"Machamp, Armament Technique: Meteor Fist Barrage!"
Following Ron's command, Machamp charged straight at Shiftry.
Steam still hung in the air from earlier as Machamp closed the distance—thick and swirling, masking the battlefield in a veil of heat.
With no time to unleash a powerful combo, Shiftry hastily crossed its Leaf Blade-covered arms in front of itself. A flurry of emerald leaves rapidly wove together into a makeshift shield.
"Boom!"
The sound of shattering defenses echoed across the scorched clearing as Shiftry skidded backward, leaving deep grooves etched into the dirt.
Before Shiftry's trembling arms could recover, Ron's next command sliced through the air like the whisper of death.
"Machamp, Armament Technique: Meteor Storm!"
Bracing itself, Shiftry crossed its Leaf Blade arms once more and lunged forward in a desperate charge. This would be its final stand.
Soaring into the air, Shiftry transformed into a streak of green light, blossoming like an emerald comet mid-flight.
But the descending fists were relentless—dark silhouettes wrapped in steam, swirling like a chaotic maelstrom. The green light was consumed, swallowed by the crushing force.
Beads of blood floated outward in the haze. Wounded and broken, Shiftry crashed to the ground, unmoving, its crimson blood spreading silently across the battlefield.
The sheer force of the battle's energy ripple summoned nearby Pokémon hunters who hadn't yet withdrawn from the area.
Meanwhile, Ron remained calm and collected. He ordered Blaziken to torch the battlefield, then had Ditto transform into a disguise resembling Long.
With a flash of Gardevoir's Teleport, Ron reappeared in a secluded spot, blending seamlessly into the crowd by impersonating a fellow Pokémon hunter.
It was the same tactic he had used to escape earlier.
Everyone here had the same objective. No one would give a second glance to someone who looked nothing like Ron.
Staring at the inferno rising skyward, several hunters began to feel doubt gnawing at their resolve.
Although the Pokémon League had yet to show itself, the hunters knew one thing: Ron was fully aware that someone had been tailing him.
The best-case scenario? Ron had Gardevoir Teleport him away.
The worst? Ron was deliberately acting as bait to give the League time to lay a trap.
Although the League's raid on Pokémon hunters had taken place several months ago, the community had never fully recovered from Ron's initial storm upon arriving in the Hoenn Region.
That fact alone was enough to extinguish their will to chase him.
After a moment of silence, a few hunters turned and left.
Ron was among them—retreating quietly into the forest's depths, careful with every step.
Farther away, Sisi and Stan had already withdrawn.
After this encounter, they realized that neither the hunters nor their own factions would be able to operate in Hoenn like they used to—not for at least a year or two.
What they didn't know was this: in another year or two, when Ash Ketchum arrived in Hoenn, their destruction would be inevitable.
On the other side, having successfully escaped, Ron played it safe—ordering Gardevoir to enter Long-Distance Standby Mode, then using Teleport again to create more distance from Ke'an Town.
"Bellossom, try using Life Return to control the falling leaves from your body."
In a quiet, secluded part of the forest, Ron had begun a new round of special training for Bellossom.
Since she had begun learning swordsmanship, Ron had envisioned two potential paths for her:
One: Master swordsmanship as the core, supported by Rokushiki and both types of Haki—striving for a single blade that cuts through all techniques.
Two: Dive deep into Life Return, learning to manipulate the leaves shed from her body as weapons. The goal? To emulate Byakuya Kuchiki's Senbonzakura.
But now, Ron had no intention of choosing just one.
Instead, he planned to pursue both paths simultaneously.
In his mind, these two styles could become one, each enhancing the other.
Bellossom had made noticeable progress in her swordsmanship—enough that it could enhance techniques akin to Bankai.
By mastering Bankai-like techniques, Bellossom could tap deeper into the power of Life Return, pushing the limits of her own potential. This spiritual and physical synergy gave her new insights into the sword and helped her learn kenjutsu from multiple angles.
That's how this moment came to be.
The first challenge Bellossom needed to overcome on the path to mastering a Bankai-level ability was this: learning to control the falling of her own leaves using Life Return. It wasn't just about regeneration—it was about precise control over her body, down to the last petal.
In theory, her mastery of Life Return should've allowed her to manage this with ease. But in practice, it required intense, repeated training. Progress couldn't be rushed.
So, within the heart of the forest, a unique scene unfolded.
Ron walked ahead, followed closely by a Gardevoir, who used her psychic powers to float just above the ground.
Beside them, Machamp was sparring with Persian, landing blows imbued with Armament Haki. With each clean hit, Persian's Iron Body was broken more easily, helping him better understand the nuances of Armament Haki and improve his control over it.
Meanwhile, Bellossom continuously shed leaves using Life Return, only to regenerate them moments later—over and over.
Nidoking and Blaziken remained in their Poké Balls. Their training often caused too much disturbance to bring them along while traveling.
Gengar was the same.
Lucario and Greninja, however, were easier to manage.
Lucario trained silently with his Aura, honing control. Greninja, under Ron's direction, repeatedly triggered Battle Bond and attempted to master Ally Switch—switching places in the blink of an eye.
Watching all of this unfold around him, Ron couldn't help but feel a little guilty. To not train… almost felt like a sin.
This rigorous routine went on for several days until it was unexpectedly interrupted—by Gardevoir's discovery of a nearby village.
Emerging from the forest, they followed a dirt path for several hundred meters. A modest village came into view.
Ron noticed that the village didn't appear on his map. Likely too small or remote to have been officially recorded.
"Alright, everyone, return for now."
Though the village was humble, Ron didn't mind. He only planned to stop briefly for supplies before heading back out.
As he stepped into the village, Ron quickly realized what people meant when they spoke of the harshness of life in the inland regions.
Hoenn, for example—Ash's travels through it always seemed vibrant and thriving on TV. But in truth, many of its remote towns struggled. Some weren't even connected to the larger infrastructure of the Hoenn League.
Even if the League wanted to help, progress was often halted by the region's complex terrain and the volcanic presence of Mt. Chimney.
After a quiet sigh, Ron let the thoughts go.
Those kinds of issues were for the Hoenn League to handle—not for a Kanto-native like Ron. Besides, he didn't have the power to change anything.
After asking around, he found the village market.
He bought a decent amount of vegetables and meat—good enough to keep everyone going for a while—then got ready to leave.
As he passed through the village, heading for the road, something unexpected caught his eye: a beggar.
This puzzled Ron. While the village was far from prosperous, he'd noticed that everyone at least had enough to eat. They had clothing, roofs over their heads, and even occasional League officers patrolling to keep things safe.
But now, suddenly—this.
A beggar, slumped in an alley.
Ron's curiosity was piqued.
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