Chapter 35: The Pokémon's Emotions

Leon did not pay attention to the weakened man in black robes, instead turning his gaze to the battlefield.

Four Pokémon were locked in combat.

In terms of the situation, Ursaring and the others held the advantage, but Arbok's fearless attacks had also inflicted considerable damage on them.

"Kaaabuu!"

Arbok was sent flying by Ursaring again. It struggled to straighten its body, glanced at the man in black robes not far away, and then charged toward the three Pokémon once more.

But its body had reached its limit. After taking only a few steps forward, it collapsed to the ground, completely motionless.

After confirming that Arbok had lost the ability to fight, Leon instructed Ursaring to bring it over.

Looking at the critically injured Arbok, Leon took out a Super Potion, intending to treat its wounds.

"It's useless. Don't waste your effort. You can't save it."

The man in black robes spoke in a weak voice from the side.

Leon ignored him and continued applying medicine to Arbok.

"That Black Crystal has already drained its body dry. It's completely exhausted. No amount of medicine will help."

Hearing this, Leon stopped applying the potion.

"You knew it would die if it ate the Black Crystal?"

The man in black robes clutched his stomach and stood up, speaking in a cold tone:

"Of course I knew. The broker told me all the effects and consequences when he gave me the Black Crystal."

"According to him, placing this Black Crystal on a Pokémon would send it into a frenzied state, significantly increasing its strength."

"If fed directly to the Pokémon, its power would surge even more, but the cost is death once it exits the frenzied state."

Leon looked at the lifeless Arbok before him, then turned and kicked the man in black robes to the ground, angrily demanding:

"You knew the consequences, so why did you feed it to Arbok? Wasn't placing it on its body enough to make it frenzied? Did you really want it to die that badly?"

The man in black robes lay on the ground and let out a cold laugh.

"The strength boost from placing it on the body wasn't enough. Only by feeding the crystal to Arbok did we stand a chance against you. And besides..."

He suddenly sat up, his face twisted with malice.

"I know you still have that item that can seal Pokémon. Rather than letting it live and be sealed by you, becoming your weapon, I'd rather kill it outright!"

"What do you take Arbok for? A disposable tool?"

"What else?"

The man in black robes retorted.

"Pokémon are just tools for humans to fight with, no different from swords or knives."

"I'd rather break my own blade than let it become someone else's trophy!"

He then turned to Leon and said:

"Meanwhile, you—a lord—are so naive. Not only do you invest emotions into your battle tools, but you even tried to save a Pokémon that was trying to kill you earlier. How laughable!"

Leon gradually calmed his anger. He stared at the man in black robes and said:

"I tried to save Arbok because I didn't want it to die so pitifully at your hands. Besides, if it tried to kill me, it was only following your orders."

"You keep calling it a tool, but you don't realize that this so-called tool had deep feelings for you."

The man in black robes snorted, refusing to believe Leon's words.

"You don't believe me? Of course not. Someone like you could never understand a Pokémon's emotions."

"But think carefully. After swallowing the Black Crystal, Arbok lost almost all reason and wanted to destroy everything in madness."

"Yet at that time, you were the closest to it, and it didn't attack you. Instead, it fought Ursaring and the others without fear of death. Wasn't it trying to buy you time to escape?"

Leon's words left the man in black robes stunned.

He recalled the scene earlier. It was exactly as Leon had said—Arbok had shown no intention of attacking him.

Moreover, Arbok knew that eating the crystal would lead to death. When the broker explained the effects and consequences of the Black Crystal, Arbok had been right there and could hear everything.

But when the crystal was forced into its mouth, it didn't resist. It obediently swallowed the crystal, its eyes only showing a trace of reluctance.

As these thoughts surfaced, the man in black robes began to tremble.

"No! Pokémon can't develop feelings for humans! It was just a tool!"

"It should hate me! I forced it to eat the crystal! Why would it die for me? That's impossible!"

He shouted loudly, his words sounding like a rebuttal to Leon but also like an attempt to convince himself.

Leon didn't say anything more. He simply stood to the side and waited quietly for the man to vent his emotions.

The man in black robes gradually calmed down. He suddenly raised his head, his eyes red as he looked at Leon.

"I know I'm going to die. I also know you have questions for me. If you promise me one thing, I'll tell you everything I know."

"Name it."

"Bury Arbok somewhere. I don't want its body left to rot in the wilderness."

"That's all you're asking for?"

"That's all."

"Fine. I promise."

Leon looked at the man in black robes, who had already accepted his death, and didn't ask why he made such a request.

Whether it was out of guilt toward Arbok or a sudden epiphany before death, none of it changed the facts.

"Can I ask my questions now?"

"Go ahead. But I don't know much."

"Who sent you to kill me?"

Leon started with the most critical question.

"I don't know. In our line of work, we communicate with clients through brokers. We never learn their identities."

"Where did you get that Black Crystal?"

"The client gave it to me through the broker, saying it would ensure I killed you without fail."

"Where did you accept the mission?"

"In the underground black market of Seaview City. There's a place there dedicated to assassin missions."

"You—"

Leon asked a few more questions, but as the man in black robes had said, he didn't know much. Leon didn't get the answers he wanted.

He had initially thought this man in black robes was one of the people who had caused the earlier Pokémon stampede.

But it turned out he was just a hired assassin working for them.

It seemed that group of black-robed figures was deeply hidden—and held a strong grudge against him, given that they had hired an assassin to attack him.

Still, this wasn't entirely bad. At least he now knew those black-robed figures wanted him dead, which could help him uncover their trail.

"Alright. I've told you everything I know. Give me a quick death."

The man in black robes closed his eyes.

Leon said nothing more. He waved his hand, signaling Scyther to finish him off.

Scyther approached the man in black robes and raised its scythe high.

As the blade descended, the man suddenly opened his eyes and looked at Arbok lying nearby.

Memories of their time together surfaced in his mind.

Eating together, training together, carrying out missions and killing together.

He had always thought himself alone, incapable of ever developing something like emotions.

Only now did he realize—he hadn't been alone. He had already formed emotions long ago.

It was just a shame that he had realized it too late.

But it didn't matter. He would see Arbok again soon. He could apologize properly then.

He hoped Arbok would forgive him.

As the scythe fell, the man's vision plunged into darkness.

Leon stood silently for a long time, watching the fallen man in black robes. Then he turned to the Pokémon beside him and said:

"Find a suitable place to bury them together."

"After all... I think Arbok would still want to be with its master."

(End of Chapter)

[Haku & Zabuza???]