"Arcanine, accelerate!"
At Franz's command, Arcanine picked up speed once again.
Unfortunately, with only quasi-Elite Four-level strength, he was still far from reaching the speed of covering a kilometer in a single day.
"Number Nine, Number Ten—abandon your Pokémon and stall him! I'll be there shortly!"
Having lost two brothers to Ron already, Franz was consumed by bloodlust. He wouldn't hesitate to sacrifice Number Nine and Number Ten's Pokémon just to buy himself time to catch Ron.
"Understood!"
Without hesitation, the voices of Number Nine and Number Ten echoed in Franz's ears.
Just like Franz, they too had lost their brothers to Ron. Without a second thought, they were willing to abandon their Pokémon to avenge them.
As Ron neared the Auraberry Tree, he spotted four High Elite-level Pokémon blocking his path—two of which were Golem.
Meanwhile, Number Nine and Number Ten had already fled the scene after leaving their Pokémon behind, ensuring they wouldn't be hunted down by Ron.
Even after being abandoned, the four Pokémon showed no fear. The moment they laid eyes on Ron, both Golem immediately used Explosion, while the remaining two Pokémon charged at Machamp and Persian with everything they had.
Just as Franz and his men treated each other as brothers, these Pokémon saw their Trainers as their closest family.
A command was a command—no matter how suicidal, they would follow through.
But from the moment they targeted Ron, their fate had already been sealed. This was a battle to the death, with no turning back.
"Machamp—Finger Pistol: Daytime Tiger!"
"Persian, prepare to use Protect!"
With a fierce white tiger roaring forth, Machamp effortlessly struck down both High Elite-level Pokémon, leaving them gravely injured.
Rather than pursuing, Machamp swiftly retreated into Persian's protective barrier.
From the moment the battle began, Ron anticipated the Golem would use Explosion. He wasn't willing to risk Persian trying to outrun it—opting instead for the safest way to block the attack.
A deafening explosion rocked the battlefield. As the smoke lingered, Franz and Arcanine dashed into the scene.
"Lock onto their scent—Pursuit!"
Not seeing any sign of Ron in the smoke, Franz immediately issued his command to Arcanine.
Even before getting closer, Arcanine had already caught Ron's scent.
Now that it had received the order, it burned that scent into its memory. With Extreme Speed, Arcanine and Franz took off in pursuit.
Meanwhile, the Auraberry Tree, which Franz and his men had been guarding, had vanished without a trace—leaving behind only a deep, bottomless pit.
As Franz led the chase, Number Three adjusted his route, preparing to intercept Ron.
Number Two, along with the others, hurried to where the Auraberry Tree once stood—only to find the massive hole in its place.
After a moment of hesitation, Number Two decided to report the situation to Franz, making sure he wouldn't overlook anything important.
Receiving the intel, Franz hesitated.
Through communication with Arcanine, he knew the scent trail vanished at certain points before reappearing suddenly—only to disappear again.
This suggested Ron was using Gardevoir to escape via Teleport. If that were the case, then it was possible an unknown Pokémon capable of using Dig had stolen the Auraberry Tree.
But there was another possibility—Ron might have found a way to mask his scent, using Gardevoir as a decoy to lure Franz away. Or perhaps Ron had an accomplice working alongside him.
"Number Three, return and regroup with Number Two. Work together and track the Dig tunnel for clues. Stay alert and report anything suspicious to me immediately."
After careful consideration, Franz chose to trust his instincts and continue the chase—leaving the excavation investigation to Number Two and the others.
Following Franz's orders, Number Two's team sprang into action.
First, they released two Pokémon capable of using Dig, then followed their signals as they tracked the underground path.
At the same time, Number Three quickly changed course to rendezvous with them.
Holding onto Gardevoir's delicate hand, Ron channeled his Fighting Aura. Waves of warmth coursed through Gardevoir's body, fueling it with seemingly limitless energy. One Teleport after another, they surged forward.
Sensing something unusual, Gardevoir used Teleport to bring Ron into the air.
Combining Psychic power with Moonwalk, Gardevoir carried Ron as they moved through the sky.
In the distance, a faint black dot rapidly grew larger.
"Well done, Ditto."
As he approached, Ron watched as a Fearow carefully carried a Auraberry Tree toward him. Excitement flashed across his face.
Hearing Ron's praise, the Fearow's eyes glimmered with joy.
Taking the Auraberry Tree from it, Ron swiftly recalled the Ditto—now back in its Poké Ball after assuming Fearow's form.
After confirming the direction of Yolton District, Ron signaled to Gardevoir, instructing it to lower altitude and carry him forward.
"The scent is gone?!"
Staring at the suddenly motionless Arcanine, Franz already knew the answer, but he still refused to give up hope.
Arcanine, looking remorseful, gave a small nod in response.
"Unit Two, regroup with me. We've failed."
Dropping any last shred of wishful thinking, Franz admitted defeat—but this matter was far from over.
At first, this mission was about securing the resources. But now, it had become about avenging his fallen comrades.
Back on the ground, Gardevoir immediately initiated Teleport, accelerating Ron's journey to deliver the Auraberry Tree to Aki Murrigan as quickly as possible.
At first, Ron had considered entrusting the Auraberry Tree to Lars Flavian. Given Lars' expertise as a Breeder, there was no doubt he had the ability to care for it properly.
However, Ron hesitated. If the tree were discovered by outsiders, Lars might not have the strength to protect it.
Especially given the timing—if someone grew suspicious, they might link Lars back to him.
Better safe than sorry. After weighing his options, Ron ultimately decided to contact Aki instead, entrusting her with the tree's care.
In return, Ron gave Aki a direct promise—should the Murrigan family face any crisis in the future, he would offer whatever assistance he could.
"Didn't expect us to meet again so soon."
Following Ron's advice, Aki had reinforced the walls of both her home and office with materials designed to block out Psychic-type abilities.
As a result, Gardevoir could no longer sense the room's interior—let alone teleport inside.
Thus, Ron, still keeping a low profile, had to choose a secluded spot to meet Aki in person.
"The Auraberry Tree is in your hands now. If you run into trouble, contact me."
"Understood. I'll let you know when it matures."
With a nod, Aki carefully secured the Auraberry Tree, just as she had learned. This tree now represented the bond between her and Ron.
"Within a year, I will become an Elite Four-level Trainer."
"Oh? Are you reminding me to cherish the favor you owe me?"
With a teasing smile, Aki looked at Ron with curiosity.
"Think whatever you want. I'm leaving."
Before Aki could say anything else, Ron signaled to Gardevoir, and in a flash, they vanished with Teleport.
Elsewhere, Franz and his regrouped team once again resumed their pursuit of Ron.
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