"...".
"I know Lance quite well. Although he's talented, he's too upright. Infiltrating the Magma Team, at most, he could only blend in as a regular member and wouldn't have access to the decision-making level." Agatha said leisurely.
The implication was that she had guessed the role Natsuhiko played in the information provided by Lance.
It was indeed a fair assessment.
Looking at Lance, he indeed seemed too righteous to be an undercover agent.
An undercover agent must be adaptable, clever, and even cunning, just like....
Natsuhiko's head, nodding, slowly froze. He turned his head with difficulty, looking at the smiling Agatha, and suddenly felt an extremely bad premonition.
Were they asking him to be an undercover agent?
Seeing the change in Natsuhiko's expression, Agatha's smile became even more "brilliant". "Looks like you've figured out a bit."
"I refuse." Natsuhiko's reply was firm and decisive this time.
"Oh? Wouldn't you consider it?" Agatha asked with a meaningful smile.
"No consideration." Natsuhiko replied stubbornly, maintaining his stance.
"What if it involves Tom Rokicki?"
"Hmm?!" Natsuhiko's eyes widened slightly.
Agatha, like a cunning old fox, had already grasped Natsuhiko's Achilles' heel.
After a long silence.
Natsuhiko's slightly hoarse voice rang out again, "I still refuse."
"Oh?"
This time, Agatha was slightly surprised, glancing at the somber yet unwavering Natsuhiko.
To not be swayed by internal grudges showed that Natsuhiko had strong self-control and a comprehensive understanding of himself.
She slowly raised a finger.
"I'll take you as my disciple."
Being a disciple of the Elite Four, and an old Elite Four member at that, was enough to cause many to scramble for the title.
But Natsuhiko still shook his head.
Although being Agatha's disciple sounded prestigious, it probably wouldn't be very useful in the Sinnoh Region he wanted to stay in.
"A Dojo Leader status, in the Sinnoh Region." Agatha raised a second finger.
Natsuhiko was a bit taken aback.
A Dojo Leader status, could an Elite Four grant it just like that?
And it was an Elite Four from the Kanto Region promising a Leader position in the Sinnoh Region.
How unreliable did that sound?
"Plus a 50 million Alliance currency funding for the Dojo's startup."
Third finger.
"..."
Actually, when it came to the Dojo Leader identity, Natsuhiko was already starting to waver.
"A Pokémon valued at no less than 100 million Alliance currency."
Fourth finger.
"Huff huff——"
Steadied himself.
"An opportunity to enter the Silver Secret Realm."
The Silver Secret Realm, the largest in the Silver Mountain Range, was completely controlled by the Alliance Headquarters. Only a select few were qualified to enter, making it one of the Alliance's secrets.
"Where to?" Natsuhiko, with reddened eyes, spoke hoarsely once more.
There's no helping it.
They offered too much.
They really offered too much.
Natsuhiko really wanted to refuse, but found himself unable to, either physically or in his mind.
Such treatment.
Frankly speaking, in the Alliance's plan to cultivate core Trainers, this was already at the top tier.
Only someone like the seasoned Elite Agatha could make such promises; he wouldn't trust it from anyone younger.
Hearing this, Agatha smiled, "The Hunter Guild, someone you've dealt with."
"The Hunter Guild?" Natsuhiko was a bit surprised.
He thought they wanted him to go to the Rocket Team, so he was quite resistant, as the Rocket Team wasn't a pleasant place to be.
But the Hunter Guild...
Even without Agatha mentioning it, wasn't Natsuhiko already dealing with Joanna from the Hunter Guild?
That feeling...
It's like someone else walked right into his trap, delivering stuff to his doorstep.
If he had known it was the Hunter Guild, he wouldn't have been conflicted.
He got so many benefits for nothing.
Sigh.
"Tom Rokicki went to the Hunter Guild, causing chaos within, making this a prime opportunity," Agatha explained briefly.
Natsuhiko remained silent.
After a long time, he asked what he most worried about, "Then who will be involved in this mission...."
