"Klooak?"
Two years?
Drakloak tilted its head, considering Shiro's words. That didn't seem like a long time at all.
Even though it was just over ten years old, the older Dragapults in its clan had lifespans stretching across centuries. Two years was nothing in comparison.
"Drraak!"
But even so, it wanted to go back to the Lake of Outrage!
Shiro watched as Drakloak flicked its tail northward, its meaning clear.
"You want to return home? Then... how about this? Stick with me, and in six months, I'll take you back for a visit. Stay by my side for two years, and I'll personally return you to the Lake of Outrage."
As he spoke, Shiro dangled the Dragon Scale in front of Drakloak's eyes, letting it sway back and forth before pulling out a small handful of Pokéblocks and offering them to Dreepy.
The tiny Ghost Dragon already had a favorable impression of Shiro since he had treated its wounds. Now, tasting the familiar Pokéblocks, the carefully refined essence of human technology quickly won over its tiny appetite.
And then there was the Dragon Scale—an irresistible temptation.
Dreepy bounced anxiously, nudging Drakloak as if urging it to accept the offer right away.
Because of their Ghost typing, the Dreepy line rarely shed scales, meaning they lacked a valuable resource crucial for a Dragon-type's growth. To them, a Dragon Scale was a rare and precious treasure.
Besides, Lake of Outrage was a boring place. Every day, it was the same—Pokémon curling up in their nests, sleeping endlessly. How could that compare to the excitement of traveling with a human?
Drakloak hesitated, clearly torn. It had spent its entire life within the safety of its clan's territory. Leaving so suddenly…
"You don't have to worry," Shiro reassured, casually pulling out the last of his Dragon-type Pokéblocks. "I'll cover your food and shelter, and you'll get Pokéblocks every day."
This time, he even mixed in some Ghost-type ones meant for Gastly, their unique scent filling the air.
The moment Drakloak caught a whiff, its lingering hesitation evaporated. The cautious Pokémon nodded eagerly, wrapping its small claws around the box of Pokéblocks and digging in, even forgetting about the Dragon Scale.
Shiro let out a breath and smirked.
'So, Pokéblocks are the ultimate bait for luring wild Pokémon,' he thought.
These two were also just too naïve. They actually waited for permission instead of just snatching what they wanted. Unlike humans, who always looked for shortcuts, they hesitated over what was right in front of them.
Drakloak happily munched away while Dreepy, growing impatient, let out urgent cries. After a few moments, Drakloak finally loosened its grip on the box, allowing its tiny companion to dive in and eat just as eagerly.
Shiro placed the Dragon Scale in Drakloak's mouth, sealing the deal.
With that, he recalled Corvisquire and Gastly into their Poké Balls before glancing toward the hill in the distance.
"Let's go," he said, turning to leave.
"Draaa..."
Drakloak hesitated for a brief moment, glancing back.
It still wanted revenge.
Had it not encountered a reliable and good human like Shiro, Dreepy might not have survived. The thought of simply leaving without payback gnawed at it.
But Shiro had no intention of diving back into that mess. He and Drakloak had no battle experience together. If Macro Cosmos reinforcements arrived, they'd be overwhelmed in no time.
Suddenly—
BOOM!
A deafening crash echoed from the hillside.
The towering Machamp, which had been holding its ground, finally collapsed, its massive body leaving a humanoid dent in the already broken forest floor.
While Shiro had been negotiating with Drakloak, every trainer nearby had turned their focus on the oversized, clumsy Machamp.
Against a coordinated assault from dozens of Pokémon, it had reached its limit. Its sheer size made it an easy target for smaller, more agile opponents.
With Gareth, the strongest among them, leading the charge, the hunting team members and the Wild Area trainers worked together seamlessly. Under the relentless barrage of attacks, Machamp staggered before finally crashing to the ground.
"Move!"
Shiro didn't need to look back to know what was happening. He quickened his pace, while Drakloak along with Dreepy swiftly slipped into his shadow.
Being a Dragon/Ghost-type and its strong strength, Drakloak easily could hide within shadows.
Shiro knew that once those people finished dealing with Machamp, their next target would be the temporarily vanished Drakloak.
Macro Cosmos would never let a pseudo-legendary Pokémon slip through their fingers.
Ahead, the shifting, multicolored edge of the Dynamax phenomenon loomed. Without hesitation, Shiro plunged in. For a brief moment, all sense of sight vanished, the distortion consuming his vision—then, just as quickly, he re-emerged on the other side.
The eerie silence of the forest greeted him.
By the shores of Lake Axewell, several Wild Area trainers moved in the distance.
Keeping close to the mountain's side, Shiro adjusted his pace, seamlessly blending in with the other passing trainers as he made his way toward the lake.
...
Inside the Dynamax den.
With Drakloak seemingly gone, the hunters stationed at the edge of the Dynamax zone and those positioned above had returned to the hill, aiding their captain, Gareth, in finishing off the Gigantamaxed Machamp.
Their greatest fear was Drakloak coming for revenge after escaping.
If it went on a rampage, even before Macro Cosmos' special forces arrived, it could easily take down one or two Advanced-level trainers in an instant.
No one wanted to be the first to fall.
Even the three Gym-level trainers within the hunting team weren't eager to take that risk.
Despite his frustration, Gareth couldn't afford to lash out at them. As the team captain, he bore the responsibility for both the mission and the current situation.
For now, finishing off Machamp took priority.
"Rillaboom, Wood Hammer!" Seeing Machamp fall, Gareth immediately ordered the finishing blow.
Wood Hammer was Rillaboom's most powerful Grass-type move, and Gareth wanted to end the battle in a single strike.
Gripping its drumstick-like wooden club, Rillaboom leaped high into the air. A vibrant green energy radiated from its weapon, forming a brilliant, sun-like sphere before it came crashing down onto the weakened Gigantamaxed Machamp.
Attacks poured in from all directions. Some were little more than nuisances, but Flying- and Psychic-type moves—effective against Fighting-types—struck hard.
Already badly wounded, Machamp had no chance to react. Before it could recover, Rillaboom sprang up again and unleashed another devastating Wood Hammer.
The blows landed squarely on Machamp's chest and abdomen. It didn't even have time to cry out before collapsing into unconsciousness.
Its massive body rapidly began shrinking.
"Its Dynamax energy is dispersing!"
In an instant, trainers from all directions swarmed in, each holding a Watt Collector, frantically absorbing the crimson energy lingering around Machamp.
The scattered energy spread throughout the forest, covering a wide area. Because of this, no fights broke out among the trainers—they were too busy trying to collect as much as they could.
Meanwhile, Gareth, the captain of Macro Cosmos' hunting team, recalled his Pokémon without bothering to join the energy collection frenzy.
His focus was solely on tracking down Drakloak.
But as the shifting distortions of the Dynamax field slowly faded, turning more transparent. Outside, weaker trainers had already gathered, eager to scavenge whatever remnants of Dynamax energy remained.
Yet no matter how hard Gareth looked, he couldn't spot the one Pokémon that should have stood out the most—Drakloak.
'Did it escape?'
His fists clenched as anger surged, eyes locking onto the regrouping hunting team.
**
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