Pokémon Detective Case Files.

However, just as the declaration of the leader of the Seven Sages concluded and the Alliance regained control of cyberspace, an official announcement from the United Alliance, along with images left behind by Ghetsis, appeared on media channels—

"The Unova League police have determined that the contractor responsible for the renovation of the Unova League headquarters was recently kidnapped by an illegal organization and coerced into carrying out unauthorized structural alterations to the newly completed Unova League building during the League's employee holiday. This organization illegally buried a large amount of flammable material underground and scattered special props on the surface to create the illusion of a collapse and instill fear. Although no one was injured during the incident, we strongly condemn this egregious act that sacrifices public safety and confuses the public. Protecting the well-being of Pokémon should always be based on rational dialogue and legal means; any resort to violence and deception is a departure from genuine rights. We urge the public to remain clear-headed and not be misled by performance art-like incitement. The League will pursue full legal action against the relevant organizations and individuals and will do everything in its power to ensure regional safety and stability."

The announcement listed as many project-related documents and supporting evidence as possible below it. In an almost academic, dry manner, it outlined the project permit numbers, compliance testing reports for building materials, and the legal approval process for the planned demolition blasting operation. The documents all had effective dates several months prior and were all freely available on the official website.

Immediately after the attack, the League Chairman and former Unova Champion, Ardek, appeared together to assure the public of the truthfulness of the incident. They stated that the League's renovation plan had been in preparation for years, and that Team Plasma's farce was nothing short of sensationalism—their swift reaction clearly indicated that they had been alerted by a detective long ago.

The most damaging element, however, came from the "witnesses" who followed closely behind—hundreds of construction workers, wearing reflective vests and hard hats, who appeared on camera looking haggard, escorted by police. They denounced the Plasma Cluster's shameful behavior of forcing them to work through the night and even withholding their wages.

At the same time, a large number of alliance staff and security forces quickly arrived at the scene and set up a tight cordon around the now unrecognizable "new headquarters". They announced that the area was under emergency control due to a "major security incident and illegal occupation", and stated that they were in formal negotiations with the illegal organization occupying the building.

All counterattacks were carried out in an orderly, well-documented, and aboveboard manner.

More importantly, the publicly disclosed project documents were not forged, but genuine records. Team Plasma, wanting to advance such a massive project, naturally needed manpower outside the Order, and the transportation of various supplies could not bypass the League. They had simply used corrupt officials infiltrated within the League to circumvent scrutiny under various pretexts. Now, reopening old wounds, simply changing the names of these projects back to their original forms would be enough to appease anyone who scrutinizes details. As for the protesting workers, while they didn't participate in the League's secret underground renovations, their exploitation by Team Plasma was real—albeit at the time, it was for the construction of the Order's so-called "Pokémon Release Zone." Even if discovered later, it could be explained away as a reporting oversight.

Thus, amidst the same deluge of information, all the residents of the United States, awakened by the noise and debating whether to go back to sleep or prepare for school or work, simultaneously witnessed two juxtaposed "truths."

According to a classic expression in political science, when an institution loses public trust, every word it says and every action it takes will be pre-labeled as false and malicious. This is the inescapable fate after the collapse of public trust.

However, what former champion Mr. Adek left for his successor Hugo was clearly not such a dilapidated situation.

Despite Team Plasma stirring up trouble everywhere, the Pokémon League has continued to fulfill the promises it made to the people of this land over the past decade.

It may not be flamboyant, but it is always there. It may not be invincible, but it is trustworthy.

So, who will the public choose to believe?

The answer was almost certain—it was the familiar Union that gave them a sense of security.

After all, people are always willing to see what they want to believe.

On this battlefield of cognition, where there is no gunfire but it is even more crucial, the United Alliance is demonstrating, in its unique way, its chilling power rooted deep within the order.

Chapter 458 The Distance Between Reality and Ideal

"Your Majesty, the Order's operation has begun."

In Fukiyori City, the Heaven Tower where the championship battle once took place has been completely repaired, its battle scars—damaged by an earthquake and melted by a heatwave—have been thoroughly restored. Even the large hole inside the tower that Garchomp once jumped through has been transformed into an automated elevator for people with disabilities to access the tower.

A young man with green hair is standing on the edge of the white top floor of the tower, with the historic clock of the Tower of Heaven behind him.

