"Oh wow! So fast!"
Gary called out excitedly, his voice nearly swept away by the roaring wind. His heart raced as the world blurred beneath him. Riding atop Garchomp was nothing like riding Magnezone — this was pure, unrestrained speed.
Before this, traveling on Magnezone had always felt steady but sluggish. Now, with Garchomp cutting through the sky at supersonic pace, the air itself seemed to scream. If not for the strain on his body from the intense wind pressure, Garchomp could easily go even faster.
In just three short hours, they had crossed half the Sinnoh region and were closing in on Floaroma Town.
"Not bad, partner," Gary said over the rush of air, smiling proudly.
But just as they began descending, Garchomp suddenly slowed, its powerful wings tilting slightly as it came to an abrupt hover.
Gary blinked, steadying himself. "What's wrong?"
"GARCHOOOOOMP."
Garchomp growled low, its crimson eyes narrowing as it stared downward. Something unusual was happening below.
Gary leaned forward to look, peering through the clouds. On the dirt road beneath, he spotted a dark-green armored vehicle surrounded by several men dressed in black uniforms. And standing proudly in front of them was a woman with short, silver hair, her expression sharp and calculating.
Gary's eyes widened. "Hunter J!"
He hadn't expected to see her here of all places.
Hunter J — a notorious Pokémon hunter wanted across the Sinnoh Region — was infamous for capturing Pokémon on commission. Unlike ordinary hunters who tracked wild Pokémon for clients, she went after other trainers' Pokémon directly, cutting corners with ruthless efficiency.
Normally, Pokémon hunters scouted the wild to find the species requested by wealthy buyers. But Hunter J had a far darker method — she hacked Pokémon Center databases, identifying nearby trainers and their Pokémon... and then launched swift, coordinated ambushes.
That was what made her so feared. She hadn't been captured yet only because of her unmatched strength, cunning, and her use of illegal technology.
Gary's expression hardened. "So she's using that thing again…"
Indeed, Hunter J's signature weapon was what gave her the edge — a petrification laser. Any Pokémon struck by its beam instantly turned to stone, rendered motionless and helpless. Not even Legendary Pokémon could resist it once hit.
Even worse, this petrification couldn't be reversed naturally. It left its victims trapped indefinitely — unless she released them herself.
Down below, a confrontation had already begun.
A young trainer stood defiantly between Hunter J and her men, his Aggron looming protectively in front of him.
"Wh-what do you want?!" the trainer demanded, clenching a Poké Ball tightly.
One of J's henchmen smirked. "Our client wants your Aggron. Hand it over, and no one gets hurt."
The boy gasped. "No way! Aggron, get ready!"
A low growl rumbled from the Iron Armor Pokémon as it slammed its tail into the ground. "AGGRROOON!"
Hunter J's cold voice cut through the noise. "Your client will get what they paid for."
She raised a sleek, metallic weapon — the Petrification Gun — and aimed directly at Aggron.
A golden beam of light burst forth with a sharp Biu! sound, striking Aggron squarely in the chest.
"SHHHAAARRR...!" Aggron roared in pain, trying to resist, but its body immediately stiffened. The metal plating on its torso turned gray and lifeless. Slowly, the petrification spread across its body until it froze completely — a towering stone statue.
The young trainer screamed in disbelief. "No! Aggron!"
J lowered the weapon calmly and gestured with one hand. The armored vehicle behind her opened, releasing a mechanical disc that hovered outward. It stopped beside Aggron, enclosing the petrified Pokémon in a transparent field before retracting it into the vehicle.
"Now, this Aggron belongs to us," she said coldly.
"You monster!" the boy shouted, charging forward — but one of the henchmen stepped ahead.
"Ariados, String Shot!"
A Poké Ball burst open and a giant spider Pokémon emerged. "Ariadosss!"
Thick, sticky silk shot forward, wrapping the young man and pinning him tightly.
"Let Aggron go!" he shouted desperately, struggling against the threads. But it was useless. The web bound him completely.
