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"What do you mean?"
Upon hearing Kentra's words, many Trainers instinctively glanced towards the 99th floor. Through the transparent windows, despite some glare, they could still see inside.
A group of civilians were bound with ropes, immobilized and visibly terrified. Nearby stood several members of the Dark Guild.
Most importantly, beside these guild members, a purple Genesect loomed, facing the captives. Its red eyes flickered ominously; no one knew when it might suddenly unleash its moves.
"See those civilians?" Kentra sneered. If not for his foresight, he might have faltered today. With these hostages, he was confident that the Trainers would now hesitate, fearing for their lives.
"You're despicable!" Rhea glared at Kentra, her face filled with icy fury. The Dark Guild had captured numerous innocents and placed a Genesect nearby, clearly intending to use them as leverage against the Trainers.
"No, I'm just ensuring my own safety." Kentra shook his head dismissively. There was no question of being despicable or not; he had no intention of harming these civilians, merely using them as a deterrent.
Kentra believed that if these mid-level Trainers dared to continue their attack, even without harming civilians directly, once the battle concluded, the Ellie Region's public outrage would inevitably affect the Pokemon League.
Thus, they had no choice but to heed Kentra's demands for the sake of these innocent lives.
"Now what?"
"Darn it, the Dark Guild is truly despicable."
Initially, they anticipated effortlessly crushing the Dark Guild in a thrilling battle and completely annihilating them.
However, faced with this unexpected turn of events, the mid-level Trainers felt frustrated. To ensure the safety of the civilians, they knew compromises were necessary.
"Haha, I've changed my mind now. I don't want to leave the Ellie Region just yet. All of you better get lost today, or else these hostages will pay the price!" Kentra laughed menacingly.
He needed time, plenty of it. With enough Genesects at his command, he feared no Trainer.
As the master of all these Genesects, control was ensured from the moment the Scientist programmed them to obey Kentra during their transformation process.
Kentra initially had no plans to harm these civilians; however, they served as valuable bargaining chips, providing him with more opportunities for delay. Time was precisely what Kentra needed.
"You'll never release them at this rate. Staying here is futile, as high-level trainers will soon return, leaving even less chance of survival for the Dark Guild," Rhea warned sternly.
"Release them? Of course, but not today," Kentra responded, still wary of the high-level trainers. They posed a greater threat than mid-level trainers.
Recalling the previous encounter, seventeen Flying-type Pokémon from the high-level trainers held their own against over forty Genesects for quite some time, despite being at a disadvantage—an impressive feat.
Kentra could only hope that Kyogre would prove its mettle and stall the trainers longer. The fact that the battle hadn't concluded yet indicated Kyogre's formidable nature.
"Are we truly leaving?" Sanji seemed disheartened. Their initial determination to eliminate the Dark Guild today now faced defeat due to the hostages, which felt deeply humiliating to them.
Leaving now would also severely dent the confidence of these mid-level Trainers. They had arrived determined for a fierce battle, and ending it abruptly would leave anyone feeling dissatisfied.
"What else can we do? We can't just watch as Genesect kills these civilians," Rhea said helplessly, glancing at the small group—only about ten individuals—who were ordinary people.
Given Genesect's power, it could effortlessly annihilate them with a single move, leaving them utterly defenseless.
Against formidable Pokemon, humans are incredibly fragile.
"Haha, hurry up and get lost!" Kentra laughed again, noticing the hesitation in the eyes of the mid-level Trainers. Clearly, they were undergoing intense internal conflict, debating whether to depart or not.
Kentra was now certain that these trainers would inevitably choose to leave. In the distance, he spotted a group of journalists, unmistakably capturing the unfolding scene on camera.
These reporters likely recorded everything, presenting a dilemma: Should they sacrifice these individuals to eliminate the Dark Guild or protect the civilians by retreating? Regardless of their choice, it would all be documented.
Kentra's threat was undeniably effective; no one could disregard the lives of these ordinary civilians, as they themselves were also just individuals, albeit trained Trainers.
The Pokemon League itself was established by humans with the initial purpose of nurturing Trainers and protecting regions along with their inhabitants.
"Let's leave; it seems we can't engage in battle today," Rhea repeated helplessly, making her decision. Faced with Kentra's threat, they had no choice but to comply.
With Genesect guarding the hostages, there was no opportunity for rescue. Even attempting a swift intervention would give ample time for Genesect to unleash its moves.
Rescue efforts were futile under these circumstances. The outcome became clear—the Trainers present had no option but to protect these civilians by departing from the Oceanview Tower.
They might return once Kentra releases the hostages, but by then, the Dark Guild would likely realize they cannot remain in the Ellie Region and swiftly flee.
"From this day forward, I will eliminate the Dark Guild, wherever they may run," Rhea vowed silently, anger flickering in her eyes.
Bang!
Suddenly, from behind the tower, the sound of shattering glass echoed, breaking the tranquility.
Kentra was taken aback, unsure of what had occurred. He shouted towards the 99th floor, "Quickly, tell me what happened?"
The Dark Guild member on the 99th floor promptly responded, "One of the Genesects has returned."
Initially startled, Kentra then sighed with relief. It was just one of the Genesects returning. He had assigned two Genesects to guard the tower, preventing any unauthorized intrusions.
Having these two Genesects oversee the civilians seemed sufficient. Without his explicit command, unless attacked, the Genesects would not initiate combat. Therefore, Kentra wasn't concerned about them suddenly going berserk and unleashing moves indiscriminately.
"B-but, guild m-master, both Genesects have left again," stuttered the Dark Guild member on the 99th floor, sounding shaken.
"So they've left? No matter." Kentra found it somewhat unnecessary to use two Genesects for guarding ordinary people; one should have been enough, considering these mid-level trainers were leaving soon anyway.
However, he felt puzzled as to why the Genesects would abruptly enter the 99th floor—it didn't seem logical.
"No, it's not just one; both Genesects have left," the Dark Guild member hesitantly clarified, stuttering slightly.
Kentra's expression instantly froze with shock.