Pokémon: Chronicles of Freedom

"Still, we have to go. Wouldn't want someone else beating us to it. Right now, he's like a fat sheep," Cain said, laughing.

And it was true. What Xander was doing had turned him into easy prey in the eyes of many, especially for those four with impressive strength.

The shorter man could only nod, too afraid to speak.

"Alright, you're of no use to me anymore. Go join your good friend," Cain said, waving his hand.

Under the stunned gaze of the man, Murkrow, who was already prepared, slashed his throat in one swift motion.

Someone of that level wasn't worth the effort of capturing for Cain. Besides, the man lacked loyalty, having caved so easily under pressure. Leaving him alive would only cause trouble.

Cain released Grimer, which quickly cleaned up the bodies and any traces from the ground.

As a Poison-type Pokémon, Grimer could completely decompose any evidence, from blood to footprints, making it ideal for outdoor survival operations.

After comparing the two copies of the map he'd obtained from the men, Cain found no differences.

He began heading toward the marked location on the map.

Between the two men, they had only provided five trial points—a pitifully low amount.

It was likely the three individuals Cain had encountered near the Gastly cave entrance had also been sent by Xander, as they'd only yielded five trial points in total. Though Cain hadn't thoroughly checked their storage devices, the probability was high.

In any case, it was time to visit Xander. He would surely have a much larger stockpile of points.

Cain continued moving slowly into the forest.

There was no denying that Xander was a cunning individual. He had strength and potential, but his arrogance had driven him to enmity with Cain—all because he couldn't stand someone being above him.

As Cain approached the camp, he began to conceal himself and move more carefully.

He put on a disguise designed for better camouflage.

Although Cain didn't fear facing Xander, there were about twenty people at the camp. If they all gathered, it could become problematic.

It was also possible they had practiced some kind of combined attack technique.

Though unlikely, it was better to be cautious.

Cain climbed a tree near Xander's camp and observed for a while. The location was surprisingly large for being in the middle of a forest.

Moreover, Xander was clearly on alert, with several Pokémon patrolling both in the trees and on the ground. The center of the camp housed a large tent, presumably Xander's.

Cain couldn't be sure if Xander was there at that moment.

He watched as two men left the camp in different directions, but Cain didn't act immediately. Instead, he decided to follow one of the teams.

After both groups had been away from the camp for about twenty minutes, Cain struck. He quickly eliminated the Pokémon of the men, leaving one alive for interrogation before killing him as well.

Thanks to this, Cain obtained crucial information: Xander was in the camp, but he wasn't alone. A close ally, the ninth-ranked participant from the last trial, was also with him.

Before the final trial began, Xander had recruited five trainers from the top 10. Apart from the eighth, who had been eliminated by Miyamoto, the seventh, ninth, and tenth remained.

The seventh and tenth had been sent to search for map fragments, while the ninth stayed to guard the camp and supervise the others.

After returning to the camp, Cain decided not to attack immediately. He followed another team leaving the camp.

In any case, those men were destined to die, so the order of events didn't matter. First, he would eliminate the minor nuisances.

No team could escape Cain's strategy. No matter who they were, they all fell to Murkrow's swift attacks. Even those in the top 10, without the backing of a superior, were no match for Murkrow's power.

In a short time, Cain had already eliminated five teams—ten people. Adding the first team he encountered, he had now eliminated twelve individuals.

Without exception, all were taken down quickly.

Now, Murkrow was reveling in its victories, its body exuding faint traces of blood from both humans and Pokémon.

However, all this activity drew the attention of those in the central tent of the camp.

"This is... way too quiet," Xander said, sitting in his spot, with a one-eyed Arbok at his side.

Across from him sat a man with an unremarkable appearance.

"My Arbok can sense an increase in the smell of blood in the air," Xander continued.

"I'll go investigate!" exclaimed the ninth-ranked participant.

"Be careful, Rock. If there's something unusual, the enemy must be strong," Xander warned with a serious expression.

Perhaps others didn't know how strong the newcomers were, but Xander knew perfectly well.

His own strength had grown thanks to his brother's support, but those who had been trained for years by powerful figures likely had a level of power Xander preferred not to imagine.

Especially the closest subordinates of the Executives.

That was why Xander had been so aggressive in gathering trial points. He knew that in a direct confrontation with those individuals, he probably wouldn't stand a chance.

"Understood!" Rock, a nearly two-meter-tall man, responded in a deep voice.

Rock left the tent and looked around before quickly heading into a forested area.

Once Rock was gone, Xander, accompanied by his Arbok, slowly emerged from the tent, observing the tall trees around him with a disdainful smile.

He shouted at the top of his lungs: "We're alone now! No need to keep hiding! Come out and face me if that's what you want!"

His voice echoed through the forest.

From atop a tree, Cain smirked slightly.

Interesting.

"I have a ton of trial points with me. It doesn't matter if you're an Executive's subordinate, an officer's, or... Cain! If you want these points, come out now," Xander continued shouting, showing no fear.

After all, with so many points accumulated, it was only a matter of time before someone came for them.

If there was going to be a fight, it was better to gauge the opponent's strength first.

Just as Xander was about to shout again, Cain leapt from the tree.

Murkrow and Slowpoke followed closely behind.

As Cain approached the ground, Slowpoke used its psychic powers to allow him to land softly.

"Murkrow! I knew it was you! Cain!" Xander shouted through gritted teeth, his eyes bloodshot.

Cain had been his obsession for so long, to the point of becoming his inner demon.

Or rather, Cain was already his demon.

Since his defeat at Cain's hands, Xander had lived in torment. Cain had vanished, leaving him no chance for revenge. His only hope had been to face him in this final trial and reclaim his honor.

He had humbled himself, seeking his brother's help, all to gain the strength to face Cain. But he never imagined the day would come so soon.

(End of chapter)