Pokémon Simulation: Hunting The Protagonists

Scarface died a gruesome death.

Bitten alive by Pokémon, one bite at a time.

He was undoubtedly the most miserable death Ethan had witnessed in both of his lifetimes.

After the incident, Ethan led Aron to the basin's location.

There, they found the lifeless bodies of its mother and father, Aggron.

Aron cried bitterly, nudging its mother's body with its head.

Losing both parents in a single day—its pain was unimaginable.

Ethan stood behind it, feeling deeply conflicted.

Once, he too had been targeted by Tyler, trapped in despair like Aron.

But fate had given him a second chance.

A new life.

A rekindled hope.

Aron cried for over half an hour.

And Ethan simply stood there, silently waiting.

Only when the little one finally calmed down did he step forward.

"Your parents sacrificed themselves to protect you—not to see you like this, defeated and lost."

"You're too weak."

"Weak to the point where you could do nothing but watch as your parents fought for you."

"But that's how this world works—it's survival of the fittest."

"If you're weaker than others, you're doomed to suffer at the hands of fate."

Aron's eyes burned with unwillingness, but it couldn't refute his words.

It hated the fact that it was the one to bear this cruel fate.

But then Ethan's next words made it freeze.

"But… I can give you strength."

"The kind of strength that can protect those you care about."

"I can make you as strong as a Ludicolo."

"In this world, countless Pokémon share your fate."

"Maybe you can't change your own past, but you can change the future for others. You can become their hope—their hero."

"Of course, I won't force you to make a choice."

"Whether you come with me or stay here is up to you."

Ethan pulled out a Poké Ball.

On one hand, he pressed on Aron's pain, using its grief to fuel its desire to grow stronger.

On the other, he planted the dream of becoming a hero, giving it motivation.

Aron had grown up in a safe world shaped by its parents, a fairy tale where it was protected.

But reality had just struck it down, leaving it with a harsh lesson.

Without strength, what hero could it be?

Ethan was cunning.

It seemed as though he was giving Aron absolute freedom in its decision.

But in truth, he was presenting it with two paths—one that would guarantee strength, and another that could take decades to achieve the same.

What other choice did it have?

Aron couldn't afford to wait years to grow stronger.

That impatience sealed its fate.

In Aron's eyes, Ethan was a kind and understanding human who respected its choices.

And because this was its own decision, Aron would develop a strong sense of belonging and loyalty toward Ethan's team.

There was no doubt—Ethan had completely grasped the psychology of Pokémon.

That same day, chaos erupted within the Blackthorn Hunt.

Countless members wore expressions of rage.

Their base at Misty Mountain had been raided.

A mysterious Pokémon egg, secretly transported by one of their division leaders, was stolen.

Along with it, a perfect-grade twisted spoon—a Psychic-type treasure worth tens of millions—and a mysterious rainbow-colored stone had vanished.

Upon hearing this, the Gym-level officer stationed there immediately sealed off the entire mountain.

The importance of the stolen items had been emphasized multiple times by their superior.

Only then did the Blackthorn Hunt's executives realize just how serious the theft was.

"You all just sit around eating for free, huh?"

"Over twenty of you were guarding that entrance!"

"A massive Pokémon egg right in front of you!"

"And you let some woman waltz in and snatch it right under your noses?"

"Are you all useless?"

"Listen up! That woman is injured—she won't get far."

"So get moving! If you don't find her by tonight, you're all done for!"

A group of hunters stood below, their faces burning with shame as their superior barked at them.

They had no excuses. This was a humiliation.

The night before—

Cassandra had taken advantage of their weak defenses and slipped in, stealing several valuables from their base.

If the officer in charge hadn't been so alert, she might have escaped unnoticed.

They had assumed that with a Gym-level trainer present, she would have no choice but to surrender.

Who would have thought that the ruthless assassin, when pushed into a corner, would order her Weezing to use Explosion—

Blowing their base to ruins.

Cassandra suffered serious injuries, and nearly all of her Pokémon were wiped out.

But she still managed to slip past the Blackthorn Hunt's encirclement.

The officer immediately sealed off Misty Mountain's exits.

Not even a single Pokémon would be able to escape now.