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The order was given.
The members of Team Evil, who had been waiting in various locations, received a silent command. In unison, they packed up their gear, formed ranks, and vanished into the city's shadows and underground passages.
There was no noise, no hesitation; the entire process was as swift as a hallucination.
They had arrived like a landslide or a tsunami, and they departed like melting snow—silent and traceless.
A black submarine, resembling a deep-sea monster, broke the surface of the water before quickly submerging again, speeding toward coordinates in the Hoenn region that were not marked on any public map.
The destination: Emerald Valley.
This name was whispered only among the elite few at the very pinnacle of the Hoenn region.
It was an Advanced wilderness area in the Hoenn region, unmarked on ordinary maps.
A vacation spot for League councilors, a backyard for the ultra-wealthy—a paradise built with money and power.
When the submarine docked and the hatch opened, a breath of air, completely different from the outside world, rushed in.
It was a scent mixed with the fragrance of soil, rare flowers, and some kind of expensive incense.
The air here seemed to have been filtered; it was so clean that it felt unreal.
Ariel was the first to step onto this land. His military boots pressed into the lawn, which was manicured like a velvet carpet, leaving a clear imprint.
Looking around, everything in the valley exuded an air of meticulous, artificial crafting.
The placement of the streams, the orientation of the trees, and even the arrangement of every stone were full of calculation and artistry.
Not a single blade of grass or tree here grew wild; everything existed solely to please its master.
"What a... disgusting place."
Yuki, following behind Ariel, couldn't help but whisper.
Just as she finished speaking, several figures rushed out from a nearby forest path.
They wore crisp, ornate white uniforms embroidered with the Emerald Valley badge in gold thread, looking more like bellhops at a five-star hotel than security personnel.
"Stop! Who are you? This is private property!"
The lead security captain shouted, his voice harsh but lacking conviction, as he reached for the Poké Ball on his waist.
His movements were standard, and also... slow.
Ariel didn't even glance at him; he just tilted his head.
In the shadows beside him, a Mega Gengar silently emerged, its scarlet eyes filled with mockery.
A Shadow Ball shot out silently, precisely knocking the Poké Ball from the captain's hand.
"Ah!"
The security guards retreated with shrieks; they had never seen such a display before.
Their usual work consisted at most of shooing away stray Caterpie or politely asking lost passersby to leave.
Furthermore, no one usually dared to set their sights on this place.
Facing these uninvited guests, who radiated the scent of blood and fire, and that terrifying, unseen Pokémon, their defensive line collapsed before any contact was even made.
Ariel led Yuki into the valley, strolling as if he were walking through his own garden.
The members of Team Evil scattered like ghosts, beginning to execute their mission.
He pointed to the rare Pokémon strolling leisurely on the grass, each one worth a fortune—elegant Swablu, petite and cute Torchic, and even a few Ralts playing together.
These Pokémon, which would drive countless Trainers wild in the outside world, were nothing more than pets and collectibles here for the wealthy to flaunt their status.
"Ten minutes."
Ariel's voice was not loud, yet it clearly reached every member's ears.
"Take as much as you can."
"Yes!"
Suppressed excitement spread through the ranks.
A silent hunt began.
There was no fierce battle, only absolute crushing force.
The Pokémon released by the Team Evil members were all battle-hardened veterans; facing these rare Pokémon that had been kept in captivity and had almost lost their wild nature, the entire process was more like a one-sided capture.
Ariel did not participate in this "zero-dollar shopping" spree; he walked straight toward the deepest part of the valley.
Yuki's detector showed that there was a massive energy source there.
The further they went, the fewer signs of artificial carving there were, and the environment became increasingly primitive.
Finally, they stopped at the entrance of a deep, dark cave.
A violent gust of wind swept out from the cave entrance, carrying thick dust and a fierce aura, making it almost impossible to open one's eyes.
Amidst the sand and wind, a massive figure slowly stood up, blocking the entire cave entrance.
It was a Tyranitar, but its size was greater than any adult Tyranitar recorded in the pokédex, like a moving mountain.
Its dark green armor was covered in deep and shallow scars—medals left by countless battles.
Its movements seemed somewhat slow and heavy, but in its dark eyes burned a kind of desperate madness and determination.
The detector on Yuki's wrist let out a piercing red alarm.
"Lord Ruth!"
Her voice wavered slightly.
"The detection results are in! This Tyranitar is female! Level 59, Gym peak! And... its life wavelength is extremely abnormal; according to the model analysis, it is pregnant!"
In that instant, Ariel's eyes lit up slightly.
It was not greed, but an appreciation for discovering a peerless treasure, the excitement of a hunter locking onto the ultimate prey.
A pregnant Tyranitar that was about to break through to the Quasi-Elite Four Level.
Its value could no longer be measured in money.
Whether it was its own immense power or the pup in its womb that inherited its powerful bloodline, it was enough to drive any faction crazy.
"Roar—!"
Tyranitar clearly sensed their intentions and let out a deafening roar; the entire valley seemed to tremble with this roar.
It did not retreat, but instead took a step forward, using its massive body to firmly protect the cave behind it.
That was its nest, the home of its unborn child.
"Interesting."
A subtle arc tugged at the corner of Ariel's mouth.
"It is using Sandstorm to mask the scent of its pup in the cave, but unfortunately, it cannot fool the instruments."
He raised his hand and waved it lightly.
"I will handle this personally."
As he spoke, dark energy surged around him, and a Mega Gyarados, equally terrifying in size, appeared out of thin air, swirling water circling around it.
A standoff between top-tier predators instantly began.
The battle broke out without any warning.
Tyranitar struck first. It opened its massive maw, and a violent Sandstorm swept out from it, instantly turning this narrow valley entrance into an Inferno of flying sand and stones.
Those precious ornamental stones that the wealthy had spent a fortune to transplant let out piercing screeching sounds as they were cut by the Sandstorm, their surfaces rapidly worn away and ground into powder.
Mega Gyarados let out a dragon's roar, refusing to be outdone, and charged into the Sandstorm.
Melee!
This was the most primitive and most brutal way to fight.
Tyranitar's heavy, rocky claws collided fiercely with Mega Gyarados's water-covered tail, producing a dull, drum-like boom.
The clash of power caused the surrounding ground to sink slightly.
Hydro Pump and Hyper Beam crossed in the air; the explosion of energy shattered the cliff walls, and countless rock fragments fell down with a rustling sound.
Ariel stood outside the battle circle, his expression unchanged, as if the world-destroying battle before him was merely an ordinary play.
"Its energy is depleting quickly; the burden of pregnancy is too great for it."
Yuki reported the data quickly from the side.
"Hmm."
Ariel acknowledged, seemingly having expected this result long ago.
He appreciated the Tyranitar mother's tenacity, but appreciation did not mean mercy.
"End it."
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
Ten beams of light flashed, and ten equally fierce Gyarados appeared around the battlefield, surrounding the struggling Tyranitar.
These were the Gyarados belonging to the members of Team Evil, and also kin to the Gyarados in Ariel's possession.