In the shadow of a massive rock.
"Can you let me go?"
"No. Stop talking and turn on the radar. There's something important I need to see."
Kashiwagi rejected Huowu's request and ordered her to activate the search function.
Huowu remained silent for a few seconds, glanced at her unconscious teammate on the ground, and decided to cooperate. Although she hadn't been beaten or bullied yet, she knew it wasn't because of the man's kindness—it was because an injured prisoner was useless to his plans. She didn't want to see his brutal side; there was nothing in it for her.
Beep.
The radar activated.
Kashiwagi leaned in to look east. Sure enough, there was a solid red dot—a teammate currently in combat. He didn't know which one, but he assumed the opponent was Ken, who had headed east earlier.
Before the match started, Kashiwagi had noted that the red dot in that sector was already solid, meaning the fight had been going on for a while.
It's still going?
I hope they drain enough of Ken's strength.
"Be a dear and treat them," Kashiwagi said, patting Chansey's head and pointing toward Aron and Vibrava.
Because they had relied on ambushes, his two Pokémon were lucky enough to be uninjured, suffering only from stamina depletion. Still, they were exhausted—especially Aron, who had been scrambling up and down tunnels.
Seeing both Pokémon relax under the glow of Heal Pulse, Kashiwagi waved a hand. "Take a break. Eat something." He pulled out some compressed rations and Pokémon food, distributing them before turning to Huowu. "Want some?"
"..."
Huowu shook her head. She had no appetite. The man was right; for all intents and purposes, she had betrayed Team Snarl by helping him trap her teammate. She might be "liquidated" if she ever made it out.
If she made it out. Her life was in his hands, used as a tool to deceive others. At this rate, she might die at the hands of her own teammates first. Plus, her Pokémon were being held for ransom. What was she supposed to do?
She stole a glance at Kashiwagi, contemplating the possibility of a sneak attack.
"?"
Kashiwagi blinked, chewing on a dry cracker. He handed over a water skin. "Water?"
"No... I mean, yes." Huowu started to refuse, but her parched throat betrayed her. She took it and sipped cautiously. Only after she finished did she realize it was her own water skin he was handing back. Her expression shifted, but she didn't dare speak up, returning it silently.
"Don't look so grim. Better safe than sorry. I don't want to run into trouble in a place like this, either, right?"
Kashiwagi smiled, but he still didn't drink from her skin; he took a swig from his own instead. He checked the radar again before the timer ran out and saw that the red dot in the east had vanished.
"They lost."
He felt a pang of regret. For the fight to last that long, it must have been a fierce battle. It would have been perfect if they had actually taken Ken down.
"Gron?" Aron nudged him, looking up curiously.
Kashiwagi said, "Go on the offensive? We don't have the strength for that yet. Sniping survivors isn't as easy as it looks. Let's stick to setting traps."
The new version of the trap would involve two people: the unconscious male Snarl grunt playing the victim, and Huowu playing the "victorious" Snagem member. The chances of an enemy falling for it would be much higher. Of course, Huowu's situation would be significantly more dangerous, but a prisoner doesn't get to choose.
Thinking of this, she pulled her knees to her chest and curled up.
"Lucky?"
A soft cry made her look up. Chansey was standing in front of her, looking at her timidly.
"What is it?" Huowu looked at Kashiwagi.
Kashiwagi observed them. "It probably wants to treat you. Seeing the scratches on your face and hands... as a healer, it can't help itself."
Huowu looked at her palms and felt her face, realizing for the first time that she was covered in small cuts. In the past, she would have been frantic about her appearance.
"...It's fine." She shook her head. What did a few scratches matter now?
Chansey looked distressed. As a Pokémon dedicated to healing, seeing untreated wounds felt like insects crawling over its skin. It wanted to insist but didn't know how to speak or have the courage to push. It turned to Kashiwagi, eyes full of uncertainty.
"Lucky..."
Kashiwagi rubbed his stubble. Seeing Huowu's despondent state, he decided to "paint a pipe dream" for her. "Tell you what. Help me trick one more person, and I'll let you go."
"..."
"What's the standard ransom for a Pokémon?"
"...Around 300,000 each."
"Fine. If you can lure one more in, I'll return all three of yours for a total of only 300,000."
"...Really?"
"I'm not in the habit of lying. If you don't believe me, there's nothing I can do." Kashiwagi shrugged. He saw a flicker of hope return to her eyes.
