Chapter 218: Resolve

Night had fallen. The flickering campfire cast shadows over Ron and his Machamp, the shifting light mirroring their unsettled emotions—wavering between relief and grief.

They had survived the relentless pursuit, but at a terrible cost. Gyarados had sacrificed itself to carve a path for their escape.

Ron bore no resentment toward Gardevoir. It had given everything it had to keep him alive.

Even with the nurturing effects of Fighting Aura, Gardevoir had remained unconscious for nearly an hour—proof of the severity of its injuries.

For comparison, Machamp and the others, despite their grievous wounds, usually recovered within minutes.

Yet Ron had never expected Gyarados to willingly lay down its life for him.

Capturing it had been a mere accident, and at first, he had only intended to use Gyarados as a means of traversing water. It was never his focus in training.

And yet, despite that… Gyarados had chosen to die for him.

Silently, Ron chewed on his dry rations, drinking water to replenish the energy he had lost from overusing his Fighting Aura.

Machamp and the others did the same—wounded and weary, they needed to regain their strength.

The air was thick with sorrow, which soon began to shift into a burning desire for vengeance. But none of them voiced it.

Having witnessed the vast power gap between them and their enemy, they knew that seeking revenge against Nakar now would be nothing short of suicide.

Ron swallowed the last bite of his ration and spoke in a hoarse voice, "I will avenge this. But before that, we must grow stronger and wait for the right opportunity. Trust me—one day, I will make him pay in blood."

He then forced a weak smile, rekindling the determination in his eyes.

"Take turns keeping watch and get some rest. I need to contact Bruno—this can't go unanswered."

No matter what, as a Trainer, he could not afford to fall.

Ron had to set an example for Machamp and the others—to help them find their resolve once more.

"Ron? It's late. What's wrong?"

As soon as the call connected, Bruno's voice came through.

"I was attacked. It was someone from the League—a quasi-Elite Four-level Psychic. He's just one step away from breaking into Elite Four-tier strength."

Ron kept his explanation brief.

The moment he finished, Bruno's voice grew panicked.

"Ron, did you manage to escape?! Give me your location—I'll come get you!"

"No need. I got away," Ron said flatly. "The price was that all of my Pokémon were gravely injured. And Gyarados… Gyarados died to cover our escape."

Without waiting for a reply, he gave a description of Nakar's appearance.

"Bruno, I want to know—what will you do next?"

Silence stretched between them.

Based on the description, Bruno quickly deduced that Ron's assailant was Nakar, a quasi-Elite Four trainer known for his Psychic abilities.

Bruno only recognized Nakar because of his older brother, Bjorn.

Within the League, Psychic-type users were mostly divided into two factions: those under Sabrina and those governed by the League's Psychic Division.

Bjorn was the head of the Psychic Division—a top Elite Four-tier Trainer with the potential to break into Champion-level strength.

As Bjorn's younger brother, Nakar had been promoted numerous times thanks to his influence, allowing him to reach his current level of power.

If not for that connection, Bruno might not have identified him so quickly.

"Ron, Nakar's brother is Bjorn—a top Elite Four-tier Psychic who could one day become a Champion," Bruno admitted.

"But don't worry, I won't let them get away with this. Attacking a League member has consequences. At the very least, they'll have to pay you a hefty sum in compensation. And besides—"

"Besides the fact that I'm still alive, right?" Ron cut in.

"Ron, listen—"

"It's fine, Bruno. Just handle the compensation. I'm tired."

And with that, Ron ended the call.

Before speaking to Bruno, Ron had already known—taking down Nakar wouldn't be easy.

Even forcing him to pay for his actions was unlikely. With the protection of powerful figures like Bjorn, at most, Nakar would receive a verbal reprimand and some meaningless punishment.

What Ron truly wanted wasn't revenge—at least, not yet.

He wanted to know whether Bruno would stand by him.

Would the Elite Four of the League be willing to help him?

Unfortunately, Bruno's response had been disappointing.

But not unexpected.

Ron had previously discussed such matters with Bruno. The Elite Four had long been aware of corruption within the League.

Their stance was clear: parasites within the League needed to be eradicated.

But they had to do it carefully.

The League was already in a fragile state—besieged by the growing power of Team Rocket, the rise of Pokémon hunters, and the deep-rooted influence of privileged families clinging to their old glories.

A single misstep could bring everything crashing down.

Bruno and the other Elite Four were biding their time—gathering evidence, amassing strength, waiting for the right moment to act.

This situation was no different.

To them, killing Nakar now would only provoke retaliation from Bjorn, and that was not a risk they were willing to take.

And since Ron was still alive, the best course of action was not revenge—but compensation.

After Ron hung up, Bruno sat in brooding silence before issuing an order:

"Keep a close watch on Ron."

If Ron chose to endure, Bruno wouldn't mind compensating him generously.

After all, this incident was partly his oversight.

He hadn't expected the opposition to act so desperately—to make such a direct move against Ron.

But if Ron sought other means of retaliation…

Bruno wouldn't hesitate to eliminate him.

A talented Trainer who bore a grudge against the League could become a serious threat.

Now, everything depended on whether Ron could distinguish between individuals and the League itself.

That night, Ron sent a coded message:

"Shadow, I need a few Pokémon eggs. Urgently. I'll provide sufficient resources in exchange."

He then added,

"I won't be able to send updates for a while. Once things settle on my end, I'll reach out to you."

With that, he shut down his communicator.

Ron had only known Bruno for a short time, but he understood him well enough.

His next move was clear—he had to erase any doubts Bruno might have about him.

And then, he had to create another identity.

This incident had taught him a valuable lesson:

Sometimes, having a second identity meant having an extra layer of security.

It made certain actions far more convenient.

A day later, along the river where Ron had escaped, a small mound of earth had been raised.

A grave.

Ron stood by the water's edge, clenching his fists. His purple eyes burned with barely restrained fury.

"Gyarados," he swore, his voice low and steady.

"I swear—one day, I will offer Nakar's head as your tribute."

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