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Drake watched Reggie's somewhat lonely back as he departed, and couldn't help but sigh softly. Todd was also an old friend of his — how could he not want to bring him back safely?
But the League's plan had already been set. The core of the plan was to either seize or destroy the stolen artifact. As for rescuing the Oceanic Research Institute staff kidnapped by Team Aqua, that would have to be left to fate.
Just as Reggie had said earlier, the League's upper echelons had never counted on the complacent officials in Slateport City to retrieve the artifact from Team Aqua.
Once the cause of the Pokémon riot was identified, Hoenn's League leadership immediately dispatched their most elite investigators to hunt down Team Aqua's whereabouts.
The League had reigned over Hoenn for many years. Its power was unquestionable. The very reason Team Aqua was able to trigger a man-made Pokémon riot was because the League had grown lax in its vigilance.
Now that Team Aqua had stirred up such chaos, they had touched the League's reverse scale. This time, under the League's full-scale search, the location of the stolen artifact was quickly uncovered.
The reason the League hadn't launched a direct strike yet was to avoid forcing Team Aqua into desperation, which could trigger yet another massive riot.
That was why Drake had called this late-night meeting of all the League's senior officials in Slateport City — it was to lull Team Aqua's spies into complacency, letting them pass false information back that the League was helpless for the moment.
In fact, the League's intelligence division was formidable. Built with immense resources, its eyes were embedded in nearly every criminal organization across Hoenn.
This time too, the intelligence unit had actually noticed signs of Team Aqua's plot. But an error occurred in relaying the information.
After thorough checks, specialists concluded that the error most likely originated within the Slateport branch of the intelligence unit.
What did this mean?
It meant Team Aqua had probably planted a spy within that very branch. And not just any spy — someone influential enough to secretly delay the transmission of key intelligence.
Because of this, Slateport's intel branch had failed to detect the riot in time, leading to a chain of devastating losses.
In short, the League had already begun quietly weaving a net around Team Aqua. This time, Hoenn's League was determined to cripple them so badly that they wouldn't recover for decades.
...…...
After leaving Drake's office, Reggie quickly returned to his room at the League's Slateport branch. As soon as he entered, he pulled out a communicator and dialed a number he hadn't called in a long time.
It took seven or eight attempts before the line finally connected. Only after promising its owner considerable benefits did he receive a very short reply on his communicator screen:
"So you're there. Old man, wait a bit longer — I'll come to save you soon."
Seeing those words, a sharp gleam lit Reggie's eyes. He turned toward the dark night outside the window, gaze firm.
...…...
While Drake, Reggie, and the others were troubled over the Pokémon riot, Sato was in an eastern district restaurant of Slateport, celebrating with his Pokémon.
For most Trainers, the riot had been a terrifying crisis. But for Sato, who had weathered great storms before, its danger was only moderate.
From this single riot, Sato had earned a staggering 1,100 League contribution points. If the riot had lasted longer, he might have accumulated enough to qualify for the trial mission required to advance into a League-affiliated outer Trainer.
Beyond that, the riot had also served as an intense training exercise. Pikachu, Lanturn, and Cloyster — the three Pokémon who had taken the role of main attackers — had all gained significant levels.
Now, Pikachu had reached level 31, Lanturn level 36, and Cloyster level 37 — suddenly becoming the highest-leveled Pokémon in Sato's team.
Cloyster, in particular, with its triple Shell Smash boosts, had displayed astonishing offensive power during the riot. Its endurance was also greater than Pikachu's or Lanturn's, which explained why its level had risen the fastest.
If not for the fact that the wild Pokémon in this riot weren't too high-leveled — averaging only around level 20 — Pikachu and the others might have gained even more.
Still, Sato was more than satisfied with their progress.
After his trials on the mysterious island, he knew that rapid level jumps weren't always a good thing. Relentless battles alone weren't healthy for Pokémon, neither physically nor mentally.
So he decided that in the coming week, his Pokémon's focus would be on stamina training and skill refinement — with occasional outings for fun to relax their spirits.
That was why, on this night, he had brought them out into the sleepless city to play and unwind — to release the stress of the bloody battle they had just endured.
It wasn't until around three in the morning that Sato finally led his tired Pokémon back to the Pokémon Center downtown.
Just as he finished showering and was about to sleep, the communicator on his bedside rang.
He glanced at the screen and immediately recognized the number: it was the old captain, Reggie. Without hesitation, he answered.
"Tyler, forgive me for disturbing you this late," Reggie's voice came urgently through the line. "But I have an emergency and need your help. If you're willing, come to the port of Slateport now — I'll be on my ship."
As soon as he finished speaking, before Sato could respond, Reggie abruptly hung up.