A clearing in the middle of the forest was occupied by a scattered group of individuals, some lounging around idly. Nearby, two campfires crackled, roasting an unknown kind of meat.
Yet, a closer look would reveal something unusual—many of these seemingly relaxed individuals kept their eyes peeled, scanning the surroundings with sharp vigilance. Their Pokémon stood beside them, equally alert, ready for any potential threat.
At the center of the group sat a man with an androgynous appearance, his presence commanding silent respect from all around him.
This was Gregor, the leader of the Bonegnaw Poaching Syndicate. As a top Elite Four-tier trainer, he had built a notorious reputation for his syndicate across the entire Hoenn region.
"Boss, more information about Ron has been leaked again."
"The one who revealed it this time is Jarron, another poaching syndicate leader. But he's only at low Elite Four-tier strength. Judging by the situation, it seems he suffered a serious loss at Ron's hands. Should we take action?"
Upon hearing about Ron's new status, Russo, Gregor's second-in-command, immediately raised the question.
"Ron must be eliminated. But before we act, we should first reach out to other interested Pokémon Hunters and poaching groups."
Russo hesitated, a flicker of doubt flashing across his face, but he chose to hold his tongue.
Before he could respond, Gregor continued.
"The League has gone too far this time. In just two or three days, they've dismantled multiple Pokémon Hunters and poaching syndicates. If Ron isn't taken out soon, many hunters will either abandon their profession or at the very least, keep a low profile."
"And if that happens, poaching syndicates like ours, which the League already finds troublesome, will become their next prime target."
"The only solution is to kill Ron—to show the world that even with the League's protection, nothing can stop us."
"However, if we act alone, it'll be too risky. By involving others, we can divide the pressure."
"I believe other Pokémon Hunters and poaching syndicates will see the bigger picture. I'm confident we'll have plenty of reinforcements joining us."
Gregor spoke in a measured tone, not just explaining his reasoning but also subtly grooming Russo for leadership.
Ever since the Bonegnaw Poaching Syndicate was founded, Russo had always been his right-hand man. His loyalty and strength were unquestionable.
Unfortunately, Russo was often too preoccupied with frontline battles or intelligence gathering, which meant his strategic thinking was still somewhat lacking.
That was why Gregor took the time to elaborate—he hoped Russo would mature into a more capable leader.
"So that's the bigger picture. Understood. I'll start reaching out to the others now."
Seeing Russo's determined response, Gregor knew that his work was far from over.
Meanwhile, deep within the forest, unlike Gregor's careful planning, several Pokémon Hunters and rival poaching syndicates had already started making their moves, eager to claim Ron's head.
"Go left!"
After receiving a mental transmission from Gardevoir, Ron quickly analyzed the situation and made his decision.
With a flash of light, Teleport was activated. In an instant, Ron and Gardevoir vanished from their previous location.
Mere moments later, a group of hunters arrived at where he had just stood, only to find nothing.
"Keep pursuing him!"
With that single command, the team resumed their chase.
For a while, their search was aimless—until fresh traces of movement caught their attention.
They had been on the verge of giving up, but the discovery reignited their determination.
Before they could celebrate, however, a crimson foot descended from the sky.
"Probopass, use Iron Defense!"
A defensive formation was immediately erected—Magnet Bomb, Stone Edge, Earth Power, and Iron Defense layered together to form an impenetrable shield.
The Finger Pistol: Evening Elephant unleashed by Machamp was forcefully halted in mid-air.
And thanks to mid-Elite Four-tier strength, Probopass even managed to push its defenses forward, launching a counterattack against Machamp.
One low Elite Four-tier trainer maintained a defensive stance, while another coordinated their Pokémon to support offensively—their teamwork was seamless.
"Gardevoir, use consecutive Teleports to create distance!"
Ron, hidden in the shadows, had gauged their strength and immediately decided to retreat.
With two consecutive Teleports, Gardevoir whisked both itself and Machamp away in the blink of an eye.
"A Psychic-type Pokémon? No wonder he's so slippery!"
After recalling his Probopass, the leader of the trio spoke up first.
"It's fine. My Mightyena has already memorized his scent—he won't escape."
As if to confirm its trainer's words, the quasi-Elite Four-level Mightyena began sniffing the air, tracking the lingering scent of Ron.
"He's not careless. With Teleport at his disposal, he can easily put distance between us, and closing in on him will only get harder."
"Don't worry, I've already exposed his whereabouts. Soon, it won't just be us hunting him down. What we need to do is make sure we eliminate him before anyone else."
"Since we've already locked onto his scent, we have a huge advantage over the others."
"Good. Let's move out!"
Seeing that Mightyena had successfully picked up Ron's trail, the leader finally gave the order.
With Mightyena leading the way, the trio's pursuit became significantly easier.
As Ron's location was made public, the number of individuals and groups hunting him quickly grew to four.
Occasionally, when these groups crossed paths, they didn't engage in infighting. Instead, they would silently part ways, each continuing the hunt in their own direction.
Perhaps thanks to Jarron's foresight, all the trainers joining the pursuit of Ron were at least Mid Elite level.
Fortunately, with Gardevoir's aid, Ron was able to keep them running in circles for now, making it unnecessary for Elite Four Sidney or Elite Four Drake to step in just yet.
"Captain, should we make a move?"
Upon arriving at the area where Ron had been spotted, Russo turned to Gregor and asked.
To be honest, Russo didn't believe that Ron could hold out against four Mid Elite trainers without the League's support.
"Let's observe for now. We didn't come all this way for nothing, did we?"
With that, Gregor casually picked a direction and started walking. Russo didn't question him further and simply followed.
Gregor's arrival signified that top Elite Four-level trainers were now entering the hunt for Ron.
Seeing how long the League had failed to respond, the Pokémon hunters had grown bolder, their actions becoming increasingly reckless.
Perched on a tree canopy, Ron listened to the intel Gardevoir was gathering via psychic probing.
He had expected this outcome from the beginning. Whether it was for his bounty or their own gains, these Pokémon hunters would never let him go.
By all rights, drawing out this many major players should have been enough. But Ron wasn't satisfied.
His instincts told him that Team Aqua—the ones who had placed the bounty—had also sent their own people after him. They were just hiding in the shadows, waiting like a lurking predator.
After a brief moment of thought, Ron pulled out his phone and dialed a number.
-----
Want to read ahead of schedule?
Join here for advance chapters: patreon.com / madbot635