Chapter 416: The Party Has Already Departed, En Route to Johto

Inside a private conference room of the Pokemon League, the atmosphere was heavy and solemn.

Professor Oak, Professor Elm, and Mrs. Kikuko sat at the table, while Ash, Green, and Xiao Mao stood solemnly beside them; a meeting concerning a hidden past was quietly beginning.

Mrs. Kikuko lightly tapped the table with her fingertip, her tone cautious, and spoke first: "Professor Oak, you're rallying everyone like this—do you really believe the words Chi Ri said?"

Professor Oak gave a slight nod, his expression solemn and certain: "Hmm, I believe him. Chi Ri explicitly said that the key figure who saved the Hisui Region back then was named Huo La."

"But later, for some unknown reason, he was completely erased from the records by Team Galactic, and only each Team Galactic Captain passes this secret down by word of mouth."

Professor Elm furrowed his brow slightly and raised a doubt: "Even if Chi Ri's words are true, how can you be sure Huo La has already returned? According to Chi Ri, he only mentioned that he left Hisui that year and vanished thereafter."

Professor Oak let out a soft sigh, his gaze deep, his tone tinged with both melancholy and resolve: "I have no concrete evidence, only a strong gut feeling—that he's back, and that he's back to solve the problem before us."

Mrs. Kikuko's brows tightened further, her tone firm and leaving no room for objection, with a trace of unhidden concern: "Professor Oak, I know you're worried about the situation. Though Huo La is my grandson, I cannot agree to you sending those kids to find him."

As soon as the words fell, Ash, who had been standing solemnly beside them, stepped forward, his eyes bright and resolute, his voice full of zeal: "Mrs. Kikuko, don't worry! We're not children anymore; Pikachu and I have faced many dangers, and we cannot shirk finding Huo La."

Mrs. Kikuko's brows tightened even more.

Xiao Gang had long ago told them about Huo La's past deeds, and now had confirmed that he had once saved the entire Hisui Region; with her experience, how could she not see the oddities involved?

She may not know exactly what secret lies within, but the matters tied to Huo La are certainly no small affair, and involving those kids would undoubtedly push them into danger.

Moreover, the League today is far from what it once was, having endured years of clashes with major organizations, suffering heavy losses, manpower scarce, and few mid‑to‑high‑level executives remaining.

Thinking of the League's predicament, Mrs. Kikuko's complexion grew even heavier.

Back then, the Kanto Elite Four now consist of only her and Cilan, the other two having already defected to Sakaki; the Chengdu Elite Four now have only Yishu and Lihua holding the line, and the League forces in other regions are even more bleak.

Now the League's core strength, plainly put, is these very kids before us. How can she watch them take on such peril with her eyes wide open?

Professor Oak fell silent for a moment, then spoke slowly, his tone heavy yet undeniably firm: "I understand your concerns, but with our current strength we have no retreat left—these kids must shoulder the present situation."

As soon as the words ended, Xiao Mao stepped forward, his expression steady, his voice firm: "Grandma Kikuko, you needn't worry so much. Whether for Huo La, for the League, or for the entire Pokemon World, we ought to do our part, and especially in this dire situation we have no reason to shrink back."

Just as Xiao Mao finished speaking, a rapid and heavy knock on the door suddenly rang, shattering the room's solemn atmosphere.

Professor Oak's brows twitched slightly, signaling Green to open the door.

Green hurried forward and pulled the door open, only to see a panicked League staff member standing there, clutching a document tightly in his hand.

"What's the matter?" Professor Oak asked in a low voice, a faint premonition stirring in his heart.

The staff member scanned the room's occupants swiftly, his expression both respectful and urgent: "Professor Oak, we just received an anonymous fax call, it's of great importance; we couldn't delay, so we delivered it as soon as we got it."

Professor Oak's brows furrowed even tighter, the premonition growing stronger: "Hand it over, let me see."

The staff member hurriedly handed over the fax document.

Professor Oak took the document, his fingertips trembling slightly, gave it a quick glance, and his previously solemn face instantly lit up, his eyes brimming with uncontainable excitement, his hand gripping the fax shaking involuntarily.

"Professor Oak, what's wrong?" Mrs. Kikuko, seeing his demeanor, felt a pang and asked hurriedly.

Professor Oak inhaled deeply, forcefully calming the surging emotions, and slowly spread the fax across the conference table.

Everyone's gaze swept onto the fax, where Huo La's Pokemon Pokedex was printed in stark detail, each feature clearly visible.

At that moment, even the usually composed Mrs. Kikuko froze, a surge of intense excitement welling in her eyes, her lips moving slightly, momentarily unable to steady her emotions.

"Who sent this anonymous fax, can we trace its source?" Green asked in a low voice, his expression cold and serious.

The League staff member shook his head slowly, reporting truthfully: "Signal tracing shows the fax originated from the Paldea Region, but we have not pursued further investigation."

"Paldea…" Professor Oak's brows knit tightly, he murmured low, then his tone deepened as he asked: "Why not continue the investigation?"

"Because besides the fax, the sender also left a message," the staff member explained hurriedly.

Professor Oak's gaze hardened, and he immediately asked: "What does it say?"

The staff member inhaled deeply, then solemnly said: "The party has already set out, heading toward Johto."