Along the mountain road leading from the wilderness to Stow-on-Side.
A massive, brown-colored beast rumbled forward like a living steamroller, crushing everything beneath its heavy steps.
About thirty meters ahead of the advancing Rhyperior, a broad-shouldered, overweight trainer stumbled backward, struggling to retreat. His breath came in ragged gasps as he felt the tremors ripple through the ground and rock walls.
"Kamil! What the hell is that thing up there? A Gym-level Pokémon? What kind of lunatic would—" the chubby trainer kept mumbling as he stumbled backward. Behind him, a short and stocky man yanked at his arm, dragging him away with all his strength.
"Shut up, Bram! If you don't move faster, we're both dead!" Kamil growled, pulling harder.
Bram continued grumbling. "Could it be the League? Damn it, the idiots up front couldn't even figure out if their target was safe to attack. Got themselves killed like amateurs… Useless trash!"
"Say one more word, and I'll leave you here," Kamil snapped. He reached for Bram's waist, rummaged around until he found a Poké Ball, and tossed it.
With a flash of light, a Hippowdon emerged. Its sand-colored hide blended seamlessly with the storm as it lowered itself, allowing the two men to clamber onto its broad back before charging away.
The massive beast behind them was less than ten meters away now. A moment longer, and they'd be crushed.
Bram had no time to complain about Kamil's rough handling—he simply clung to the Pokémon's back, burying his face to avoid the flying sand.
"What the hell is that thing?!" he shouted over the howling wind. "A Gym-level Rhyperior?! What kind of psycho…?"
"Stop yapping, you bastard!"
"That's gotta be a League trainer! They're here to clean up Stow-on-Side! We have to tell the boss!"
Amidst their frantic cursing, Hippowdon galloped through the sandstorm, weaving past other yellow-cloaked hunters and their Pokémon.
At last, the mountain trail came to an end, opening onto a set of dusty, yellow stone steps—the entrance to Stow-on-Side.
Half the staircase was buried in sand, but neither Bram nor Kamil cared. They urged their Pokémon forward, plunging straight into the wind-blown streets.
Pairs of wary eyes peeked from windows as they passed. Numerous Pokémon stood guard outside doors, their trainers ready to defend their homes from intruders.
In this chaotic storm, the reckless wild trainers had set the stage—rules no longer existed.
As Hippowdon vanished into the distance, more Pokémon stormed through the streets—Rhyhorn, Stunfisk—accompanied by a swarm of trainers who scattered in every direction. The tremors beneath the town grew stronger.
Inside the houses, the townspeople watched in fear.
"What's happening out there?"
"What else? More sewer rats running for their lives."
"Is it the League? Or…"
Amid hushed whispers, the yellow-cloaked figures vanished into the storm. But not all of them had an escape. Some, with nowhere left to go, pounded furiously on doors.
"Open up, now! Or I'll kill every last one of you!"
"Open the fucking door!"
Whoooosh—
A door creaked open, and just as the intruder outside smirked in triumph, a blast of Flamethrower shot out, roasting him into a half-charred corpse.
BAM!
The door slammed shut again. Silence followed. The desperate hunters scattered like insects, frantically searching for another escape.
...
At the entrance of Stow-on-Side, a big, heavy foot stepped onto the staircase.
"Rhyperior, keep moving. Push through the streets and head west."
Shiro didn't withdraw his Pokémon upon entering the town. Instead, he and the others held their formation, advancing steadily.
Though the yellow-cloaked hunters had retreated at the sound of their approach, he remained cautious. Some of the more organized groups of hunters were likely watching them like hyenas, waiting for the right moment to strike.
As they moved forward, scanning the buildings around them, Marvin spoke up.
"Stow-on-Side has a gym, right?"
"It does," Allister answered first.
Nessa furrowed her brows, glancing around the town. After a moment of hesitation, she asked, "A gym leader has the authority and responsibility to manage their territory, don't they? So... where is Stow-on-Side's gym leader? And what about the company's forces? Why aren't they maintaining order?"
Hearing this, Shiro also turned toward the direction of the gym and urged Rhyperior forward.
...
Stow-on-Side Gym.
The towering structure was built from rough yellow-gray stone pillars, stacked in a crude yet imposing manner. Though primitive in design, it was remarkably sturdy, shielding everything inside from the relentless sandstorm.
Inside, within a circular training arena, a lineup of Pokémon—Hitmontop, Sirfetch'd, Hawlucha, Machamp, and Grapploct—stood in formation, each relentlessly striking at hardened stone training dummies.
At the edge of the arena, a gray-haired girl delivered a storm of punches and kicks into a heavy sandbag, her movements sharp and precise.
"Keep punching, Bea! Give it everything you've got!"
In the center of the training grounds, a man clad in dark, ancient-style clothing stood with his hands behind his back. His voice was strict and commanding.
"Remember! Facing stronger opponents is the key to growth. Even if victory is impossible, fight with everything you have—force a draw if you must!"
"Yes, Father!"
Bea responded loudly, her strikes growing even fiercer. Her Pokémon, fueled by her determination, intensified their training alongside her.
The Stow-on-Side Gym Leader nodded in satisfaction and strode toward the sealed doors of the training field.
As soon as he stepped outside, a scrawny, trembling man stumbled toward him and dropped to his knees.
"G-Gym Leader! Outside… the sandstorm… Please, you have to save us!"
"Hmph! That's the League's problem, not mine!" Eldon snorted in disdain and kicked the man squarely in the chest, sending him tumbling across the grand hall.
"Who let this fool into my reception hall?! Who?!"
Two muscular men immediately rushed forward, grabbing the struggling man and hauling him toward the door.
Nearby, a tall, burly man dressed in a white martial uniform cautiously stepped forward and spoke in a low voice.
"Teacher Eldon, he claimed to have urgent news, but he wouldn't say what it was. That's why we brought him in…"
"Dyson…" Eldon drawled, casting a sideways glance at his student, who quickly lowered his head even further.
"I told you—no one gets in, didn't I?"
"Forgive me, Teacher!" Dyson knelt, pressing his hands to his knees as he carefully chose his words. "It's just… A group of rogue trainers from the wilderness have banded together. They're looting, attacking people, and even trying to break into our gym…"
"There's just a little sand outside. A little sand!" Eldon's voice rose, his restrained anger about to explode.
Without another word, he marched toward the gym's entrance.
Eldon didn't care what kind of nonsense that bastard Rose was stirring up in Stow-on-Side under the pretense of archaeology. But if this chaos was starting to interfere with his gym's training—then he would personally put an end to it!
BANG!
The gym's massive stone doors flew open with a single kick.
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