"Cain..." Maxie and Archie locked eyes.
Of course, they knew who Cain was.
They had been keeping an eye on him for quite some time and had placed a very high bounty on his head.
No need to ask — it was clear they had underestimated his strength, and that was why those Elite Officers had recklessly rushed in for the reward.
"What's his current level?" asked Maxie.
"He should be around Initial Elite Four level..." replied a Team Magma officer hesitantly.
"He's already reached the Elite Four level...?"
"Increase the bounty again, and clearly indicate his power. Anyone without enough strength or confidence—if they encounter him during a mission, they may retreat immediately," Maxie ordered.
Archie did not object.
The Initial Elite Four level was a major threshold; even within Team Aqua, very few had reached it. That was the realm of the truly powerful.
"But those two idiots were captured. Now all our troop deployments and internal relations are probably already on the League's desk. We have to prepare for full-scale war at any moment," Maxie added.
"My men report that the Hoenn League is already overstretched. They don't have that many forces available here."
"The Hunter Guild has also entered the fray. They're not willing to give up a piece of such a big pie as the Hoenn region. The best move for us is to drag this out — in the end, they'll be the ones who can't hold out," said Archie calmly from his chair.
Though he looked rough and brash, he was actually meticulous. Otherwise, he would never have brought Team Aqua to its current level of power.
"As long as we find what we're looking for first, we can use the Hunter Guild as scapegoats later," Maxie added.
After a short pause, he continued, "The transport device has already been installed. Have the officers stationed outside gather materials as soon as possible. If they can buy trained Pokémon, bring those as well. Given the situation, a clash with the League is inevitable — we must maintain our level of strength."
"Anyone who completes missions and earns merit can exchange for materials and Pokémon. The exchange price... will be reduced by thirty percent!"
At this, the members around them showed clear delight.
Thirty percent less in exchange cost!
If they could survive without suffering too many losses, once this was all over, everyone would have the chance to raise their strength to another level.
For the members of Team Magma and Team Aqua, this was an enormous gamble: if they won, they would rise to the top; if they lost, they would lose everything.
But for many, joining these organizations had been a gamble from the start.
Now the chance to soar high stood right before them — how could they not be excited?
Archie didn't object to Maxie's words either.
After so many years of accumulating resources in the shadows, what they had stored should be enough to sustain this war.
War!
Both a danger and an opportunity.
Their goal was clear: to find the two orbs and, through them, contact the two great legendary Pokémon.
That was the very reason Team Aqua and Team Magma had been born.
So even if they had to sacrifice their entire organizations, they would not hesitate.
At this point, Maxie and Archie were in complete agreement.
...
Meanwhile.
At the League camp, inside the main conference room.
Drake sat at the head of the table, holding two reports in his hands.
One was the report of human casualties caused by the counterattack of Team Magma and Team Aqua.
The other contained the information obtained from the captured officers — troop deployment, power levels, and the number of members of both teams.
Drake's expression was grim.
This time, Team Magma and Team Aqua had gone all in: except for a few who stayed behind as reserve, practically everyone had been deployed.
The situation was even more serious than he had imagined.
He looked around at those seated at the conference table, mentally comparing their forces with those of the enemy.
Sidney and two other Elite-level members had been withdrawn, which significantly affected the camp's current strength.
Finally, his gaze settled on Cain, and a faint, relieved smile appeared on his face.
"Cain, it's thanks to you this time. Otherwise, the losses would have been much worse. Maxie and Archie's counterattack was fierce. But even though we took heavy damage, they lost even more. And best of all, we obtained all the information we needed. That's excellent."
"I'm classifying this mission as Rank S."
With that, Cain now had two Rank S mission rewards to his name.
Upon hearing this, Cain remained serious: "Even so, I reacted too late. I could have saved more people, and I failed to prevent two Elite Officers from escaping."
The fact that two Elite Officers had managed to flee from him bothered him deeply.
But there had been no helping it — they had chosen to sacrifice their own Pokémon to break through and escape.
Moreover, they weren't like the first two he had faced, who underestimated him. After seeing a glimpse of his strength, they chose to retreat without hesitation.
The League had suffered much: four full squadrons gone, sixteen people dead, and another seven or eight teams severely injured, with a large number of fallen Pokémon. For quite some time, many would only be able to serve in rear-line duties.
"You've already done more than enough. We didn't expect such a brutal response either. Now that they know your strength, they'll either stay put or only act with full certainty. You must be careful," said Glacia.
Even she was astonished by the power Cain had displayed.
"According to the captives, Team Magma and Team Aqua have set up a transport device deep underground. They're receiving supplies from outside, meaning they're aiming for a war of attrition. But our own support is limited."
"You all know — those bastards from the Hunter Guild have joined in as well. With someone leading the way, the opportunists from every city have crawled out of their holes. The League is holding its ground, but a prolonged conflict isn't in our favor."
"If they find what they're looking for, it would deal a devastating blow to the League. That's why I've decided to speed up our exploration and seek a direct confrontation as soon as possible."
"During this period, I need you all to advance at the front line, ensuring the mission's progress. In return, we'll increase the exploration rewards," Drake announced.
No one in the room objected.
The League was powerful, yes, but too many enemies had appeared all at once, and it wasn't easy to hold them all back.
The gym leaders of each city, the League police, and the researchers were already deployed to their limits.
Only the private forces of the major families remained in reserve — and Juan did not wish to rely on them.
Because when it was all over, they would have to be compensated with great rewards.
For now, the League wasn't cornered just yet.
And if they could overcome this event, the Hoenn region would be cleansed and stable — at least for a while.
(End of Chapter)