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By the ti it was nearing 11 PM, Sato and his group finally returned to the now-silent White River Village under the cover of night.
Inside the White River Village chief's ho, Sato and the others were treating their Pokémon while reporting their findings to the village chief and so family mbers of the village's guard squad.
Upon hearing that mbers of the squad had been captured by Team Magma, the faces of the village chief and the guards' families turned pale.
So of the family mbers even recognized the belongings of the fallen guards that Sato and his group had brought back. Instantly, the sight of these items caused several to break down in grief, sobbing uncontrollably.
The elder's house was quickly enveloped in an atmosphere of sorrow.
"This is how the events unfolded, Chief. Forgive us for our lack of power—this is beyond what a group of civilian trainers like us can handle. We must report this to the League imdiately so they can send investigators to look into the matter," Sato said, his expression stern.
Though he felt a pang of guilt upon seeing the despair on the elder's face, he knew he couldn't act beyond his abilities.
"No, on behalf of all the families of White River Village's guards, we should be the ones thanking you. Without your efforts, we'd still be in the dark. I imagine you encountered many dangers during your mission. I will double your reward," the chief replied, his expression softening slightly.
He had noticed that among the belongings Sato returned, none of them belonged to his own son.
The village chief sighed deeply, his face still shadowed with worry. The guards were the village's precious defense force, and now, with them captured and their fate unknown, his concern was palpable.
"Bring them in, guys. Chief, these individuals are mbers of Team Magma. They probably know quite a bit, but they're tight-lipped. Without special thods, we can't extract any information from them for now. When the League sends soone, you can hand them over," Sato instructed, signaling Hanks and the others to bring in the six captured mbers of Team Magma who were being held outside.
The sight of these Team Magma mbers filled the room with a mix of fear and anger. So of the bereaved family mbers even rushed at the captives, punching and kicking them in a frenzy of hatred, wishing for revenge.
Fortunately, others intervened, realizing these captives were crucial to finding their missing loved ones. They managed to restrain the grieving families, preventing further harm to the prisoners.
As the night grew late, the village chief contacted the nearest Alliance police station in Rustboro City. Upon learning that the Alliance would send specialists the next morning, the guards' families felt so relief and returned ho to wait for news.
After receiving their promised rewards, Hanks and the others also left for the village inn. As ordinary trainers, risking their lives further to cross Team Magma was sothing they wouldn't consider.
Before long, the room was left with only Sato, the village chief, and the "sleeping" Mana.
"They've all left, Chief. You specifically asked to stay—do you have sothing to discuss?" Sato asked after ensuring his Bellossom had used Sleep Powder to subdue the bound Team Magma mbers. He turned to the chief, who now bore an expression of pleading.
During the transaction of their reward earlier, Sato had noticed a ssage intentionally left by the chief, indicating that he knew sothing. Perhaps it was related to the guards' abduction by Team Magma.
The urgency of the situation likely drove the chief to seek Sato's help as the strongest trainer currently available.
"Please, help White River Village, Mr. Sato! My son and the other guards may not survive long enough for the Alliance's aid. Only a powerful trainer like you can rescue them now!" The chief fell to his knees and bowed deeply, imploring Sato.
However, Sato's expression remained cold. He silently gazed at the elder, unfazed by the dramatic gesture. After a long pause, Sato finally spoke.
"I want the truth. If you're unwilling to reveal it, I will not assist you. Forgive , but I refuse to be manipulated by anyone exploiting my goodwill," Sato said firmly, his voice steady but resolute.
Why would Team Magma target White River Village's guards? Sato had pondered this question since discovering the abduction. The village seed unremarkable, with no apparent significance.
If Team Magma had set their sights on it, there had to be sothing hidden here—sothing worth their effort. The elder, having been the village chief for many years, likely knew the answer.
"Ah... very well, Mr. Sato. Have you heard of the Guardians of Mt. Pyre?" the chief finally began, his voice heavy with resignation.
"Guardians of Mt. Pyre? Hold on. Ditto, transform into Ralts," Sato interrupted. At his command, the Ditto on his head, disguised as a trainer's cap, morphed into an adorable Ralts.
As the transford Ralts fixed its gaze on the chief, its red head crest began to glow faintly.
"You're an experienced elder, so you must be aware of Ralts' abilities. It's not that I don't trust you—I'm simply cautious. This ensures that no critical details are omitted," Sato explained calmly, his unwavering gaze fixed on the chief.
With Ralts acting as a living lie detector, Sato had no fear of being deceived.
"Ah... young people these days. Fine, I will tell you everything, Mr. Sato, and if you agree to help, I'll even prepare a great reward. Here's the truth..." The elder sighed deeply, finally resigning himself to honesty.
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