"Puchi!"
The sound of a dagger piercing flesh rang out, followed immediately by splattering blood. Staring intently into Gu Yuan's eyes, Hu Lun's gaze was filled with doubt and confusion.
Why? Why, after all this time and such a massive commotion, had that Champion Rank powerhouse still not arrived?
Regarding Hu Lun's confusion, although Gu Yuan knew the answer, he had no intention of explaining. It was better to let him die with that regret.
In reality, the answer was quite simple: Shadow had taken action. For the current Gu Yuan, ordinary resources were no longer enough to tempt him. Therefore, when these families prepared to launch their final offensive against him, Gu Yuan used the contribution points he had accumulated within Team Rocket to seek assistance.
Dealing with the families' elite forces earlier was only part of it; the most crucial part was that Gu Yuan used those contribution points to have Shadow intervene. After all, if the League could send Dar to protect him, it was impossible for the families to be unable to dispatch even a single Champion Rank powerhouse. Thus, Shadow was Gu Yuan's true final trump card.
By the time Gu Yuan finished off the last Psychic, Hu Lun, the three Beginner Champion Pokémon had also lost their ability to fight under the combined assault of Gengar and Mega Blastoise. At this point, the war targeting Gu Yuan had finally come to a close, but there were still many follow-up matters to handle.
First was treating the wounded. No matter how strong the squads drawn from various departments were, it was impossible to avoid casualties when facing powerful opponents. Hatterene stepped forward, releasing Life Dew to help treat many of the wounded and their Pokémon.
With the help of other Pokémon, the injuries were quickly stabilized until the League's reinforcements arrived. Next came the task of disposing of corpses, withdrawing in batches, and so on.
As the League's side finished their busy work, the news of the defeat reached the ears of those families. This time, however, they no longer had the chance to act. The strength lost in this battle was simply too great; continuing would mean a true life-and-death struggle.
Gazing out the window, Toranosuke Kurata felt as if a massive mountain were weighing on his back. Whether it was the failure of the war or the failed assassination of Gu Yuan, it all signified that their side had begun its downward spiral. If this trend continued, it wouldn't take more than a few years for the families below them to vanish one by one.
Eventually, the three top families, including his own, would become fish on a chopping block, left to the mercy of others. Perhaps I really should consider the suggestion of those people. Rather than a slow death, conspiring with a tiger might be a decent choice.
Thinking of this, Toranosuke Kurata did not rush to a decision. Instead, he contacted the heads of the other two families. They were surely well aware of the problems he was facing. Since he had decided to take another path, he naturally couldn't be the only one wading through the muddy water.
Right, for the specific contact, he could perhaps let the Fukuda family handle it. If nothing else, Tatao Fukuda's performance during this war had been exceptionally outstanding, saving some face for their side.
He heard that the man was very close to the Champion Rank. Perhaps he should arrange for someone to help him; that way, Tatao would be even more grateful to him.
No sooner said than done. Toranosuke Kurata first arranged for someone to contact Gaius Cotton and Jin Kobe, then initiated a video call with Tatao Fukuda. He first encouraged him for his performance in the war, followed by a reward. After all, merit must be rewarded to demonstrate his impartiality. Finally, Toranosuke Kurata even promised Tatao Fukuda that he would arrange for someone to help him break through to the Champion Rank.
Upon hearing this news, Tatao Fukuda naturally put on an act of immense gratitude. Facing Tatao Fukuda's performance, Toranosuke Kurata did not get overconfident. Instead, he prepared to silently observe the situation after Tatao Fukuda broke through to the Champion Rank.
No matter how critical the current situation was, the most fundamental rule could not change: aside from the three great families, other families could at most possess two Champion Rank trainers. If Tatao Fukuda was smart, he would know to keep a low profile after breaking through. If he became arrogant the moment he tasted success, he couldn't blame Kurata for being heartless.
After Tatao Fukuda spent some time flattering him, Toranosuke Kurata hung up the phone.
"It seems my efforts have finally paid off. However, that old fossil must have something he needs me to do, otherwise he would never be this generous suddenly."
"But it doesn't matter. For now, I can only be his loyal dog. But dogs eat meat, too."
After hanging up, Tatao Fukuda murmured to himself while also feeling a bit weary. Other families had sons who were so outstanding; why did it come down to him having to fight and struggle so desperately?
At the same time, Toranosuke Kurata also got in touch with the other two family heads. Without beating around the bush, he went straight to the point and stated his idea: cooperating with the Hunter's Guild.
Hearing this, Gaius Cotton and Jin Kobe did not immediately object. Instead, they carefully considered the pros and cons of this decision while waiting to hear what Toranosuke Kurata had to say. Just like the worries Toranosuke Kurata had earlier, Gaius Cotton and Jin Kobe also knew very well that if they continued like this, their families would eventually be swallowed by the League. Rather than waiting for death, it was better to actively seek a new way out.
Seeing that no one objected, Toranosuke Kurata revealed his plan. First, and most importantly, cooperation was just cooperation. They had to ensure the independence of the League, but the future masters of the League could only be them. In the shadows, however, they could provide the Hunter's Guild with convenience and support. If the Guild wished, they could even become part of the League's power after the Elite Four were dealt with.
As for the remaining details, Toranosuke Kurata only gave a general overview; the rest would have to be slowly hammered out during specific negotiations.
After the decision was made, with Toranosuke Kurata taking the lead, the three quickly contacted members of the Hunter's Guild—specifically the base that had initially wanted to deal with Gu Yuan. Unfortunately, for such a major matter, a single Sun-level Deacon could not make the call and had to report it upward.
After spending several days, a true meeting was finally able to take place. Since the movements of the three family heads would attract significant attention, the meeting was held via video. The only difference was that all four participants were shrouded in black robes. In case this matter was exposed, it would serve as a bit of a "fig leaf."
As the meeting began, both sides started to argue incessantly. Through a series of disputes, the details of the cooperation were hammered out one by one.