Chapter 171: Back to the Mainland

"Golem, use Rock Tomb for defense!"

"Scyther, Razor Wind!"

After recovering from the shocking scene before them, the two trainers sent by Alan hurriedly ordered their Pokémon to counterattack. At the same time, they began releasing additional Pokémon, hoping to use their numbers to stall Ron's assault.

"Kirlia, team up with Bellossom for a surprise attack."

Rather than worrying whether Machamp could take down Golem and Scyther, Ron shifted his focus directly to Alan's subordinates.

With a flash, Teleport was activated. Kirlia and Bellossom vanished from their original positions.

By the time they reappeared, the two men felt a chilling sensation at their throats.

Before they could utter a word, blades cut through the air. Crimson streaks of blood sprayed, and two more lifeless bodies fell to the ground.

On the battlefield, Machamp unleashed Finger Pistol: Morning Peacock, an overwhelming attack that instantly crushed the offensive efforts of Golem and Scyther. The devastating impact struck directly, defeating both Pokémon in mere moments.

Though the battle was short, it didn't go unnoticed by those on high alert.

When Alan and his team arrived, they were met with the sight of two human corpses, two defeated Pokémon, and flames still flickering around the battlefield.

"Everyone, attack together!"

Though unsure of what had transpired, Alan chose caution. He and his remaining four team members launched an all-out assault.

"Machamp, Finger Pistol: Daytime Tiger!"

Ron was already fully committed. If he had decided to imitate, he wasn't going to stop at just the Morning Peacock.

Unlike Might Guy's Daytime Tiger, Machamp's version relied primarily on its mastery of Finger Pistol, combined with aura blasts and Machamp's own techniques. It concentrated its power into a single devastating strike.

The next moment, a ferocious white tiger roared into existence, even accompanied by a faint tiger's growl. The sight alone inspired fear in the hearts of the onlookers.

The white tiger surged forward with terrifying speed. Alan's men and their Pokémon had no time to react before being consumed by the Daytime Tiger.

If it had been Might Guy's original Daytime Tiger, its sheer power and the shockwaves it generated could destabilize people several kilometers away.

Machamp, however, could not achieve such a level. Yet even so, its attack was far beyond what a single human and their elite mid-tier Pokémon could withstand.

As the dust settled, a lifeless body appeared on the ground. Though his Pokémon survived, they were barely clinging to life.

The first to recover from the shock, Alan ordered his Electabuzz to attack.

"Thunderbolt, follow it with Thunder!"

Bolts of lightning surged forward, crackling like genuine thunder as they struck toward Machamp.

"Machamp, Finger Pistol: Evening Elephant!"

The Evening Elephant, one of Might Guy's techniques when opening the Eighth Gate of Death, ramped up in speed and power from its first strike to its fifth.

Machamp, however, could not replicate this fully. Using Finger Pistol, aura punches, and its unique skills, it could only approximate the move at its limits, without achieving the full five consecutive strikes.

A massive air cannon materialized, slamming down like a giant elephant's foot and effortlessly shattering Electabuzz's attack.

"Everyone, use Protect to block it!"

Realizing that even his high elite level Electabuzz's combined attacks were crushed by Machamp's strike, Alan rallied his remaining three members. They released their Pokémon and cast Protect, forming green barriers that surrounded their group.

As Machamp's attack descended, the sound of barriers breaking echoed through the battlefield.

Though the Pokémon at the front lines were wracked with pain, they successfully withstood the assault.

However, the technique was undoubtedly Machamp's trump card. After using it, Machamp was temporarily unable to move. Coupled with its fractured arms, its battle capabilities were drastically diminished.

As Alan's group breathed a sigh of relief, Persian silently crept behind them.

Using Finger Pistol: Blink Slash, Persian struck. Blood splattered like blooming flowers.

Before they could even scream, Alan and his companions collapsed.

Using Fighting Aura to nourish Machamp's body, Ron quickly restored the Pokémon's stamina and healed its arm injuries from the earlier battle.

Meanwhile, the Pokémon that had been released set their sights on Persian.

The earlier attack had left these Pokémon intimidated by Machamp's overwhelming strength, but now, seeing Persian ruthlessly slay their trainers, their fear transformed into anger. Fueled by rage, they launched a desperate assault on Persian.

Unfortunately, their trainers lay lifeless beneath Persian's claws, and the outcome of the battle was already decided.

As Persian dragged the defeated Pokémon away from the bodies of Alan and his men, Bellossom used Shave to dart forward. She deftly scavenged through the corpses, gathering all their belongings and presenting them to Ron.

Taking out a batch of empty Poké Balls, Ron began testing each one. By the time the Pokémon realized something was wrong, they were already sealed within the Poké Balls, the locks clicking shut.

When it came to dealing with these Pokémon, Ron's methods were merciless: either eliminate them or turn them into resources for the Hunters Guild, contributing to his rapid rise in power.

Minutes later, with the battlefield cleared, Ron headed toward the harbor, preparing to board a ship back to the mainland.

While the unnamed island wasn't far from Cinnabar Island—close enough for Kirlia's Teleport and Gyarados' alternating swims to cover the distance—returning to the mainland was a much greater challenge.

Not to mention, the vast ocean was teeming with wild Water-type Pokémon. Without the kind of protagonist aura Ash Ketchum possessed, Ron opted to safely take a ferry back instead.

To reduce future complications, Ron deliberately used Alan's communicator to report to the Wade clan. He claimed that the mission was complete and that he was en route back.

The only downside, however, was the unavoidable necessity of killing Alan in battle.

Even if the Wade clan couldn't contact Alan, they would likely assume poor signal conditions aboard the ship rather than suspect foul play, buying Ron some breathing room.

Afterward, Ron contacted Shadow, asking for assistance in locating a suitable poaching team.

Doing so alone would take far too long.

At present, Ron had 26 days left to fulfill his agreement with Shadow.

Factoring in travel time, he estimated that he had 23 days to act.

For Ron, as long as he could quickly find a target, there would even be enough time to allow Persian to break through to the High Elite level before making his move without delaying the operation.

Elsewhere, within the Pokémon League, those monitoring Ron had increased their vigilance after confirming his presence on Cinnabar Island.

Once Machamp advanced to the High Elite level and retained its astonishing speed, the League would no longer take Ron lightly. They were already preparing their next steps to confront him directly.

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