Chapter 160 — Traitors Everywhere

Nagi serves as both the Gym Leader and administrator of Fortree City Gym in the Hoenn League.

This is similar to Erika from Kanto.

While neither of them ranks among the strongest Gym Leaders, they both possess strong senses of responsibility and management abilities.

But Nagi has another identity - she's the ex-girlfriend of Wallace, Steven's best friend.

That's why Sun Wuming found it interesting.

Isn't this just like a classic NTR plot?

Seeing Sun Wuming laughing heartily while Luluna tried to hold back her own laughter.

Steven's face looked as disgusted as if he'd eaten something terrible.

Initially, his father Joseph Mukuge had wanted to arrange his marriage with someone from a prestigious family, like Cynthia from Sinnoh's psychic family, or Dragon Tamer Karen, the Gym Leader of Blackthorn City in Johto.

Unfortunately, Cynthia seemed to have lesbian tendencies, with her attention completely focused on Shirona, showing no interest in men.

As for Karen, she expressed that she didn't like Steven's type, preferring men with wild and unrestrained personalities.

After considering various options, Joseph Mukuge finally settled on Nagi.

Although she wasn't from a prestigious family, she held the position of leading Gym Leader in the Hoenn League.

This proved she would make a capable wife.

So Joseph Mukuge immediately arranged for his son to return home for the matchmaking.

Otherwise, he'd cancel his credit card.

"How does it feel to potentially spend your life with your best friend's ex?" 

Sun Wuming asked with a mischievous grin.

Since Nagi wasn't his type anyway, Sun Wuming couldn't care less - Luluna's looks and figure were leagues above hers.

"Can we please drop this topic, Mr. Sun?"

Steven was on the verge of tears.

Why was he always so unlucky?

"Steven Stone!!"

Just then, a person wearing azure robes with an androgynous voice shouted Steven's name.

Steven's head turned mechanically.

Behind him stood someone with striking androgynous beauty, wearing a round-topped hat, with a gossamer-thin robe that revealed a slender waist rivaling Luluna's.

Who else could it be but his best friend Wallace?

"This is so awkward..."

Sun Wuming couldn't help but comment.

Beside him, Luluna nodded in agreement.

Indeed, Wallace's appearance was just too... seductive.

She felt she could understand why Nagi had broken up with him.

"I'm going to kill you!"

Wallace suddenly lunged forward, grabbing Steven's neck and pinning him down.

I've been trying to get back together with Nagi, and you're trying to steal her from me?

"It's a misunderstanding, really—"

Steven repeatedly begged for mercy.

He truly had no interest in NTR - he was a pure love warrior.

Ring ring ring—

Just then, Wallace's phone rang in his pocket.

When he saw the caller ID, Wallace's murderous expression instantly transformed into joy as he answered:

"Hello~ Nagi~ What's the matter?"

His face changed faster than a Sichuan Opera master.

"Cough cough!"

Steven, who was nearly choked to death, thought this guy was really angry this time.

"So he's just a simp."

Sun Wuming looked at Wallace with disdain.

"Something's happened, come to Slateport City quickly!"

Nagi's call wasn't about rekindling their relationship.

Her tone was unprecedentedly grave:

"If you don't come now, the entire city will be destroyed!"

Hearing this, Wallace's fawning expression instantly turned solemn, "I understand, I'm coming right away."

"What happened?"

Steven asked as he got up from the ground.

"Hmph, we'll settle this score later."

Wallace summoned a Pelipper and mounted it, still looking displeased as he said:

"For now, let's head to Slateport City. According to Nagi, something serious has happened there."

"I'm coming too."

Steven immediately summoned a Skarmory.

"Mr. Sun, you all..."

Just as he sat on Skarmory's back, Steven turned to Sun Wuming and the others.

"Of course, this is why I came."

Sun Wuming princess-carried Luluna and floated between the Skarmory and Pelipper, then flew toward Slateport City at a terrifying speed.

He had already sensed those two powerful auras.

"What just happened!?"

Seeing Sun Wuming's silhouette disappear on the horizon in an instant, Wallace was completely stunned.

"This is nothing..."

Steven muttered on the side.

If you'd seen Sun Wuming fighting hand-to-hand with a Tier 1 deity, you'd know that flying was nothing special to him.

...

...

At this moment, in Silver City, Johto Region, at the League Headquarters.

The Johto Elite Four members - Will, Karen, and Koga - had gathered.

Also present was Lance, the Champion.

Due to Janine's betrayal, there was now a vacant position in the Johto Elite Four.

"Sakaki has appeared in the Hoenn region?!"

Upon hearing this news, Lance's expression turned fierce.

After suffering such humiliation in Viridian City last time, Lance had been unable to sleep at night.

