"Who let the Pidgeot escape!?"
Seeing that the four factions had managed to fend off the attackers, Lina was the first to speak, demanding an explanation.
As the only female among the four quasi-Elite Four trainers, Lina was also the most hot-tempered of the group. Earlier, she had led her poaching syndicate to exhaust much of the Scyther's stamina, preparing to launch a final assault to capture it—only for the sudden appearance of the Pidgeot flock to interrupt her plan.
A quasi-Elite Four-level target like this was not something poachers like Lina could encounter easily, and now that it had flown away before her eyes, she considered herself remarkably restrained to be merely asking questions.
Levi and Hanno exchanged glances before turning their attention to Tycho.
Tycho, the oldest among the four quasi-Elite Four trainers at over fifty years old, had a slightly hunched figure and a kindly face. Without prior knowledge, no one would ever guess that this benevolent-looking old man led a poaching syndicate—with his strongest Pokémon being a Ghost-type Gengar.
"That's right. It was my mistake that the Pidgeot escaped," Tycho admitted. "But there was nothing I could do—I'm old and simply couldn't handle so many Pidgeot at once."
As the others' gazes locked onto him, a chilling aura began to seep from Tycho's body. The oppressive atmosphere from the Gengar hidden in his shadow made the others' expressions grow darker.
"If any of you want to take me on, I don't mind," Tycho continued, his voice calm. "But you'll have to consider whether starting an internal conflict before exploring the Dragon's Nest is worth it."
"Remember—if there are four quasi-Elite Four trainers involved, that means the Dragon-type Pokémon we're after is at least Elite Four-level. If it hasn't appeared yet, it could be weakened or unable to act for some reason. But if we fight among ourselves now, that juicy prize will slip away."
With those words, Tycho ignored the others and led his poaching syndicate toward the Dragon's Nest.
Lina, Levi, and Hanno's expressions were so dark they could drip water, but none of them made a move. Even fiery-tempered Lina suppressed her anger.
"Move out!" she finally barked.
Lina took the lead, followed by Levi and Hanno, both pushing down their fury as they followed Tycho. As the saying went, patience was necessary when a prize like this was at stake.
Trailing behind them at a leisurely pace was Ron. Among the many poachers accompanying the expedition, Ron had already marked two promising targets. If any disruptions occurred, he'd make sure to take them out first before hunting for more rewards.
The path led them to a massive tree where a nest of interwoven branches and leaves was hidden high among the canopy. A faint white figure flickered within the leaves.
Below the tree, patches of green grass with shimmering scales—Dragonscale Grass—grew in clumps, a rare plant that enhanced the growth of Dragon-type Pokémon. This confirmed that the area indeed housed a Dragon-type Pokémon, just as Tycho had speculated. Something had weakened the Elite Four-level creature, making it reluctant to emerge.
A sharp cry broke the silence.
With the signal given, the Pidgeot flock sprang into action once more. This time, they were joined by a Fearow of quasi-Elite Four level, leading its own flock.
The poachers barely had time to react before the sky filled with countless wings. The long-standing rivals—Pidgeot and Fearow—had set aside their animosity to defend the nest.
On the ground, previously defeated wild Pokémon such as Venusaur, Scyther, and Rhydon reappeared under the leadership of five quasi-Elite Four Pokémon. The sheer number of Pokémon rivaled that of a small-scale beast horde.
Yet despite the overwhelming sight, the poachers remained unfazed.
"Divide the battlefield—take out the five quasi-Elite Four Pokémon first!" Tycho commanded.
Gone was his gentle facade. Now, he exuded a razor-sharp killing intent. His Gengar sprang from his shadow, intercepting the Pidgeot in the blink of an eye.
Another High Elite-level Gengar emerged from Tycho's shadow, guarding his side. No one knew how many Gengar lurked within his shadow.
"Arbok, don't let it escape this time—Fire Fang!"
"Golduck, Icicle Spear!"
"Golem, Heavy Slam!"
At the start, Tycho and his three companions each sought out their previous rivals, leaving the last Fearow to be temporarily held back by the poaching syndicate members and the gathered Pokémon hunters.
As the battle began, the Pidgeot and Fearow charging at the front were swiftly struck down, losing their lives completely.
The Pokémon hunters fared no better. The poachers, with their coordinated teamwork, managed to minimize the damage from the initial assault. However, the assembled Pokémon hunters, disorganized and chaotic, suffered the heaviest casualties.
Fortunately, their sheer numbers allowed them to send enough Pokémon forward to block the first wave of attacks from the Pidgeot and Fearow.
Hidden within the canopy not far away, Ron prepared to take action. If the battle spread further, his chances of making a move would be significantly reduced.
Fixing his gaze on a Pokémon hunter who had also chosen to hide among the treetops, Ron released his Machamp.
With Gardevoir's Teleport, Ron's group appeared behind the hunter and his Pokémon in an instant.
In a flash, Machamp's four arms swiftly executed Finger Pistol, killing them both.
Moments later, crimson blood dripped down the tree trunk, but everyone's attention was locked on the battle ahead, leaving no one to notice the gruesome scene.
At that moment, the well-hidden Pokémon hunters inadvertently became prime targets for Ron's ambush.
With Machamp's four arms, those Pokémon requiring only two hands or front claws stood no chance—perfectly proving the saying: two fists cannot beat four hands.
As Ron reaped his bountiful rewards, the battle on the other side grew even more intense.
The once-vibrant Pidgeot now bore several wounds, while Gengar's grin became increasingly menacing.
Rhydon and the others fared no better. Facing Pokémon with more comprehensive skill sets and guided by trainers' commands, wild Pokémon naturally found themselves at a disadvantage. The fact that they had held out this long without showing signs of defeat was already a testament to their strength.
The only one holding up better was Fearow, but even it began to falter against the overwhelming swarm of High Elite Pokémon.
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