Before the dust from the explosion had fully settled, a mangled corpse lay near the blast site.
Beside it were the unconscious and severely injured Hypno, Willy—whose legs had been blown off and was now drenched in blood—and a battered Arbok. Though Arbok still clung to life, its strength had been reduced to barely a third of its usual.
Even though jack's bomb dealt heavy damage, Willy's group had reacted swiftly—barely managing to activate the Hypno's teleportation ability at the moment of detonation. Even so, the aftermath had caught them.
The only reason Willy was still breathing was because Arbok had wrapped around him like armor, shielding him from the worst of the blast. Otherwise, he would've died alongside Mara.
"Please… please, spare me!" Willy stammered, his voice trembling.
"I have money—I'll give you all of it! All my Pokémon too! I swear I won't be a threat, not even a trainer anymore. Just let me live!"
As the black-robed Ghost Fox—Jack—stepped calmly from the shadows, Willy collapsed into a pitiful, pleading mess. He offered everything—his life, his possessions, his Pokémon—in a desperate attempt to buy his survival.
Jack, however, remained expressionless.
When Willy had chosen betrayal, his fate was sealed. Death was the only fitting end.
Besides, Jack had always despised those who didn't value their Pokémon.
If he and Haunter ever faced a life-or-death crisis where only one could survive, Jack wouldn't hesitate—he would sacrifice himself before abandoning his partner.
Haunter remained concealed in the shadows, waiting for Jack's command.
Upon hearing Willy's whimpering pleas, Arbok turned his head in disbelief. The trainer it had just risked its life to save… had so easily cast him aside?
Though Arbok was a vicious species by nature, this one had genuinely bonded with Willy, prepared to die for him. And this was the thanks it received?
"Haunter, finish him."
Jack's voice was cold and decisive. The order was final.
Before Willy could utter another word, Haunter emerged like a phantom from the dark and drove a spectral claw into his throat.
Originally, Jack had ordered Haunter to stay hidden in case Willy released more Pokémon or tried to launch a final counterattack. But it turned out—Willy didn't even have the courage to fight back.
Willy's lifeless body hit the floor with a thud.
Arbok didn't cry out, but his pain was palpable. He turned toward Haunter, his narrowed eyes burning with battle instinct.
If he was going to die, he would die fighting.
With powerful muscles coiled and ready, Arbok launched himself at Haunter, preparing to use Glare—a move meant to paralyze and trap the elusive ghost.
It was the right move. But Arbok had misjudged his condition—his injuries, the long gap since he last fought, and the betrayal still haunting his thoughts.
As he lunged, pain erupted through his body, delaying both his charge and the release of Glare.
Jack wasted no time.
"Haunter, now!"
A flicker of ghostly light burst from Haunter's gaze. Arbok stumbled, confused, then began thrashing wildly in every direction.
"Use Haze. Then Frighten him from outside the fog!"
Dark, venomous mist spilled out and enveloped the already-dazed Arbok. Poison seeped into his wounds, amplifying the confusion. From outside, Haunter let out piercing shrieks—taunting and disorienting.
Though Fright wouldn't scare Arbok outright, the combination of poison, pain, and confusion wore him down.
Eventually, Arbok burst out of the fog—but Haunter had vanished again.
"Haunter—use Payback!"
At Jack's call, a dark beam of cursed energy surged from the mist. Arbok attempted to dodge, but it was too late. The poisoned state doubled the damage, and the attack struck with brutal force.
Arbok's anguished roar echoed through the tunnel.
"Confuse ray, again!"
Though Arbok was already barely hanging on, Jack stayed vigilant. Haunter released another flash of light, plunging Arbok deeper into confusion.
Arbok tried to fight it—tried to hold on—but his mind faltered. His movements became erratic. He struck at shadows, fangs snapping at nothing.
Haunter once again summoned the Haze, this time reinforcing the haze already lingering around the area. The mist slithered into Arbok's wounds, intensifying his agony.
When Arbok finally burst free again, he was a wreck—weakened and barely conscious.
Before he could even react, Haunter appeared behind him and launched a final sneak attack.
The hit landed cleanly. Arbok collapsed, unconscious.
He had never even touched his opponent.
The battle was over.
Jack quietly retrieved the Poké Balls containing Arbok and the Hypno, locking them securely. He then searched the corpses to ensure no Pokémon could escape and complicate matters.
And with that, the war between Jack—the Ghost Fox—and Willy came to an end.