In a concealed part of the forest, any Pokémon with heightened sensory abilities would immediately detect a sharp presence lingering in the air.
In the middle of a clearing, a tree bearing golden fruits shimmered under the breeze. Nine glistening Auraberries hung from its branches. Trees like this one, once fully matured, bore fruit every three months—either nine or ten at a time.
By this logic, this Auraberry Tree was fully ripened, surpassing the one Ron had first encountered.
Typically, such a tree wouldn't remain undiscovered by nearby wild Pokémon for long. Only two outcomes were likely—either a powerful wild Pokémon would dominate the tree, or the tree would be destroyed during battles for its possession.
The rarest possibility would be multiple wild Pokémon sharing ownership, which was virtually unheard of.
Yet, the absence of any wild Pokémon around the Auraberry Tree now felt eerie.
Greed, however, often clouded caution. Despite the unnatural stillness, a quasi-Elite Four evel Pokémon hunter had already set his sights on claiming the tree for himself.
Before he could act, a black shadow darted out. Even with his Weezing's quick reflexes, the hunter hesitated at the critical moment—only to be abducted alongside his Pokémon.
The speed of the assailant's movement rivaled the Shave technique used by a Machamp.
The Auraberry Tree swayed gently, its beauty hiding the lethal trap that had been set.
From a higher vantage, one could see figures hidden in the shadows, forming a snare around the tree. The entire perimeter was a beast trap, waiting to be sprung.
Beneath the soil, several bodies were already buried—both human and Pokémon alike.
A muffled thud echoed as another body fell. Swiftly, orders were given, and Pokémon began digging new graves.
The man who had just dispatched the hunter returned to his position—closest to the Auraberry Tree—to ensure its absolute security.
His name was Franz, a mercenary. As long as the price was right, Franz and his ten-man squad would do anything.
Franz was an Elite Four-level trainer, commanding three quasi-Elite Four subordinates, while the remaining six were High Elite trainers.
With such strength, Franz's squad was infamous even among mercenaries.
A few days prior, they had accepted a contract to assassinate Ron.
For mercenaries like Franz, money dictated their targets—whether Pokémon hunters, Team Rocket, or League trainers.
The only challenge was Ron's Gardevoir, a Psychic-type Pokémon with exceptional agility. Combined with Ron's cautious nature, tracking him down was difficult.
However, their client had provided a plan—using the Auraberry Tree as bait to lure Ron in.
Instead of aimlessly searching, they would cast a wide net and hope to reel in the big fish.
For top Elite Four trainers, an Auraberry Tree's resources weren't worth the journey. But if Ron came, Franz's squad could force him to retreat or eliminate him outright.
Any other High Elite or quasi-Elite Four trainers—target or not—would be killed without question.
After meticulously setting up their trap, Franz's squad settled into their positions.
Patience had brought them this far—waiting was second nature.
Unbeknownst to them, Ron was already nearby, lingering just outside the perimeter.
"Gardevoir, are you certain there's nothing?"
He asked again, receiving the same affirmative reply.
Rather than easing his caution, Ron's suspicion only deepened. He was convinced this was a trap—one specifically designed for him.
There was no need to speculate too much on who could have set this trap. The first groups to be ruled out were the Pokémon Hunters and Team Rocket.
Based on the nature of Pokémon Hunters, the best they could manage would be to team up and ambush him. However, orchestrating something on such a large scale would be far too unrealistic.
If rumors of the Auraberry Tree were circulating, there would have to be a genuine Auraberry Tree present. Moreover, they'd need to fend off all the others who would flock to the area upon hearing the news.
All these factors combined were enough to make the Pokémon Hunters abandon such a scheme.
As for Team Rocket, the situation was even simpler. Ron's current dealings were exclusively with Pokémon Hunters, and he had virtually no contact or conflicts with Team Rocket. It was highly unlikely they would go to such great lengths to deal with him.
That left only the Five Great Families of the League.
It didn't surprise Ron that Gardevoir hadn't detected any humans. The sudden appearance of Marlon and his group last time had already made Ron realize that the League could manufacture clothing or amulets capable of blocking psychic detection.
No matter what creature wore such items, they would evade detection by Psychic-type Pokémon. The people hidden within this forest likely used the same method to avoid Gardevoir's probing.
Considering the enormous cost involved, Ron even speculated that there might be Elite Four-level Trainers among those lying in ambush—ensuring that nothing could go wrong.
However, this wouldn't deter Ron. Instead, it gave him another idea, with the star player being a Ditto he'd purchased long ago as a precaution.
Ron had initially bought Ditto to serve as an auxiliary Pokémon rather than a combat specialist. As a result, Ditto had spent its days eating, sleeping, and occasionally engaging in playful battles—unintentionally reaching the Mid Elite level in the process.
With top-quality Pokéblocks and the boost from Ron's Fighting Aura, Ditto's only ability—Transform—had been significantly enhanced. Now was the perfect time for Ditto to make a contribution.
As Ron cast a mischievous glance at Ditto, the shapeshifter couldn't help but shiver involuntarily.
"Gardevoir, let's leave for now. Let them wait a little longer."
With a rough plan in mind, Ron decided to retreat temporarily, preparing everything before returning. This would also serve as a chance to wear down the patience of those in ambush.
Even if they withdrew midway, it would only cost Ron some time—nothing too significant.
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