socalfunplaces Chapter 374 The Return
Chapter 374 The Return
Chapter 376 The Return
The moment Hugo returned to Unova, he learned that Akromah had disappeared from the Alliance ward.
He wasn't surprised by this; what was strange was the traces left behind by Akromma's sudden disappearance.
"Without a doubt, the intruder used 'teleportation' to take Akroma away. The traces of spatial teleportation were obvious—or rather, too obvious. The mental energy was so vast that it covered the entire room, making it impossible to pinpoint the approximate location of the jump."
In the ward where Akromar had once stayed, the superhuman stationed in the Alliance reported to Hugo that this person had supposedly received guidance from Cattleya.
"Where is the Great Universe Monster of Akromar?"
Hugo, who had just gotten off the plane, rubbed his shoulders, where the sensation of the parachute pack straps still seemed to linger. He then asked Director Gade, who was next to the superpowered individual, about the situation.
"They had already escaped when we checked, leaving behind only an empty Poké Ball. There was also a huge amount of psychic energy fluctuation in the Pokémon ward, so it's almost certain that this Pokémon was the one that kidnapped Acromorma."
Gade lowered his head in shame: "This is our dereliction of duty—"
The newly crowned champion waved his hand dismissively: "That Da Yu monster is so dull-witted, it's normal to lower your guard around it. Besides, if that Akroma really wants to leave, we can't stop him."
"Isn't handling it so gently a bit too perfunctory?"
The Alliance Vice President's cold voice came from outside the ward. It was Ms. Gloria: "We've just learned that the agent negotiator, so highly regarded by the champion, is actually a researcher belonging to the Plasma Group."
His reputation is even more infamous in the field of academic research. This makes us wonder—Hugo, can we really trust you?
"Given the Alliance's security department's keen awareness, the fact that they only discovered Akromar's true identity now precisely demonstrates that he had absolutely no access to any sensitive Alliance information during his time as my personal agent, doesn't it?"
Hugo shrugged nonchalantly. After watching Gade leave the room with the superpowered individuals, he explained to the vice president, "I deliberately involved Acromar in those meetings after I already knew about his connection with Team Plasma. The purpose was to create a smokescreen, making those in the League who were secretly allied with Team Plasma waver in their stance on the new champion. Originally, I intended to reduce some resistance through this method, but unexpectedly, it yielded some positive results."
Hugo was obviously referring to Lionel Skolatos—this made the vice president's face look a little ugly. She had actually worked with a defector from the Plasma Group for so many years, and she really didn't have any grounds to blame Hugo for letting a wolf into the house.
"Team Plasma's biggest advantage over the League lies in this: the former operates in the shadows, cloaked in the guise of the Pokémon Liberation Movement. We cannot impose oppressive rule within the League and completely eliminate all Team Plasma collaborators—unless..."
We can prove ourselves more correct than they are. But this is virtually impossible; even if we were to attempt a debate, we would only fall into the trap of their sophistry.
Gloria sighed, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear: "To most people in the Alliance, Team Plasma is more like a cooperative partner with ulterior motives than an enemy. Coupled with long-standing underestimation, this has led many officials to the ridiculous notion that the organization can be exploited—but you and I both know that Team Plasma's ambitions go far beyond that."
"Didn't the Alliance find even the slightest clue that the Plasma Cluster had revealed?"
Hugo sat down on the bedside table across from the vice president and asked him seriously, "From what I know, Team Plasma has committed a series of crimes, including manipulating criminals, kidnapping Spirits, and causing serious explosions. Even if Ghetsis and the others can cover up some of these crimes, it's impossible for them to eliminate all the evidence, right?"
"The evidence is indeed fragmented, but it is far from sufficient to shake the foundations of that massive organization."
Ms. Gloria, who once held the purview of the Alliance's secrets, shook her head, her tone becoming heavy. "Their methods of concealment are indeed not very sophisticated, but the Plasma Team has branched out into many subordinate organizations. There are church organizations that simply worship the King, cult societies led by a single sage, and liberation movement-related organizations with only a few Plasma Team members involved—when the crimes of one of these organizations are exposed, they will shift the blame to other organizations whose identities cannot be verified."
On the other hand, they present themselves as victims to their followers to gain more sympathy and goodwill. Within this structure, the more they govern, the more...
The more united and stubborn those organizations are, and the more lenient they are, the more they will expand and grow without end, becoming as impenetrable as a rock crab with a hard shell.
"Yes, I guess that's the case too." Hugo nodded in understanding.
"Mr. Hugo, I know you don't intend to remain champion after the next League Tournament. But in the months leading up to that, what exactly is your intention as champion towards Team Plasma?"
Gloria asked seriously.
"Your earlier question about your trustworthiness was merely a smokescreen to the outside world. As you said before, in a situation where the enemy and friend are unknown, it's better to keep your stance somewhat ambiguous. In fact, I've investigated the situation through intelligence agencies in other regional leagues. As a blood relative of Cynthia, the Sinnoh Champion, you made significant contributions as a detective, assisting in the dismantling of Team Sinnoh Galactic. Since arriving in Unova, you've been investigating and combating Team Plasma. Just yesterday, you successfully destroyed Team Hoenn's Magma base and captured the organization's leader. Your reliability as a member of the League is beyond question. What I want to know now is—"
The vice president leaned closer to Hugo and said in a voice only the two of them could hear, "When are you planning to take action against Team Plasma? Is your identity as the Unova Champion a convenience or a constraint for you?"
"My point of view is—" the detective answered in a normal volume without any hesitation, "The Plasma Group is unlike any other underground organization in any other region. In fact, none of us can destroy the Plasma Group."
"Group Plasma is built upon a long-standing structural contradiction within our society, and that's the real reason it's able to remain invincible. Rather than the 'hard-shell armor' metaphor, I think that now, this organization is more like an icy goose in the snow. Even if you break its shell with physical attacks time and time again, it will still grow new 'frozen heads' again and again. Therefore, whether I'm a detective or the champion of the Unova League, launching an attack on Group Plasma is pointless. No matter whether we eventually arrest their King N or wipe out their Seven Sages, the organization's core essence will not change."
Hugo's voice was unwavering: "I now fully understand how former Champion Alderman handled similar incidents—only taking necessary action when the other party provoked the situation. As a champion, launching unnecessary offensives would only diminish the Pokémon League's credibility, although I believe there were many better ways to handle the situation before his Team Plasma became a force to be reckoned with."
"You mean we can only sit here and wait to die?" Vice President Gloria clenched her fists.
Hugo looked at the vice president with a meaningful gaze, without saying a word, until Gloria ran out of patience and left the ward in despair.
The moment the door closed, a corner of the light in the room began to flicker.
The air rippled like water, and Quixote's figure appeared silently in the center of the ward, like a ghost emerging from a canvas.