The group quickly came to an unspoken agreement. Instead of chasing the fleeing survivors, they immediately began scooping up the energy crystals scattered across the ground.
"Oh? Looks like I can grab some scraps too," Icarus muttered, eyes lighting up.
"Pidgeotto, let's go after the runners!"
"Pidgeot~!" The bird Pokémon cried out and took the lead, flying low as it guided Icarus around the edge of the battlefield.
"Weepinbell, stay close."
"Bell~!" it responded, trailing behind him.
They quickly bypassed the chaotic frontline and moved into the forest to hunt down stragglers.
But Icarus soon noticed he wasn't the only one thinking this way—two or three other Team Rocket grunts had also split off to chase the fleeing "easy targets."
---
Not far ahead, under a large tree—
"Huff… huff… I'm exhausted…" a teenage boy panted, collapsing to the ground.
"Mankey~…" his Pokémon groaned, equally worn out.
The boy suddenly grinned, pulling out several glittering crystals.
"Hey, I grabbed five energy crystals while running! With these, I can buy you better moves and energy cubes, Mankey!"
"Mankey!" it perked up, clearly excited.
For a brief moment, the two shared a small victory.
Then—
"It's a shame… those belong to me now."
A calm voice cut through the air.
The boy froze.
"It's—Team Rocket! Mankey, run!"
"Pidgeotto, Gust!"
"Pidgeot!"
A powerful whirlwind erupted instantly, swallowing Mankey mid-escape.
"Man—k—!" After a few seconds, it crashed to the ground, unable to continue fighting.
"Mankey!" the boy cried, dropping to his knees.
Annoyed by the noise, Icarus flicked his wrist—
Thud!
A throwing knife embedded itself in the ground right in front of the boy.
"Don't kill me! Please don't kill me!" the boy begged, trembling.
"Weepinbell, tie him up. I've got questions."
"Bell~!"
Vines shot out, binding the boy tightly.
Icarus stepped forward and searched him—just a few hundred PokéDollars, a Poké Ball, and the five energy crystals.
He sighed.
"That's it? Aren't you supposed to be from one of the major families?"
"I—I'm just a student… I haven't even graduated… the school provides everything…" the boy stammered.
"Then why were you even out here?"
"The clan leader led this caravan… they said it would be safe… so top students were brought along for experience…"
"..."
That explained everything.
A sheltered student. No real-world experience.
"Figures," Icarus muttered.
He waved his hand.
"Gag him. We're taking him along."
"Mmmph—!"
With the boy secured, Icarus turned.
"Pidgeotto, find another one."
---
A few minutes later—
"Pidgeot! Pidgeot!"
The bird returned quickly, signaling it had found another target.
"Good. Let's move."
---
Through his scope, Icarus spotted a girl sprinting through the forest.
Unlike the last one, she was prepared—spraying repellent as she ran to avoid wild Pokémon.
Beside her, a vigilant Rattata scanned the surroundings constantly.
"Much better than the last one," Icarus muttered.
But that didn't change anything.
"Pidgeotto—Quick Attack, then Peck!"
"Pidgeot!"
In a flash, the bird struck.
Slash!
Rattata was sent crashing to the ground, badly injured.
"Rattata!" the girl cried, stopping immediately.
Icarus stepped out from the shadows.
"If I were you, I'd recall it first. You might still save it."
This time, his tone was almost… instructive.
The girl froze, staring at him.
The battlefield had flipped.
Now he was the one in control.
And for the first time since the battle began—
Icarus was the hunter.