Alternate Space.
Natsuhiko and Lance recounted the recent events to Hilona and the others.
"What do you guys think?" Lance looked at them and asked.
"Why don't you share your thoughts first?" Flint spoke up.
Lance nodded, not refusing.
"My thought is that the Magma Team officer Campfire might have already died for some reason or is unable to come forward, which has led to the members of Magma Team in the Alternate Space fighting their own battles in a chaotic manner."
After a slight pause, he continued, "My idea is that we should take the initiative and counterattack."
As expected.
After listening to Lance's account, Natsuhiko knew this guy had such an intention from the moment he saw Magma Team members.
He twitched his lips.
Even if they are chaotic, they are still a group of over a hundred. What about us here?
One, two, three, four, five, six...
Not counting Du Juan, who lacks wild battle capabilities and can only protect herself.
Kona has adapted quickly and can already contribute good combat strength.
So, he means for the five of us to face off against over a hundred on the other side?
"Natsuhiko, what do you think?"
Observant Hilona noticed the subtle change in Natsuhiko's expression.
The others looked toward him.
Natsuhiko took a deep breath, organized his thoughts, and began to speak, "I think..."
Looking at these people present.
Which of them isn't going to be a pillar of the Alliance's various regions in the future.
Lance, Elite Four of the Kanto Region, Champion of the Johto Region.
Kona, Elite Four of the Kanto Region.
Flint, Champion of the Hoenn Region.
Du Juan, Gym Leader of the Hoenn Region.
Hilona, Champion of the Sinnoh Region.
Each of them is the future of the Alliance, expecting them to just stay put here is obviously unrealistic, especially after knowing that Magma Team is already in chaos.
But to counterattack...
"I think we can fight back, but we need to be skillful, strategic, and plan our actions, we can't blindly charge in."
Everyone agreed with his words.
"The more it comes to this moment, the less we can afford to be impatient. Once we rush, the problems and troubles that arise are likely to be ours."
He was met with another round of nods.
"So if I say we need to rest first, will you hit me?"
Everyone at the table had a line of black appear on their foreheads.
After saying so much, and that's what he concludes with?
Really?
"Ahem." Feeling a public outcry brewing, Natsuhiko quickly changed his tone, and his expression gradually became serious.
"The first thing we need to do is understand the real situation of the Magma Team. Is it truly chaotic, to what extent is it chaotic, what is the personnel distribution like, and where should we start."
Looking around, no one objected.
"So..."
"So we need to investigate the other party's situation, infiltrating inside is the best choice, Natsuhiko, I understand your meaning." Lance patted Natsuhiko on the shoulder, taking over his speech.
Natsuhiko: "???"
"Then, I and Natsuhiko will be responsible for investigating the situation. Du Juan, you'll try to contact and gather people we can reach, Kona, Flint, Hilona, you guys act accordingly and wait for our intelligence." Lance summarized the action plan.
Both Flint and Hilona nodded, expressing no objections.
Kona turned her head away, not bothering to respond to Lance, but she also did not object.
"I..." Natsuhiko opened his mouth.
"We will set off right away and will try to contact you in three hours."
Having said that, Lance directly pulled up Natsuhiko and headed towards Flame Valley.
"Wait, wait."
Natsuhiko broke free from Lance, "How are you going to gather intelligence?"
"Didn't I just say? Infiltrate inside," Lance said straightforwardly.
"So, you're going?" Natsuhiko asked tentatively.
Suddenly he had a bad premonition.
He saw Lance looking surprised, "Me? You're going! Wasn't there anyone who did better than you when it came to infiltrating the Magma Team? You were almost at an officer's level."
Natsuhiko: "..."
He knew it.
It would end up like this.
Taking a deep breath, "Then what about you?"
"Don't worry, I'll be outside to support you. If anything uncontrollable happens, I'll rush in as soon as possible. I guarantee, as long as I'm there, I'll never let your life be endangered unless they walk over my corpse." Lance patted his chest, solemnly promising.
These words, coming from Lance, were quite credible.
Natsuhiko felt touched...
Not at all.
He rolled his eyes in exasperation.
He knew he couldn't avoid it this time.
Actually, there was no need to avoid it.
With Campfire dead, there was no one in Magma Team that could really pose a threat to his life now.
At worst, a Meteor Shower from Dragapult could clear the field.
After the incident with Volcarona, Natsuhiko believed that having Dragapult launch a Meteor Shower shouldn't count as a help request anymore.
It's just that.
He's really a bit tired.
From the time they entered Regigigas's alternate space in the Divine Hall of Snow Peak until now in Groudon's alternate space, it's actually within a month. Even an iron man needs some time to catch his breath.
What's more, he didn't sleep at all last night.
However.
Things soon took a turn for the better.
CRACK!!!
Along with a violent tremor in the ground, a visible gap opened up above the alternate space.
Through the gap, you could see the scenery on the other side.
Then, a dull voice came through the gap, transmitted over a long distance using a special device.
"Magma Team, ten minutes, retreat."
The simple three words jolted everyone inside the alternate space.
Immediately.
Figures were seen, riding their respective Pokémon, soaring into the sky, and these people were almost all wearing various Magma Team uniforms.
Ten minutes!
It was not enough time for all of Magma Team to leave.
This meant that those who moved slowly would be abandoned in this alternate space!
And this was just the beginning of the brutality.
The appearance of this spatial gap stirred up many powerful Pokémon lurking in the alternate space.
They knew this was the way to the outside world.
They too vibrated their wings and rushed into the sky.
And this inevitably led to collisions and conflicts with the Magma Team members in a haste to escape, resulting in a slaughter.
Even those Magma Team members who broke free from the entanglement with wild Pokémon, if unlucky, faced a spatial turbulence when passing through the extremely unstable space fissure, hardly having any chance of survival.
Seeing this tragic scene, both Natsuhiko and Lance halted in their steps.
"Seems like... we aren't needed anymore." Natsuhiko said slowly.
Lance nodded quietly.
This was the extremely bad aspect of joining these underground organizations.
Possibly being abandoned at any time, possibly becoming cannon fodder.
Whatever you earn, you must bear the corresponding risks, especially evident in these underground organizations.
Magma Team began a large-scale retreat.
No matter how many they can take down or how many are left, from the current situation, even those forced to stay can't stir up much trouble anymore.
It's no longer a threat.
At the same time, this also announces one thing: the Alliance has finally taken action in response, giving Magma Team such a short retreat time.
From the previous meeting with Campfire, Natsuhiko learned that a normal retreat shouldn't be like this.
It indicates that Magma Team's plan was affected by other factors, which is most likely the Alliance.
"Soon, our signal to retreat should also come," Lance said.
Natsuhiko nodded, his heart stirred.
He said to Lance, "I have one last little thing to handle, you go back first, I'll be there shortly."
"Okay."
The two temporarily parted ways.
The tragic scene in the air continued.
...
...
In an unknown corner.
As a gap was forcefully opened in the alternate space by a special device,
a Pokémon that had been in deep sleep lightly twitched its heavy eyelids and slowly opened them slightly.
The solid ground around trembled lightly.
Causing a mild earthquake for those living in this region, both people and Pokémon.
However, not many paid attention to it.
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End of month, please vote~~ Explosive update tomorrow~~