Combat instinct and rational judgment clashed violently in his mind.
His gaze finally landed on Ariel.
For some reason, at such a critical moment, he subconsciously wanted to see Ariel's decision.
Ariel possessed a temperament completely different from his own, a sharpness and decisiveness that was closer to the primitive laws of survival.
Ariel's expression had long since darkened.
The extra tenth of a second that Absol's sorrowful red eyes lingered on his face was like a needle pricking into his mind.
That wasn't a warning; it was more like... pity?
To hell with pity!
Ariel cursed inwardly.
He didn't need any sympathy from a Pokémon.
His mind raced, weighing all the pros and cons in an instant.
Fight the Black Fire Exploration Team?
They could win, but it would inevitably result in exhaustion.
Facing an unknown disaster while exhausted? Only a fool would do that.
As for Absol...
Its staggering Level 66 and pure Dark-type attribute certainly made his heart burn with desire.
But now, that greed was being suppressed by an even stronger desire for survival.
One's life was always more important than a Pokémon they couldn't catch.
His judgment was finalized almost instantly.
Without the slightest hesitation, Ariel spat out a single word.
"Run!"
The voice wasn't loud, but it was like a command that instantly pierced through the stagnant air!
Before his voice had even faded, the Krookodile beside Ariel let out a roar. Its massive tail swung violently, scooping up Ariel and Tome, while Malamar used Confusion to lift Steven and Masaki. The two Pokémon coordinated perfectly, transforming into two arrows released from a bow as they charged back toward the path they had come from!
Steven didn't even have time to react before his body was carried away from the spot by a soft yet powerful force.
Beside him, Metagross and Aggron immediately understood. They took heavy strides and followed closely behind.
This sudden turn of events left everyone from the Black Fire Exploration Team stunned.
One second they were in a standoff, and the next they were running?
Running so decisively? So shamelessly?!
"Damn it!"
Alex was the first to react. His face turned the color of pig liver as he roared in exasperation,
"Chase them! Don't let them get away!"
With the order given, several of the Black Fire Exploration Team's Pokémon immediately gave chase.
However, their speed was not even on the same level as Ariel's side.
Krookodile was like a fish in water within the narrow cave, using all four limbs to move at an astonishing speed.
Malamar's Confusion ignored the obstacles of the terrain entirely.
Metagross and Aggron followed behind like two heavy tanks, crashing through everything in their path and pulling quite a distance away from the Black Fire Exploration Team.
"Useless! A bunch of useless trash! Chase them, now!"
Alex's roars echoed through the cave, sounding like nothing more than impotent rage.
But they could only trail behind, watching helplessly as the distance between them grew wider and wider.
The path leaving Mt. Pyre felt a hundred times more oppressive than the path coming in.
The further out they went, the more Ariel's heart sank.
Something was wrong.
Something was very wrong!
A faint scent of blood permeated the air. It was light at first, but as they went deeper, the smell grew stronger and stronger, until it was almost thick enough to be tangible.
Soon, they saw the first corpse.
It was a young Trainer wearing hiking gear, collapsed by the rocks at the side of the road. His eyes were wide open, and his face still held a look of extreme terror.
His head was missing.
The cut at his neck was as smooth as a mirror, and not much blood had even flowed out, as if it had been severed and cauterized in an instant by something incredibly sharp.
"This..."
When Masaki and Tome saw this, their stomachs churned, and their faces instantly turned pale.
Steven's expression also became incredibly solemn. He knelt down to carefully examine the wound, his brow furrowing even deeper.
"Such a fast attack, such sharp methods."
Ariel didn't stop, only glancing at it with the corner of his eye.
This was only the beginning.
Soon, they saw a second corpse, then a third...
As they went along, more and more corpses appeared.
The dead Trainers and their Pokémon all shared a strangely consistent cause of death.
Decapitation.
Whether it was a massive Snorlax, a Steelix as hard as iron, or a tiny Pikachu lying in its Trainer's arms.
Without exception, their heads were separated from their bodies.
Those uniform cuts were like a cold announcement—an announcement that a being with terrifying power was conducting a silent hunt on this mountain.
This brutal and eerie scene caused even Steven, a Champion used to major events, to feel a tremor in his heart.
This was no longer a simple case of seeking revenge or robbery.
This was a one-sided massacre!
Masaki and Tome were too terrified to look, following the group closely and not even daring to breathe loudly.
Ariel's gaze grew colder and colder.
He was almost certain that this was the work of one person, or rather, one Pokémon.
Who could it be?
Was it a human vendetta?
Or was a powerful Ghost-type Pokémon behind this?
Could the disaster Absol warned them about be this?
Questions flashed through his mind one after another, but he had no time to think carefully, and his pace quickened even more.
Finally, a glimmer of light appeared ahead.
They burst out of the oppressive mountain and reached the foot of Mt. Pyre.
However, the scene before them did not allow them to breathe a sigh of relief.
A thick white fog enveloped the entire base of the mountain, with visibility less than five meters. The cold, damp mist brushed against their faces, carrying an indescribably eerie aura.
In the fog, the plants were withered, and there was a deathly silence; not even the sound of a Bug Buzz or a bird's call could be heard.
Just then, disorganized footsteps came from the cave behind them.
The five members of the Black Fire Exploration Team came running out, panting like dogs. Clearly, that nondescript logistics boy had been completely forgotten and left behind.
Alex, the leader, leaned on his knees and gasped for air. Seeing Ariel's group of four not far away, a cruel smile reappeared on his face.
"Run! Why aren't you running anymore?!"
The female member behind him, Layla, regained her usual arrogance. She caught her breath and was about to mock them to reclaim some pride.
"You cowards..."
Before she could finish her sentence, she met Ariel's gaze.
What kind of gaze was that?
Cold, calm, yet possessing a sharpness that could pierce through a person's soul. It was as if he wasn't looking at a human, but at an object that might make noise at any moment and bring about a fatal disaster.
Layla's remaining words were stuck in her throat.
Then, Ariel raised an index finger and placed it against his lips.
"Shh!"
The extremely soft syllable was like an Icicle Spear, instantly piercing into the ears of everyone in the Black Fire Exploration Team.
Ariel's gaze swept over each of them, his voice kept extremely low yet carrying clearly to them.
"If you want to live, don't make a sound!"
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