He swore to return the humiliation he received a thousandfold to Sakaki.

"It seems Sakaki is acting alone. Otherwise, the Officer Jennys monitoring the border couldn't have missed his movement."

If they were trying to move that many Team Rocket members at once, the League would certainly have noticed.

But for Sakaki alone, it would be much easier.

This suggested that Sakaki was most likely acting alone.

Even if he had subordinates with him, there wouldn't be many.

Lance swept his cape back and strode toward the exit.

Everyone knew what he was planning to do.

"Lance, you need to file an application to visit other regions."

Will reminded him with furrowed brows.

Even as Champion, one must go through proper procedures to visit regions outside their jurisdiction.

"There's no time for that now! If we miss this chance, who knows when that rat will show his face again!"

Lance jumped straight off the balcony, summoning his signature mount Aerodactyl during the fall, and flew toward Hoenn in the southwest of Johto.

"In that case, let's join the fun too."

Karen, the Dark-type Elite Four member, brushed back her gray hair with a smile.

"Sounds interesting."

Will, the Psychic-type specialist, also nodded cheerfully.

"Are you two going to act recklessly too?"

Koga said with furrowed brows.

Karen smiled faintly:

"Don't you think Lance has a point? If we miss this chance, who knows when we'll get another opportunity to catch Sakaki~"

Koga was left speechless.

But Karen's true purpose wasn't this.

She had received secret orders from their master, the Masked Man.

No one knew that she and Will were actually disciples of the Masked Man, whom Pryce had adopted over a decade ago.

At that time, Pryce had kidnapped many talented children for training to add manpower to his plans.

The most successful products were Karen and Will, whom he successfully cultivated into his trusted subordinates.

It seems the Johto League is also quite compromised.

Among the Elite Four, one is a Team Rocket spy, and two are Masked Man's spies.

Wonder what Norman would think if he knew about this.

...

...

Slateport City, one of the largest port cities in the Hoenn region.

BOOM!!!

When Steven and Wallace arrived on their Skarmory and Pelipper, they heard an earth-shattering explosion.

They saw a colossal wooden giant that blotted out the sky, formed from endless vines and massive branches, smash its palm into a skyscraper.

The building instantly crumbled like tofu.

"What—what is that thing?!"

Wallace's eyes bulged.

Since he hadn't watched "Naruto," he couldn't make the connection to Hashirama's Wood Golem technique.

"That's... the legendary Forest Spirit, Celebi?!"

Steven squinted his eyes, getting a clear view of the situation.

Floating in the center of the hundred-meter-tall wooden giant's head was a cute-looking Pokémon, but its empty eyes were somewhat spine-chilling.

It was indeed the Forest Guardian, Celebi!

"How is this possible? Isn't Celebi supposed to be a benevolent Pokémon? Why would it attack a human city?!"

Wallace asked in disbelief.

"Something's very wrong with Celebi, it seems like it's being controlled."

Steven speculated, noticing Celebi's eyes.

"Steven! Wallace!"

At this moment, Nagi, riding a Shiny Swellow on her shoulders, flew between the two and quickly explained the current situation:

"Sorry, we Gym Leaders have done our best to evacuate the citizens to safety, but there are still some people who haven't been successfully evacuated. Could you help us?"

"Nagi, is Celebi fighting someone?"

Wallace observed carefully and immediately noticed.

Celebi wasn't attacking randomly, but targeting specific individuals.

"One is the previously League-wanted Team Rocket leader Sakaki, the other is an unidentified person wearing a mask."

Nagi said through gritted teeth:

"Their power far exceeds our imagination. It's beyond what we Gym Leaders can handle."

"Are they that strong? Even Norman can't handle it?"

Wallace asked in disbelief.

After all, May's father Norman was Elite Four level!

Nagi shook her head, "The gap is too wide."

"What about Mr. Sun?"

Steven remembered something and asked:

"He should have arrived here before us, right? Hasn't he intervened?"

At the mention of this, Nagi became angry and pointed toward the center of the battlefield:

"See for yourselves."

Steven and Wallace carefully approached the center of the battlefield on their flying Pokémon.

Looking up.

Vicious standing on the wooden giant's shoulder.

The masked person sitting on a Delibird.

Sakaki being carried by his Crobat.

And Sun Wuming standing on the ground.

The four formed a four-way standoff.

The next moment, Sun Wuming called up:

"Hey hey hey~ you two up there, you're after Celebi, right? Then we shouldn't have any conflict of interest. My target is Suicune, so you do your thing, just don't mind me."

Clearly, Sun Wuming had no intention of getting involved in this battle.

Steven's head was covered in black lines.

Now... they're in big trouble.