"Who are you!? Why are you attacking me!? Aren't you afraid of the Albani family's retaliation!?"
Faced with Lydus' questioning, Ron—well-disguised—showed no reaction, continuing to command Machamp and Persian to launch their assault.
Seizing the advantage of the ambush, Ron swiftly defeated two of Lydus' Pokémon.
Had it not been for Lydus' sharp instincts waking him from his sleep at the sound of his Pokémon's cries—and the fact that his body, honed through training breathing techniques, was far stronger than the average person's—he might not have had the chance to release his quasi-Elite Four-level Pokémon. The battle would have been over by now.
Even so, three deep wounds marred Lydus' back, leaving his flesh torn and bloodied.
Only the presence of such a formidable enemy as Ron kept Lydus from crying out in pain. Instead, he tried to glean his attacker's identity, hoping to use the Albani family's name to pressure him.
Unfortunately, this tactic was utterly ineffective against Ron. Instead, Ron seized the opportunity, directing Machamp and Persian to inflict more wounds on Lydus' Primeape.
Due to the confines of the room and Ron's deliberate decision to avoid using Machamp's Finger Pistol: Evening Elephant to maintain his cover, Machamp's strength was somewhat restricted.
Even with this limitation, Machamp remained far superior to Lydus' Primeape—especially with Persian assisting from the sidelines.
Lydus still had two Pokémon by his side, but fear prevented him from sending out his High Elite Hitmonchan or Mid Elite Hitmontop to help. The searing pain made him afraid that any further moves might lead to his death at the hands of a hidden Pokémon.
Indeed, Bellossom lurked outside the house. As long as Gardevoir relayed the command, Bellossom—lying in wait for some time—would use Leaf Blade to take Lydus' life.
The only reason Ron hadn't given the order was that he wanted to toy with Lydus a little longer.
If Aki learned he had completed the mission so quickly, she might think giving him a Terraberry Tree was too generous.
Ron had originally planned to finish the mission, then hide and wait for the perfect opportunity to reappear.
Lydus' vigilance spared Ron the trouble of hiding—he could simply play along.
Even Machamp and Persian followed suit, using Shave to launch attacks from different angles.
In the dimly lit room, neither Lydus nor Primeape could see Machamp and Persian's movements. Primeape could only rely on its crisis instincts to parry the blows.
Over time, Primeape's injuries multiplied—blood matted its fur, leaving it in a pitiful state.
"Primeape, use Fire Punch to set the whole room ablaze!"
Realizing Primeape couldn't withstand the onslaught, Lydus made a desperate gamble. Prolonging the battle would not only cost Primeape's life but also his own from blood loss.
The scorching flames illuminated the dark room.
Primeape gathered fire into its fists and launched it toward the walls.
"Machamp, Flying Finger Pistol!"
"Persian, Finger Pistol: Blink Slash!"
After a long silence, Ron issued his command.
Blasts of compressed air shot forward, extinguishing the flames before they touched the room. Several Flying Finger Pistols struck Primeape directly.
Before the embers fully died out, Persian vanished from its spot.
With its speed-enhancing move, Finger Pistol: Blink Slash—Persian's fastest technique—it completed its attack and withdrew before the air blasts struck Primeape.
"You're Ron!"
Catching a glimpse of Persian's lightning-fast attack, Lydus' eyes widened in sudden realization.
Memories of the newspaper reports flooded back—his face turned pale, whether from terror or blood loss.
"End it."
Now that his identity was exposed, Ron no longer held back—realizing just how recognizable both he and his Pokémon had become.
At the Indigo Plateau Conference, Machamp and the others had displayed their full power.
No matter how well he disguised himself, signature move combinations would always give him away.
The revelation reinforced Ron's determination to cultivate a new identity—and reminded him never to let Machamp or the others fight when impersonating someone else.
If they had to fight, there would be no survivors.
As Ron brooded, Machamp and Persian sprang into action.
Machamp charged forward, paving the way with Finger Pistol: Fire Blade, while Persian used its agility to circle behind Primeape.
Outside, Bellossom made its move—unleashing One-Sword Style: Finger Pistol—Rebirth of All Things. Pure white petals pierced through the walls, swirling around Lydus and his Pokémon.
Watching Primeape trapped in the pincer attack, Lydus instinctively opened his mouth to shout—but a petal slashed across his throat.
Scarlet blood spurted forth, robbing Lydus of his voice forever—along with his two remaining Pokémon.
"Aki! I truly regret hiring Barak to kill you back then. I should have gathered everyone and torn you to pieces instead!"
In front of the villa, the fifty-something Petrus Albani—who showed no trace of aging—glared angrily at Aki Murrigan amidst the crowd.
"Uncle Albani, considering the friendship between our two families, if you surrender now, I might consider sparing your life."
Compared to the enraged Petrus Albani, Aki, who had already seized control of the situation, appeared far more composed.
After tonight's efforts, Albani's forces had been decimated—seven or eight out of ten were wiped out. Only Petrus Albani remained. Once he was dealt with, the Albani Family would become nothing but history.
"Aki, do you really think I'd fall for the same trick twice?"
"You want to destroy the Albani Family? Then let's see if your bite is as sharp as your bark!"
"Ursaring, use Earthquake!"
As the head of the Albani Family, Petrus Albani was a top Elite Four-level trainer.
Now cornered by Aki, Petrus had abandoned any hope of escape, only wishing to inflict as much damage as possible before his demise.
The guards surrounding Petrus's residence were all his most loyal followers. Seeing their leader initiate the attack, they swiftly released their Pokémon, charging forward without hesitation.
On Aki's side, under the command of Ruben, their gathered forces immediately launched a wave of long-range attacks for the first round of attrition.
With the advantage in numbers, Aki's victory was inevitable—it was only a matter of how great the final cost would be.
In the shadows, unnoticed by anyone, a Gardevoir silently appeared behind Petrus Albani.
With lightning-fast Psychic energy, Petrus's head exploded like an overripe watermelon.
Both sides, who had been prepared to fight to the death, froze at the sight.
"Are we still fighting?"
Unconsciously, this thought appeared in the minds of both factions.
Only Aki, standing among the crowd, wore a smile on her face.
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