It was mid-afternoon.
With the current manpower available to Team Snagem, simply cleaning up their own secured district was a daunting task. They certainly couldn't afford to divert many people to deal with the Underdome, where the situation remained unknown.
Time was of the essence. Once the sun set, the pitch-black environment would become lethal for rescue workers lacking professional training. Thus, utilizing every available resource and person, became a necessity.
Kashiwagi's decision was undeniably bold, bordering on reckless, but it was born of desperation. The men under Ryuka were efficient, but there were only about a hundred of them. Even counting the moles embedded in the peripheral ranks, they numbered only a few hundred. It was a drop in the bucket.
Moreover, if his own men were worked to the point of exhaustion while the Jackal Gang prisoners just sat and watched, it would invite trouble. It was better to press their labor into service.
Official members might be risky to trust, but what about the general populace? This district was their home.
There was, however, another reason. A rescue operation launched through collective effort "all hearts as one" might just awaken a spark of light in some of these people. Kashiwagi didn't believe the people of Orre were inherently worse than those in other regions, they were simply products of a toxic social climate.
By participating in small acts of cooperation and receiving genuine gratitude for helping others, they would experience a sense of moral satisfaction. One shouldn't underestimate that feeling; accumulated over time, it's enough to wake the conscience of a "bad" man. While it wouldn't erase their past crimes, it would at least force their souls to grapple with them. Of course, this didn't apply to those committed to being career villains.
Kashiwagi himself often relied on that same sense of satisfaction to keep going.
When the other squad leaders heard of his plan, they supported him wholeheartedly. At the same time, they informed him that the neighboring Rock Unit had sent out a distress signal. Apparently, their post-disaster management wasn't nearly as effective as the Sand Unit's.
Kashiwagi, however, was more concerned with something else. "The Underdome? Have we made contact?"
"We have. The connection is spotty, but we've confirmed the Boss and the others are safe. They're just trapped and can't get out immediately."
The news brought a wave of relief. It seemed the heavens wanted them to clear the gloom of Orre after all, sparing Ryuka and the core leadership from an early grave. After this incident, Kashiwagi doubted Ryuka would be so quick to put himself in harm's way again. Staying at HQ like the other three Top Executives seemed like a much better plan.
"When do reinforcements arrive?"
"Soon. Word is Soshiro-san is mobilizing a massive number of peripheral members."
"What about the Gemat Division? Are they just standing by? I saw that they were barely touched by the tremors."
At this question, the messenger shook his head regretfully. "They claim they're tied up. Apparently, the earthquake collapsed their fuel storage warehouse, and they're dealing with a massive fire."
"A fire..."
Kashiwagi looked at the sky over Gemat's territory. There wasn't a flicker of flame or even a wisp of black smoke. They weren't even trying to make the lie look convincing.
He knew then that they couldn't count on the new "ally." Was it intentional? Did Gemat hope the elite combatants of the Snagem strike force would perish in Roki's Underdome?
It was highly possible. If the elites of the Rock, Crystal, and Sand units were decimated, Gemat's faction would become the strongest within Team Snagem. He'd be indispensable to the Boss from day one. He might have started lower than Soshiro and the other Top Executives, but this would put him on equal footing.
"I hope I'm overthinking it", Kashiwagi said, though he knew deep down he probably wasn't. The nature of these syndicate bosses was rooted in cold calculation.
-----
As dusk approached, Team Snagem's logistical support arrived. This included supplies, medical teams, and even heavy machinery. The peripheral members and hired civilians were immediately put to work clearing the path to the Underdome. Only a tiny fraction of the reinforcements were sent to the three surface districts.
Kashiwagi wasn't surprised, he was actually pleased they got anyone at all.
Thanks to the extra hands, the Sand Unit's district was quickly cleared. The sight of rescued people expressing gratitude and everyone working together left the Jackal Gang members and residents with complicated expressions. They weren't sure where they were anymore.
Weren't they being invaded by Team Snagem? Why was Snagem saving people? Why were they saving people too? Why did everything look so... harmonious?
A few realized this was a "false" peace and tried to escape, but they were quickly intercepted by Otsuka and his men, who were keeping a close watch.
Small interludes aside, the work continued. Some stayed behind to tally the casualties, others went to assist the other two districts, and the rest organized further efforts for the Underdome.
While Team Snagem was busy, the other factions in Pyrite Town weren't blind. In times of disaster, many were happy to kick a man while he was down and bite off a piece of the Snagem pie. However, since the situation was still murky and no one knew for sure what was happening underground, most were waiting for the right moment.
Some factions decided to egg on smaller organizations, claiming they'd back them up while actually using them as pawns to test Snagem's strength.
These small gangs understood that sometimes you have to gamble. They rushed in under the guise of "debt collection," claiming the Roki Division owed them money or had harmed their members. In reality, they were there to loot.
They were smart enough to pick the "softest" target, though. Currently, the district managed by the Crystal Unit was in total chaos. They had failed to secure the high ground or key facilities, and the remnants of the Roki Division had successfully dragged them into the quagmire of a street war.
Such a "useless" group naturally became the target for the smaller gangs.
This led to Kashiwagi receiving an order: instead of helping with the Underdome, he was to rescue the neighboring Crystal Unit.
"You're saying Soshiro-san specifically named me to go? Is the Crystal Unit all dead?"
He looked at the Sand Unit High Executive before him with suspicion. He couldn't believe Soshiro would pick him who has a major grudge against the Crystal Unit, to save them.
Is this for real? Or did you just take a bribe from the Crystal Unit?
The man seemed to read Kashiwagi's mind. His face darkened as he pulled out a dispatch note stamped with Soshiro's personal seal. "What's with that look, you brat? I've walked more miles than you've eaten bags of flour! The Boss is giving you a leg up! Don't you get it?"
If Kashiwagi hadn't already taken down a High Executive and wasn't a favorite of the Boss, the man probably would have lost his temper then and there.
"A leg up?" Kashiwagi was confused.
"Stupid! If you go support the Crystal Unit, and you're the strongest candidate for High Executive there, can't you seize temporary command? Once you have command and move your people in, doesn't that district basically fall under your control?"
The man went on a self-satisfied tangent. It sounded logical on the surface, but Kashiwagi didn't have nearly enough men to hold another district. Naruhisa and the others were exhausted.
Was he supposed to just stuff the place with peripheral members?
Still, an order from Soshiro couldn't be ignored. He nodded. "Sorry, brother. I'll buy you a drink when this is over."
"That's more like it. I heard you're a master in the kitchen, so make sure there's plenty of good food." The man smiled, burned the dispatch note, and walked away.
Kashiwagi thought it over, then went to find Otsuka. He borrowed some men from his colleagues and picked a few "honest" Jackal members with decent fighting ability. Finally, he gathered a large group of peripheral members, forming a "misfit" army.
Once everyone was ready, he hopped on his hovercycle and led the procession toward the neighboring district.
Before they even reached it, he saw a group in the distance. They were decked out in glowing, multi-colored gear, riding gaudy hover-bikes covered in neon lights. They were sweeping through the open areas of the street, occasionally tossing Molotov cocktails into ruined buildings.
As the bottles shattered with a bang, they let out obnoxious, high-pitched jeers, surrounded by their Pokémon. They looked incredibly punchable.
There wasn't a Crystal Unit member in sight. God only knew where they had retreated to.