Rose Tower.
Inside his room, Shiro pulled out his communicator and checked the time. It was not yet noon.
Contacting those researchers and professors now would be too early. It didn't fit the routine of his Corviknight identity, which only appeared in the evenings.
As for the company's surveillance... if they learned that the ship sent by the outside League was meant to pick him up, they would certainly interfere, perhaps even set an ambush at Hulbury and arrest him on the spot.
He couldn't reach out too soon.
The Champion Cup will begin after a buffer period of one to three months following the completion of the Gym Challenge. And only when every challenger either earned all eight badges or was eliminated would the challenge be considered complete.
Judging by the current schedule, the process would take around two months. After all, Gym Challenge wasn't just about gym matches and the special roadblockers arranged by the company. It also included the challengers' long journeys on foot and the countless battles against ordinary League trainers stationed along the official routes.
If he wanted to rely on a ship from the outside League, then it would be best for that ship to arrive near the end of the Champion Cup.
That way, when the company was overwhelmed with preparations and chaos of the event, he could slip away.
Of course, there was still the risk of interception.
At that time, he could try his luck at Hulbury. If a cruise ship happened to be nearby, he might seize the small window when the company's attention slipped and vanish before they noticed.
And if he had to take part in the Champion Cup...
A sudden thought struck him. Once he lost and no longer qualified for any more matches, the company would likely make their move.
He had to plan an escape before defeat, while he still had the freedom to act.
The moment the thought settled, he leapt from his sofa. His eyes swept around the room, and he quickly gathered his belongings and clothes.
His Pokémon needed even more training.
And he couldn't stay in Rose Tower any longer. Danger could come at any second.
Like Milo, he had to undertake the Gym Challenge journey on foot. Only by leaving the tower and keeping himself in plain view of the cameras scattered along the routes could he ensure his safety until the whole event ended.
Determined, he rushed out of the bedroom and took the elevator to the cafeteria.
The Pokéblocks in his bag were nearly gone. He needed food for himself, and enough blocks to feed his team.
Since the company hadn't arrested him when he entered the tower, leaving now shouldn't be a problem either. Of course, he would still be watched. Most likely, a special surveillance crew would be assigned to follow his every action, in case he abruptly disappeared.
He kept moving, heading straight toward the cafeteria.
* * *
On the fifth floor, in a corner of the central research lab, three researchers stared silently at the monitors showing every angle of Shiro's movements.
On screen, he, who had been lounging lazily just moments ago, suddenly jumped up. He ran off—only to grab food.
Now he was stuffing his mouth with Fighting-type Pokéblocks.
"Wait, humans can eat those?" All three widened their eyes, learning something new they hadn't expected.
"Does eating Pokéblocks like that... really improve a trainer's ability?" a short researcher mumbled.
"Uh..."
The other two exchanged confused looks. Both of them had the faintest idea how to answer.
Ordinary people who ate too many Pokéblocks usually ended up with stomach trouble. The concentrated nutrients and energy were far beyond what a human body could absorb. Wouldn't it just give him diarrhea?
"Should... we report this?" the short-haired female researcher asked hesitantly. She had resisted the assignment from the very beginning, and now she was even more tempted to apply directly to Oleana to quit.
If their subject ended up with diarrhea, were they supposed to submit detailed numbers about that too?
It was ridiculous.
Wasn't surveillance work supposed to be handled by the company's dedicated security units?
She grumbled inwardly, then glanced at her two colleagues.
Neither of them spoke. Their eyes stayed locked on the monitors. Both had been assigned later to assist. The real lead here was the short-haired woman herself.
They were all researchers. If they hadn't gone too long without producing results, Oleana would never have sent them to do this kind of thankless work.
When the room fell back into silence, the screen showed Shiro standing up from the table again. He wandered into the Pokémon food section, filled his bag with Pokéblocks, and then stepped into the elevator.
"He looks... like he's going down?"
"Seems that way."
"I've recorded everything. So... do we actually report this?"
Their voices were low, almost whispers, but none of them got up.
Meanwhile, on the feed, Shiro casually strode through the first-floor lobby, summoned his Corviknight, and mounted up. He soared into the sky. The external cameras placed around the Rose Tower soon lost sight of him.
Bang!
The three researchers jolted as chairs scraped and equipment clattered. They rushed out of the cramped surveillance room and sprinted toward Oleana.
"Lady Oleana! Shiro has escaped!"
* * *
South of Wyndon.
The altitude was high here. The air was cold, and the ground lay buried beneath thick, frozen snow.
Circhester was to the southeast.
From above the clouds, the snow-covered peaks blurred into the horizon, their outlines softened by mist. The official road below blended seamlessly into the icy terrain, nearly impossible to spot with the naked eye.
Bzzz!
Riding on Corviknight, Shiro pulled out his communicator. A cold, stern voice crackled through the line.
"This is during the Gym Challenge. Do you intend to escap—"
He cut Oleana off immediately, "This is still part of the challenge. I have to travel on foot. Otherwise, what will Galar's audience think if a company-backed trainer refuses to make the journey? It would look staged."
Silence stretched for a while before she replied, "Fine. Then head to the Hero's Bath in the center of Circhester and wait there. I'll send you the route and the schedule, and assign a crew to film you along the way."
"Alright," he said calmly. He had expected this and agreed without complaint. "Please hurry."
As they spoke, his Corviknight banked sharply, slicing through the clouds. The icy wind howled upward, tugging at his black cloak and making it snap like a banner in the storm.
Bzzz!
The call ended. Shiro narrowed his eyes as he looked down. The ancient buildings of Circhester came into view, steam rolling steadily from the Hero's Bath at its heart.
Melony had already been taken into the company's custody. Gordie remained in town, still recovering.
If his guess was right, the company would release official documents about the handling of Circhester Gym within a few days. Then, during the next challenge, they would announce a new Gym Leader.
Whether it was Gordie or Marvin, it didn't matter. Circhester was already firmly under Macro Cosmos' control.
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