"Alright, alright, I got it. Just make sure you get here as soon as possible, or I might be in danger."
Laughing as he hung up the phone, Ron felt a surge of excitement.
Ever since leaving the Kanto League, opportunities for real combat had been scarce. Most of his battles were against wild Pokémon, and even the tough Trevenant he had faced before hadn't posed much of a challenge.
Now, at last, he had a chance to take on a group of skilled, well-equipped Pokémon Hunters. He was eager to test the Hoenn region's hunter scene—and, more importantly, he was itching to let loose.
Some things… some grudges… wouldn't simply fade with time.
With a rough battle plan in mind, Ron shifted back into the mindset of a Trainer, setting out to battle wild Pokémon.
"Nidoking, Finger Pistol: False Darkness!"
A flash of blue lightning streaked through the air. In the blink of an eye, a deep puncture wound appeared on the Breloom's abdomen. The surrounding area was scorched black from the residual heat of the electrical impact.
With a weak groan, Breloom collapsed, knocked out.
As Nidoking's aura grew stronger, Ron could sense that it was on the verge of breaking through to the quasi-Elite Four level.
His Persian and Bellossom, who were already stronger than Nidoking, had also improved significantly. Persian in particular was closing in on the Elite Four threshold, and even Machamp was nearing its first breakthrough beyond that stage.
The only frustrating part? The hunters had gone into hiding. Ever since Ron's last bait-and-wait tactic, they had been too cautious to make a move.
"Gardevoir, keep searching. If those Pokémon Hunters won't come to us, we'll just use this time to grow stronger."
After using his Fighting Aura to heal Breloom's wounds, Ron turned to Gardevoir with a smile.
She nodded silently but remained tense, unwilling to let her guard down.
Shaking his head, Ron didn't push the matter further.
Before Gardevoir could teleport them away, an unfamiliar presence entered her detection range.
"It looks like someone finally lost their patience and decided to strike. Everyone—prepare for battle."
...
Deep in the forest.
A group of Pokémon Hunters darted swiftly through the trees.
"Hold up," said a grizzled man, coming to a halt. "Looks like we got lucky—found signs of activity already. Just gotta confirm if it's that guy… Ron."
Examining the faint traces left in the underbrush, Jarron felt a thrill of anticipation.
"Boss," said his second-in-command, Zade, his voice low and cautious. "We should be careful. Our target is a Trainer at the base Elite Four level, just like you. If we want to capture or kill him, we need to take him down fast—before he can call for reinforcements from the Hoenn League."
"Relax," Jarron smirked. "I haven't lost my mind just because I'm excited. We stick to the plan—I'll keep Ron occupied in a direct fight while you guys attack from range. No way his Pokémon outnumber or overpower five of us."
Straightening up, Jarron exuded confidence.
Just as Hana and the others had predicted, some Pokémon Hunters had been biding their time, waiting for the Hoenn League to ease up on Ron's protection before making a move. Jarron and his squad were among them.
To keep the mission covert, Jarron had only brought his four strongest subordinates.
"Great plan!"
A sudden voice rang out from above.
A crimson foot came crashing down.
"EVERYONE, WATCH OUT!"
Jarron roared, commanding his Pokémon to counterattack.
No one noticed the shadow that streaked through the darkness.
Claws flashed.
Hidden within those slashing strikes—a lethal blade!
"Damn it!"
"Hariyama, block the attack!"
Jarron's furious bellow echoed through the forest, his bloodshot eyes filled with rage.
Back-to-back with Jarron, Zade desperately directed his Pokémon to use Substitute and Protect, barely holding off Persian and Bellossom's first assault.
The other three trainers, along with their Pokémon, had already fallen—lifeless bodies scattered across the battlefield.
Fueled by Jarron's rallying cry, Hariyama leveraged its superior level to block Machamp's sudden offensive.
Using Shave, Zade swiftly dashed to Ron's side. At that moment, Gardevoir activated Teleport, vanishing along with Ron and his companions without the slightest hesitation.
"Captain, what should we do next?"
With Ron gone, Zade exhaled in relief before turning to Jarron for guidance. The stench of blood, something he could normally ignore, felt particularly pungent at this moment.
"We retreat for now, but this isn't over. Spread the word about Ron immediately."
"Remember, we're not the only ones after him."
As Jarron regained his composure, Zade felt an unexpected sense of reassurance.
To be honest, even though their skirmish had been brief, it didn't stop Zade from developing a deep-seated fear of Ron.
From start to finish, he hadn't even caught a glimpse of Ron's figure.
Had Ron chosen to prolong the encounter, Zade wasn't sure he would have made it out alive. The thought of continuing the hunt sent an involuntary shiver down his spine.
"Gentlemen, leaking personal information like this… is simply unacceptable."
Like a devil's whisper, the voice sent an icy stiffness through Zade's entire body.
In the next instant, a razor-sharp claw pierced through his chest.
Not just him—Jarron and his Hariyama suffered the same fate.
A gleaming emerald blade, fingers as sharp as spearheads, now stained with fresh blood.
Following the fatal strike, Machamp and its allies swiftly withdrew, wary of a desperate counterattack from Hariyama.
After all, even a Pokémon at the Elite Four level wouldn't immediately lose its combat capability, even if its heart were shattered.
Ignoring the excruciating pain radiating from its chest, Hariyama struggled to prop Jarron up.
"Run…! Run…! Just… run!"
These broken words were the last of Jarron's strength.
As his breathing ceased, Hariyama let out a soul-wrenching roar, its grief echoing through the entire forest.
Barely able to stand, the once-mighty Pokémon had reached the brink of exhaustion.
Emerging from his hidden vantage point, Ron observed the scene with a cold detachment, his heart undisturbed by the familiar sight of death.
First, an unexpected ambush to heighten their vigilance.
Then, a swift retreat to lull them into complacency.
Taking advantage of that moment of relaxation, he returned. Gardevoir, lurking in the shadows, subtly manipulated Jarron and Zade's responses with Hypnosis, slowing their reaction just enough—for a lethal consequence.
After swiftly scavenging all available resources, Ron sent a report to Sidney, an Elite Four member, and Drake, another member of the Elite Four.
Then, under Jarron's identity, Ron deliberately leaked false information—a mix of truth and fabrication—to manipulate the situation in his favor.
Within minutes, numerous Pokémon Hunters had seen the intel posted under Jarron's name, preparing to track their new prey.
But in the grand scheme of things—who was the hunter, and who was the hunted?
That remained to be seen.
-----
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