The Alliance wasn't entirely safe now. The events of the last trial had already shown Natsuhiko the issues within the Alliance.
At this point, Agatha, aware of Natsuhiko's concerns, put away her smile, "Rest assured, only you and I know about this, no third party."
Forgot to mention, Agatha was now in charge of the entire Kanto Alliance's Investigator department, wielding great power.
This relaxed Natsuhiko a lot.
"What do I need to do?" Natsuhiko asked again.
"The specific task hasn't been fully decided, but the first thing you need to do is secure one of the twenty-six seats in the Hunter Guild."
"Twenty-six seats? King Agatha, aren't you overestimating me?" Natsuhiko said helplessly.
He wanted to, but his abilities didn't match up.
"With the pace of your skill improvement, five months should be enough, right? Any longer, and the chaos within the Hunter Guild would completely settle."
In five months, for just an ordinary twenty seats, it wasn't impossible indeed.
"Then I have one request."
"Oh? Let's hear it." Agatha raised an eyebrow.
"Use the identity I provide as the foundation."
Natsuhiko had another identity, "Natsuka," which he had previously fabricated and couldn't withstand scrutiny. But Agatha's task should help solidify this identity.
This way, it wouldn't affect his public identity as a Dojo Leader, nor his hidden role as a member of the Hunter Guild—benefitting both aspects.
Agatha gave him a meaningful look and nodded, "Alright."
"Can I ask, why the Hunter Guild?" Natsuhiko asked tentatively.
Agatha gave him a light glance, "Where else do you think? The Rocket Team? Ha—"
Her final cold laugh could be interpreted as contempt.
But contempt was better; he really dreaded the thought of going to the Rocket Team.
"The Hunter Guild has become increasingly brazen in recent years, capturing Pokémon on a massive scale, selling them to the Rocket Team, Magma Team, Ocean Team, Galaxy Team, and other underground organizations. Did they think our Alliance couldn't see it? Moreover... they've overreached."
Agatha didn't finish her last sentence, seemingly hinting at something.
Natsuhiko could only say, if the Hunter Guild had behaved, it would've been fine, but now they had hit the Alliance's big prize, which couldn't sit still.
And then there was the appearance of Tom Rokicki.
She successfully showed the Alliance her ambition.
As a former Elite Four reserve, she had enough knowledge of the Alliance; if she truly took over the whole Hunter Guild, would it soar?
Either perish in its outburst or rise so high the Alliance couldn't contain it anymore.
"One last question, why choose me?"
"Because you are the only one 'bad' enough."
Was this an insult or a compliment?
Lance was too upright, Flint, would he believe it if he wasn't offered ten stakes worth fifty million Alliance currency each back? Hilona and Kona were even more out of the question.
As for the well-known veterans, they were too recognizable; only an obscure young Trainer like Natsuhiko was suitable.
Honestly speaking, Natsuhiko wasn't very resistant to entering the Hunter Guild.
Not just because Tom Rokicki joined too, but because the Hunter Guild was so loose, it didn't restrict its members much.
This meant less danger upon joining.
In fact, Natsuhiko was already halfway in.
"Is there an induction ceremony for the apprenticeship?"
Now that things were settled, Natsuhiko began to focus on his reward and treatment.
Being Agatha's apprentice made him feel a bit uneasy, though he didn't see her as a King.
"No need." Agatha waved her hand nonchalantly.
"Oh."
The two fell into silence again, showing no teacher-disciple vibe at all.
"Agatha King...." Natsuhiko broke the silence again.
"Hmm?"
"Err, master? Then, Master, as an Elite Four of the Kanto Region, how do you get a Sinnoh Alliance Gym Leader?"
Thump—
Agatha's cane lightly tapped the ground as she slowly stood up.
She rarely showed an air of undeniable authority.
"My disciple, become a Gym Leader, what reason is needed?"
Natsuhiko.
Started to like this feeling of being protected.
——————
End of ten thousand words~~ Actually, the daily updates are over 11k, asking for monthly votes~~