Chapter 183: The End of an Era

Shadow Team officially sank into the mud of Huang Tie Town.

When Liu Ge announced the operation, numerous trainers with high-quality gear and powerful Pokémon emerged from all factions in Huang Tie Town, striking at both sides simultaneously as the major forces steadily retreated.

At first, Shadow Team didn't take these people seriously—until they realized that while their numbers weren't as great as those of the rabble, their tenacity had doubled, then doubled again.

Then.

Another group appeared, shocking Shadow Team's commander even further.

"You're saying there are trainers wearing red capes, using Gyarados, Dragonite, and Charizard?" He stared in disbelief at the Shadow Team member before him.

The latter's face was twisted in agony as he nodded frantically. "Yes! These guys appeared out of nowhere—their leader's an old man in a white hat. Look."

The Shadow Team member handed a photo he'd taken to the commander.

"Dragon Tamer… Hoenn's Four Guardians…"

The commander's face turned ashen. His underlings, who spent their days drinking, gambling, and doing nothing, might not know—but he knew exactly who these people were. Hoenn wasn't some completely isolated region.

But what puzzled him was why Hoenn's Guardians and the Dragon Tamer had appeared together in this remote corner of the world—what in Huang Tie Town could possibly attract them?

"Bad news! Boss, bad news!"

Another disheveled Shadow Team member ran over. "Champion! The Champion's here!"

"Champion?!"

The commander's eyes widened as he grabbed the man. "You're saying Champion? Which Champion? Where did this Champion come from?!"

Reincarnation: The Great Wave Era

"It's Hoenn's Champion! Champion Dawu of Hoenn!" The Shadow Team member pointed to a shimmering silver meteor streaking across the horizon.

This meteor kept plummeting from the sky, then shooting back up—each descent triggered a terrifying rumble like an earthquake, sending dust soaring dozens of meters into the air.

The commander panicked completely, trembling as he pulled out his communication device to alert Elder Ejin in Silibery City.

But before he could switch to a secret channel immune to interference, a hand suddenly clamped over his mouth—a numbness surged through his mind.

"You can't ruin things now."

A familiar yet alien voice whispered beside his ear. Before he slipped into darkness, he saw only a flurry of panicked Shadow Team members and a contorted face.

It's you!

He suddenly remembered—this man was the only one who had returned alive after delivering the ultimatum to Huang Tie Town.

With the commander down, the surrounding Shadow Team members erupted into chaos.

"Who are you?!"

"Grab him! The boss is dead because of him!"

"Attack!"

Surrounded by snarling Dark Pokémon and Shadow Team members, Flobo remained calm, effortlessly raising his hand to release a Poké Ball.

Boom!

A white light coalesced into a Pokémon resembling a blue balloon, with a cotton-like tuft on its head and one on each arm, each nearly as large as its body.

It let out a crisp cry.

"Wada~"

"Cottonee!"

Then.

Cottonee, facing the onslaught of Dark Pokémon, deliberately exploded its three cotton tufts.

Pow!

Countless cotton fibers surged outward, colliding with the Dark Pokémon's black auras and rapidly filling every inch of the surrounding space!

"What is this?!"

"Spit! Spit!"

The Shadow Team members tried to break free, but the cotton fibers sprouted tough, brown-black tendrils—alive, writhing, binding them tight.

By the time they cleared the cotton, Flobo had vanished—along with their commander.

The Shadow Team members stared at each other, utterly thrown into disarray.

"Find a way to notify Elder Ejin!"

"Shut off the signal jammer! Quickly notify Elder Ejin!"

"Who can teach me how to do this?!"

Without their leader, the Shadow Team members became headless flies.

——

Silibery City.

Unlike Huang Tie Town, which had been in chaos for over half a month, this place was utterly calm—even decorated with lanterns and banners, as if celebrating something.

From citizens' conversations, it was clear the Ore Alliance was about to be established, and Mayor Ejin would become its first chairman, finally opening the Ore Region to outside trainers and encouraging them to build Gyms.

For the citizens of Silibery City, this was undoubtedly tremendous news.

They had long envied other regions for their Gyms, League Conferences, and Champion Battles. More importantly, once the Alliance was formed, the Ore Region would gain more cities.

Not like now, where the entire population was crammed into a handful of towns—one hand could count them all.

But while the citizens were ecstatic, Mayor Ejin was far from happy.

On one hand.

The Alliance establishment approval had been stalled for nearly half a year—he felt the Alliance inspectors were just playing with him. He'd done everything he was supposed to, paid all the bribes—and still, they dragged it out.

On the other hand.

The situation in Huang Tie Town remained unknown.

Logically, even with the signal jammer active, they should still have access to the secret channel built through Rotom—but he had no idea what was happening in Huang Tie Town right now.

Combined with the inexplicably appearing sandflow squad that had come to ambush them, Elder Ejin felt a sinister premonition.

This sinister premonition was soon fulfilled.

"Boss! The Champions! The Champions are here! We can't fight them!"

Explosions and gasping breaths kept coming from the other end of the call; Elder Ejin stood frozen, gripping his phone in silence.

"You said… what Champions?"

He asked, frowning tightly.

But before the other side could answer, a violent explosion rang out, and then a different voice came through the line.

"Hello."

The young man's voice made Elder Ejin shudder, "This is Huang Tie Town."

"Who are you?"

Elder Ejin's face darkened, "... Do you know how much this will cost you?"

"Oh?"

The young man on the other end sounded slightly puzzled, "Cost? Hmm… why don't you tell me yourself, if you still get the chance, Elder Ejin."

Click.

The call ended.

Elder Ejin clenched the phone, then, unable to contain his rage any longer, smashed it onto the floor.

"No matter who you are, you're dead!"

Fuming, he grabbed the office landline, trying to summon his trusted subordinates—but found the line wouldn't connect.

This strange phenomenon slightly cooled his anger.

Something's wrong!

"Someone! Anyone!"

He shouted—but no one answered.

Elder Ejin rose with his cane and hurried out of the office, opened the door—and saw the long corridor empty, as if the entire world had vanished, leaving only him.

So.

He shouted as he wandered through the mayor's mansion, but not a single maid, servant, or Shadow Squad member was to be found.

His phone had no signal; the Lotoom smart butler had vanished without a trace.

The only place with any response was the exhibition hall next door, meant to announce the formation of the Oure Alliance to the world—inside, it was deafening, as if countless people were clinking glasses.

Elder Ejin, as if spotting a savior, rushed into the hall—only to find one person inside.

The man stood on the podium, watching him with indifference.

"Dinise, is this your doing!?" Elder Ejin snarled.

But Dinise said nothing—only rose slowly.

The middle-aged man in his suit and tie spoke like a judge pronouncing a death sentence:

"Ejin, your era is over!"

In an instant.

As if countless temple bells had exploded beside his ears, Elder Ejin reeled, his face reddening visibly, his whole body trembling with rage, his molars grinding with a gritty, squealing sound.