"Pett, find those people and hand them over to Elite Four Bruno and Captain Ron!"
Faced with pressure from Bruno, George ultimately chose to yield.
George hadn't forgotten the overwhelming strength Bruno had displayed during his previous visit. Out of all the major family heads, only George and Viktor had lost to Bruno in a sparring match—and even then, Bruno had clearly been holding back.
That alone explained why the Five Great Families had agreed to Lance's proposal. In the world of Pokémon, strength is the ultimate currency.
"These are the ones?"
Before long, Pett brought out a group of individuals. Bruno didn't even glance at George as he turned to Ron for confirmation.
"That's right. These are the ones. Thune Family—I'll be delivering the evidence to you shortly. Take a look at it. And while you're at it, maybe rein in your people. Just a reminder—what's done in the dark will eventually come to light."
The group walked past Pett without resistance, heading toward Ron as if they didn't care.
Pett had warned them beforehand: once they were imprisoned, the Thune family would pull every string possible to bail them out as quickly as they could. That's why they didn't put up a fight and followed Pett obediently.
But as they passed Ron—he suddenly struck.
A sickening crack of bones rang out, followed by howls of pain. The group collapsed, limbs twisted grotesquely.
"I've already handed them over. Captain Ron, are you trying to carry out extrajudicial punishment now?!"
The sudden violence reignited George's fading rage, and he seized the chance to slam Ron with an accusation.
"I suppose the Thune family patriarch hasn't trained in Breathing Techniques," Ron replied coolly. "I have. I've made some progress, too. I sensed bloodlust coming from them just now, so I reacted instinctively. Seems you haven't convinced them to stand down, Mr. Thune."
"But don't worry—I'll make sure they get the best medical care."
Then Ron turned to Beno and his team. "Keep a close eye on them. Technically, we still can't say with 100% certainty that they're guilty. But remember—don't let them commit suicide to escape justice."
"Yes, sir."
Beno and the others dragged the injured group up, bound them with ropes, and gagged them with cloth.
George heard the implication loud and clear. If anyone tried to break them out, they'd die first. With Ron and Bruno involved, that was no empty threat.
"Elite Four Bruno. Captain Ron. Is there anything else?"
George forced himself to remain composed, though his voice still brimmed with restrained fury. Bruno and Ron didn't seem to care.
"That'll be all for today. I look forward to our next meeting," Bruno said with a broad grin, clearly enjoying George's humiliation.
"We'll be taking our leave."
Watching George lose both dignity and control, Bruno couldn't have been in a better mood. With a smile, he turned and walked away with Ron and the others.
"Give the fallen a proper burial. Take care of their families. And as for those who were taken… do everything possible to get them back. Spare no expense."
George may have had his flaws, but he carried the weight of leadership. Even now, he made a point to issue these instructions to Pett in front of everyone.
"Yes, sir!"
"Good. I leave the rest to you."
With that, George turned and walked into his study, face dark as thunder.
Moments later, the sound of crashing furniture and muffled roars echoed from within.
...
"Ron, that was reckless," Bruno said seriously on the way back. "If George had retaliated right then and there, even with Gardevoir's Teleport, it might not have been enough to save you."
Bruno was pleased with how much progress Ron had made in such a short time. But praise was one thing—he had to make sure Ron understood the danger of his actions. Bruno wasn't about to lose the best hope they had for bringing down the Five Great Families.
"I understand," Ron nodded. "But I didn't go in blind. I analyzed George thoroughly beforehand. Plus, I'd already sent people to contact you—that's why I chose to act."
"You're right. Compared to the other family heads, George is… lacking in some areas. But don't forget—regardless of how competent they are, their strength is still Champion-class. That's not something you can handle on your own."
"If you ever pull a stunt like this again, you'd better contact me directly. Don't just send Hank and Sho with a message."
"Understood. I promise it won't happen again."
"All right. I'll take over the interrogation. None of them are getting out of this alive. As for your team, I'll convert your reward into contribution points."
Even with Ron's assurance, Bruno wasn't convinced the young captain wouldn't act on his own again. But as long as Ron understood the risks, that was enough.
"Thanks. I'll leave it to you."
Ron had always planned to hand the prisoners over to Bruno. Since he offered, Ron had no objections.
With the handoff complete, Ron and his squad resumed operations. Having just left the Thune estate, it wasn't wise to provoke them again so soon.
If they were pushed too hard, things could spiral.
No—Ron intended to repay the Five Great Families in full. Not with a single strike, but piece by piece—suffocating them slowly until they broke. And then, he'd bury them.
"Beno. See if there are any Pokémon hunters or poaching rings nearby."
"Hank, dig into the current movements of the Five Great Families."
Leaning against a tree like a general surveying the battlefield, Ron calmly issued orders. His team fanned out—some scouting, others resting while keeping a sharp watch.
"Sir, there's a group nearby called the Blade Poaching Syndicate. Their leader, Nair, is around entry-level Elite Four in strength. They're not far from here."
Beno was quick with his report. Hank, on the other hand, was struggling to dig up anything on the Five Great Families.
Even though Ron's squad now had clearance to access the Ranger Headquarters' intel network, the Rangers had never prioritized tracking the families' movements. What they could offer was limited.
"Then we'll start with that poaching syndicate. We can't rush the Five Families. They've had their claws in the League for generations—this won't be over in a day."
That said, Ron's expression turned cold as the wind.
Even so, as he stood up, Ron discreetly pulled out his phone and began messaging Shadow.
Thanks to Gardevoir's subtle influence, none of the others—least of all Beno—paid any attention to Ron's small movements, let alone suspected anything.
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