The young man's gaze was fixed on the clouds in the east, which were growing brighter with the rising sky, as if he did not notice the old man below climbing the old stairs to the top of the tower.

"Vio and Asura were captured, and Joggs was seriously injured during the breakout. As for public opinion, Smura's propaganda efforts only achieved 30% of their expected effect. Many socialites who had been contacted beforehand betrayed the Order and remained silent during the incident; he had originally planned to broadcast Quixote's pre-battle speech on giant advertising screens in the city centers, but the equipment was physically shut off by on-site personnel as soon as the speech began, clearly indicating that the Alliance had taken precautions. This year's Alliance champions are much smarter than Adek, having quietly made many preparations and even dismissed all staff working at the Alliance headquarters in advance."

"At the same time, Quixote and Gerald judged that the Alliance had discovered the project the Order was carrying out underground within the Alliance. Continuing to hide would only put them in a passive position, so they activated the final plan for the 'City Defense Division' ahead of schedule."

Known as the "Balance Game," the red-robed sage Rhodes, who is regarded as the "money bag" within the plasma cluster, quietly walked to N's side and began to talk to himself as if discussing the weather.

"Your Majesty, you have not returned to the castle, nor have you made any public appearances in front of any church organization. Is it because you harbor resentment towards our actions?"

The green-haired youth turned his gaze away from the distance and shook his head.

"Whether it is a lofty ideal or a concrete reality, it cannot be obtained by relying on the charity of others—this idea has not changed to this day. The current situation is exactly the goal that the Plasma Group has been destined to achieve since its birth. If I had any doubts about it, I should have expressed my opposition in the planning stage, instead of letting it be abandoned halfway through now that it has begun, and letting the efforts of my father and everyone in the cult go to waste."

Upon hearing this, Rhodes was not reassured, but continued to ask earnestly, "Does Your Majesty still have any concerns?"

N remained silent for a while, and seeing that the red-robed sage was still patiently staring at him, he slowly spoke: "If it weren't for Teacher Rhodes, or even my father or a friend outside the Order, I probably wouldn't have told you this."

The green-haired youth stared into the economist's eyes and said—

"Actually... for the past year, I have been trying to awaken another Unova Dragon."

"The one in the Dark Stone?" Rhodes twitched his white beard, a rare look of hesitation on his face.

"Although Zekrom and Lehiram always give the impression of being at odds with each other, that is actually just a partial record left from the time when the royal brothers fought each other during the division of the ancient United Kingdom. In the true history of the founding of the United Kingdom, those two legendary dragons once stood side by side for a long time, jointly assisting the first king who founded the ancient United Kingdom."

“But Your Majesty, the stone that sealed Zekrom has most likely already been sent out of Unova by that detective…” Rhodes said with a look of shame.

“No. I once awakened Reshiram, so I know this clearly—”

N interrupted the sage's self-reproach, his tone resolute—

"Items are never a necessary condition for awakening legendary spirits. Dragons that truly follow their kings always appear spontaneously in response to the king's will. When did that former king, who founded the kingdom a thousand years ago, ever stand before the stone and beg for the dragon's mercy? Given the connection and resonance between Reshiram and Zekrom, if I truly possessed the qualifications to gain the recognition of the 'ideal dragon' Zekrom, the Dark Stone would never have been sent out of this continent. The fact that I failed to do so precisely demonstrates that I do not yet truly possess the 'king's will' capable of simultaneously awakening 'reality' and 'ideal,' sufficient to reshape Unova."

A gentle morning breeze swept through, and the top of the Tower of Heaven remained silent. Rhodes seemed to feel a chill and shrank his neck.

"Your Majesty, aren't you being too hard on yourself? The founding myth is, after all, a legend that has been passed down for thousands of years, and it's inevitable that there will be distortions and exaggerations. How could anyone possibly embody both reality and ideals at the same time and gain the approval of two legendary Pokémon?"

“Teacher.” The green-haired youth looked earnestly at the sage who had taught him economics, “I can hear the thoughts of Pokémon, and those thoughts are completely unadulterated by any false emotions—the same is true of Reshiram, which I awakened.”

