"Go on, buddy. It's your turn."
"I promise, once we reach Pewter City, I'll find you a worthy opponent."
Gu Yuan patted Charmeleon on the shoulder, coaxing him into battle.
After adapting to his new Intermediate Rank strength, Charmeleon had lost interest in fighting Junior Rank opponents.
So Gu Yuan had no choice but to let Eevee battle too.
He couldn't let valuable points slip away.
Unlike Charmeleon, Eevee did not particularly like battling.
Using a bit of charm, Eevee managed to make a deal with Gu Yuan and Charmeleon. Against wild Junior Rank Pokémon, they would take turns battling.
Charmeleon reluctantly agreed.
That was the biggest difference between Gu Yuan's Charmeleon and Ash's Charizard. Even if Charmeleon thought the opponent was unworthy, he would still follow Gu Yuan's command to attack.
Blazing flames burst out, and Parasect felt a wave of heat before Charmeleon even reached him.
Not panicking, Parasect countered with Fury Cutter, slicing the flames apart.
But before it could relax, Flamethrower struck it directly.
The blast knocked Parasect into the air, and soon it crashed heavily onto the ground.
Another Flamethrower followed and Parasect fainted on the spot.
Before Gu Yuan could throw a Poké Ball, someone burst out of the bushes.
"Hello, I'm a Ranger. Here's my ID."
Seeing Gu Yuan's wary look, Tom quickly showed his badge.
Pokémon Rangers were part of the League, tasked with hunting down Pokémon poachers.
Poachers were those who captured Pokémon for clients and sold them for profit.
The reason they still existed was simple. Two reasons, in fact.
The first was the Hunter Guild. They posted countless jobs online, making it easy for poachers to accept missions and for the guild to take commissions.
The League had tried to stop them. But the guild was too well hidden.
The only exposed part was the website where jobs were posted. But even if the League shut it down, a new site would appear almost instantly.
The second reason was the League's flawed system.
For those from poor families, becoming a poacher was sometimes the only way to gather resources and survive as a trainer.
That was why the guild endured. Registration was free, no information was recorded, and it was almost impossible to trace a user.
"This is my Pokédex. That should prove who I am."
Gu Yuan glanced at Tom's badge, then showed his own Pokédex. That was the mark of an official League trainer.
While Tom checked his ID, Gu Yuan recalled Parasect into its Poké Ball.
"Sorry to bother you. Be careful. There are poachers in the area. If you see anything suspicious, contact me or the police right away."
"Oh, I saved my number in your Pokédex. You can call me directly."
With the Pokédex as proof, Tom no longer doubted him.
After all, he had never seen a League-trained trainer do lowly work as a poacher.
"I understand. If I hear anything, I'll let you know immediately."
Gu Yuan calmly put his Pokédex away. His face showed no change.
Tom didn't mind. He had already sensed Charmeleon's Intermediate Rank strength. Even the Eevee in Gu Yuan's arms was Junior Rank.
Such power made him confident. The poachers he had chased so far wouldn't dare attack someone like Gu Yuan.
Without staying longer, Tom continued tracking his real target.
Gu Yuan watched him leave and quietly grew more alert.
Poachers varied in strength. But if Rangers were chasing them, the weakest would already be Intermediate Rank.
Charmeleon might also be Intermediate Rank, but compared to Pokémon who had long mastered that stage, he still had some gaps.
Even so, Gu Yuan wasn't too worried. With Abra by his side, he could always rely on Teleport to escape if things turned bad.
He stuck to his plan, collecting points while heading toward Pewter City.
But Tom's warning stayed in his mind. He stayed cautious, always watching for danger.
***
"Damn it. How does the League train these hounds? They've been chasing me nonstop!"
Adam gulped down water and finally caught his breath.
Since Tom had spotted him, Adam had paid a heavy price to escape.
He had even lost his strongest Pokémon. Now only two Intermediate Rank Pokémon remained.
Looking deeper into the forest, Adam hesitated. Then he chose to head toward Pewter City.
Inside the city, he could vanish into the crowd using his experience.
If he went deeper into the forest, two Pokémon would not be enough to protect him. If a wild Pokémon stalled him, Tom would catch up.
With his decision made, Adam ordered Scyther and Ursaring to stay alert, then rushed toward Pewter City.
***
"It looks like we're close to the forest's edge. Pewter City shouldn't be far."
Noticing more wild Pokémon along the way, Gu Yuan made his judgment.
Hearing this, Charmeleon grew excited.
He hadn't forgotten Gu Yuan's promise. In Pewter City, he would find a strong opponent.
At the thought, the flame on his tail blazed even brighter.
Seeing this, Gu Yuan reminded himself that he must give Charmeleon a real fight once they arrived. Otherwise, trouble would follow.
Just as they prepared to move forward, the Eevee in his arms grew restless.
"Hide for now, Charmeleon. Someone's coming."
Remembering Tom's warning about poachers, Gu Yuan immediately grew cautious. He quickly hid among the trees.