"A suspected Dragon-type Pokémon nest? Now that's quite the news."
Emerging from his hiding spot, Ron looked at the Pokémon hunters before him, a hint of excitement in his voice.
Dragon-type Pokémon were almost synonymous with rarity and power.
Even Pokémon with partial Dragon lineage, such as Charizard and Magmar, boasted formidable strength despite not being classified as Dragon-types. True Dragon-type Pokémon were even more powerful.
Kanto's most iconic and only Dragon-type Pokémon, Dragonite, exemplified the strength of Dragon-types.
Despite its round belly and seemingly slow base speed, Dragonite could unleash bursts of speed that ordinary Pokémon could hardly match.
Dragonite's strength was equally impressive, and it could learn many moves to cover its weaknesses.
The most representative Dragon-type trainer was undoubtedly Lance, one of the Elite Four.
With Lance as a living example, people often overlooked the slow growth and initial weakness of Dragon-type Pokémon.
Some even believed that simply owning a Dragon-type Pokémon marked the beginning of a journey to becoming a powerful trainer.
Ron, however, did not share this view. Raising a Larvitar alone had shown him the true meaning of difficulty—let alone a Dragon-type Pokémon, renowned for their demanding training requirements.
Nonetheless, if given the opportunity, Ron wouldn't mind adding a Dragon-type Pokémon to his team.
Even if he couldn't capture a Dragon-type Pokémon, the Dragon's Nest itself was highly enticing.
Adult Dragon-type Pokémon gradually influenced their surroundings, fostering the growth of plants that aided their development.
In the Johto region, Blackthorn City—Lance's hometown—was home to a massive Dragon's Nest, inhabited by numerous Pokémon.
With the nest's help, the Dragon Tamer Clan harvested a vast number of plants annually to nurture their Dragon-types, bolstering the clan's prosperity.
According to incomplete statistics, more than half of the Dragon-type growth-enhancing items circulating in Kanto and Johto were supplied by the Dragon Tamer Clan.
Ron estimated that if any Dragon-type Pokémon were present, they would likely range between quasi-Elite Four and Elite Four levels. The plants grown in such an environment would be limited in quantity and quality.
Even so, they would still be valuable—either to sell for a good price or to keep for himself in case he ever captured a Dragon-type Pokémon.
With his mind made up, Ron prepared to set out.
From the overheard conversations, it was clear that many individual Pokémon hunters were aware of the nest. Even if the nest yielded no rewards, the hunters themselves could provide Ron with a lucrative payday.
Finding a secluded spot, Ron donned his black cloak and had Gardevoir use Teleport to secure an advantageous position.
Other hunters, having received the same information, flocked to the nest's location. By the time Ron arrived, a sizable crowd had gathered, including two poaching syndicates.
Perhaps because the nest had yet to be discovered, the hunters remained restrained, scattered across the area.
Many, like Ron, concealed their identities—making his black cloak blend in easily.
Perched among the treetops, Ron relied on Gardevoir's psychic detection to gauge the number of nearby hunters. Yet, a question nagged at him.
Why hadn't the rangers responded to such a large-scale disturbance?
Even if the rangers' patrol routes hadn't reached this area, surely the Forest Rangers would have caught wind of the rumors?
Or perhaps the rangers were already aware, disguising themselves to ambush the hunters—or maybe another faction was pulling the strings.
After some contemplation, Ron abandoned the train of thought.
It didn't matter who intervened—as long as he could profit, the rest was irrelevant.
For now, his priority was remaining inconspicuous to facilitate his next moves.
Elsewhere, a few impatient hunters began venturing deeper into the forest.
The remaining hunters and poaching syndicates smirked, silently grateful that someone was willing to scout ahead.
Facing an unknown Dragon-type Pokémon, someone had to test the waters.
Though no communication occurred, the hunters and poachers moved with remarkable coordination—spreading out to encircle the first group.
Whether they encountered danger or treasure, the first group would pave the way for others.
Ron remained still, observing from his vantage point. With Gardevoir's psychic detection, neither group could evade his notice.
As the second group disappeared into the forest, scattered individuals emerged from hiding, following cautiously.
Without further hesitation, to prevent the first group from surpassing Gardevoir's perception range, Ron decided to follow them.
After a long while, another group arrived in the area. Strangely, despite being not far from Ron's position, they were not detected by Gardevoir's psychic abilities.
...
As one of the first Pokémon hunters venturing toward the Dragon's Nest, Gripus' eyes were filled with burning greed.
Ever since he became a Pokémon hunter, the strength of Dragon-type Pokémon had been deeply imprinted in Gripus' heart. Unfortunately, Dragon-type Pokémon were far too expensive, not to mention the exorbitant resources needed to nurture them—enough to make Gripus flinch.
But now, such an opportunity lay before him—a chance to obtain not only Dragon-type Pokémon but also the resources needed to raise them. How could Gripus let this slip away?
The reason Gripus dared to be among the first to explore was entirely because of his Azumarill.
With Azumarill's highly developed hearing, Gripus believed he could locate Dragon-type Pokémon clues faster than the other hunters, then rely on Azumarill's auditory prowess to find a way out and return fully loaded.
What he didn't realize was that the other Pokémon hunters exploring the Dragon's Nest had the same idea, each accompanied by Pokémon adept at searching and tracking.
Moreover, the poaching syndicates that allowed these hunters to enter first had the absolute strength to prevent any of them from escaping.
"What's wrong, Azumarill?"
Seeing his Azumarill suddenly freeze in place, Gripus hastily asked, his eyes still filled with anticipation.
Before Azumarill could utter a warning cry, several vine whips appeared in Gripus' field of vision.
"Ah!"
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