"How many of us are left?"
A cold, composed female voice rang out. Even in the face of such a dire situation, she remained unshaken, her calm demeanor influencing those around her, helping them suppress their panic.
"We still have two High Elite trainers and three Mid Elite trainers."
One of the High Elite trainers, Yavin, responded swiftly.
Yada and his group were frantically moving through the dense forest, their appearances disheveled and exhausted. However, the woman they were protecting at the center of their formation remained unscathed—her calm, composed expression never faltering, even as they fled.
"Hold on a little longer. Once Uncle Ruben arrives, these pursuers will no longer be a threat."
Whether it was the woman's words or the hope that Ruben would arrive in time, the five trainers seemed to regain their confidence.
"Blastoise, Aura Sphere!"
A deep, commanding voice rang out. Immediately, two glowing blue spheres spiraled through the air, crossing paths as they homed in on the group.
To counter the incoming attack, Yavin and the other High Elite trainer quickly commanded their Pokémon to intercept, resulting in a powerful explosion that forced them to halt their escape.
Upon seeing this all-too-familiar scene, the five trainers, including Yavin, had only one thought: they were doomed.
The Blastoise before them was of quasi-Elite Four level. They had barely managed to escape earlier by sacrificing half their team. Yet now, instead of reinforcements, their relentless pursuers had caught up to them once again.
"Lady Murrigan, go now! We will hold them off!"
After a brief hesitation, Yavin stepped forward, followed by the other four trainers, shielding the woman and giving her a chance to escape.
"You think you can stop me?"
"Miss Murrigan, I've caught up to you again. This time, I won't let you slip away so easily."
"But don't worry—I'll make sure to properly 'cherish' you before sending you on your way."
The same deep voice from earlier resounded as a towering figure emerged from the shadows of the forest—a muscular man clad in a black vest, his powerful physique on full display. At his side, his Blastoise stood menacingly.
As the man stepped forward, more figures emerged from the forest, swiftly surrounding Aki Murrigan and her group.
His lustful gaze roamed freely over Aki, making no attempt to hide his intentions.
With a quasi-Elite Four powerhouse like Barak leading them, and his twenty subordinates at his command, Yavin saw no hope for escape.
Yet, Aki remained motionless, her composure unwavering.
Her past experiences had taught her that panicking would only lead to certain death.
She already had a good idea of who had hired Barak. If she survived this, she would make them pay.
"Oh my, Aki, why is it that every time we meet, it's under circumstances like this?"
"Now, let me think… what price should I charge you this time?"
A familiar voice reached Aki's ears. Her icy facade finally cracked, her eyes scanning the surroundings in surprise and anticipation.
Seeing their ever-composed lady showing such an expression, Yavin and the others couldn't help but feel curiosity—who could possibly have such an effect on her?
"Name your price, and I'll pay it. But can you handle these people?"
Failing to locate the source of the voice, Aki ceased searching and instead responded directly.
"We can discuss payment later. First, let me take care of these guys."
"Barak, a quasi-Elite Four-level Pokémon hunter, leader of the Mad Rhino Poaching Syndicate… I'll be taking your life."
The moment those words were spoken, a Gardevoir materialized in front of Yavin's group using Teleport.
"Blood Shadow… Ron."
Upon seeing his opponent's face, Barak immediately recognized him.
"Let me tell you something—I hate it when people call me that nickname."
Before Barak could react, the battlefield suddenly changed.
A massive red elephantine foot descended from the sky, aiming directly at Barak.
His Rhydon, also of quasi-Elite Four strength, stepped forward, intercepting the incoming Finger Pistol: Evening Elephant attack from Machamp.
Around them, crimson claw marks sliced through the air. Wherever they landed, blood spattered, and bodies collapsed one by one.
Seeing this, Barak hastily regrouped his subordinates, hoping to use their numbers to overwhelm Ron.
Even now, Barak refused to give up. Instead, he saw this as an opportunity—if he could take Ron down, he could claim all of his accumulated resources.
Blinded by greed, Barak failed to notice the delicate white petals drifting through the air around them.
A gleaming sword arc flashed. Wherever it passed, neither Pokémon nor human survived—including Barak himself.
"Machamp, Finger Pistol: Morning Peacock!"
"Persian, Finger Pistol: Shadow Claw Execution!"
"Bellossom, One-Sword Style: Finger Pistol—Verdant Shroud!"
A flurry of commands followed as the now leaderless Mad Rhino Poaching Syndicate descended into chaos, their members slaughtered by Machamp and the others.
Even Rhydon, despite its quasi-Elite Four strength, could do nothing to prevent the inevitable destruction of its group.
Behind Ron, Aki Murrigan and Yavin finally grasped the full extent of Ron's identity.
In fact, finding someone who didn't know Ron these days would be more difficult.
Since his debut, Ron's life had followed the path of a protagonist straight out of a legend.
First, he prevented a Pokémon rampage. Then, his heroic feats spread far and wide. As a rookie trainer with only a year of experience, he claimed victory at the Indigo League, far surpassing the second and third-place contenders in strength.
After his championship win, it took him less than a month to become a Forest Hunter, beginning his rise to fame by taking down over a dozen High Elite Pokémon hunters and even more Mid Elite hunters.
Then, after more than a month of silence, he broke through to quasi-Elite Four level in a single strike—annihilating an entire gathering of quasi-Elite Four Pokémon hunters, securing his place as a rising star.
Some even speculated that at his current growth rate, Ron would reach Elite Four status within a year and might even replace one of the existing Four Elite members.
With all this in mind, Yavin finally understood why their lady had reacted so emotionally upon hearing Ron's voice.
Since ancient times, heroes have always captivated those who admire strength, and with the power and potential Ron had demonstrated, it was only natural that their family head would be drawn to him.
Meanwhile, Aki gradually regained her composure, as if she had made up her mind about something.
"Machamp, Finger Pistol: Evening Elephant!"
The crimson elephantine force reappeared, crashing down toward Rhydon with overwhelming pressure.
Earlier, the Mad Rhino Poaching Syndicate had scattered in an attempt to create an opening, only to be completely wiped out within the first couple of minutes of battle.
Through sheer endurance, Rhydon had held its ground against the combined assault of Machamp and the other two Pokémon, yet it was now utterly exhausted, barely standing.
In this state, facing Machamp's final strike meant certain doom for Rhydon.
And yet, despite the odds, Rhydon did not back down. With a thunderous roar, it charged straight toward Machamp's Finger Pistol: Evening Elephant head-on.
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