Silas walked slowly along the forest path, leaving uneven footprints in the soft soil. Eventually, he stopped beside a lush tree and carefully peered into the bushes.
A common sight in Hoenn: a Wurmple.
Much like Caterpie in Kanto, Wurmple occupied the bottom of the food chain-weak, timid, and prey for nearly every hungry predator.
This one was nibbling eagerly at fresh bark that had fallen from a tree. Its twin tail-spikes twitched as it ripped off strips, chewing noisily, sticky sap dripping onto the ground.
"Murkrow, use Gust."
"Kraaaw!"
The black crow Pokémon burst from the branches, wings beating hard. A gust of wind howled forward, tinged with faint blue energy. Wurmple shrieked as the attack struck, leaving shallow cuts across its body.
"Wuuurmpleee!" it cried, blood beading from its fragile skin. Terrified, it scrambled to flee.
Silas's voice was cold and steady. "Don't let it escape. Use Peck!"
Murkrow's beak gleamed as it sharpened, wings pumping. With a fierce dive, it drove its beak into the Wurmple's back. The bug collapsed, bruised and trembling, eyes wide with pitiful fear.
"Finish it," Silas ordered. "No mercy."
This was the law of the wild-the strong survive, the weak perish.
Today, his goal was clear: Murkrow and Eevee would experience blood for the first time.
Murkrow hesitated, its wings beating uneasily as it glanced at Silas, then back at the writhing Wurmple. For an instant, pity flickered in his eyes. But seeing his trainer's expressionless face, the hesitation broke. With another ruthless strike, Murkrow's beak ended the bug's life.
"Eevee!"
At Silas's side, Eevee whimpered, tears welling in her eyes. Her ears pressed tight against her head, trying to block out the cries. But the metallic tang of blood in the air made her shiver. Overcome with fear, she retreated into her Poké Ball-something she had always resisted before.
Silas exhaled softly, eyes flashing with grim satisfaction. "In the wild, kindness means death. They must adapt."
Murkrow, a crow Pokémon, was built for this-cunning, cruel, born to kill. For it, the lesson would come naturally.
"…But Eevee," Silas murmured, shaking his head, "I'll need to guide her through this later."
After erasing the traces of the battle, he set off once more toward Rusturf Tunnel.
...
For more than a day, Silas lingered in the forest, focusing on Murkrow's training. Battle after battle, the crow grew sharper, faster, more ruthless. Each kill hardened it, each fight added to its aura.
The once-hesitant fledgling now carried blood in its feathers and steel in its eyes. Weak-willed Pokémon fled at a single glare.
"Finally out," Silas muttered, spotting wagon tracks and footprints along the roadside. He smiled faintly. "Not as exhausting as crossing Petalburg Woods, but still tough training Murkrow along the way."
"Kraaaw!" Murkrow cawed, wings flapping with excitement.
Deciding against more walking, Silas pulled a folding mountain bike from his Backpack and rode hard toward Rusturf Tunnel.
Along the road, he passed other travelers-most carrying shovels, picks, and tools. Prospectors. Like him, their destination was the tunnel, though their goal was ore and fortune.
"Those big sheds ahead must be the stone-gambling markets," Silas noted, lowering his monocular. Green tents sprawled across the landscape like a makeshift town.
As he pedaled closer, a flash of blue cut across his vision. A police motorcycle slid in front of him, blocking the path.
A tall, striking woman in a blue uniform swung off the bike-Officer Jenny.
"Trainer, please present your League identification. If this offends you, forgive me-it's procedure."
Beside her, a Growlithe barked sharply, eyes narrowing at Silas.
Silas's tired voice carried no edge. "Of course, Officer Jenny. Here's my ID." He withdrew his card and handed it over.
Jenny scanned it with a small League device. The reader beeped, data scrolling across the display. Her sharp expression softened in surprise.
"A registered League trainer… with second-tier clearance?" Her brows lifted. "And with the Joy family's backing as well."
She returned the card respectfully. "My apologies, Trainer Silas. It's routine. Lately, we've had activity from underground organizations near Rusturf Tunnel. Caution is necessary."
Jenny almost never explained herself to ordinary trainers. But this boy was no ordinary trainer.
Silas gave only a faint nod. "Understood. Thank you. I'm exhausted, so I'll take my leave." He mounted his bike and rolled past, Murkrow following overhead.
"Growwwlithe!" the Fire-type barked after him, uneasy.
Jenny watched Silas disappear down the road. "…You smell blood on him too, don't you, Growlithe?" she whispered. Her partner barked once in confirmation.
She exhaled. "But without proof, there's nothing we can do. Out here in the wilds, hunting and killing Pokémon has become… an unspoken rule."
Her shift continued. Two civilian trainers soon approached, only to be grilled harshly. Unlike Silas, they lacked League backing. When pressed, they slipped Jenny a couple of Alliance Coins in exchange for passage.
A faint smile tugged at her lips. "Heh… the city posts pay better, but even out here, opportunities come." She tucked the coins into her purse smoothly, then waved the next travelers forward.
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(End of chapter)