Haunter's unexpected return completely exceeded Tetsuya's expectations. What was lost and then regained was especially precious.
Who says that there is no bond between villains and Pokémon?
Haunter remained hidden within Tetsuya's shadow. After careful consideration, Tetsuya decided that after the elimination rounds, he would use Haunter as one of his battle Pokémon.
Tetsuya would shift his main training focus onto Haunter, allowing it to evolve as soon as possible, complete a leap in strength, and establish the [Shadow Contract] with himself. This was Tetsuya's current plan.
For these past two days, Tetsuya had been recalling the advantages and disadvantages of the active [Shadow Contract]. The valuable legacy left by the Matsuba Family would be inherited by him.
[Active Shadow Contract: A -in this case- Haunter that feeds on vitality and shares a deep "bond" with its Trainer can establish a [Shadow Contract] at noon on the Summer Solstice. The Haunter will completely merge into the Trainer's shadow, becoming a part of the Trainer's body.
Not only will it share connected thoughts and psychic/mental power with the Trainer, but it can also freely extend and retract the shadow to execute moves. After that, the form of battle will only exist in the form of the shadow. Unless the Trainer dies, it cannot leave the Trainer's shadow. Its food is naturally vitality, which requires the Trainer to go to places "rich" in vitality in order to let it feed.]
Right now, his primary goal was to increase Haunter's level and let it evolve into Gengar, so that he could directly establish the [Shadow Contract] with Gengar. While it was still in the Haunter form, although it could also fight and grow stronger through the "shadow state", it could not evolve.
After establishing the [Shadow Contract], Haunter's strength would directly represent his own strength, so naturally, the stronger it was, the better!
---◓---
After two days, Kurusaki Sō's group had also recovered. Finally, the first elimination round was about to begin.
However, two people began to have a conversation.
"Raven, what plans do you have for these three years? The final results of these ten people are the key to your promotion," Sō said.
"I think my current method is very fair and upright. It will absolutely not bury any talented individual!" Raven said with full confidence.
Sō shook his head and said, "Your method works well in the first year… but by the second and third years, it inevitably becomes ineffective. After one year, those who remain all have some strength. They have formed their own methods for catching Pokémon, so there will not be a big gap in this aspect anymore."
Raven nodded, thinking it made sense, "Hmm. Then at that time we can only change it to a points-based competition. Meh, in any case, I will keep the strongest ten people."
"Raven, the cycle is too long," Sō said.
Raven did not understand, "What do you mean, Sō?"
"Two years is enough for them to fully explore this entire island. In the third year… would they still stay on the island wasting time!? It can be said that it would no longer bring any improvement at all. In that case, if your ten strongest do not know how to train, it would just be a wasted year."
"Sigh… that makes sense. Then what should be done?"
"Didn't you notice during last year's main island evaluation that the ten people under your jurisdiction from Sinnoh, Hoenn, and Unova appeared to have no CP -combat power- at all compared to the ten from Kanto?"
This hit Raven's sore spot. He slapped his palm and said, "That's right! Logically speaking, my ten people weren't weak either. How could the gap be so big!?"
"I specifically inquired about the method of the Kanto sub-island Admin. His elimination rounds are already finished within two years. After two years, only ten people remain, each with five Pokémon!" Sō said.
Raven burst into laughter after hearing this, "No, no. Then in the final year, these ten people would have no pressure at all! How would they improve?"
"You're wrong. In the final year, the Kanto Admin personally conducts ours Shadow Team's harsh training on those ten people and their Pokémon. Think about it, Raven, with that kind of training intensity, how could there not be results!?" Sō said.
Raven smacked his lips and said, "…But isn't that the kind of training only given after becoming an official member?"
On this point, Raven indeed had not considered it. The Shadow Team did have a systematic training plan for new members, but that was aimed at those who had already become members. To put it plainly, these people now did not count as official Shadow Team members at all.
The Shadow Team had no need to spend manpower and resources to train them. If they did not meet the qualifications to become members, selling them off would just be making a wedding dress for other organizations.
"Think about it, Raven! If you train these ten people and they become the strongest among the five sub-islands… wouldn't that be equivalent to Shadow Team members!? What could headquarters say then?" Sō said.
"…"
Raven was also very excited. That night, he drank with Sō until they were completely drunk, and only went to sleep together late at night.
---◓---
Three days had passed…
Everyone gathered once again in front of the camp. All the Shadow Team members also stood in formation, only waiting for their leaders Raven and Kurusaki Sō.
After quite a while, Raven and Sō staggered out. These two strong men of the Shadow Team were now somewhat unsteady even when walking. It seemed they had indeed greatly "depleted" their vitality.
The grunts held back their laughter; they didn't dare laugh. Last night, they must have seen or heard something they should not have…
Raven and Sō announced the "new rules", and the crowd naturally became even more tense.
Three years had been compressed into two years. Only ten people would remain. Life was already racing against time!
At this moment, the Shadow Team locked everyone inside the iron fence, and those whose names were called would come out to battle.
The first batch of five groups naturally included the first-ranked Tetsuya and the ninetieth-ranked member of Yako's team, Sieg.
Tetsuya sent Beedrill, standing upright.
The opponent did not send out a Pokémon for a long time, especially after seeing this Beedrill.
"This is unfair… this is unfair… Why do I have to fight the strongest…? Why…!?" Sieg kept muttering to himself in place, as if he had lost his mind.
Sieg had already witnessed Tetsuya's power. Even when all four members of his team fought together, they were not Tetsuya's opponent. At that time, the team's strength had been even greater than it was now.
For him to face Tetsuya alone, where would he find such courage!?
"If you don't send out your Pokémon, you will be eliminated directly." The Shadow Team members did not have that kind of patience.
The other four groups were already fighting fiercely, while on Tetsuya's side, the opponent had still not sent out a Pokémon.
Only to see Raven wave his hand.
Two grunts directly dragged that person toward the ship, shouting loudly, "Go feed the Sharpedo!"
Only at this moment did Sieg realize the presence of death…
Better to take a gamble!