The old district was quite large, and they had spread out considerably. The scent of blood from the two Cain had killed didn't permeate the whole area, so he wasn't worried about being discovered.
Taking advantage of Murkrow's night vision and Gastly's ability to move through shadows, Cain soon found another pair.
Before they could react, he easily dispatched them the same way.
"Four. Based on my previous observations, there should be nine left," Cain murmured as he faded into the darkness.
Six! Eight!
Cain silently counted the victims. Originally, there were thirteen, and now only five remained.
That's when the faint scent of blood began to spread through the alleys, and the group finally realized something was wrong.
Through several signals, the leader of the remaining five gathered everyone. However, there was no trace of the arrogance and ferocity they had shown earlier. The only expressions on their faces were worry and fear.
The only one who remained somewhat calm was their leader. He had once been a small member of a major gang in Goldenrod City, but after failing in a power struggle, he barely survived and gathered a group of street thugs to sustain his life.
But despite everything, he was the only one among them who had seen the world.
He knew that some prodigies existed in this world—people who, despite their young age, possessed formidable strength. That's why he always acted with extreme caution, afraid of provoking the wrong person.
It was precisely this caution that allowed him to survive in a large city like Goldenrod City.
However, this time, it seemed he had really hit an iron wall.
"Boss, what do we do? It seems we've bitten off more than we can chew this time," said the most cowardly member of the group, trembling with fear.
The leader's face was dark and grim. Despite his extreme caution, he had made a serious mistake.
Looking at his four companions, who stared at him pale and fearful, knowing he was their only hope, the leader gritted his teeth and cursed: "Damn it! Whatever happens, happens. What's there to fear? All five of us, let's leave the old district. If we reach a busy area, he won't dare make a move."
The hatred in his heart urged him to confront Cain, but his reasoning told him that with their power compared to Cain's, there was no chance.
Survival was more important.
Retreat!
But retreating also depended on whether Cain allowed it.
With few enemies left, Cain, guided by Murkrow and Gastly, found the last group of five. Hidden in the darkness, Cain listened to their conversation, a cold smile forming on his face.
"They came looking for me. Now, it won't be so easy to escape. Once someone becomes my enemy, death is their best fate."
Cain followed them at a safe distance.
Now they were on high alert, and it wasn't the right time to strike. Only when they let down their guard would it be time to launch a deadly attack.
Walking slowly, vigilant of their surroundings, after about ten minutes, the five were finally close to leaving the old district. The bright city lights beckoned them.
"Phew, we're finally almost out. I'm scared to death. I'm never coming back here," said the most cowardly one, sighing in relief and patting his chest.
Hearing his words and seeing that only one alley stood between them and the safety of the city lights, everyone let out a small sigh of relief.
They only needed to cross that alley to be safe. That was everyone's thought.
After being on high alert for ten minutes, they now relaxed a bit.
This was the best time to strike.
Cain didn't hesitate. He charged toward them with Murkrow and Gastly, closing in quickly.
"Gastly, use Hypnosis! Murkrow, attack the leader! Don't give him a chance to react," Cain ordered loudly.
"Kekeke!" Gastly sped up, moving through the shadows and reaching the five in an instant.
Gastly used Hypnosis, targeting the five humans as its primary objective.
The five, seeing the sudden appearance of a ghostly shadow, were stunned, but by the time they reacted, it was too late. Their bodies began to fail, especially their eyelids, which felt as heavy as mountains, forcing them to close their eyes.
The only one who managed to react was the leader. With a mental scream of "This is bad!", but his body already wouldn't respond. He bit his tongue hard, the sharp pain pulling him out of Hypnosis' trance, and he rolled on the ground, narrowly dodging Murkrow's attack.
Murkrow, missing its first strike, didn't pursue him but instead used the opportunity to eliminate the others' Pokémon.
After using Hypnosis, Gastly tangled with the leader's Pokémon. Though not strong enough to win, Gastly could delay it without issue. Gastly was known for being especially troublesome.
The leader, after dodging Murkrow's attack, endured the pain in his tongue and tried to reach for a Poké Ball on his belt.
"Bang!"
"Ahhh!"
A foot stomped on his hand, pressing down with force. Looking up, he saw the young man who had once seemed harmless.
But now, there was no trace of the dumb, lost expression from before. His sharp eyes glinted with an icy coldness, staring at him without a hint of emotion, as if he were looking at a beast about to be slaughtered.
Cain's foot pressed on his hand with incredible strength, like a vise holding it firmly in place. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't move it.
"Murkrow, finish that Pokémon."
Murkrow obeyed Cain's orders and joined Gastly in the fight. Under the combined assault, the leader's Beedrill was defeated without a chance to resist.
Watching his Pokémon being killed before his eyes, but powerless to do anything, a furious expression crossed the leader's face. The cold-bloodedness he had developed in the big gang resurfaced. With his other hand, he drew a knife from his waist and aimed it at Cain's foot.
But Cain was faster. Always attentive to his movements, Cain threw his own knife, striking the leader's other hand with precision.
With a cry of pain, the leader dropped his knife.
Cain crouched down, looking into his eyes and said coldly, "In your next life, don't provoke those you shouldn't."
With that, he pulled the knife from his hand and, with a swift motion, slit his throat.
He kicked the lifeless body aside, picked up the Poké Balls from his belt, and locked them away, putting them in his pocket. Then, he checked for valuables and storage tools, placing them in his ring.
The thugs' Pokémon didn't interest him, but the leader's Pokémon held some value.
(End of chapter)