"The... Dark King!?"
As the pitch-black night enveloped him and the cloaked figure appeared before him, Vero's voice trembled uncontrollably.
Despite being at a quasi-Elite Four level, he found no sense of security in this moment.
"I have already broken through to the Elite Four level. Are you willing to submit to me and become my subordinate?"
With his disguise concealing his identity, a pair of abyss-black eyes locked onto Vila as Ron spoke calmly.
Beside Ron, Gengar hovered silently. Even though Gengar was only at the High Elite level, it instilled an overwhelming fear in Vero, a quasi-Elite Four trainer.
Hearing Ron's words, Vero's initial reaction was not dread but exhilaration—so much so that it dispelled his previous fear.
To Pokémon Hunters, the Dark King was both feared and revered, his sheer power leaving an undeniable mark on those who witnessed it.
And now, hearing with his own ears that Ron had broken through, Vero felt as though he was witnessing the rise of a new, formidable poaching syndicate.
"I swear my unwavering loyalty to you, Boss!"
Without hesitation, Vero fell to one knee, pledging his allegiance.
Through Gardevoir's power, Ron could easily discern Vero's true intent—he merely sought a powerful backer to shield himself while he grew stronger.
But that was fine. After all, Ron had never intended to act in good faith.
"Good. You've been a Pokémon Hunter for a long time—you must know plenty of others in the trade. Recruit them all for me."
"Remember this: in my syndicate, there is more than one vice leader. The number of subordinates you command depends entirely on your own ability to recruit them."
Staring at Vero, Ron casually accepted his loyalty.
"Yes, Boss! I understand!"
Vero did not perceive the Dark King's easy acceptance as a sign of weakness. Rather, he saw it as the confidence of a true powerhouse, his tone brimming with barely contained excitement.
In Vero's eyes, the Dark King was forming a poaching syndicate purely to seize greater resources. He had no interest in internal power struggles.
If he played his cards right, there was a real chance he could become a figure second only to one, reigning over thousands. Just the thought of leading an entire poaching syndicate sent a thrill of excitement through Vero.
For men, power was the most intoxicating poison of time—incurable and inescapable.
"Very well. This is my contact information. You have ten days. After ten days, I'll inform you where to meet."
"Remember, do not let the League take notice of you for now. When the time comes, we'll make a big move. If you fail to meet my standards, there's no reason for me to reach out to you again."
As soon as Ron finished speaking, the pitch-black night slowly receded.
"Understood, sir."
Handing over a newly arranged contact method to Vero, Gengar then retreated into Ron's shadow. The black-robed figure gradually faded from Vero's sight.
Vero slowly stood up, his body trembling slightly with excitement.
Without wasting time, he immediately began reaching out to Pokémon hunters he knew. Of course, their strength had to be at the High Elite level.
What he needed were subordinates—not another boss over his head.
Even before taking action, Vero couldn't help but fantasize. Under the leadership of the Dark King, a powerful poaching syndicate would rise from the ashes of the declining Pokémon hunters in the Hoenn region, becoming its most dominant force.
While Vero was lost in his daydream, Ron had already begun searching for other quasi-Elite Four-level Pokémon hunters.
His goal was simple. Hunting them down one by one was too slow and inefficient. Instead, gathering them all in one place and taking them out in a single sweep was a far better approach.
If this had been before Persian's breakthrough, Ron might have hesitated. Letting even one target slip away would have created a major liability.
But now? As long as he arranged things properly, there was no chance of failure.
Even if the League caught wind of his actions midway, Ron could always retreat at any time. Worst case scenario, he would simply bide his time and rebuild in the Kanto region.
With multiple options available, Ron would always seek shortcuts but never allow himself to be trapped.
After temporarily recruiting Vero, Ron continued his search for Pokémon hunters.
Those at the High Elite level? Eliminated outright.
The ones who were difficult to deceive or had ulterior motives? Eliminated. Only those like Vero—hunters with quasi-Elite Four strength—were kept to work for him, gathering prey at his command.
"Damn it! Why is there still no news on the Dark King?! Could he have really left the Hoenn region?"
Slumped in front of his computer, Bert muttered to himself repeatedly.
Ever since losing track of the Dark King, Bert had never given up on his search. Yet, it was as if the man had vanished into thin air.
No matter how hard Bert tried, he couldn't uncover a single clue about the Dark King's whereabouts.
What frustrated Bert the most was that, to this day, he still didn't even know what the Dark King looked like. The only thing he knew was that the man had a peculiar Gengar—and beyond that, there was nothing.
With just that one piece of information, even if Bert were highly skilled, finding the Dark King's trail was next to impossible.
"I have no choice but to take a gamble on my last option."
Shutting down his computer, Bert first took some time off, requesting leave from the Ranger Headquarters. Then, he disappeared.
A few days later, a bounty began to circulate among Pokémon hunters.
Unlike standard bounties, this one spread through the underground network by word of mouth.
Its terms were simple:
A confirmed and reliable sighting of the Dark King would earn 20 million League Credits.
Eliminating or capturing the Dark King, with credible proof, would net 50 million League Credits.
Shedding the black cloak draped over his shoulders, Bert's eyes slowly took on a crazed glint.
If the Ranger Corps couldn't track down the Dark King, then he would just use the power of Pokémon hunters themselves.
As for the 50 million League Credits?
Whoever had the guts to claim it would have to survive to spend it.
...
Deep within a narrow canyon, resembling a One-Line Sky formation, nearly a hundred Pokémon hunters had gathered.
Even the weakest among them possessed Mid Elite strength, while the strongest were at the quasi-Elite Four level.
These hunters were split into four distinct groups, each led by a quasi-Elite Four trainer.
Locking eyes with one another, the four quasi-Elite Four trainers scrutinized each other cautiously, their gazes filled with silent evaluation.
At that moment, the dark veil of night unfurled, gradually enveloping everyone within its shadows.
"The time has come. From this day forward, I declare the official founding of the Dark King Poaching Syndicate."
A hoarse voice echoed through the night, igniting the fervor in the hearts of all present.
However, one individual, upon noticing Ron's arrival, discreetly concealed themselves in the shadows, quietly relaying information about the gathering to an unknown recipient.
"Now then, with four quasi-Elite Four trainers among us, it stands to reason that our syndicate will have four vice commanders. How their authority is divided, however, will depend entirely on their strength."
"You are free to choose your opponents in battle. The format will be a four-into-two elimination, followed by a final duel to determine superiority. If anyone gets injured, I will provide treatment. If there are no objections, let the battles begin."
The moment Ron's words fell, Vero and the others immediately assessed the remaining three, each attempting to single out the weakest target to strike first.
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