Just as Vale was thinking about how to use two hundred million to hold Axel back and keep the bidding from escalating too quickly, the table in front of him suddenly flashed red, and a sharp electronic alarm sounded.
[Warning! Warning! This auction participant has just withdrawn their deposit. This auction participant has just withdrawn their deposit.]
The auctioneer lady's expression changed, "Sir, although I don't know what method you used to retrieve your deposit midway, I must inform you that your bid this time is invalid."
"Huh?", Vale was stunned too. He hadn't done anything, so how did his deposit disappear?
But he didn't have time to explain. Right now, the matter of the mask was more important than his pride.
He lowered his head and said nothing, frantically tapping on his Rotom phone.
[Dad, hurry and send me money, send me one hundred billion. I'm about to get access to clues about a god.]
[When that happens, I'll become the strongest trainer in Paldea and quickly take the Champion's throne.]
[Then the chairman position will definitely be yours!]
Vale waited anxiously for a long time before the other side finally initiated a video call.
His father was wearing a suit, holding a voluptuous woman in his arms, swirling a glass of red wine in his left hand, looking extremely pleased.
["Stop trying, son. Our family's bankrupt. Come back and rest."]
"Huh?", Vale was dumbfounded, 'Didn't you say just yesterday we were as rich as a nation? How are we bankrupt today.'
'And also, you're bankrupt but still this happy? Are you insane!'
Seeing Vale's confused expression, his father grinned smugly.
["Isn't it just bankruptcy? It's nothing."]
["These past few days, a big shot came to the League. This money was spent for that big shot. Even if we can't cling to their thigh in the future, it'll at least make other families wary of us."]
["After all… that big shot might end up standing behind us."]
"Huh?", Vale grew even more confused, but a bad feeling suddenly crept up inside him.
Just now, didn't someone also spend fifteen billion?
With such a huge amount, it's hard for two of them to appear at the same time, right?
"F-father, how… how exactly did you spend money for that big shot?"
["Of course at an auction,"] Vale's father fiercely kissed the woman beside him and said proudly, ["That big shot came this time specifically for an item in Zapapico Town, so they had us fund it."]
["I was worried that they might spend too little and wouldn't form any connection with us."]
["Who would've thought, for some reason, that big shot spent Fifteen billion!"]
["I remember you're traveling there too, right?"]
["After the auction ends, remember to go up and greet them. Just say you're from the Vale family…"]
Boom!
Vale couldn't hear anything his father said after that. All he knew was that his mind exploded with a loud bang, leaving him completely blank.
The level of shock he felt was no less than being pinned down and rubbed into the ground by a group of shiny, lonely female Machamps.
The money Axel had been provoked into spending just now… was actually his family's entire savings?
And on top of that… he had completely offended Axel.
———
While Vale fainted, outside the venue, several people sat around under a sun umbrella, each holding a cup of coffee.
"Lord Spinel, according to our intel, that mask will be auctioned off today. Shouldn't we rush in and seize it?"
"Seize it?", A green-haired man with refined features, Spinel, sneered disdainfully.
"That's the kind of thing reckless people like Coral and Amethio would do. We're legitimate businessmen. Don't go testing the League's bottom line."
"According to their information, the hero who saved Sinnoh has already arrived in the Paldea region. All of you better behave in the upcoming actions."
"Of course, that doesn't mean we have to just hand over the mask…"
Without waiting for a response, Spinel gently stroked the Beheeyem beside him.
"What if the person who gets the mask willingly hands it over to us? That's not impossible, right?"
The subordinates' eyes lit up. Without needing to think, they understood Spinel's idea.
Right, what could others do even if they got the mask?
Could they really resist Beheeyem's hypnosis?
———
Inside the auction hall, the auction finally reached its closing stage.
After Vale fainted, the auction house kindly arranged for a Chansey to treat him, and then a warm-hearted security guard uncle threw him out.
Seeing what had happened, the others also realized Axel wasn't in the mood for conversation, so they left in an orderly manner.
Before long, the auctioneer lady pushed a small cart and personally delivered the auction items to Axel.
The Griseous Core, Ogerpon's Wellspring Mask.
Diao Chan's clothes and jewelry, as well as a Porygon and a Rotom phone that Axel casually bought, meant as small gifts for Diao Chan.
Things like these couldn't be seen in ancient times. They should help Diao Chan quickly understand modern knowledge, and at the same time serve as two pretty good companions.
"Thanks," Axel didn't chat much with the auctioneer lady. After putting away the Wellspring Mask, he got up and left.
When the Griseous Core wasn't in his hands before, he didn't feel much. But now that it was in his possession, Axel suddenly didn't want to delay even for a second.
All he wanted was to quickly find a place, release Diao Chan, and ask her whether she had felt lonely during this time, whether she had been suffering, whether she wanted to tie up Giratina and give it a beating.
["Master… you look really anxious~"], After walking out of the Zapapico Town Museum, Gardevoir hooked onto Axel's arm and teased him.
Axel spoke stubbornly, "I'm not anxious. I just know you definitely miss the white Gardevoir, okay?"
["Alright, alright~ it's all for my sake, right?"], Gardevoir kept smiling at Axel, not exposing him.
Among Axel's companions, she got along best with Eva, Pheromosa, and Diao Chan's Gardevoir.
Now that the white Gardevoir and the others could see the light of day again, Gardevoir felt happy too.
["Master, how about booking a room, rescuing little sister Diao Chan and big sister Gardevoir, and then letting you experience a classic Three Kingdoms activity?"]
Axel paused, "What classic activity?"
Gardevoir put her hands on her hips, ["Three heroes versus Axel!"]
["If you feel that's not enough, big sister Gardevoir and I can even make clones!"]
Axel unconsciously licked his lips. Just as he was about to modestly refuse a little, a few figures suddenly walked over.
"Hey, little brother, we're tourists visiting Zapapico Town. We originally wanted to check out the museum, but it turned out to be closed."
"We saw you just come out. Could you tell us what's inside?"
Axel waved his hand, about to refuse, when he suddenly felt a strange mental fluctuation probing into his mind.
Kyogre and Groudon inside his consciousness immediately roared, ["Master, some small fry is trying to get in. Should we open the door or not!"]
Axel: "???"
'Why are people in Paldea so bold, rushing to challenge me like this?'
'Even villains from other regions aren't this arrogant.'
['Let him in hard.']
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