That night, Pryce brought Tetsuya away from where Kurokawa Ryosuke, Giovanni, and the others were gathered. He had absolutely no common ground with Ryosuke, while getting too close to Giovanni would inevitably give people something to gossip about.
"This castle is impregnable and occupies an overwhelming geographical advantage. There's simply no way to break through it head-on…" Pryce said, shaking his head.
"Actually, if we surrounded them for ten days or a month, they'd naturally fall once they and their Pokémon ran out of food and water. It's just that both the Indigo and the Johto League are eager to destroy Shadow Team to preserve their own reputations, so they're bound to initiatea direct assault instead. I'm afraid even more Trainers will arrive tomorrow," Tetsuya said.
"Mm… sigh, what a waste of effort!" Pryce sighed helplessly.
---◓---
The next day, Matsuba and Chuck also arrived. Nearly all of Shadow Team's branch members outside the headquarters had been captured. However, their capacities were ultimately limited, and they had no access to the organization's higher-level secrets. Nothing useful could be learned from them, but Shadow Team's overall forces could be said to have been almost completely wiped out.
Faced with Shadow Team headquarters' castle, everyone was trying to make use of their own specialties.
The stone used to build the castle walls had also been imbued with a special power. Psychic Pokémon were unable to Teleport through the walls, and even Ghost-type Pokémon, these wandering spirits, could not pass through them. It really left everyone at a loss…
Another night fell. Dark clouds blanketed the sky, completely obscuring the moon and stars. Waves of mournful wails echoed from within Shadow Team's castle; it sounded like a ritual dedicated to Giratina.
At that moment, Pryce, Matsuba, Chuck, and Tetsuya were together, discussing ways to deal with Shadow Team.
"…Perhaps we can use the Ghost World portal," Tetsuya said.
The three of them revealed expressions of surprise. Matsuba even tapped his forehead and said, "Damn it! How did I not think of that!?"
"Ghost World… portal?" Chuck asked. After all, only someone who had extensively studied Ghost-type Pokémon would know about such things. Tetsuya himself had only learned about the portal part from the notes left behind by Matsuba IV, but he still was not entirely sure how to put it into practice.
"That's right! Among Ghost-type Pokémon, Dusknoir are originally 'guides' of the Ghost World and can open portals. Chandelure also have the ability to guide souls into the Ghost World.
Moreover, many Ghost-type Pokémon can freely travel in and out of the Ghost World. Nearly every Ghost-type that has learned Phantom Force have this 'ability'.
So as long as my Dusknoir open the portal, the Ghost-type Pokémon that can use Phantom Force will be able to enter the castle through it and open the gates from the inside. Then we'll launch an all-out assault!
With so many elite ace Trainers on our side, the chances of success are very high!" Matsuba said.
"Great! Matsuba, it looks like you're going to earn a lot of merit this time," Pryce said.
Afterward, Pryce and Matsuba gathered the leaders and top Trainers from both Leagues and explained Matsuba's plan. Although many Trainers only half understood it, under the direction of the leaders, everyone sent out Ghost-type Pokémon capable of using Phantom Force. Tetsuya also sent out Golurk.
Matsuba then sent out his two Dusknoir first. He even transferred every Dusknoir from Ecruteak Gym and towers, preparing to open the Ghost World portal so these Pokémon could enter.
Just as they were about to begin, nearly all of the leaders received an emergency notice from League Headquarters.
"…All captured Shadows have died in prison. Their bodies mysteriously burst into flames, and the cause of death is unknown and cannot be investigated… No matter the cost, Shadow Team Headquarters must be breached tonight so the cause can be investigated…"
"…"
Upon seeing this document, all fell silent. Such a bizarre incident inevitably sent chills down their spines.
The Indigo League had also sent the same document to Bruno and Giovanni because Yamamoto and the fifty Shadows captured in Kanto had all died as well, in exactly the same manner.
It seemed that the upper echelons of both Leagues had already exchanged information.
"Hm? What's going on?" Tetsuya asked. Several of the Investigator captains had the same question.
Pryce handed his Gym Leader-exclusive Pokédex to Tetsuya. "Take a look."
After reading it, Tetsuya found it almost impossible to believe. What kind of organization was Shadow Team to possess such capacity? Back when he had been on Shadow Island, he had known nothing of anything unusual. All of the Shadows had appeared perfectly normal.
'Could it be that every Shadow had some sort of hidden curse placed upon them…?' Otherwise, how could they all suddenly die, with their bodies spontaneously combusting without leaving behind a single clue?
Even if every Shadow had unshakable loyalty and was willing to die for Shadow Team, it was impossible that they would all perish at almost exactly the same time!
At that moment, Tetsuya could only secretly count himself fortunate. At the time, he had not yet become an official member of Shadow Team, so they had not done anything to him.
After all, Shadow Team would never waste resources on a reserve candidate who could die at any moment, even if it were only a single dose of poison. If he had become an official Shadow, wouldn't his life have been hanging by a thread, completely controlled by someone else? How could he possibly have pursued his plans for this life!?
Tetsuya also began recalling the everyday behavior of Shadow Team's official members. He had never thought anything of it before, but looking back now, there really had been subtle signs…
A villainous underground organization capable of existing for so long naturally had its own foundation for survival. Take Team Rocket, for example. Giovanni's management, personal charisma, and balanced methods gave him a well-established system for handling his subordinates. Team Rocket's members were also unwaveringly loyal, which was why the organization had continued to grow.
Shadow Team, however, committed nothing but inhumane acts, and its methods of training relied heavily on intimidation. Even after becoming official members, there was no reason for anyone to develop any affection for the organization.
Yet every Shadow executed orders from their superiors and every assigned mission with meticulous precision, never uttering a single complaint about Shadow Team. Their loyalty could truly be described as absolute.
Even now, no one knew who Shadow Team's leader was. In fact, it seemed that no one had ever even heard of such a person…
Tetsuya had once believed that Shadow Team was nothing more than a disorganized mob. What could possibly make every one of its members remain so devoted?
That meant Shadow Team had to own some unique method of controlling its Shadows, one that threatened every person's life and left them with no choice but to submit to Shadow Team.
It makes you wonder what Giovanni discovered in Tetsuya's past life…
At that moment, on the Indigo League's side, Bruno and Giovanni, and on the Johto League's side, Kurokawa Ryosuke and Hattori Tōkichi, were all conveying League Headquarters' orders to every Investigator and every participant in the operation.
"Tonight, no matter the cost… we must breach the castle!"
Now everyone's hopes rested on Matsuba. Wearing a solemn expression, Matsuba said, "Everyone… begin!"
Matsuba's two Dusknoir joined forces with the seven or eight others transferred from Ecruteak. Before long, a faint glimmer appeared within the darkness before them, like a guiding light in the night. The glow gradually became deeper and more hollow, irresistibly drawing everyone's gaze toward it.