After Kay and the other player agreed to stick together, they continued walking toward the cliff, each keeping an eye on their surroundings.
Though they had decided to cooperate, there was still a sense of distance between them, trust didn't come easily in a game like this.
The thick trees around them rustled with movement from wild Pokémons, and both boys remained alert, knowing that an attack could come at any moment.
The path ahead wasn't completely clear, and they had to push through low branches and tangled roots as they walked.
The sound of leaves crunching under their feet was the only thing filling the silence between them until suddenly a group of Rattata jumped out from the bushes, blocking their way forward.
Kay instantly scanned the situation. There were around eight Rattata, all snarling and bristling with energy, clearly ready to attack.
Without hesitation, he turned to the other player and said, "You take care of half, and I'll handle the rest."
The other player gave a quick nod and took a step forward, already commanding Zubat. Before commanding Eevee, Kay took the chance to use the system again.
He looked at the group and silently requested the system to scan them. Instantly, a glowing, blue, semi-transparent window appeared in front of his eyes, filled with detailed information
The system highlighted the strongest of the group and displayed the data:
Rattata
Potential: Light Orange
Stage: Intermediate Steel
Moveset: Tackle, Quick Attack, Bite, Focus Energy.
Kay raised his eyebrows slightly. The level of detail was far beyond what a Pokédex could offer.
Not only could he see the Rattata's moves but also its detailed potential. He realized again how powerful this system was, and how valuable it would be in the battles ahead.
As the other player shouted out his commands to Zubat, "Supersonic! Then Air Cutter!" Kay focused back on his side of the battle.
Zubat flew high into the air, letting out a high-pitched screech that caused two of the Rattata to stumble in confusion. Then, with a sharp flap of its wings, it sent out blades of wind that slashed through the air and knocked one of the Rattata back.
Meanwhile, Kay called out to his partner. "Eevee, let's go!" The small Pokémon ran forward excitedly, its fluffy tail flicking as it stood in front of Kay, ready for battle.
"Use Wish, then start dodging their attacks while using Toxic on them," Kay instructed. A soft, shimmering light surrounded Eevee as it used Wish, preparing a delayed healing effect.
Then, with quick and nimble movements, Eevee began dodging the charging Rattata. Each time it ducked or leapt to the side, it sprayed a puff of toxic mist at a different Rattata.
Within a minute, the entire group was poisoned, their movements growing slower and more desperate as the poison started to take effect.
Kay didn't rush. He was calm and calculating. Once he saw that all of the Rattata were poisoned and clearly weakening, he gave the next order.
"Stop using Toxic. Now combine Quick Attack with Bite to finish them." Eevee obeyed instantly, becoming a blur of motion as it zipped between the wild Pokémons.
It slammed into one Rattata with Quick Attack, then followed up with a Bite, sinking its small fangs into its enemy before moving to the next one.
The poisoned Pokémons were no match for this level of coordination. One after another, they fell to the ground, knocked out or too weak to fight. Kay had finished his battle in a matter of minutes.
After wiping the sweat off his forehead, Kay looked up and saw the other player still engaged in battle.
Zubat was doing well, but its attacks weren't as smooth or coordinated as Eevee's. Kay crossed his arms and simply observed. He had no intention of helping.
This was his chance to see the other player's strategy and command style. He watched carefully as Zubat swooped in again and knocked out the final Rattata with a well-placed Wing Attack. The battle was over.
The other player turned to Kay with an annoyed expression. "Why didn't you help me?" he asked, clearly frustrated that Kay just stood there and watched.
Kay stared at him, eyes calm and unreadable, then replied in a cold tone, "You didn't ask." Of course, Kay knew that his answer was provocative, but he couldn't tell him the full truth.
Kay didn't help him in his battle because he was silently studying the player's style's strengths and weaknesses.
In this game, any information could be used later. Understanding how someone battled could make the difference between victory and defeat.
And even though they were allies for now, Kay hadn't forgotten that only one person would win in the end.
The other player didn't argue when Kay gave his cold response. He just sighed quietly and said, "Let's keep going." It was clear that even if he was annoyed, he didn't want to create unnecessary conflict.
The two young men continued their journey upward, moving along the rocky path that led to the top of the cliff.
The road wasn't easy, and along the way, they faced several groups of wild Pokémons. But with both of them working together, they managed to win each battle smoothly.
Their teamwork, although new, was surprisingly effective. Eevee and Zubat handled each encounter with precision, and with every battle, Kay learned a bit more about how the other player commanded his Pokémon. It was clear that he was talented.
After a while, they finally reached the top of the cliff. The view from the peak was breathtaking.
From this height, they could see almost the entire island stretched out below them; fields, forests, rivers, and even parts of the coastline.
It was the perfect spot to observe other players and look for any signs of movement. But before Kay began scanning the island, he turned his attention to the other player and stared at him silently for a moment.
His gaze was focused and intense, which immediately caught the other player's attention.
"I have a plan in my head," Kay finally said. "Do you want to hear it?"
The other player nodded, curious about what Kay was thinking. "Go ahead."
Kay took a deep breath, then said, "I propose that we switch our number tickets."
The other player blinked, clearly confused by the unexpected idea. "Why would we do that?" he asked.
"I don't think the players who are targeting us waited until we entered the island to start their search. I'm almost sure they already knew their targets back in the waiting room."
Kay smirked and said calmly, "I totally agree with you, but I don't believe that players in this game would find their targets if they focused just on searching them except for sheer luck. The time limit is only twenty-four hours. Players will talk to other players that they would meet and try to exchange information to find their targets faster."
He paused, then continued, "So what do you think would happen if other players who aren't targeting us saw me and thought I was you? And then later, if they ran into the player who actually is targeting you, and told him where I was?"
The other player lowered his head slightly, thinking deeply about what Kay had just said. A few seconds passed in silence before he replied, "That would slow him down. He'd waste time searching for the wrong person, and when he would find you instead of me, he'd realize he had been tricked and lost valuable time."
Kay gave a small nod. "Exactly."
Without waiting for another word, Kay pulled the number ticket from his jacket and held it out to the other player.
The other boy stared at it for a moment, then reached up and removed his own ticket without hesitation.
He handed his to Kay, and in exchange took Kay's. They each stuck the new ticket onto their jackets. Kay now wore the number 20, and the other player had 10. It was a simple move, but it could change the flow of the game significantly.
With the switch done, Kay turned toward the edge of the cliff and spoke, "Now, let's do what we came up here for."
While the other player remained standing near the center of the peak, Kay stepped closer to the edge and began scanning the island below.
His sharp eyes searched the distant areas of the forest and plains, hoping to catch the slightest movement.
See you in the next chapter...
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