"What was that sound just now?"
After a while, someone from the second group of Pokémon poachers attempting to explore the Dragon's Nest asked in a trembling voice.
Before anyone could answer, another scream echoed—this one even more chilling than the last.
It was as if some hidden switch had been activated, as the screams began to follow one after another.
When the final scream abruptly ceased, those with sharp minds tallied the number of screams—it matched precisely with the number of poachers from the first group who had entered the Dragon's Nest.
Once the screams completely faded, the group unconsciously stopped in their tracks.
After a moment of hesitation, they continued forward.
For Pokémon poachers who had advanced to the High Elite rank or even stronger, a few screams were not enough to deter them—they only made them more vigilant.
They didn't believe in ghost stories, especially in broad daylight.
The screams could only mean that some powerful Pokémon had been encountered, forcing those unlucky souls to cry out in terror.
A closer look would reveal that the second group of poachers subtly closed their ranks, each accompanied by two Pokémon instead of one, and their pace slowed considerably.
However, no matter how cautious they were, they couldn't stop themselves from drawing ever closer to the source of the screams. In the half-man-tall shrubs, several thick vines slowly crept toward the group.
By the time some Pokémon noticed something amiss, the vines suddenly lashed out from the underbrush. One poacher who failed to react in time was swiftly bound by the vines.
"Ah!"
A bloodcurdling scream rang out as the poacher was squeezed to death!
Blood splattered, some even splashing onto the faces of nearby poachers.
The sudden attack left the surrounding poachers momentarily stunned as the vines writhed like living creatures, lashing toward them.
The remaining poachers scattered in all directions. Better to let others serve as bait to test what kind of Pokémon was lurking in the shadows.
The more cunning ones traced the vines back to their source, trying to uncover the hidden Pokémon.
Sharp, verdant leaves shot out, swiftly slicing through the underbrush, revealing the hidden Pokémon.
"Venusaur!"
"Who's got a Fire-type Pokémon!?"
Upon seeing that the hidden Pokémon was a Venusaur, the poachers quickly coordinated, leaving the battle to those with Fire-type Pokémon.
Despite Venusaur's quasi-Elite Four aura, it couldn't dampen the poachers' enthusiasm.
At the same time, three other Pokémon of quasi-Elite Four strength emerged from different directions—a Rhydon, a Scyther, and a Pidgeot accompanied by its flock.
Following behind the second group, Ron observed that the poachers were roughly divided into four factions.
Three of the factions were poaching syndicates led by quasi-Elite Four trainers, while the remaining faction consisted of independent poachers, one of whom was also a quasi-Elite Four trainer.
In terms of numbers, the independent poachers had the advantage, but their temporary alliance made them disorganized and unable to leverage their numbers effectively.
The leaders of the three syndicates were Tycho, Hanno, and Lina—infamous poachers long pursued by Rangers and Forest Hunters.
Rumors suggested that Tycho had recently broken through to Elite Four rank, though this had yet to be confirmed.
Among the independent poachers, the quasi-Elite Four trainer was Levi—once one of Ron's targets, though Ron had yet to locate him before hearing about the Dragon's Nest. To his surprise, Levi was here.
For Ron and the other scattered followers, these four factions paid little attention.
In their eyes, even if Ron's group intended to play the waiting game, they lacked the strength to be a true threat.
Blazing flames surged as Flamethrowers and Fire Blasts erupted. Though these attacks came from High Elite and Mid Elite Pokémon, their type advantage against Grass-types was undeniable.
The surrounding underbrush quickly caught fire, spreading toward Venusaur.
Venusaur used Razor Leaf and Energy Ball to fend off the poachers' assault while employing Petal Blizzard to sever the shrubs around it, both defending itself and preventing sneak attacks.
Even so, the sheer number of attacks left Venusaur with numerous wounds.
Had the numbers been equal, the temporary alliance of poachers wouldn't have been a match for the poaching syndicates. But with superior numbers, even a quasi-Elite Four Pokémon like Venusaur couldn't withstand their onslaught.
Seeing the opportunity, Levi prepared to act.
A quasi-Elite Four Pokémon, especially a rare starter Pokémon like Venusaur, would satisfy him—whether for personal use or for sale.
"Go, Golduck—Ice Spear!"
First, the Water Pulse was compressed into a long spear, then launched using Ice Punch, transforming into two-meter-long ice spear that descended from the sky, hurtling straight toward Venusaur.
Levi commanded Golduck to strike at the perfect moment—right as Venusaur had just driven back the smaller Pokémon, leaving it no time to defend.
Before the ice spears could land on Venusaur, several razor-sharp Air Slash blades streaked from the distance, shattering the frozen projectiles midair.
A chorus of bird cries echoed as a quasi-Elite Four-level Pidgeot led a flock of Pidgeot into the fray.
Seeing reinforcements arrive, Venusaur was about to counterattack but was stopped by the higher-ranked Pidgeot.
Though the Pokémon hunters couldn't understand the conversation between the Pokémon, they could tell from Pidgeot's cry that Venusaur was beginning to retreat.
"Trying to leave?!"
"Golduck, Absolute Blizzard!"
At Levi's command, Golduck leaped into the air, unleashing a combination of Blizzard, Ice Beam, and Icy Wind.
Even those not targeted by Golduck's attack—both the Pokémon hunters and the wild Pokémon—felt the chill rising around them.
A glint of disdain flashed in Pidgeot's eyes. With a sharp cry, the quasi-Elite Four Pidgeot led its flock in a synchronized counterattack.
With the high-ranked Pidgeot at the helm and backed by High Elite and Mid Elite-level Pidgeot, a massive Hurricane formed, clashing with Golduck's Absolute Blizzard. Scattered through the winds were streaking Air Cutter and Air Slash attacks.
"Everyone, attack together!"
Under the crushing pressure of the storm, Levi's voice was barely audible.
But no reminder was necessary—driven by self-preservation, the other Pokémon hunters ordered their Pokémon to strike.
A flurry of attacks broke apart the Pidgeot flock's combined offensive.
In the end, aside from a few unlucky souls swept into the storm and killed, the remaining hunters emerged unscathed.
When the storm finally subsided, neither Venusaur nor the Pidgeot flock was anywhere to be seen.
"Keep moving forward."
With a grim expression, Levi took the lead, heading deeper into the forest.
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