Hunter J turned away, her eyes indifferent. "We're done here. Retreat."
She had no reason to kill him — stealing Pokémon was her trade, not murder. Killing a trainer would bring the full wrath of the International Police and Officer Jenny's unit, and she was careful never to cross that line.
Her philosophy was simple: peace brings profit.
Just as her armored vehicle began to lift off, a golden arc of lightning shot down from above, striking the roof with a deafening crack!
The vehicle's engine sputtered and failed, sparks exploding from its frame.
"What—?!" one of the henchmen exclaimed.
Everyone turned upward—and gasped.
A brilliant silver shape hovered in the sky like a metallic UFO, electricity rippling across its body.
Magnezone.
Gary's voice rang out sharply through the air. "Don't bother looking up! Look right here!"
Hunter J and her crew spun around — and there he was. A young man stood confidently on the rocky ridge, flanked by two powerful Pokémon: Garchomp and Gardevoir.
J's eyes narrowed behind her tinted glasses. She recognized both species instantly. On the black market, Gardevoir and Garchomp were worth a fortune in themselves. But she also recognized Gary Oak — the grandson of Professor Oak, a name she despised hearing in official research circles.
Her lips curled slightly. "You're in my way, boy."
Gary smirked coolly. "You picked the wrong target today."
Hunter J snapped her fingers. "Salamence, Flamethrower! Ariados, use Night Shade!"
She threw two Poké Balls, and with twin flashes of light, her Salamence and Ariados emerged beside her.
"SALAAMENCE!!" the dragon bellowed, sending a fiery wave toward Gary and his team. Ariados's eyes glowed black, releasing dark energy balls that raced behind the flames.
Gary lifted his hand calmly. "Gardevoir, Psychic! Garchomp, use Stone Edge!"
"GARCHOOOOOMP!!"
"Gar-de-VOIR!"
Gardevoir's eyes gleamed blue as a beam of psychic energy shot outward, meeting Ariados's Night Shade head-on and crushing it instantly. At the same time, Garchomp slammed its claws into the ground, sending jagged stone pillars erupting upward, intercepting Salamence's flames.
The battlefield exploded in a clash of rock and fire. Dust and heat rippled outward. When the smoke cleared, Ariados lay fainted, while Salamence snarled angrily above, its attack disrupted.
Gary didn't flinch. "You're strong, J, but you're not walking away with anyone's Pokémon today."
Hunter J scowled and raised her petrification gun, aiming at Gardevoir this time. "We'll see about that!"
A flash of light burst from the muzzle. But before the beam hit, Gardevoir smiled faintly and tilted her head aside—effortlessly sidestepping it. The beam shot past her and struck a boulder instead, instantly turning it into stone.
Gary's tone dropped, cold and sharp. "You really value money more than life."
Without hesitation, he unleashed all his remaining Poké Balls. In a brilliant display of light, Rhyperior, Electivire, Glaceon, Weavile, and Metagross appeared beside Garchomp and Gardevoir—eight Pokémon in total.
Hunter J's eyes widened behind her visor. "Eight Pokémon…? Impossible! Trainers can only carry six…"
Her shock deepened as she realized every one of Gary's Pokémon was fully evolved and radiating immense power.
The ground trembled under their combined presence. Sparks danced from Electivire's tails, Metagross's eyes glowed crimson, and Weavile crouched low, ready to attack.
Gary pointed forward. "If you value your life, leave."
Hunter J hesitated. She was ruthless, but she wasn't stupid. She remembered what had happened to other agents who underestimated high-level Trainers.
"Let's go," she commanded curtly.
She recalled her fainted Ariados, then leaped gracefully onto Salamence's back.
"SALAAMENCE!!" the dragon roared, spreading its wings. With a single mighty beat, Salamence soared skyward, leaving behind a storm of dust that scattered Hunter J's own soldiers.
Within seconds, she was gone—vanishing beyond the horizon.
Gary and his Pokémon stood stunned. They hadn't expected Hunter J to flee so decisively, abandoning her own team without a second thought.