Pokémon: Trainers Start as Bounty Hunters.

Chapter 345 Enemy Trail? Team Rocket in Azalea Town

"pat"

The Hokage hung up the phone without saying a word.

He's going to die young, so why should we expect him to give us nice, polite orders?

Take it or leave it.

We might as well die together.

He never intended to live long from the moment he took office.

"It's alright, just proceed as planned."

Meeting the gazes of his subordinates, the Hokage spoke calmly and composedly.

The Lava Team members around them all lowered their heads.

"Damn it, can't a normal person be the Hokage?"

The same thought flashed through the minds of all the members at the same time.

There were veteran members of Team Magma present. The Hokage, one of the three fire-breathing heroes of Team Magma, was known for his skill in battle but not for strategic planning.

However, looking back at all the Hokage, this one is undoubtedly the most insane and the most reckless.

The fact that this guy hasn't died even after more than a year in office makes things even more frustrating.

Even though each of them, as members of Team Lava, is prepared to sacrifice themselves for their ideals, that doesn't mean they're willing to die.

"Get moving, make sure you put instrument number 2 in the right place over there;"

For instrument number 3, ensure it is stable and avoid tilting the central energy flow channel excessively.

......."

The Hokage continued to give orders without paying attention to himself.

Did he not know what his men were thinking? Of course he did.

But what does it matter?

In the Lava Team, the boss Crimson Pine is the strongest, followed by Three-Headed Fire.

They earned this through their own strength.

Especially the position of Hokage.

Anyone who disobeys his orders can simply have a fight, and the winner gets to decide.

Otherwise, the clear class distinctions within the dark organization are no joke.

"understand!"

The lava team members responsible for moving, securing, and operating the equipment responded loudly to their superiors.

A satisfied smile appeared on the Hokage's lips.

Yes, that's exactly the feeling.

Then, his burning gaze turned to the dark and bottomless crater.

"When the volcano erupts, we will be blessed with new power!"

Fanatical words came out of his mouth.

"Everything for humanity!"

Above the volcano, the voices of all the Lava Team members merged into one, sending a chill down one's spine.

in the forest.

"what happened?"

Seeing Pang Yan suddenly look up and gaze into the distance, Zhe also asked him with great vigilance.

"Dangoro!"

Pang Yan nodded, then shook his head.

"The voices outside the forest, they're probably from the town of Hinoki."

Having understood Pang Yan's meaning, Tetsuya quickly relaxed.

After all, Abi is currently leading Officer Jenny in a head-on battle against Team Rocket, so it would be strange if there were no noise.

Pang Yan hesitated.

The direction is correct, but the distance seems to be a bit problematic.

The sound didn't seem to be that far away.

However, it's not entirely certain yet.

Because Tetsuya and his current location are at the northernmost end of the back mountain, quite a distance from the crater and Hinoki Town.

If we go a little further northwest, we'll soon be on Highway 34.

Its sensitivity to sound is largely based on rocks and soil, and this distance is prone to error.

"It's alright. Just pay attention to any strange voices in the forest. Others will take care of the rest."

Tetsuya offered some words of comfort.

He thought Pang Yan was good in every way, except that he was sometimes too stubborn and inflexible.

It's probably related to the properties of the rock itself.

This makes Pang Yanguai, while composed, lack a bit of agility.

"Dangoro!"

Pang Yan nodded silently.

Since the trainer said so, I'll stop thinking about it.

The remote depths of the forest have returned to silence.

Only the occasional sounds of battle in the distance proved that Officer Jenny and her team were still searching on the other side.

"It's a bit boring."

Tetsuya found an open space and sat cross-legged, even starting to count how many blades of grass he was sitting on.

"Swish"

A sudden burst of fiery red light flashed across the black jungle.

Feeling the sudden rise in temperature around him, Tetsuya asked lazily, as if he were a grandpa, "So, is it confirmed? Is it there?"

"Down"

Blaziken, having returned to Tetsuya's side, gave a brief reply.

"good."

Tetsuya smiled with satisfaction.

The Blaziken was sent out to confirm whether the action team had actually sent out Abra or Ralts to areas 32 and 33.

As it turns out, the task force wasn't lying.

According to Blaziken's investigation, that area is indeed the territory of these two types of Pokémon.

That is, Blaziken has mastered the power of waveguide.

If it were any other elf, they would definitely be discovered.

"But we'll have to wait until the mission is over."

Tetsuya was still very clear about what he needed to do.

As a veteran bounty hunter, prioritizing missions is a matter of professional ethics.

Things like catching Pokémon can be done in your spare time by marking them out.

"Compared to" or "just right"

Pidgeot and Togekiss also returned at this time.

"Is there a place where Bug-type Pokémon have mysteriously disappeared?"

The two flying-type little guys brought Tetsuya a different message.

"Lead the way, let's go take a look."

He narrowed his eyes and made a decision immediately.

Of course, Tetsuya didn't forget to give Officer Jenny a brief report as well.

"Received. Be careful. We can provide support there within three minutes."

Miss Officer Jenny's reply undoubtedly added another layer of insurance for him.

As Tetsuya moved swiftly through the oak forest, he felt as if he had returned to the days long ago when he mingled in the Viridian Forest.

However, unlike before, he was accompanied by several more companions this time.

Keep moving forward.

Guided by Pidgeot high in the sky, Tetsuya soon led Togekiss and Blaziken to the so-called "anomaly".

"That's definitely not quite right."

Stopping in his tracks, Tetsuya observed his surroundings and noticed something amiss.

While they haven't "disappeared," the distribution density of Bug-type Pokémon here is significantly lower than in other places.

This is completely contrary to the ecological principles of elves.

After ruling out the possibility that no powerful elves live nearby, only one explanation remains.

That means humans have stayed here for a long time.

Looking around, Tetsuya quickly found his target.

He parted a bush that looked no different from the surroundings, squatted down, and saw faint human footprints.

Unlike natural fading, this is clearly man-made.

How could a trainer who normally comes to this place have the leisure to hide their tracks?

Unless this person has ill intentions.

"Looks like I'm in luck." Tetsuya stood up and clapped his hands.

"Next, we need to find their hiding place."

He began to explore the area around the location of the footprint.

Ten minutes later.

Tetsuya frowned as he replied to Officer Jenny's message once again.

"This doesn't make sense."

He muttered to himself.

The principle that "every step leaves a trace" applies equally to the world of elves.

There were quite a few concealed human footprints left nearby, which could not escape Tetsuya's keen eyes.

The problem is that these footprints all suddenly disappeared, and the disappearance was completely random.

Some disappeared into the bushes as they walked;

Some people just bumped into a tree while walking and disappeared;

Some simply vanished in front of a rock.

In the face of this situation, the best explanation is the principle that "anything without a trace must be related to the elves," which only applies in the elf world.

"So, what kind of spirit is it...?"

Tetsuya fell into deep thought.