Outside the secluded cave.
Baimu tilted his head back and watched Delibird fly away with the large cloth bag in its grasp. It was hard to imagine that this penguin, which stood only a little taller than a person's waist, could carry such a huge object.
"Won't... won't it suffocate?"
It should be breathable?
He turned to look into the cave. The Hound Team member had already changed into a Quicksand Team uniform, though it looked somewhat loose on her.
"Good thing Hound Team uniforms aren't divided by gender."
Ignoring her ugly expression, Baimu put on the Hound Team uniform. Although some parts were a little tight, it wasn't completely unacceptable.
"What meaning does this serve?" the Hound Team member couldn't help asking. "You exposed yourself so casually! Do you really think other people are idiots?"
"So what if I'm exposed?"
He smiled. "I only need to catch that person off guard for a moment. Of course, I also need your cooperation."
He had already realized she was a woman when he searched her.
Although her gender was a little unfortunate, there was nothing he could do about it. It hadn't been easy to capture someone without injury, and she was the sort who was rather afraid of dying. He might as well make use of her.
Besides, the main reason he had kept her alive was the radar function. He couldn't use an enemy's Bracelets himself, but there was no problem if he had the enemy use them.
He had checked just now, and all the functions of the Bracelets were still active. They hadn't been shut off.
She said coldly, "What if I don't cooperate?"
"Then forget about redeeming your Pokémon." Baimu's expression didn't change. "How about I take two of your thumbs as well?"
She fell silent.
Baimu continued, "You should actually feel fortunate. If you still had no use, your fate would have been the same as my teammate's—an eye for an eye.
"By the way, were you trying to bring him down earlier? Why? You didn't like the look of him, so you wanted to pull him down and beat him up?"
"I would never do something like that!"
The Hound Team member turned her head away in frustration.
At a time like this, she knew the other side wouldn't believe that she had suddenly developed a burst of kindness, so she simply kept her mouth shut.
Baimu chuckled. "Whether you would or not doesn't matter. We'll cooperate sincerely, and I'll guarantee you leave in one piece. I can even sell your Pokémon back to you at a discount."
"...Really?"
"You can believe I'm lying if you want. That's your freedom. All right, it's almost time. Let's get ready. There are still two minutes until the radar activates."
He put on his Cloak, then took a black mask from his bag and put it on the Hound Team member before silently leaving the cave.
Rotom Drone followed behind them, recording everything they had just done and said, then transmitting it to the outside world.
It was projected onto screens everywhere.
Audiences from all over began discussing it in small groups.
Naturally, the focus was on whether Baimu and the female Hound Team member could fool someone.
At the arena, many people felt he was being too clever for his own good and that there was no chance anyone would fall for it. Others thought the target might very well turn the tables and approach them instead.
In short.
Not many people favored Baimu.
The reason, of course, was that the previous battle hadn't relied on a head-on confrontation. He had taken down his opponent through an ambush, so he hadn't displayed much true strength, and there had been nothing particularly impressive about how he handled things afterward.
Your teammate had ended up in such a miserable state, and you hadn't even torn off one of the opponent's arms after seeing it? How dull. Utterly dull.
"He's too green."
As they gave their low evaluations, they ignored the other screens and stared intently at the one showing Baimu.
Meanwhile, at the banquet in Silicon Beryllium City.
There were slightly more spectators who admired Baimu, most of them people who were unfazed by bloody scenes and acted swiftly and decisively.
Although the ambush plan had seemed somewhat crude, taking down an opponent in such a short time was still worthy of praise.
If Mayor Ejin hadn't yet offered the first reward, they would have shown their support somehow, one way or another.
It probably wouldn't be long now.
They looked toward Ejin, who was chatting merrily with several people on the second floor, and were quite curious which lucky person would receive such good fortune.
Inside the Quicksand Team's base.
The oppressive atmosphere from earlier had eased considerably. Aside from complaints that Baimu had been too merciful, there were no other objections. Everyone was simply waiting for Delibird to return with the injured.
During their casual conversations, the Hound Team's support staff inevitably brought up the 550,000 reward again, guessing who had sent it.
"It definitely includes Big Sis Ayana."
"I think so too. When she went to report just now, her brows were practically dancing..."
"Stop talking! Look! Someone's approaching!"
Someone interrupted the discussion, pointing excitedly at the large screen in the distance.
Although there were smaller projectors inside the base, they preferred the large one.
The others looked over and saw that, in the simplified map at the center of the screen, a flashing red dot was approaching another blue dot.
At the same time, in the detailed tracking footage, a Hound Team member was moving forward cautiously and slowly. The road he was walking along was clearly one Baimu had traveled before.
In another scene, the female Hound Team member in a Quicksand Team uniform leaned against a huge rock. Behind the rock, Baimu and Vibrava crouched in ambush, moving with utmost care.
His hiding place ensured that he couldn't be seen from any other direction. Waiting for his prey to come to him while rested and ready, he was practically the archetype of a crafty old hand.
The chance to use the radar entered its countdown.
Outside the arena, the gambling spectators opened a betting pool, wagering on whether that person would fall for it.
Amid all the noisy chatter, only a small portion of people still cared about the battles unfolding elsewhere.
The director also wisely shrank some of the screens showing no battles and enlarged the few displaying battles or fights that were about to begin.
The Quicksand Team's support staff joined the betting as well. Each of them clutched a betting slip and nervously watched the screen. They didn't even notice when Delibird returned with the injured. Only after someone called out did they reluctantly turn their heads.
On the screen.
The instant the radar countdown ended, both sides activated it in unison.
A light screen appeared, and both Baimu and the Hound Team member saw flashing red dots not far from them!
This close!?
No good. I have to strike first!
Bang! Bang!
The Hound Team member immediately opened two Poké Balls, releasing a powerfully built Mightyena and a Houndoom with curved, ram-like horns on its head and the appearance of a Doberman.
"Go! That person is right ahead!"
He barked the order, then charged forward with the two barking hounds.
After rounding the jagged boulders that blocked the road and his line of sight,
he suddenly spotted a fairly open patch of ground at a junction-like clearing between two cliffs. A person in a Quicksand Team uniform, their face impossible to make out, leaned against a rock, their twisted posture suggesting they were in considerable pain.
Rotom Drone hovered in the air, its camera pointed at the ground.
Did he just beat someone?
Was that Delibird earlier carrying someone from their side away?
A trap? Pokémon lying in ambush? Hmph! At worst, I'll turn the tables on him!
Various emotions flashed through the Hound Team member's mind in succession. Unwitting elation spilled from the corners of his mouth as he abruptly raised his arm. "Battle request! Charge!"
"Arf!"
"Woof!"
Beep.
The Bracelets let out a low tone, indicating that the battle request had been accepted. A cry answering the battle request also came from the distance.
But.
Why did the voice seem to be coming from behind the rock? Had that person thrown the Bracelets over there?
The Hound Team member watched the two Pokémon pounce forward. His steps instinctively slowed, and an indescribable sense of danger made his heart pound wildly.
"Come ba—"
"I'm in position!!"