"Bellossom, One-Sword Style: Finger Pistol—Verdant Shroud!"
Ron's command echoed in Bellossom's mind. In the next instant, the Pokémon vanished from his side.
By the time Bellossom reappeared, it was already behind its target.
A cascade of green leaves fluttered down alongside the target's lifeless body. Just like that, a quasi-Elite Four-level Pokémon hunter was eliminated without a sound.
It had been three days since Ron had wiped out nearly a hundred Pokémon hunters. Thanks to their "unselfish contributions," along with Ron's continuous efforts, he was now just twenty million short of his goal.
While the amount might not seem insurmountable, accumulating it was far from easy—especially when dealing with Pokémon hunters.
After all, Pokémon hunters lived by the sword and often perished by it. Their way of life left little room for stockpiling wealth; instead, they prioritized converting resources into immediate power. Only a handful of hunters managed to amass significant resources or Hunter Points.
Thus, Ron's primary target when hunting these poachers was their Pokémon, which he exchanged for Hunter Guild missions and points.
Otherwise, with nearly a hundred slain hunters, he should have already gathered sufficient resources.
After having Nidoking incinerate the bodies, Gardevoir instinctively activated Teleport, whisking Ron away from the scene.
At the Ranger Headquarters Meeting Room.
Sidney, a member of the Elite Four, sat at the head of the table, his voice calm as he addressed the high-ranking Elite Rangers and Forest Hunters present.
"In five days, I want the Dark King erased from the Hoenn region. Can you do it?"
Having worked under Sidney for so long, the Rangers and Hunters understood his temperament well.
When he spoke in a tranquil tone, it meant his fury had reached its peak.
"Yes!"
The gathered Rangers and Hunters answered in unison before swiftly dividing tasks, aiming to locate and eliminate the Dark King as soon as possible.
Everyone present was at least at the entry-level Elite Four tier.
In their view, the Dark King's strength was not the primary issue—it was his unparalleled ability to remain hidden.
Aside from their initial successful ambush, every subsequent attempt had failed to even glimpse him.
Worse still, the Dark King had grown more active, systematically executing Pokémon hunters. While his actions struck terror into the hearts of the poachers, they also provided them with a twisted sense of hope—a force beyond the League's reach.
This was precisely why Sidney was so enraged.
They had already eliminated numerous mid to high-level Elite Four-tier hunters. How could they allow a mere quasi-Elite Four fighter like the Dark King to rekindle the flames of this parasitic underworld?
Less than a day later, chaos erupted across the Hoenn region as the search for the Dark King intensified.
Despite Ron's best efforts to conceal his whereabouts, the Rangers managed to track him down multiple times.
Fortunately, each time before the Rangers could close in, Gardevoir and Lucario would sense them in advance, ensuring Ron escaped unharmed.
Though he had suffered no losses, evading pursuit had cost him precious time.
At one point, Ron considered reverting to his original identity to throw off the Rangers. However, they were hunting him far too aggressively.
If Ron and the Dark King were spotted in the same area, it would inevitably raise suspicion—a risk he could not afford.
Even a patient man has his limits, let alone Ron.
After everything he had endured in Kanto, Ron's heart had hardened. Anyone who stood in his way was disposable.
The only reason he hadn't targeted Hoenn League members yet was out of respect for Drake and Sidney.
But truth be told, he owed them nothing. If anything, their debts had long been settled.
"You've been chasing me so relentlessly—are you truly unafraid of death?"
Dropping from the tree canopy, Ron's rasping voice resonated through the darkness as the void of the Netherworld engulfed the Rangers surrounding him.
"The Dark King!"
"Send the signal! We've found him!"
"Prepare for battle!"
Shouts of urgency filled the air, but in the next instant, every Ranger was frozen in place.
"Have you all forgotten? I'm a Psychic. Do you truly believe you can act so brazenly in front of me?"
The Dark King's voice was devoid of emotion.
From the beginning, Ron's disguise had been that of a figure dedicated to eradicating Pokémon hunters—never harming Rangers or wild Pokémon.
But the Rangers had attacked him on sight, giving him no chance to explain. All for merit. All for promotion. They had attempted to kill him the moment they saw him.
Even common Pokémon hunters received better treatment.
Ron had let it slide before. But he had never forgotten.
No matter how righteous these Rangers pretended to be, Ron had never been the one at fault.
And now, they stood in his way—hindering his path to greater power and jeopardizing the second identity he had painstakingly built.
There would be no mercy.
Dark chains burst forth, piercing through the Rangers without hesitation.
The strongest among them were merely at the High Elite level. If Ron hadn't held back, how could they have survived until today?
Leaving a letter on the corpses, Ron had his Gardevoir use Teleport to take him away.
...
"So, you're saying that the emergence of the Dark King was actually caused by us Rangers?"
Seated in the conference room, Sidney couldn't help but feel like Klaus Nyland—once again caught in a large-scale meeting over someone insignificant.
"Yes. Based on everything the Dark King has done since his debut and the sacrifices our Rangers have made, the possibility is extremely high."
"This was my mistake. I mishandled the situation back then. I'm willing to take full responsibility."
Standing up from his seat, Hiro bowed deeply toward Sidney.
"I understand. However, the fact remains that the Dark King killed both Rangers and Forest Hunters. He must die."
"Hiro, from today onward, you are fully in charge of the Dark King case. Within five days, I want to see him dead!"
Even after understanding the situation, Sidney still issued an execution order against the Dark King.
Once a matter involved human lives, it could no longer be judged simply by right or wrong.
Unfortunately for Sidney, Ron wasn't going to give him that chance.
At a harbor, he shed his black cloak, revealing his second identity—Garus—or, as they called him, the Dark King.
Ron had never discarded his disguise before because there had been no point. The Rangers would search every suspicious person and eventually trace everything back to him.
Now that he had temporarily shaken off the Rangers' pursuit, Ron finally revealed his true face, making it easier for him to board the ship.
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