The red-robed sage remained silent. N continued—

"It was the will of the first hero who founded Unova that resonated with the legendary Pokémon, causing two dragons representing truth and ideals to spontaneously awaken from their slumber and come to the hero's side to help him establish this unified nation. However, towards the end of the ancient Unova dynasty, the hero's offspring fought amongst themselves. The two brothers, in the name of reality and ideals respectively, abused the blessings left by their ancestors, wantonly igniting the rage of Reshiram and Zekrom, leading to a battle between them. This caused them to turn against humanity and punish the brothers, no longer protecting their kingdom. The dragons also paid the price for their conflict and subsequent destruction, almost as a form of self-punishment, being sealed within two legendary stones—this is the Unova history that Reshiram told me from his heart. I once asked Professor Joggs to verify the relevant historical records, and the conclusion confirmed the legendary dragon's experience."

Having grasped the meaning behind N's words, Rhodes finally understood why N could only say these things to him.

Friends outside the Order would never agree with N's actions, while Ghetsis and Vio would only push N forward. The King's faction, including Asura, believed in N's abilities without reservation. Although Joggs was independent and unaffiliated, his views inevitably became biased when it came to matters related to legendary Pokémon.

At this moment, the only one left who had the standing to enlighten and advise N was him, the centrist who had always remained neutral among the Seven Sages.

The red-robed sage held the student's arms with both hands: "You were able to awaken Reshiram on your own. Isn't that enough to prove that you deserve to be a hero?"

"To become a 'hero' like those two brothers, manipulating a paranoid reality and constantly waging pointless wars?"

The green-haired youth gave a bitter smile—

"Actually, I've always known why I haven't gained recognition for my 'ideals.' Even though I have enough willpower to put my beliefs into practice and am determined to change this unfair world for Pokémon... my 'ideals' aren't as firm as my 'reality.' I can't be like my father—even if one day the Order replaces the Pokémon League and I become the true king, I still won't be sure what I should do."

His speech quickened, as if long-suppressed doubts had finally burst forth—

"Should we immediately call on everyone to liberate their Pokémon? If so, how can we ensure the decree is effectively implemented? What kind of laws should be enacted? Who should be sent to enforce it? How should the liberated Pokémon live? How can we distinguish between those who genuinely want to leave humanity and those who want to continue living with their original trainers? The personnel sent to enforce the decree won't have my ability to listen to their thoughts; what if those humans are lying? Will the liberation of Pokémon cause the city to grind to a halt? How can we ensure that food and energy supplies don't fall into crisis? What status should the Pokémon working with humans have? How can we mediate when the liberated Pokémon turn around and bully humans… These are just the beginning of the questions. If I were to become king, how would I govern this vast country? Just thinking about it is like a tangled mess—how do I even establish a nation?" How can we maintain public trust and mitigate the impact of the collapse of the United Alliance? How do we manage relationships with other regional alliances? How do we select talent? How do we develop the economy? How do we deal with the Plasma Group after becoming the rulers of the new world? How do we fairly distribute the benefits that have gathered in our hands? Can I handle all of this? Can we truly do better than the previous United Alliance? I frantically searched for data throughout United, listing formulas in my mind in an attempt to find answers, but every time I thought I had grasped a little bit of the situation, an even heavier problem would immediately appear in my way. My father always said that when the time came, we could leave all the difficult problems to the sages, but teacher, if we want to create a nation ruled by wise men, why should we let an ignorant king sit on the throne at the top? How can my indecisiveness possibly gain the approval of the Dragon God who upholds our ideals?

Rhodes hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

N usually presents a calm and composed demeanor to outsiders. Only now, as Team Plasma finally begins their ultimate plan, this young king, who has just come of age, reveals his most vulnerable side for the first time under this unstoppable pressure.

"Your Majesty."

Looking at his most outstanding student, 'Balance Game' made up his mind.

"An uncertain future may not necessarily be a basis for realizing your 'ideals'; you just haven't realized it yet."

"What does this mean?" N looked at the teacher, puzzled.

"Economics is essentially a doctrine about expectations. We only call it 'ideal' when all conditions are perfect. But in reality, there has never been a perfect market or a completely certain future—the 'rational expectations' model is precisely built on the recognition of uncertainty. An economist who firmly believes in his own 'ideal' is actually dangerous; he ignores the complexity of the system, suppresses different expectations, and often ultimately triggers systemic collapse."

