"The Rose Mercenaries, Lion Mercenaries, and Falcon Mercenaries—all three major groups are fully committed."
"Word is their captains have all reached the peak of the Quasi-Elite stage. They're desperate to secure a Pseudo-Legendary to cultivate their first true Elite-level Pokémon."
"Smaller outfits like the Leopard, Morning Light, and Beast Mercenaries have also sent squads. Beyond them, plenty of lone wolves from the Poacher Syndicate are joining the Hydreigon hunt," Ryuhime reported dutifully to Kaiser.
"While our Dragon God Mercenaries are the strongest, two fists cannot rival four. With so many factions involved, we must prepare for every contingency," she added, her voice laced with concern.
"The key is to find that Hydreigon first," Kaiser replied. "She's a 'cunning rabbit with three burrows,' having established heavily guarded nests in multiple locations. These sites are miles apart. If we commit our full force to one and it's a decoy, we lose the lead. If we split up, we risk being overwhelmed by the other groups."
Ryuhime frowned, the logistical nightmare weighing on her.
"Don't worry. To ensure we secure the Deino, I borrowed a Xatu from the Psychic General, Glacia," Kaiser said calmly. "Because Hydreigon is a Dark-type, the Future Sight will have some interference, but even with a margin of error, we'll be steps ahead of the others. We'll also leak false sightings of the nest to bleed the other major mercenaries dry before we move in."
Kaiser's expression was ice-cold. As a founder of the Poaching Syndicate, he was notoriously ruthless. He wouldn't blink if thousands died as long as his objectives were met.
"Understood, Boss," Ryuhime said softly. "Once you secure that Deino and raise it to the Elite level, it will finally be time for us to break away from the Syndicate."
Opelucid City: Opelucid Gym
Drayden looked over his students with a grim expression. His scarred Haxorus stood like a silent sentinel at his side.
"I know the Poachers are out in force for the Hydreigon," Drayden announced. "I've also received word that Team Plasma intends to strike. With the League weakened, our priority is the protection of the Village of Dragons."
"That Hydreigon has moved outside our jurisdiction. The Dragon's Den is too vast; we lack the manpower to safeguard every rogue nest. We must focus on preventing the violence from spilling into Opelucid City. Ensure the poachers do not use the hunt as an excuse to infiltrate the Village."
"The Unova Elite Four are currently paralyzed by internal politics. Defending the Dragon's Den falls to us. Opelucid is our city, not a playground for poachers. Maintain order at all costs."
Unova League Headquarters
Shauntal, Marshal, and Grimsley sat in a somber meeting, reviewing the reports from Opelucid.
"Caitlin is still missing, and the Caitlin family hasn't released a single statement," Grimsley noted. "Rumor was she was investigating a Plasma vessel. Some say she's captured; others say she escaped."
"Alder is gone too," Marshal added. "Our priority should be appointing a temporary leader to fulfill the Champion's duties. We can't afford to lose any more members."
"We'll table the leadership discussion for now," Shauntal interrupted. "What about Opelucid? If the Poachers run rampant and we do nothing, the League's image will be shattered."
"Is there any image left to shatter?" Grimsley asked sardonically. "The Champion's disappearance is a joke—the single greatest stain on the Unova League's history. Let Drayden handle Opelucid. His granddaughter Iris is Alder's apprentice and already possesses Elite-level strength. We need to focus on preventing Team Plasma from knocking on our front door."
The others nodded in silent, begrudging agreement. The Dragon's Den was simply too massive to commit resources to for the sake of one Pokémon's survival.
The Dragon's Den
The den spanned dozens of square kilometers, cutting through several mountain ranges.
"Latest word is Kaiser found the nest, but it's crawling with Gym-leader and Quasi-Elite level Pokémon," a poacher whispered to his cohorts. "Kaiser is calling for volunteers to 'pioneer' the area."
"Pioneer? You mean 'meat shields.' There's a reason the big mercenary groups haven't moved yet. He wants us to go in and die first."
Despite the whispers, many were tempted. Kaiser was offering high-potential Pokémon or massive cash rewards for every wild Pokémon captured and handed over during the push.
"Feng Che, what does 'pioneer' mean?" Caitlin asked via telepathy. She was wearing a playful Gardevoir mask, her petite frame hidden under a heavy cloak.
"In the poacher world, it means clearing out the wild Pokémon and the traps so the leaders can walk in safely," Feng Che explained. "The mountains are full of High-tier and Elite wild Pokémon. Kaiser is essentially using money to buy lives."
"Can't they just ignore him and hunt on their own?" Caitlin asked.
"Caitlin, you were born into wealth. You don't know the desperation of those at the bottom," Feng Che said sadly. "Many join these groups out of necessity. They value money over their own lives because without it, they have no life. The League looks shiny on the surface, but there are countless people who can't afford to eat. For them, this is a gamble worth taking."
Caitlin watched the scene in silence, her mind struggling to process the brutality. She saw a Sneasel leap from the shadows, its claws disemboweling a poacher. His companions didn't help; they simply retreated, leaving him to bleed out.
Greed had stripped away their humanity. Even brothers were turning on each other for a bag of dropped loot.
"When there are no moral constraints, greed takes over," Feng Che whispered. "The dead lose everything; the living inherit it all. And the League looks the other way—one less mouth for them to feed."
Suddenly, a man drenched in blood stumbled toward them. His mask had fallen, revealing a face twisted in agony as he clutched a gash in his stomach.
"Help me... please... I know you have medicine..."
Behind him, a Liepard emerged from the brush. It was a sleek, purple feline with yellow triangular markings and a razor-sharp, sickle-like tail. It licked its paws, its eyes gleaming with a cruel, predatory intelligence.
Feng Che glanced at the man and shook his head. The man's internal organs were shredded; he was already a ghost.
"If I'm going down, I'm taking you with me!" the man screamed, lunging at Feng Che with a hidden dagger.