Chapter 190: Dark Guild's Approach

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"How many Passho Berries do you have here? I'd like to purchase some."

The Passho Berry enhances a Pokemon's resistance to Water-type moves and is considered a rare fruit. Kalia planned to buy them for making energy cubes specifically for Ninetales and Charmeleon.

"As you know, Passho Berries are always in high demand with limited supply. I don't have many; only five available. Just take them as a gift, it's not much money," Lewis offered generously, primarily due to their scarcity.

These rare berries are inherently scarce because they have a long maturation period and require strict growing conditions, making them very difficult to cultivate.

"Five is fine, but no need to give them away, I'll pay the regular price," Kalia insisted on not accepting anything free.

"We also have some Wacan Berries left, would you be interested? Considering you have a Charmeleon, it could be useful when evolving into Charizard," Lewis acknowledged Kalia's nature without further persuasion, then remembered something else and added.

"Wacan Berries, please set aside some for me." Kalia nodded, knowing that Wacan Berries are equally rare. Rhine City's environment was particularly conducive to berry growth, allowing many rare fruit trees to thrive here - one of the reasons why Rhine City became the largest botanical city.

***

In the following days, Kalia didn't rush to challenge the Grass-type gym but instead focused on relaxation, exploring various attractions with her Pokémon and enjoying the lush flora. It had been a long time since she felt this carefree.

Lian also experienced much-needed ease, not just physical rest during sleep but genuine mental relaxation. Engaging in daily battles can be exhausting, although Lian enjoyed them immensely. However, even he needed occasional downtime after prolonged periods of combat.

After taking several relaxing days off, Lian felt rejuvenated, no longer preoccupied with accumulating Combat Points, allowing his mind and body to fully unwind.

Naturally, he continued entering the system space every day, as it was beyond his control - nor did he wish to hinder it. Within the system space, Lian's actions never caused fatigue; it felt akin to existing purely in consciousness.

Three days later.

Kalia woke up early, completed her morning routine, and prepared to head out. As soon as she stepped outside, she sensed someone watching her.

Puzzled, Kalia scanned her surroundings, eventually locking onto a young man standing at a distance. He seemed intensely focused on her, making her feel uneasy.

As Kalia observed him, she noticed Poké Balls attached to his waist, indicating he was a Trainer, but she didn't recognize him.

Suddenly, he approached her with a seemingly calm expression, but Kalia sensed something was off.

Just as she prepared to quickly leave, the man spoke up, "Did you defeat Botoman?"

Kalia paused, realizing that the name Botoman sounded familiar. Then it hit her; one of the Dark Guild members mentioned earlier seemed to be called Botoman, indicating that this person before her was likely from the Dark Guild.

Instantly, Kalia became cautious. However, they were in Rhine City, where patrols occurred daily nearby. She wasn't worried about any sudden aggression, as there were many people around, and any suspicious activity would be immediately noticed. The individual wouldn't dare make a move.

Kalia released a Poké Ball, taking no chances by summoning her Pokemon. As a young girl, she knew she couldn't physically match an adult opponent.

Lian, who had been resting, suddenly emerged from the Poké Ball and instantly woke up, slightly groggy. He looked at Kalia and noticed another person standing nearby.

"No need to be so wary, I'm not here to cause trouble," the man from the Dark Guild said kindly. "Did you take a white bracelet from Botoman? It's very important, and I hope you can return it to me. You can keep everything else, and I assure you, the Dark Guild won't bother you further."

Kalia was somewhat taken aback; could members of the Dark Guild be so reasonable? However, she quickly realized that the white bracelet must hold immense importance, making the man hesitant to resort to force.

She hesitated whether to hand it over or not. Being targeted by the Dark Guild wasn't desirable, but considering their nefarious nature, simply yielding might not guarantee they wouldn't cause trouble later.

"First, tell me what this item does," Kalia wanted to understand the purpose of the white bracelet, assessing its value. It was her trophy from defeating Botoman, and facing an organization like the Dark Guild, she couldn't easily give in without knowing more.

"I'll say it again: Give me the white bracelet, and we can discuss anything else. You're just an ordinary Trainer; some matters are best left unexplored." The Dark Guild member grew impatient, unwilling for too many people to learn about Z-Rings. These were incredibly valuable items, scarce even in the Ellie Region, and only ended up in Sebas due to an oversight.

Fortunately, the Pokemon League didn't obtain it; otherwise, if the Sebas League discovered Z-crystals and traced them back to the Dark Guild, the consequences would have been dire.

It was all Botoman's incompetence; unable to handle even a beginner Trainer and getting captured himself - truly a fool.

"If you don't tell me, I won't give it back." Kalia shook her head firmly. Rhine City is her territory, and if the Dark Guild attempted to initiate combat here, trainers on patrol would arrive within ten seconds. Once their affiliation with the Dark Guild became known, they would undoubtedly face immediate pursuit.

"You really think I dare not take action?" The man from the Dark Guild spoke coldly, taking steps towards Kalia.

"Of course, you wouldn't dare," Kalia replied confidently, undeterred by his approach, knowing Charmeleon stood beside her.

"Your courage is commendable. Truthfully...I indeed do not dare. That white bracelet is our President's favorite, merely a decorative piece, but losing it would incur his wrath, which I cannot bear." Suddenly, the tone of the Dark Guild member softened, appearing quite pitiful.

Kalia was taken aback, expecting a confrontation, only for him to unexpectedly provide an explanation. However, she remained skeptical of his words.

What decorative piece? It was clearly a Z-Ring.

Lian was speechless; pairing a Z-Ring with a Z-crystal unleashes immense power, representing groundbreaking technology, making it incredibly valuable.

It was clear that this individual wanted to obtain the Z-ring, but there was no way Lian would let him have it. With a Z-crystal, he could unleash powerful Z-moves.

Although the names of Z-moves sounded somewhat cheesy, their potency was undeniable, making them formidable trump cards.

Lian couldn't fathom giving away such valuable assets for free. The Dark Guild meant nothing to him; any future encounter with them would only result in their utter defeat.

With these thoughts, Lian expelled a burst of sparks. Given his current control, emitting sparks to intimidate the opponent seemed feasible, as they wouldn't dare to engage directly.

As expected, the man from the Dark Guild recoiled, his face darkening instantly, realizing that intimidation wasn't working.

"I don't care about your guild leader or anything. Your Dark Guild may be strong, but we're in the Sebas region. Don't force me to call the authorities," Kalia declared fearlessly. Despite the might of the Dark Guild, they were akin to rats on the run, universally despised and hunted.

"You won't yield softly? Seems like you prefer things hard then, so don't blame me." After issuing a stern warning, the Dark Guild member swiftly turned and disappeared into the shadows within moments.