The battle in Hammerlocke was still raging, while Shiro and Marvin had just arrived at Wyndon in a Flying Taxi along with others.
The flock of Corviknight were seasoned and precise. They glided down with ease, landing neatly in front of the Macro Cosmos building, their metallic wings folding as they lined up perfectly in the plaza.
"Aw, come on! I just took a nap and the battle's already over!" Marvin complained as he hopped out of the passenger compartment.
Shiro followed him, stepping lightly onto the ground.
All around them, staff members from the League and the company were rushing about. As soon as they climbed down from the Flying Taxis, they hurried off carrying equipment and devices. They were already preparing for the next live broadcast location, which would follow immediately after Raihan's match—Milo's journey to Hammerlocke.
Unlike the others, Milo was really traveling on foot, and his pace was fast. A few more hours of walking would bring him to Hammerlocke. The company's TV crew planned to air his journey right after finishing the coverage of Raihan's gym battle, keeping the program seamless.
Shiro's eyes swept across the bustling staff, then turned to the lazily stretching Marvin. He said, "You might end up being appointed as a Gym Leader directly."
"Appointed as a Gym Leader... ugh, no way. If that happens, I'm refusing. I'll let Gordie take the lousy job," Marvin scoffed. "I didn't get a chance to beat him today, but when the Champion Cup comes, I'll pound that thick skull of his into the ground."
Chuckling softly, Shiro nodded.
At this point, Marvin had both the strength and backing. It didn't matter if he became a Gym Leader right away or just fought to prove a point. The only problem would be if Gordie got knocked out of the tournament before he even had the chance to face him. In that case, the company might need to... adjust the match order to make things happen.
"By the way..." Shiro suddenly remembered something and pulled out two Poké Balls he had previously taken from Melony. He handed them to Marvin.
Inside were a Darmanitan and an Eiscue.
"Huh?" Marvin blinked in confusion, but still accepted them. Through the transparent red surface of the Poké Balls, he could clearly see the Pokémon within.
"These are... that old hag Melony's—no, wait. They're my dad's Pokémon?" His eyes widened in shock before he turned to Shiro. "Wha...?"
"I got them from Melony," he explained calmly. "If you don't take the position as Circhester's Gym Leader, the company might hand her Pokémon to Gordie instead. Better that you keep them for now."
If these Pokémon fell into Macro Cosmos' hands, getting them back would be almost impossible. From their perspective, Marvin's usefulness was pretty much exhausted, and they certainly weren't short on powerful Pokémon. They would most likely pass them to Gordie as bargaining chips or retrain them for someone else.
Marvin played with the Poké Balls in his hand, grinning like a child who had just gotten new toys.
"Didn't expect anything less from you, Shiro."
Before he could say more, the sound of a cane tapping echoed from the corner of the first-floor lobby.
Thump, thump...
Both turned their heads. Standing there was Granny Shae, her face stern, eyes fixed on Marvin.
The boy shivered instinctively. Not waiting for her to speak, he straightened his posture.
"She's calling me. Shiro, I'll go first." He gave a quick wave and hurried after her.
Shiro scratched his head helplessly and walked deeper into the lobby.
In that instant, he felt something unusual, like many eyes were locked onto him.
He froze, scanning the area.
Behind the counters on either side of the lobby stood three company employees each. They seemed casual enough, but he could feel their gazes on him. Nothing too strange, at least on the surface.
But that sensation... it was as if someone was watching not just from the sides, but from above his head and even below his feet.
'What is this? Just my imagination?'
He quickened his pace toward the elevator, though doubt gnawed at him.
'It's not an illusion,' the voice of Unown A echoed in his mind. 'It's psychic power. The Pokémon and people under its control were staring at you.'
'They were looking at me?' His heart sank.
Is this surveillance from Rose?
Had the company, or Oleana, discovered something and reported it to the man? Was it related to the Rusted Sword and Shield, or the Unown? Or did they suspect a connection between him and the Dragon Tamer family?
He replayed everything quickly in his mind but couldn't be sure.
During the incident in the Wild Area, the regular hunters had all been captured. But Renji, who escaped at the start, had never been accounted for. Shiro hadn't found him, nor had he mentioned him to the company's search teams.
The fifty-one people arrested were all ordinary hunters, excluding Hunter G and Renji.
He had thought Renji either fled or died, but maybe... he'd been caught by Macro Cosmos.
And then there was the matter of the Rusted Sword and Shield. Even if Edgar and Allister kept silent, the company's men who investigated the ruins would eventually uncover inconsistencies.
Shiro's concern deepened.
Would a group of thugs catch him the moment the elevator doors opened?
'There's no one outside,' Unown A reassured.
Ding!
The elevator reached its destination. Shiro exhaled in relief and walked out after the doors slid open.
'Are those psychic powers still watching me?' he asked silently.
Unown A stretched its senses before replying, 'No. The traces have faded. Everything's returned to normal.'
"I see..." He furrowed his brow, still unable to make sense of it. Had Rose already confirmed that he carried the Rusted Sword and Shield or the Unown?
If so, what was the plan? Would the company confront him directly, try to take them in secret, or simply wait for the right time?
After all, he was still one of the Gym Challenge participants, and they still had use for him.
Perhaps Rose intended to act after the Champion Cup. Or maybe it had all just been a coincidence.
These thoughts circled in his mind as he pushed open the door to his room.
Instantly, a chill ran up from his heels to his spine and into the back of his head.
Something was wrong.
He stopped at the doorway, refusing to step inside.
Only after Unown A scanned with psychic power did the answer come. 'There are more than a dozen tiny electronic devices inside. They appear to be cameras.'
'Hidden cameras? Or even smaller?' Shiro thought grimly as he stepped into the room, closing the door behind him.
'I know where they are. Should I clear them out?' Unown A offered.
He dropped his backpack by the bed and slumped into the sofa chair like usual.
Those cameras must not be touched.
They had been installed recently and by professionals. To his eyes, nothing in the room looked tampered with; everything was exactly where he had left it.
This wasn't just surveillance. It was a test to see if he noticed.
Without a psychic Pokémon, the chances of spotting them were close to zero. If he suddenly located and dismantled them all, he would be telling Rose outright that he had some kind of invisible psychic ally... the Unown.
'Everything stays the same,' he warned Unown A. 'You and G mustn't show yourselves. Stay hidden.'
'Understood,' came the quiet reply.
Keeping his expression neutral, Shiro picked up the remote, switched on the TV, and leaned back lazily on the sofa. He propped his head against his hand and stared at the screen, pretending to be absorbed in the ongoing Gym Challenge.
On the broadcast, Rylan's Haxorus, already badly injured by Turtonator, swung the axe-like blade on its head and struck its opponent's abdomen.
The turtle dragon's belly was its weak point. A direct hit there meant devastating damage.
Both Pokémon collapsed to the ground at the same time, ending the round in a double knockout.
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