"Teacher, I understand what you mean, but..."

"You don't need another legendary dragon."

Rod said decisively, his voice like a chess piece striking the center of a chessboard. He didn't realize that he had subtly changed his form of address for the young man before him from "you" to "you (formal)."

"Although Jogs isn't here, I can answer your question for him—history never simply repeats itself. A thousand years ago, the first king faced a land of ignorance and scattered tribes. He needed the overwhelming power of the two dragons to forge the foundation of 'unity of all.' But you are facing a complex, intertwined, and entrenched modern alliance system. Breaking it with destructive force might not be difficult; the challenge lies in establishing better expectations for everyone afterward. This isn't some simple, pure ideal that can be achieved overnight. It requires a hero with sufficient patience and understanding to solve one practical problem after another for this nation."

Rod's voice grew softer and softer, as if carried away by the wind, yet it still carried an undeniable solemnity.

"Your Majesty, you possess the ability to hear the truth, which is your most precious gift. Therefore, please... trust the 'truth' you hear yourself more than any 'ideal' described by others, no matter who the describer is, no matter how high a place that person once held in your heart..."

N stared intently at the red-robed sage, while Rhodes also scrutinized the king to whom he had secretly sworn allegiance without flinching.

The king did not reaffirm the sage's final words, nor did the economist impart any further instruction to his students.

But after that day, a white figure mixed with blue flames soared into the sky from the top of the Tower of Heaven.

Amidst the melodious chimes, the dragon, a symbol of truth, spread its wings and, under the gazing gazes of many, soared across the entire Unova region towards the castle that rose from the ruins of the Alliance.

Chapter 459 The Return of the Plasma Sage

On the very day that the Plasma Cluster Castle tore through the sky, announcing the arrival of a new order.

A man covered in wounds and dressed in tattered clothes stumbled through the deformed sewer network beneath the Alliance.

He had just shaken off the Unova League's pursuit, and the Pokémon he was with had only just recovered to the point where they could fight again.

"Ha." He leaned against the cold, damp concrete pipe wall, breathing heavily, a short laugh that was hard to tell whether it was praise or sarcasm.

"As expected of that guy Jero. Even though I was mentally prepared... seeing it with my own eyes is still a world of difference in terms of shock. He truly deserves to be called the famous 'City Defense Master' back then."

The man wearily raised his eyes and looked ahead.

Before them, the once orderly drainage system of the Alliance headquarters had been completely distorted. The thick alloy pipes resembled metal twisted by an invisible giant hand, exhibiting bizarre curves that defied all engineering mechanics. The concrete walls were cracked, and broken steel bars were exposed like pale bone spurs.

Even more shocking were the new components parasitizing the old structure—huge gear sets embedded in the breaches were slowly spinning, making a dry, harsh friction sound when they meshed; and a ghostly blue plasma halo flowed along the thick energy conduits, which coiled like blood vessels, some even melting through the original pipelines.

What we see before us is probably the "anomaly" that former Inspector General Holt noticed while reviewing underground pipe network maintenance records. And this is also the root cause of his later inexplicable resignation from the league and subsequent disappearance.

Just as he was feeling sentimental, he heard voices coming from the passageway in front of him.

"Halt! Who's there?"

Two Team Plasma members emerged from the shadows around the corner, quickly assuming a defensive stance upon seeing the approaching figures. The Plundercat beside them crouched low, while the Crocodile grinned, revealing its menacing fangs.

"Hmph, does Quetzalcoatl only send trash like you to guard this place?"

The newcomer crossed his arms without any surprise. Despite being seriously injured, he looked down at the two seemingly inexperienced soldiers who appeared before him with disdain.

His gaze fell on the cuffs of the two men's uniforms. Hidden within the seemingly uniform patterns was a variant pattern that only members of the Plasma Group could recognize. He immediately understood.

"So you were Vio's former subordinates. That makes sense. Right now, the main force of the Order should be on the castle, confronting the police. It's quite a thoughtful arrangement to be able to spare one or two people to guard this 'inaccessible' sewer entrance. It's perfect to send you... newcomers who have been frustrated in the internal struggles, to do this kind of job."

How did you know... could you be...?

The younger members stared at the white beard below the man's lips, which trembled as he spoke, and took a half-step back in disbelief.

