N's Pokémon army, reinforcements at the second line, along with the crucial support from Champion Da Wu.
Even though the Shadow Team kept bringing out one dark Pokémon after another, they were eventually successfully defeated by our forces, either captured back into their original Pokéballs or subdued by Capture Balls—
They had been using a machine to produce Capture Balls tirelessly these days.
The number of Capture Balls manufactured was enough to capture all the dark Pokémon.
And when the last dark Pokémon fell, when the last Shadow Team member cried and begged for mercy, the originally unforeseen total annihilation defensive battle finally came to an end.
The Aggron and other Pokémon practically collapsed in exhaustion and were promptly returned to their Pokéballs by Baimu.
"Did they send out a distress signal?"
He hurriedly ran over to Otsuka to inquire, and Otsuka nodded but added, "Liu Ge-sama has already announced the start of the operation."
"The operation has started? That's great!"
Baimu exclaimed with joy. He had been a bit apprehensive because the total annihilation of the enemy wasn't part of the plan, worried it might affect the subsequent steps—mainly Da Wu's reinforcements.
He couldn't very well call for Da Wu to retreat as well.
Moreover, with N gathering so many Pokémon from who knows where, in the end, he was forced to cover the withdrawal of the wounded while taking down all the Shadow Team members.
Now that the operation was underway, he wouldn't have to take the fall.
Baimu turned and headed towards Da Wu.
"Phew, it's been a long time since I've been this active."
At that moment, Da Wu was jumping down from his Metagross, which had returned to its original form. Despite the intense activity, he only had a light sheen of sweat on his forehead, "You must be Baimu, right?"
Baimu paused, not expecting Da Wu to speak to him first, then nodded, "Yes, Mr. Champion."
"No need for that, just call me Da Wu."
Da Wu smiled warmly, the earlier imposing aura he had when confronting the Shadow Team members now completely dissipated, like a very friendly neighborhood big brother, "Although I'd love to chat more, there are still things I can do in this city. Let's save the conversation for after the dust settles."
"Alright, Mr. Da Wu!"
Baimu returned the smile, watching as he recalled all his Pokémon and left on his Metagross.
Champion.
A title aspired to and revered by all Trainers, representing the highest martial prowess among human Trainers, the strongest of them all.
He hoped that one day in the future, he too might ascend to this position.
Only then would this rebirth be truly worthwhile.
"Things remain to be done."
Baimu patted his cheeks to bring his wandering mind back. With Liu Ge and others not around, he was undoubtedly the highest commander here, and everyone had to follow his orders.
From accounting for the wounded to distributing supplies and more.
"Baimu, I'm heading to another location first."
Sitting on a Mamoswine, N came by to say goodbye, "There's still a lot of Pokémon waiting for me."
His two older sisters were beside him.
"Don't overexert yourself!"
After offering a word of advice, Baimu let N and the others leave with many Pokémon. These Pokémon were undoubtedly the ones N rescued from those Pokémon shops in the Underground City.
This Pokémon child had been eyeing that place for a long time, having previously spent money to save a batch from there, and now he was eager to rescue more.
Suddenly.
"Baimu! A convoy is heading this way! Someone spotted Mr. Shanren on board."
Otsuka hurriedly rushed over with the news.
"Shanren!"
Baimu's face brightened with joy, and he hurried over to welcome back this behind-the-scenes boss of the Rainbow Team, realizing that it was likely he who brought Da Wu here, yet hadn't notified him in advance.
Though they hadn't seen each other in just two days.
The two embraced warmly, enthusiastically patting each other's backs.
"I've been eagerly waiting for your return, and you've really given me a big surprise!" Baimu chuckled, "Tell me, how did you manage to convince the Hoenn Champion?"
"He came on his own, not because I begged him."
Shanren also chuckled, "Moreover, I've also brought Four Heavenly Kings Drake and many Dragon Tamers."
"Dragon Tamers?"
Wu, who had arrived upon hearing the news, immediately perked up, quickly asking, "Are they from Dragon Land? Was it Grandma who sent them?"
"Grandma made contact, and Captain Genji brought the Meteor People here; they're not from Dragon Land." Shanren shook his head, which left Wu slightly disappointed.
He still yearned to fight alongside familiar partners on this unfamiliar land.
Nevertheless, the Meteor People!
"Baimu! Perhaps they're your clansmen!" Wu exclaimed excitedly.
Shanren nodded, "Indeed, they heard Grandma's words and traveled a long distance to help you. Most Meteor People dwell in Meteor Falls and rarely engage in external conflicts."
"Oh, is that so...?"
Baimu scratched his head.
Honestly, the current situation almost made it seem like he genuinely had ties with the Dragon People, but if that wasn't the case, wouldn't that be quite awkward?
"Ah, no worries, you definitely are. I, Wu, would stake my life on it!"
Wu seemed to know what Baimu was hesitating over and thumped his chest firmly.
Shanren also moved past the topic, "Alright, the matter of recognizing your ancestry can wait until everything's over. Baimu, come and change your gear; the protective gear from De Wen Company is guaranteed to be stronger than the Ergin Family's."
"Protective gear from De Wen Company?"
Baimu's eyes lit up, and he quickly followed him to a nearby vehicle.
The back door opened, releasing a burst of frosty white mist, revealing what appeared to be tight-fitting protective suits.
"This is an inner layer type of protective clothing; although it's thin, it boasts high resistance to impacts, temperature, and a range of other damage."
Shanren introduced, "Most importantly, after wearing this, you can still don the outer suit type, offering double protection."
Baimu was awestruck as he looked at the protective suit that resembled underwear, experiencing a peculiar sense of déjà vu—
Ah!
Isn't this just like the outfit Ash and the others wore when forming the Ultimate Defense Team in the Sun and Moon anime!
Except, instead of those flashy colors, it's purely black.
"Looks great!"
Baimu nodded with satisfaction.
"De Wen Company has sent over a substantial amount of supplies this time, not just transportation and protective gear, but also food and essential medical supplies."
Shanren showcased many cargo crates with a sense of pride, displaying the items inside, "And this is just the first batch; I believe the second batch will arrive alongside Miss Joy and Pokémon Nurses from other regions."
"Miss Joy?"
Baimu suddenly turned his head.
"Yes, one of the most distinguished families in the league, the Joy Clan, will be coming to Pyrite Town and even Silicon City to treat all the wounded, a formidable medical aid that cannot be underestimated!"
Shanren nodded with a smile.