As they marched, everyone watched their surroundings vigilantly, keeping their Pokémon close to them.
They had no choice. The brutal way the previous man and his Pokémon had died was chilling, even to this group of Pokémon Hunters who lived dangerously. They felt that only by sticking close could they regain some sense of safety.
While this tactic offered some comfort, it still failed to stop the surprise attacks from Alakazam and Annihilape. Gu Yuan had initially focused his targets on the people or Pokémon at the outer perimeter. As a result, after Alakazam and Annihilape launched their sneak attacks, the Intermediate Rank Pokémon were simply unable to stop them.
Therefore, after the Poaching Group had calmed down slightly, Gu Yuan immediately had Alakazam and Annihilape strike again.
The moment Alakazam and Annihilape appeared, two more people turned into corpses. Even the Intermediate Rank Pokémon beside them were hit by Alakazam and Annihilape's attacks and sent flying.
Before any other attacks could arrive, Alakazam and Annihilape vanished once more. This only made Gul's expression darken further, yet it could not make him stop his advance.
As if having tasted blood, Alakazam and Annihilape began to attack more frequently. From the beginning until now, nearly ten people had died at their hands.
When a trainer died, the other trainers had to keep their Pokémon close to them for protection, effectively crippling a significant amount of the group's fighting power. Fortunately, these were only Intermediate Rank trainers, which was still within a bearable range.
However, the excessive killing caused the atmosphere within the Poaching Group to become volatile. Alakazam and Annihilape's repeated strikes allowed them to discern a pattern: the two Pokémon only targeted those on the perimeter. When there were still many Intermediate Rank trainers, the Senior Rank trainers closer to the center felt safe. But as the Intermediate Rank trainers were eliminated one by one, the Senior Rank trainers also felt threatened.
They had witnessed Alakazam and Annihilape's methods and understood that, given their own strength, they could not withstand their sneak attacks.
They naturally hoped the Intermediate Rank trainers could hold out a bit longer, ideally until they reached the plains, where they would be safe. But humans are inherently afraid of death. Coupled with the influence of Gul's demanding style on the Poaching Group, which was a place focused entirely on profit, with little camaraderie among members, these Intermediate Rank trainers were naturally unwilling to sacrifice their lives as shields for others.
The next strike from Alakazam and Annihilape finally broke the last bit of balance.
"Why are we on the outside? It should be your turn now! Let us in!"
Suddenly, a voice rang out. A man tried to force his way into the crowd but was blocked by two Senior Rank trainers.
"Stay where you are, or you die!"
"I'm going to die either way! I might as well fight for my chance!"
Their cold voice did not deter him. Instead, it further stimulated his desire for survival.
"Scyther, use Wing Attack!"
He shouted the command. At this moment, he ignored the disparity in strength between himself and the Senior Rank members, caring only about forcing his way into the crowd.
As he said, he would die on the outside, so he might as well take a chance. Furthermore, confronting people he somewhat understood was far preferable to facing the elusive Alakazam and Annihilape, which always managed to claim lives.
"You're asking for death! Houndoom, Fire Blast!"
A flaming symbol made of fire shot out, instantly crushing the charging Scyther.
Just as Houndoom's trainer thought he had contained the situation, he was unaware that his action had caused the other Intermediate Rank trainers to join the resistance. Without needing to consult, all the Intermediate Rank trainers commanded their Pokémon to attack the Houndoom.
Several moves shot out. Houndoom's eyes widened. No matter how its trainer called out, the others made no move to help. Just as Houndoom prepared to make one final struggle, a figure blocked its path, deflecting all the attacks with a single punch.
"Have you all finished making a scene?!"
Gul's voice rang out. Machamp, standing between the two groups, released its Ace Rank aura, helping Gul bring the situation under control.
"From now on, the two groups will mix together. I will release my own Pokémon to guard the outermost perimeter to ensure your safety as much as possible."
"We are very close to the plains. Once we get there, this person won't dare to act again. There's no need to waste unnecessary energy on internal conflict."
"Mix now at the fastest speed, then continue the advance!"
Recalling the authority Gul had accumulated over time, no one dared to stand up and object. They immediately began to act, adjusting the formation at maximum speed.
Just as the group prepared to continue moving, the Pokémon assigned to vigilance suddenly became alert.
"Damn it!"
"Everyone prepare for battle! Be ready to break through with me at any time!"
As Gul's angry voice rang out, the tension that had slightly eased surged once more. Soon, a large number of Rangers rushed out from all directions. The moment they saw each other, there were no unnecessary words. They immediately launched their attacks.
Gu Yuan was also among the crowd, blending in. Considering that Gu Yuan hadn't coordinated with the people around him, the leader, Kawaguchi, let Gu Yuan act independently. Having witnessed Gu Yuan's battle results on the way, Kawaguchi naturally had immense trust in his strength.
"Blastoise, Hydro Cannon!"
"Scizor, go stop that Machamp!"
Kawaguchi's commands rang out. The Ace Rank Scizor took the lead, rushing out as a red flash and quickly reaching Machamp. Having just finished a fierce battle with Nidoking, Machamp had not had a proper rest, and now it faced Scizor, which was also Ace Rank. Even though Machamp was slightly stronger than Scizor, it was still contained and unable to move.
Seizing this opportunity, Blastoise, Kawaguchi's true main force, began to show its power. Two Hydro Cannon blasts shot out together, instantly crushing the quasi-Ace Pokémon of Yanghui. Next, Blastoise aimed its cannons at Gul's other Pokémon. It looked like the plan was to first eliminate all of Gul's Pokémon and then coordinate with Scizor to defeat Machamp.
It must be said that, strategically, this plan was almost exactly the same as Gul's earlier plan for surrounding and attacking Nidoking. With the strongest opponent tied up, and the remaining people and Pokémon entangled by the Rangers, it was time for Gu Yuan to strike.
"Alakazam, Annihilape, coordinate your attack! Target the Senior Rank Pokémon! Start the operation!"
After having Ditto use Transform to become a Persian once more to help Annihilape maximize the power of Rage Fist, Gu Yuan used Telepathy to issue the command to Alakazam and Annihilape. The next second, Alakazam and Annihilape vanished simultaneously from the spot.