"You still haven't figured out my identity. In my opinion, your future in the Order is limited to this. Don't you know about the Alliance's actions last night? I barely escaped the Alliance's encirclement and am rushing to report to Quetzalcoatl despite my injuries. Do you expect me to be stopped in front of my own people now?"

The scarred, bearded elder took a step forward, taking advantage of the situation. Seeing the two instinctively back away, he looked down at them, shaking his head, and walked straight between them, even patting one of them on the shoulder in the process.

The pickpocket cat and the crocodile raised their paws warily, but they did not receive any move commands from their trainer.

"Do you...do you need us to help you?" one of the Plasma Squad members asked cautiously.

"You do have some sense. But your task is to continue patrolling, be vigilant against Alliance infiltration, and report any incidents promptly." The man didn't even turn his head. "As for my affairs, you can go and inform your current superiors. I don't have time to waste here."

Having said that, he quickened his pace and staggered deeper into the castle.

Just as the two team members breathed a sigh of relief and were about to pick up their walkie-talkies to report, they suddenly felt a cold touch on the back of their necks without warning.

This second wave of "visitors" was not as easy to talk to as the first "big shot".

The man was oblivious to what was happening behind him, seemingly unaware that he was being followed.

He stood before the intricate terrain of the underground tunnel for a moment, considering the situation. Although he had walked through this place countless times, the changed terrain was different. Normally, in this situation, contacting his colleagues would solve the problem instantly, but it was not a bad thing to use his brain occasionally, and it could also avoid the ridicule of those guys. So he turned on his flashlight and chose the route that the patrol team had just taken.

This area of ​​underground water pipes was rarely visited except by maintenance personnel. All structural changes were carried out according to the massive turbines pre-set by the cult, so the path was covered in dust and easily left with footprints. In the dim light, footprints were difficult to discern, but once illuminated by strong light, fresh footprints could be clearly identified immediately.

Moreover, the patrol team that was dispatched was obviously not the only one they encountered, so by observing the place where the footprints first gathered, they could easily find the place where the cult members originally set off.

"It's as clumsy as drawing feet on Onix. Gryphon made a terrible mistake."

The man squinted unhappily, using the light of his flashlight to discern the marks on the ground. He then crossed several side paths and finally arrived at a thick iron door leading to the interior building.

Without hesitation, he took out the cult emblem he had hidden on his person and lightly touched it to the sensor next to the door. With a low hum, the defensive door, secretly purchased by the Plasma Group using funds misappropriated from the Alliance, slid open.

"who is it?"

There were also guards inside the gate, and they were clearly older and more experienced. Upon seeing a stranger, they immediately questioned him warily. At the same time, the electric beast beside him clapped its fists together, sparks flying—this person's status was clearly higher than those of the newcomers outside.

"At your level, you should recognize this, right?"

Without saying a word, the man held up the badge that unlocked the access card in front of the other person and waved it from side to side.

The interior was brightly lit, illuminating the unique pattern on the badge with crystal clarity. It was a shield cleaved by lightning, with strangely interwoven black and white patterns—a token that only high-ranking officials could possess.

"Sage? What happened to your injuries?"

The guard stared wide-eyed at the wounded, white-bearded visitor before him.

However, before he could confirm further, the person before him, who appeared to be one of the Seven Sages, began to question him in a deep voice—

"Where are Zero and Ghetto? I need to speak with them urgently. Stop sending people to patrol the underground passages; it's a waste of manpower and they easily leave footprints that reveal their location... At most, just use a few Pokémon with the 'Levitate' ability to keep watch."

"I see... I'll adjust the deployment immediately." The guard was intimidated by the undeniable aura and nodded subconsciously.

"Don't forget my question, and what's your answer?" The extremely authoritative voice rang out again.

"Yes... Lord Jero is stationed in the control room in the center of the castle. As for Lord Quixote, no one knows his whereabouts since he appeared outside the castle this morning. There are rumors that he went to welcome the sages returning to headquarters from all over the country... Could you be the one who has returned?"

Don't ask questions you shouldn't ask.

The man interrupted him, lifted his chin covered by a white beard, and continued walking into the doorway.

However, the guard's brow furrowed even more deeply: "But... in my memory, there doesn't seem to be a face like this among the Seven Sages..."