Once Alex confirmed Steven's identity, the fear on his face lasted for less than three seconds. That brief moment of shock was quickly replaced by a more twisted, more burning emotion.
Killing for loot, and the target is the successor of Devon Corporation?
This thought, far from making him shrink back, was like a bucket of boiling oil poured onto the fire of "desire" in his heart.
Take him out!
As long as they killed him, everything on him—those legendary rare Pokémon, those priceless items—would all belong to the Black Fire Exploration Team!
This was a high-stakes gamble with life as the wager, and the reward was wealth and status that could never be squandered in a lifetime!
"Do it!"
Alex didn't waste words; with a low Growl, the four team members behind him understood immediately.
They were outlaws, accustomed to living on the edge; the principle of seeking fortune amidst danger was etched into their very bones.
Facing the four Gym Leader Level Pokémon emitting powerful auras on Ariel and Steven's side, the five members of the Black Fire Exploration Team showed no fear at all.
Five Pokémon of various forms lined up in front of them, roaring and snarling, also at the Gym Leader Level!
A thick-armed Machamp, a Crobat with a sinister gaze, a Donphan covered in a hard shell, an Ariados with venom dripping from its mouth, and Alex's own exceptionally sturdy Houndoom!
The momentum of nine Gym Leader Level Pokémon collided violently within the narrow cave. The resulting energy pressure made their clothes rustle loudly, and gravel fell from the ceiling. The air seemed to turn solid, making it hard to breathe.
"What a bunch of lunatics."
Steven muttered under his breath as he looked at their faces, flushed with greed.
He had seen too many people trying to take advantage of him, but this was the first group crazy enough to continue after recognizing his identity.
"It seems the rumors are true,"
Masaki said, his face pale but still holding his ground,
"they are habitual criminals who specifically target lone Trainers in Mt. Pyre."
Ariel didn't speak; his mind was racing.
The opponent had five Pokémon: Machamp, Donphan, Ariados, Crobat, and Houndoom.
Their types were varied, but the composition was quite reasonable.
Machamp was the physical attacker, Donphan could both attack and defend, Crobat was fast, Ariados could set up Toxic and Sticky Web, and Houndoom was a skilled special attacker.
A standard adventurer squad configuration with clear roles and tacit cooperation.
This definitely wouldn't be an easy battle.
Just as the tension reached its peak and the battle was about to erupt.
"Woo—"
An ethereal and sorrowful cry came without warning from the shadows deep within the cave.
The cry wasn't loud, but it carried a strange piercing power, instantly drowning out the roars of the nine Pokémon and precisely stabbing into everyone's eardrums.
The movements of every person and Pokémon froze at that moment.
The tense atmosphere, woven from greed and fighting spirit, was forcibly cut off as if by an invisible hand.
Something moved in the shadows.
It wasn't the shadow of a rock, but a living creature.
It slowly stepped out from the bottomless darkness, its gait as elegant as a noble strolling under the moon.
The first thing to come into view was snow-white fur, which was somewhat blinding in that almost lightless environment.
Then came the scythe-like horn on its head and a pair of red eyes that seemed to see through the world, filled with sorrow.
Absol!
When its full form was exposed to everyone's sight, the entire cave fell into an eerie silence.
Steven's pupils contracted, and for the first time, a look of solemnity beyond battle appeared on his face.
The crazy greed on the faces of the five Black Fire Exploration Team members froze, replaced by a more primitive, more naked possessiveness.
This was an Absol!
A Pokémon even rarer than a Pseudo-Legendary!
The legendary Disaster Pokémon!
As for Ariel, his breathing almost stopped the moment he saw Absol.
Greed?
No, the Black Fire Exploration Team's bit of desire was like a small stream meeting a tsunami compared to the magnificent waves in his heart right now.
A pure Dark-type Pokémon!
The legendary Disaster Pokémon!
This appearance, this temperament, this rarity!
It was simply the perfect partner tailor-made for him!
Masaki and Tome were completely dazed, their mouths slightly open, unable to speak.
Ariel subconsciously raised his pokédex. A red light flashed, and a mechanical electronic voice sounded.
"Absol, the Disaster Pokémon. Level: 66. ability: Justified."
"An ultra-rare Pokémon, legend says it has the ability to predict disasters. Whenever it appears before humans, it foretells the occurrence of major disasters such as Earthquakes or tsunamis, and has thus been misunderstood as a Pokémon that brings disaster."
Level 66!
Quasi-Elite Four Level!
The raging fire that had just ignited in Ariel's heart was like having a bucket of ice water poured from head to toe, instantly extinguishing most of it, leaving only a few unwilling sparks.
He clicked his tongue, cursing inwardly.
This level was too high.
With his current strength, let alone capturing it, whether he could even survive one move from it was a question.
Even if he luckily won, with this Absol's aloofness, it would never obediently enter a ball.
"Ariel,"
Steven's voice pulled Ariel back to reality. His tone was more serious than ever before.
"An Absol appearing here... means that a disaster is about to occur on Mt. Pyre, or perhaps the entire Lilycove City!"
Ariel nodded, suppressing the agitation in his heart, his face also darkening.
He understood, of course.
Absol never appeared of its own accord; its appearance itself was the most dangerous warning.
In the next second, that Absol gave them a deep look. Its sorrowful red eyes seemed to linger on Ariel's face for an extra tenth of a second, and then its body flickered. Like a wisp of blue smoke, it silently merged back into the darkness deep within the cave, vanishing without a trace.
Absol was gone.
That white figure foretelling disaster silently merged into the deepest darkness of the cave, as if it had never appeared.
But the sense of oppression it brought was like a solid block of lead, weighing heavily on everyone's heart.
The cave fell into a deathly silence.
The previously tense atmosphere had now become incredibly eerie. Only the occasional drop of water from the rock walls echoed in the empty cave—tap, tap, tap—each sound like a knock on one's nerves.
The greed on the faces of the Black Fire Exploration Team members hadn't completely faded before being covered by a thick layer of wariness and fear.
Absol!
That was the legendary Disaster Pokémon! Its appearance was, in itself, the worst possible signal!
Steven's brow furrowed into a knot.
To fight, or not to fight?
He glanced at the unfriendly-looking fellows opposite him, knowing full well that a grudge had been formed. Even if they stopped now, these people would definitely not let it go. As long as they were still on Mt. Pyre, they wouldn't avoid being backstabbed by this pack of hyena-like people.
But if they continued to fight here...
Steven's gaze involuntarily drifted toward the deep darkness where Absol had disappeared.
Disaster.
The weight of that word was too heavy. If something terrifying really happened to Mt. Pyre, like a landslide or something even more bizarre, all of them—friend or foe—might be buried alive here. Not a single one would escape.
For a moment, even the usually decisive Steven found himself in a dilemma.
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