The air around them seemed to grow unbearably heavy.
For some reason, Harker found it hard to breathe.
"Gulp..."
He swallowed despite himself.
"You... you bastard. What do you think you're doing?"
"Do you know who I am!?"
"Quentin, one of Hualis's Ten Champions, is my father!"
"You actually dared to hit me... You're dead!"
Panic flashed through Harker's eyes as he roared at Aaron.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Aaron's face remained expressionless as he walked toward him, one step at a time.
With every step Aaron took, Harker felt as if an invisible hand were squeezing his heart, making it harder and harder to breathe.
"Ah..."
"Don't come any closer!"
"You... all of you, stop him!"
Cold sweat rolled down Harker's forehead, and fear flickered in his eyes. At last, he couldn't hold back anymore and shouted at the people around him.
The surrounding Trainers' expressions changed.
Inwardly, they cursed him to hell and back.
They had only wanted to watch the drama from the sidelines. Now, somehow, they had been dragged onto the stage.
If they did nothing, Harker would settle the score with them later.
One by one, the people around them changed their tune. Acting like they were standing on moral high ground, they began lecturing Aaron.
"Listen, kid... don't take this too far. I'm saying this for your own good. Stop now."
"Exactly. Apologize to Harker right now. Maybe he'll be generous enough to let this slide."
"That's right, kid. Don't ruin your whole life over one stupid impulse."
"Man, know when to stop. Hurry up and apologize to Harker, or you're finished."
"Damn it... who do you think you are, acting so tough? Don't you know you're already dead?"
"Yeah... just run already. Don't drag us into this."
"Seriously, what a pain. I came here to catch a Pokémon, not get involved with some lunatic."
The people around them pointed at Aaron and ran their mouths, but not a single one of them actually stepped forward.
All their courage stayed in their words.
Aaron continued walking toward Harker, step by step, until he stood right in front of him.
Beneath his bangs, his eyes were colder than ice.
In the next instant, Aaron raised his arm and grabbed Harker by the throat. Then, as if he were lifting a helpless chick, he hoisted him straight off the ground.
"Cough, cough, cough..."
"You... damn it... cough... let me go."
Harker gripped Aaron's arm tightly with both hands, trying to break free.
But Aaron's hand was like a Kingler's claw, clamped tightly around his throat.
Then Aaron's cold voice rang out.
"You really deserve to die."
A terrifying aura suddenly erupted from Aaron's body.
It felt as though some monster in the dark had opened its eyes.
A violent wind rose around Aaron and swept outward in every direction.
Harker stared into Aaron's eyes, which were filled with killing intent, and terror flooded his face.
This guy really wants to kill me!
Harker felt warmth spread down his legs.
He had wet himself from fear.
Aaron caught the foul smell coming from him. His brows furrowed, and with a flick of his hand, he threw Harker in front of Zoroark.
By then, Zoroark had already regained consciousness.
It looked at its Trainer, and deep disappointment flashed through its eyes.
"Trash."
"Kneel down and apologize to Zoroark."
Aaron's words carried no emotion at all.
"Gulp..."
Harker looked at Aaron in terror, swallowed, and stammered.
"You... you're going too far."
"Let me go... I can pretend none of this happened. I swear, I'll never come after you."
SMACK!
Aaron answered him with another slap, immediately swelling the other side of Harker's face as well.
"Ah...!"
"That hurts like hell!"
Harker clutched his cheek and rolled across the ground, screaming.
"Hiss..."
The people around them could not help drawing in another sharp breath.
Had this guy completely lost his mind?
Or was he just insane?
Everyone looked at Aaron with strange, unsettled expressions.
"Did I tell you to speak?"
"I told you to kneel down and apologize to Zoroark."
"Do you not understand?"
Aaron's face was cold as snow. He walked up to Harker, his terrifying aura pressing down on him like a predator closing in on wounded prey.
"Guh..."
Harker's legs went weak from fear.
He dropped straight to his knees in front of Zoroark.
...