He knew that offering a "concession" was the right move. A moment ago, she looked ready to give up on life. If he pushed her with dangerous tasks without a reward, she might become self-destructive. And while he didn't care if she lived or died, he did care if she sabotaged his plan.
Of course, knocking her out like the other guy was an option, but Kashiwagi believed a "living" asset was more useful than a "dead" one.
"Go on. Spray the medicine and bandage her up." He handed the supplies to Chansey and gave it an encouraging nudge.
"Lucky!" Chansey nodded vigorously and stepped forward. Huowu remained silent, but her cooperation proved she had accepted the deal.
With that settled, Kashiwagi took one last look at the radar. Twelve dots remained.
Three people defeated already? It had only been half an hour, and the match was scheduled for six hours.
"I hope this works." Kashiwagi sighed. If he guessed correctly, Ken—unable to find him in the east—would backtrack. He hoped his trap would be enough to fool the guy. Even if it didn't, he had to find a way to gain an advantage.
According to the intel he'd pried from Huowu, Ken was on another level. In a fair fight, none of the other fourteen Snarl members could stand against him. His physical condition was peak, and his ruthless personality made him a rising star in the organization.
Outside the Arena.
As Kashiwagi's plan took shape, the second wave of gambling began. The stakes were the same: would the trap succeed? But compared to the first time, significantly more people were betting on Kashiwagi.
"The Snarl grunts sent out are a bunch of morons. I'm not trusting them again!"
"Exactly! You could see through that trap with your eyes closed! How could anyone fall for it?"
"I finally understand what my boss meant—there are too many fools and not enough swindlers. Some people really are that stupid!"
The audience's tune had changed; they now chalked up Kashiwagi's success to the incompetence of his opponents. However, some saw Kashiwagi for the "gold" he was. They remained quiet, placing their donations and watching intently.
In the control room and the gala hall, Ayana and the mysterious man were both staring at the far right screen. It showed a Snarl grunt with a face full of arrogance and malice.
They had a premonition. Soon, Kashiwagi would be locked in a fierce battle with this man.
The ground was pitted and strewn with rocks. In the shadow of a massive cliff, a Snagem member with a masked face and bandages sat on the back of a prostrate Snarl grunt, eating dry rations. Nearby, a dusty Aron kept watch.
All of this was being watched by another Team Snarl member. He had been lying in wait for about three minutes. At first, he suspected a trap, but careful observation suggested otherwise. The opponent looked exhausted, and their water skin nearby appeared punctured and useless.
Dehydrated?
Hehehe.
"I'll take those points!" He charged out with two canine Pokémon. "Battle! Bite him! Tear him apart!"
"Awoo!"
His sudden assault was seemingly unexpected. He saw the "Snagem member's" eyes widen in shock and the Aron look horrified. He couldn't hide his smirk.
Beep.
His wristband chimed. Even though no feedback came from the other side, he didn't care. They're just hiding the sound, he thought.
As one of his dogs pinned the Aron and the other tackled the enemy, savagely biting into an arm, his guard dropped to zero.
Then, a sudden roar of wind came from the cliff behind him, like a heavy object in freefall.
Whoosh—
WHAM!
"WHAT THE—!"
A massive weight crushed him instantly. His face met the dirt hard, and his arms were nearly snapped.
"Sometimes, it's important to look up!" Kashiwagi pinned the man's arms back and pointed toward the two returning dogs. "Dragon Breath!"
Buzz!
The sound of vibrating wings exploded. Indigo flames roared from above, instantly blasting the two turning dogs away.
"Vibra!" Vibrava's cry echoed.
"Don't be in such a hurry."
Kashiwagi quickly locked the man down, searched his pockets, found his empty Poké Balls, and used them to recall the panicked dogs.
"You're cheating! The teammate distance limit hasn't been lifted yet! How could you two be together!?" The Snarl grunt screamed in rage. He couldn't turn his head far enough to see the Team Snarl uniform Kashiwagi was wearing. He assumed it was illegal teamwork and was livid.
Before he could scream again, Kashiwagi delivered a sharp chop to the back of his neck. The man slumped into unconsciousness.
"It worked?" Kashiwagi was a bit surprised. He had only intended to test it, but it had been a total success. He checked the man's pulse.
Yep. Still breathing.