Surprise Attack

The three were just about to leave when, suddenly, three Pokémon materialized around them.

Their expressions changed instantly.

In the wilderness, letting an enemy Pokémon get this close was a disaster waiting to happen.

Before they could react, Slowking teleported in with Sneasel and Skorupi, all of them locking onto the woman as their target.

Her face turned pale.

These three Pokémon weren't weak. She might be able to handle one—but three at once? Impossible.

The burly man and the short leader reacted quickly, reaching for their Poké Balls.

They had been cautious while resting, reminding each other to stay alert against ambushes, but they hadn't expected an attack to come the moment they lowered their guard.

Even so, they weren't entirely unprepared.

A Kecleon shimmered into view on the woman's shoulder.

As Sneasel lunged with an Ice Punch, the chameleon-like Pokémon flickered into existence, its defensive ability shielding its Trainer from the blow.

But that was all she could manage.

A split second later, Skorupi struck like lightning, its barbed tail stabbing forward with lethal precision.

If it hit, even if the poison didn't kill her immediately, the venom would do the job within seconds—unless she received an antidote almost instantly.

The burly man barely had time to breathe before a massive Honchkrow swooped toward him from above.

The distance between them was just ten meters—a heartbeat.

With a sharp flap of its wings, Honchkrow accelerated.

The man cursed under his breath.

Another Kecleon flashed into view, intercepting the attack just in time with its defensive skill. But in the same moment, his fingers finally reached his Poké Ball.

On the other side, the short leader rolled swiftly to avoid the chaos, keeping himself clear of any immediate threat.

Unlike the others, he hadn't ordered his Pokémon to shield him.

Aoki, watching from his vantage point, narrowed his eyes.

Two of them had Kecleon hidden as last-resort defenses. That complicated things.

But it didn't change his plan.

The woman had escaped the first strike—but Aoki hadn't relied on just one attack.

Skorupi's tail moved again.

A sickening thud.

The poisoned barb struck true.

Her eyes widened in shock. Just moments ago, she had been thinking about the Water Stone she would soon redeem, how she would evolve her Shellder into a Cloyster, how her strength would surge—how she'd finally secure a Void cadre position.

But now, all of that shattered.

Her gaze flickered toward her leader.

He could have saved her.

He had the chance.

Each of them carried a Kecleon as a hidden ace. He had dodged the first assault and still had his unseen protector. He could have called it to shield her, just as she had done for herself.

But he hadn't.

And now she was dying.

Her lips parted slightly—perhaps to curse him, or maybe to plead—but before any words could form, her vision blurred, and she collapsed.

Meanwhile, the burly man had barely recovered from Honchkrow's attack when Slowking made his move.

He had initially intended to target the short leader, but seeing the Kecleons, he adjusted his strategy instantly.

A jet of water shot from Slowking's mouth—no ordinary Water Gun. Psychic energy wrapped around it, sharpening it into a deadly, high-speed projectile.

The super-powered Water Gun struck like an arrow.

The strong man had just pulled out his Poké Ball, relief flashing across his face.

Then the attack landed.

He was blasted backward, slammed against a tree with a brutal crack.

Water and psychic energy dispersed, and his body slid limply to the ground.

In mere seconds, two of them were dead.

The short leader remained standing, his face twisted in fury.

Just moments ago, he had been talking about his future, about rising through the ranks, about the support he would need from his subordinates.

Now, those subordinates lay lifeless before him.

He clenched his fists.

He had invested time and resources into training these two, ensuring they would be useful once he secured his cadre position.

Now, his efforts were wasted.

Yet even as rage consumed him, a chilling realization settled in.

He could have saved the woman.

He had chosen not to.

Because he had known—if he lost his hidden Kecleon's protection, he might be the one dying instead.

No matter how valuable others were, nothing mattered more than his own survival.

And now, that choice had left him alone.

His voice was cold, sharp as a blade cutting through the tension.

"Who is it?" he demanded. "Get out here!"

His anger could no longer be contained.