"Persian, use Tri Attack to block them!"
The command echoed through the air, and the sprinting Persian immediately unleashed a Tri Attack.
Three beams of energy, each radiating a different color, intertwined as they shot toward Ron and his Machamp.
"Machamp, Four Tiger Slaughter! Finger Pistol: Meteor Strike!"
Noticing that the fastest pursuer, a Persian, was only at the quasi-Elite Four level, and gauging the distance of the other pursuers with the help of his hidden Gardevoir, Ron made a decisive move.
Four ferocious white tigers burst forth, shattering Persian's Tri Attack in an instant.
The poacher had only intended for his Persian to stall the enemy for a moment, but realizing the overwhelming strength of the attack, he urgently commanded it to retreat.
Unfortunately, it was too late.
Machamp, vanishing with Shave, reappeared right in front of Persian.
Like a meteor streaking across the sky, its Finger Pistol pierced directly into Persian's heart.
A level 61 Persian was simply no match to withstand Machamp's lethal strike.
As soon as it dealt with Persian, Machamp once again used Shave, disappearing in the blink of an eye to catch up with Ron before continuing their escape.
Despite the sudden turn of events, the poachers did not halt their pursuit—if anything, they became even more cautious.
To outsiders, it seemed as though Ron's Gardevoir had overused Teleport and was temporarily unable to assist in his escape.
Little did they know, this was merely the prelude to a deadly trap.
Small flecks of blue light flickered from the forest to the left, accompanied by a bone-chilling gust—an attack from an unknown poacher lurking in the shadows.
Sensing the incoming threat, Machamp reacted instantly.
With a subtle shift in movement, it gradually increased speed, allowing it to carry Ron safely out of the Blizzard's range.
But there was no time to rest.
A wall of searing flames erupted before them, followed by two blazing fireballs hurtling toward Ron and Machamp.
"Machamp, Finger Pistol: Daytime Tiger Barrage! Then use Shave to reposition!"
Following the command, Machamp, still carrying Ron, extended two free arms and executed Finger Pistol: Daytime Tiger.
One white tiger lunged toward the fireballs, while the other slammed into the fiery wall, creating an opening for Machamp to swiftly escape using Shave.
"Skarmory, Steel Wing!"
With a rapid descent, Skarmory unleashed a combination of Air Slash and Steel Wing, its bladed wings gleaming like polished silver as it slashed through the air.
The wide-range attack left no room for Ron or Machamp to dodge.
Ron glanced up at the incoming Skarmory and the two figures riding on its back—his expression remained utterly calm.
In the next instant, Machamp vanished once more with consecutive Shave steps.
By the time Skarmory's Steel Wing struck the ground, Machamp had already carried Ron far beyond the attack's reach.
"So fast!"
Russo, watching from above, couldn't hide his surprise at Machamp's sheer agility in avoiding Skarmory's assault.
"It looks like we won't just be cashing in a hefty bounty—we might also uncover an excellent Pokémon training method from him."
"I get it now, Boss. I'll capture him alive for you. Skarmory, take down that Machamp!"
Understanding Bass's intent, Russo wasted no time commanding Skarmory to continue the chase.
The relentless pursuit was beginning to wear Machamp down.
The poachers, seeing Ron drawing ever closer, smirked with anticipation, completely unaware of the white silhouette rapidly closing in from behind.
"Skarmory, use Flash Cannon to cut them off!"
Locking onto Machamp and Ron, Skarmory fired off a Flash Cannon while accelerating—aiming to seize Ron in one decisive strike.
Watching as Gregor and Russo blocked the path ahead, the poachers behind Ron started growing impatient.
"Boom!"
A deafening explosion rang out, followed by agonized screams—some human, some Pokémon—but none belonging to Ron or his Machamp.
"Phew, looks like I made it just in time."
Hearing Sidney's relieved voice, the remaining Pokémon poachers—though still standing—felt no sense of relief. Instead, their nerves tightened like a coiled spring.
"Absol, take them down!"
"Run!"
The moment Sidney's command echoed, someone shouted—a rallying cry that sent the poachers into immediate action.
They unleashed every trick they had, desperately attempting to flee from the figure they saw as a harbinger of death.
But against absolute power, all their fancy maneuvers were meaningless.
Swiftly weaving through the battlefield, Absol displayed its Champion-level prowess with devastating efficiency.
No matter what attacks the poachers' Pokémon launched, Absol effortlessly countered them—claiming not only victory but also their lives.
"Absol, Thunderstorm Judgment!"
As a few poachers attempted to break free, Sidney's voice rang out sharply.
Thunder, Rain Dance, Blizzard, Ice Beam—multiple moves executed in unison, making Absol seem like a god of the elements.
Bolts of lightning rained down from above, striking the furthest fleeing poachers.
Drizzling rain turned into glistening ice needles under the combined effect of the howling blizzard and piercing Ice Beam, stripping away the lives of both poachers and their Pokémon.
High above, Gregor and Russo had tried to flee the moment Sidney arrived. Unfortunately, they ran straight into Drake and the airborne squad of rangers and forest hunters under his command.
Scorching flames morphed into the form of a dragon, encircling Russo's Skarmory in a fiery trap.
The skies were never their domain to begin with, and now, faced with a Champion-level Salamence, even Gregor's face twisted in despair.
On the ground, the cries of agony continued unabated.
Some poachers, driven to desperation, abandoned escape and instead turned their rage toward Sidney.
"We'll all die together!"
"Elite Four, huh? Let's see if you can take us with you!"
Bloodshot eyes, manic laughter—two poachers, both of top Elite Four caliber, charged Sidney from either side.
"Where did you get the courage to think you could take me down with you?"
"Cacturne, Meat Grinder!"
Pin Missile, Energy Ball, Seed Bomb—an array of attacks burst forth in a relentless barrage. Under Cacturne's terrifying control, the battlefield was instantly transformed into a sea of green devastation.
With Absol providing backup, Sidney easily neutralized the poachers' desperate last stand.
The brief delay allowed more forest hunters to arrive at the scene, sealing the fate of the remaining poachers—escape was no longer an option.
Above, bodies plummeted from the sky. Most poachers had relied on a single Flying-type Pokémon to flee, with no real skill in aerial combat. Against Drake and his team, the outcome was inevitable.
With Gregor and Russo—the strongest of them—eliminated, the scorching flames in the air gradually faded.
As Sidney and Drake made their presence known, and a squad of rangers and hunters arrived, the poachers pursuing Ron were now fighting for their own survival.
Ron, finally given a moment to breathe, exhaled deeply.
But from the shadows, a pair of piercing eyes locked onto him—their owner watching as he let his guard down.
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