With the Pearl Clan Chief making the first move, the others quickly followed suit.
"Miss Irida, would you like to come with us?"
One of them turned and invited her, hoping to bring her along as a witness. If they caught the so-called monster in the act, her protests wouldn't matter in the slightest.
Irida hesitated, then gave a small nod.
She still wasn't sure what had happened last night—so maybe seeing it for herself wouldn't be a bad thing.
Besides… there's no way it was Zoroark!
With that thought, she rose from her seat and gently picked up Eevee, who was curled up listlessly at her side.
"Let's go."
When they arrived at the clearing, the first thing they saw was a blond man holding a lit torch, standing off against a wary crowd.
The sight of Volo made several people blink in confusion.
Not because they recognized him, but because… he looked a bit like that recent tournament star—Cynthia.
But all comparisons vanished the moment they saw the torch in his hand.
The fire Irida had "set" the night before had already left the camp in chaos—dozens of tents burned to cinders.
If they hadn't caught it early, there might've been casualties.
They definitely couldn't handle another round of that.
As the new arrivals approached, the crowd instinctively parted to make way.
At the same time, "Volo" turned his gaze toward them.
Even at a distance, the crimson glint in his eyes—like they'd been stained with blood—was unmistakable.
"T-That has to be Zoroark!"
The man who'd invited Irida instinctively took a step back, voice full of conviction.
But Irida just frowned.
How could that possibly be Zoroark?
What kind of Zoroark carries a torch when it can just use [Will-O-Wisp]?
She didn't say it aloud, though.
She was curious to see exactly what kind of Pokémon they were dealing with.
"Vespiquen, [Air Slash]!"
"Floatzel, [Hydro Pump]!"
"Luxray, [Discharge]!"
The tribal representatives had already released their Pokémon.
As the elites chosen to represent their clans, their strength was nothing to scoff at. Some of them were even top-tier back in their home settlements.
But Spiritomb—possessing Volo—remained unfazed.
Compared to Elias's Pokémon, these attacks were laughably soft.
With a casual motion of "Volo's" hand, several dark spheres shimmered into being—[Shadow Balls], thick and menacing.
He hurled them.
The orbs collided with the incoming attacks mid-air.
But instead of the expected explosion, the [Shadow Balls] effortlessly tore through the opposing moves—then kept flying straight toward the crowd.
Panic erupted.
"Luxray, [Protect]!"
Someone shouted just in time.
Boom! Boom! Boom—
The blasts rang out, shockwaves rippling through the area.
Thanks to [Protect], the attacks were barely neutralized—but Luxray slumped over afterward, unconscious.
Seeing that, the others gritted their teeth.
It has to be Zoroark!
That was the thought echoing in each of their minds.
If it were Zoroark, the Pearl Clan Chief thought calmly, you'd already be flat on the ground.
He glanced around the group.
"Should be just about time now."
Any longer and the rest of their Pokémon would've been wiped out.
Just then, "Volo" suddenly tossed the torch aside and bolted toward the treeline.
No one dared chase.
Their Pokémon were about the same level as that fallen Luxray—charging in would've been suicide.
They could only watch bitterly as "Volo" vanished into the woods.
"Well then, crisis averted. Everyone head back and rest."
The Chief smiled and spoke with exaggerated calm, hiding the glint in his eyes as he silently began to count down.
The surrounding warriors flushed red with shame.
Crisis averted? After all that?
They'd ganged up on one person, gotten one of their own knocked out, and still let the culprit escape.
It was humiliating.
Still, with the Chief saying so, they could only grit their teeth and nod, preparing to return to their tents.
The onlookers, meanwhile, made no effort to hide their contempt.
But when they remembered that the Pokémon belonged to the recent champion… it stung a little less.
Losing to a champion isn't shameful.
Everyone was about to disperse when—
Boom—!
A deafening explosion tore through the air from the direction of the forest.
The ground trembled beneath their feet—like an earthquake.
The Chief's eyes lit up instantly.
Looks like it's done.
As if to confirm his thoughts, a lone Lucario stepped out into view, dragging something behind him.
As he drew closer, everyone saw what he was carrying—
It was the same "Volo" who'd fled earlier, now limp and unconscious.
Behind Lucario came a pure white fox, the tips of her fur glowing red like flame.
And walking just behind her—
Elias, the champion himself.
Zoroark.
At the sight of the "culprit," several people instinctively took a step back.
"E-Elias… what are you doing here?" someone stammered.
"You wanted the real culprit, didn't you?" Elias said casually.
"Well—here you go."
He gestured behind him.
As he spoke, Zoroark reached down and yanked something from Volo's body.
A mass of purple gas shimmered—Spiritomb.
Its form was flickering and unstable, like it had been completely rattled.
"…So you're saying this was the one who attacked last night?" someone asked, frowning.
Elias nodded and motioned for Zoroark to toss Spiritomb forward.
"This is Spiritomb. It can temporarily take control of others—body and behavior. Irida was most likely attacked by it."
He glanced at Irida.
In her arms, Eevee had already puffed up like a spiky ball, trembling at the sight of Spiritomb.
But Elias's explanation didn't win everyone over.
"How can we be sure you're telling the truth?" one of the men snapped. "We were just attacked!"
"You expect us to believe you subdued that thing so quickly?"
His face radiated skepticism.
Elias simply raised his hand.
"There are two things that can prove it."
"First… if it had been Zoroark just now, none of you would still be standing."
"Zoroark, [Shadow Ball]."
With a wave of his hand, Elias gave the order.
Boom—
A massive [Shadow Ball]—easily half the size of a full-grown man—shot forward.
It tore through several trees like paper, then detonated with a thunderous roar.
The once peaceful forest now had a crater.
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T/N: OUIAGSIF IM SO WET