguely outlining the shape of Lake Verity itself.
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