However, the people who had set their sights on Cain were not mere common thugs. They were members of a small gang in Goldenrod City; though they didn't even qualify as a real gang, they barely formed a small organization.
These individuals spent their days loitering around game rooms, intending to prey on those who seemed weak but were lucky enough to win money at the machines.
Today, Cain's appearance perfectly matched the profile of their target. Moreover, Cain had won a considerable amount of money, which had sparked their greed.
They kept their distance, following Cain without making any sudden moves, waiting for other members of their group to join.
Although Cain appeared physically weak, as if anyone could easily defeat him, they followed their leader's orders: no matter what the prey looked like, they should always attack with full force. Their organization was so weak that they preferred to wait until they had a greater advantage before acting.
One of them had already sent a signal, and it wasn't long before their leader arrived with all the members to initiate the attack. To them, a sum of one million Pokédollars was considerable, enough to justify such a display of force.
Cain, for his part, made it easy for them by heading toward a less crowded area. In Goldenrod City's complex layout, he began to move back and forth and, before long, entered one of the old town's alleys. His behavior only made the thugs feel more confident, afraid to lose their "big prey."
Cain released a Poké Ball and called out his Murkrow. This situation was ideal for him, and since Cain wore a completely new human-skin mask, there was no risk of his identity being revealed.
Furthermore, since they were in an almost deserted area, aside from Cain and his pursuers, there was no one else in sight.
As the light diminished, those following Cain began to grow impatient. Some, more impulsive, stopped hiding and sped up, closing the distance with Cain. Although they saw the Murkrow on his shoulder, they didn't feel the need to back down; on the contrary, they became more furious.
What they didn't know was that Cain, who was ahead, had been controlling his pace to ensure they wouldn't lose sight of him.
His lips began to curve into a smile, and even the Murkrow on his shoulder seemed excited, barely able to contain its eagerness.
Since leaving the Challenge Island, Murkrow hadn't had a decent fight, and its repressed combat desire was finally about to be fully unleashed.
The daylight was fading, and the alleys began to darken. The few remaining people had completely disappeared from view.
The leader of the group following Cain judged it the perfect moment. He gestured with his hand, signaling everyone to attack.
At his signal, those who were already impatient picked up the pace, running directly toward Cain.
Hearing the rushed footsteps behind him, Cain grabbed the Poké Ball containing his Slowpoke and suddenly sped up, quickly turning into another alley.
"Hurry, follow him!" the leader shouted, realizing Cain had discovered them. They no longer bothered to hide and started pursuing him with full force, calling on their fastest Pokémon.
After surviving on Challenge Island for over half a month, Cain was no longer the weak, skinny young man he used to be.
Although he didn't have a muscular build, his body had been significantly trained in the jungle. Additionally, thanks to the deliberate training during that time, Cain was physically well above these street thugs.
Moving with the agility of a leopard, Cain navigated the city's alleys. With the darkness on his side, he quickly lost his pursuers.
However, compared to Cain, who was an outsider, the members of the small gang knew Goldenrod City much better, having grown up there and spent their days wandering the streets. Therefore, they weren't worried about losing sight of Cain.
"Split into pairs," ordered the leader.
To be safer, he decided it was best for them to move in pairs. Although he felt that using such precautions against a young man seemed excessive, he knew there were many young people in this world with great strength.
His subordinates, who had clearly worked together before, quickly grouped up and spread out through the various alleys.
What they didn't know was that the person they were looking for was now dressed in black, practically invisible in the dark alleys.
A pair of cold eyes, devoid of any emotion, watched them silently as they separated.
Cain adjusted his breathing, trying to remain silent.
The Murkrow on his shoulder also tensed up, ready to strike at any moment. This reversal of roles between hunter and prey was what he enjoyed most.
The thugs, who had previously had the advantage in numbers, possessed Pokémon such as Rattata, Beedrill, and Pidgey, common Pokémon. Though they weren't powerful individually, their numbers represented a considerable force. However, now that they were dispersed, nothing could stop Cain's offensive.
Once he had completely steadied his breathing, Cain emerged from the alley. Murkrow, with its excellent night vision, guided him, allowing him to move with ease.
The Gastly, which had been hiding in the shadows until then, also appeared beside Cain. In this environment, it was like its kingdom.
It didn't take long before Cain spotted two of his pursuers.
Gastly approached stealthily, and before the thugs' Pokémon could react, it used the Hypnosis move to put the trainers to sleep. Then, Murkrow, with its speed and attack power, took out all the Pokémon in a single strike.
These were just street thugs, and their Pokémon, obtained illicitly, were of poor quality. Additionally, they hadn't received proper training, and combined with the level difference, they couldn't withstand even one of Murkrow's attacks.
"If you try to attack me, you better be prepared to be taken down."
Both thugs slept deeply under the effect of Gastly's Hypnosis move. Cain, with the dagger he had used on Challenge Island, approached. His eyes gleamed with a cold flash as he covered their mouths with one hand and plunged the dagger into their throats.
As was his habit, he wiped the blood off the dagger on the thugs' clothes before collecting their valuables. Although there was nothing of great importance, it was better than nothing.
As for their Pokémon, Cain saw no value in them, so Murkrow held nothing back and took them all out.
After dealing with the two, Cain, along with Murkrow and Gastly, vanished into the darkness once again.
The hunt continued!
(End of chapter)