After departing from Giovanni's office, Aoki left directly without delay.
He boarded a special aircraft bound for the Hoenn region without making any stops.
During the month and a half he was absent, his communicator had received quite a few messages.
Although he had informed others of his departure in advance, many were still concerned about Aoki after not seeing him for so long.
This special flight went straight to the Hoenn League headquarters.
The most recent message from Tsuyoshi Matsuda had instructed Aoki to report directly to the League headquarters upon his return.
In addition to Matsuda, many others had also sent messages.
Steven and Phoebe had asked if Aoki had returned.
He called them back directly.
There were also regular updates from Skye and Rose reporting on the situation regarding the Sky Hunters.
By now, the Sky Hunters were fully operational and on the right track.
With the two Champion-level Pokemon provided by Aoki, the Sky Hunters' high-tier combat capabilities were in no way inferior to other organizations. They had successfully established a foothold in the Battle Arena and secured their allocated benefits.
Moreover, with Wattson injured, no one could restrict the development of the underground forces in Goldenrod City.
Rose expressed that as long as Aoki returned to take charge, she was confident they could absorb all the underground forces in Goldenrod City.
Rose, who had initially felt her talents were unrecognized, fully demonstrated her abilities after assuming this role.
Her relationship with Kaitou and the others was quite harmonious, with no conflicts arising.
Due to her strength, she had gradually become the main person in charge of the Sky Hunters in Goldenrod City.
Aoki did not have time to manage them for the moment. He needed to go to the League headquarters first to learn what had happened recently.
The message Matsuda had sent him seemed quite urgent.
The flight took an entire day.
He arrived at the Hoenn League headquarters.
After disembarking, Aoki changed into his uniform as a Chief Inspector.
People on the street noticed him and the badge on his chest, stopping to salute respectfully.
As a Chief Inspector, he was a genuine high-ranking official of the League at the headquarters.
He encountered no obstacles along the way and proceeded directly to Adams's office.
He had already spoken with Matsuda on the phone, who instructed him to go straight to Adams's office.
"Teacher, President," Aoki greeted the two men in the office.
Only Adams and Matsuda were present.
Adams nodded and motioned for Aoki to sit down.
Aoki took a seat beside Matsuda.
"Aoki, what have you been doing all this time you were away?" Adams asked, his expression neutral.
Aoki was slightly surprised by Adams's somewhat altered demeanor.
Nevertheless, he answered honestly, "I was trapped in another dimension, which is why I was out of contact for the past month and a half."
His teacher, Matsuda, also wore a rather stern expression.
Noticing the looks on both Adams's and Matsuda's faces, Aoki felt a pang of apprehension, and his expression grew serious. "What's wrong? What happened?"
Adams and Matsuda exchanged a glance, and it was Adams who finally spoke. "Drake is injured."
Hearing this news, Aoki was stunned.
Drake!
He was the strongest Dragon-type Champion in the Hoenn region. How could he be injured?
Moreover, the attitudes of these two men seemed different from when he first entered.
Aoki had his suspicions.
But the shock on his face was genuine.
Anyone capable of injuring Drake must have either outnumbered him or ambushed him...
An ambush?!
Aoki looked at Adams with a troubled expression. "President, are you suspecting me?"
"Precisely!" Before Adams could respond, the office door swung open and a man strode inside.
A middle-aged man, appearing to be in his forties, pushed the door open and entered boldly.
Bang!
Adams slammed the table angrily upon seeing the intruder. "Ergas! This is the Hoenn League, not your Kanto League. If you continue barging into my office like this, I will have to take this up with the Kanto League and question their conduct, even if it costs me my position as President!"
This man, named Ergas, was from the Kanto League—the headquarters of the Pokemon League.
Aoki narrowed his eyes, observing the middle-aged man who had entered. The man's gaze was fixed on him, a faint smile playing on his lips.
He looked utterly confident.
"My apologies, President Adams. I will submit a formal report later, but this matter is of utmost importance, and the headquarters is taking it very seriously..." Ergas's tone carried a hint of feigned helplessness.
Adams's expression darkened. "I've told you, this is a matter for the Hoenn League. You have no evidence, only suspicion, and you presume to be in the right?"
Seeing Adams's growing anger, Ergas realized he had pushed too far and immediately moderated his attitude.
Although he represented the central League, he was still facing Adams, the President and Champion of the Hoenn League, and a recognized League hero.
He needed to show sufficient respect.
Otherwise, if Adams decided to teach him a lesson, even reporting it to the Central League would not earn him any support.
Anyone capable of becoming a regional League President was no simple figure.
No one except the Supreme Council of the League could dictate terms to them regarding their roles and appointments.
"President Adams, please calm down. We are merely following procedure. We just need to have a conversation with Mr. Aoki." Ergas's tone became considerably more respectful.
Adams's expression softened slightly, though the anger on his face did not fully dissipate.
Matsuda, seated beside Aoki, had worn a grim expression since the man's entrance.
Aoki studied the middle-aged man thoughtfully.
If he was not mistaken, this person was likely a Chief Inspector of the Kanto League. His responsibilities...
Perhaps he was investigating internal traitors, much like Aoki himself.
A Chief Inspector who investigated traitors was now being investigated by another Chief Inspector who also investigated traitors?
The irony was not lost on him.
"Could you please explain what this is about?" Aoki asked, remaining seated.
Hearing Aoki's words, all three turned their attention to him.
A smile reappeared on Ergas's face. "You must be Chief Inspector Aoki, one of the famous twin stars of the Hoenn League. Hello, I am—"
"Hello, Mr. Ergas," Aoki replied with a smile, standing up to shake his hand.
Ergas seemed slightly taken aback by Aoki's composure.
It was rare for a person of interest to remain so calm during such an encounter.
"Mr. Aoki remains so composed. Allow me to explain the situation," Ergas said.
Adams and Matsuda's expressions remained grave.
It was clear the situation was serious.
No wonder Giovanni had told him that self-preservation was the priority.
At least some warning would have been helpful...
This had all happened so suddenly, and Aoki was completely in the dark.