"Captain Lugo, these Pokémon hunters were likely hired by Sutton Murrigan to eliminate Aki, the sole daughter of the Murrigan family in the Yolton District."
"Of course, I learned this by chance after encountering Aki and hearing it directly from her. Whether it's true or not remains to be verified."
As Ron spoke, he gestured for his Machamp to bring Aki over.
"I understand. Leave the rest to me."
"Even if the Murrigan family has an Elite Four member backing them—or even a Champion—if this is true, not even they can protect Sutton Murrigan."
Hearing Ron's words, Captain Lugo's expression darkened.
As a Ranger, Lugo despised the Pokémon Hunters Guild and those who collaborated with them.
Despite the League's protection allowing such families to prosper, these collaborators secretly committed heinous acts. Countless skilled trainers had been lost in the shadows to secure the peace they currently enjoyed.
Lugo had already decided: if the accusations against Sutton Murrigan were true, the entire Murrigan family would face severe consequences.
When Aki approached and overheard Lugo's statement, she showed no signs of surprise or distress.
After all, it was her uncle who was at fault, not her. In fact, she saw this as an opportunity to eliminate him entirely.
As Lugo began his questioning, Aki straightforwardly recounted everything.
Facing Captain Lugo of the Rangers, Aki dared not conceal anything or harbor any deceptive intentions.
Meanwhile, the battle between the Rangers and the Pokémon hunters had ceased.
A group of beginner-level elite Pokémon hunters stood no chance against mid-level elite Rangers, especially after their forces had already been worn down by Ron.
"Captain Lugo, these are some notes we found on their leader, Karson. I hope they assist your investigation."
After sorting through the spoils collected by his Bellossom, Ron handed over items like Karson's communicator and other recording devices to Lugo.
As for resources like PokéBlocks, Ron calmly packed them into his own bag.
Lugo had no objections. After all, the hunters were defeated by Ron, and since Ron was not an official Ranger yet, these items were rightly his spoils.
Seeing that the hunters' Poké Balls were untouched, Lugo nodded approvingly.
The fact that Ron refrained from taking the Poké Balls proved he wasn't secretly registered as a Pokémon hunter, a suspicion some trainers occasionally faced. Ron had deliberately ensured this, and it was clearly paying off.
"You all clean up the battlefield and report this incident properly."
"Jizang, take your team and follow me to the Yolton District."
After assigning tasks to the Rangers, Lugo led his group alongside Ron and Aki toward the Yolton District.
In a luxurious building within the Yolton District, Sutton Murrigan reclined on a sofa, swirling a glass of red wine. Occasionally, he admired the liquid inside.
Even though no news had come from Karson's group, Sutton remained unperturbed, as if everything was under his control.
Beyond Karson's team, Sutton had placed additional personnel throughout the Yolton District. The moment Aki entered, they would act to assassinate her, leaving no trace back to him.
These were Sutton's loyal followers, trained to die immediately after completing their mission, ensuring nothing could implicate him.
"My dear niece, why did you insist on coming back? Wouldn't it be better to live a peaceful life of luxury?"
"Now, I have no choice but to send you to reunite with my beloved brother."
With a sinister chuckle, Sutton drained his glass of wine, oblivious to the looming danger.
Upon entering the Yolton District, Ron quickly noticed they were being watched.
Glancing at Lugo and Jizang, Ron saw they were already prepared, so he felt reassured.
With Lugo's elite-level skills, there was no way Aki would be harmed under his watch.
A glint of light flashed as a silenced sniper bullet flew toward Aki's forehead.
The suppressor muffled the shot, but it couldn't escape the vigilant eyes of Ron and the Rangers.
"Venusaur, Leaf Barrier!"
At Lugo's command, his elite-level Venusaur appeared on the street and immediately restrained its overwhelming presence.
A combination of Razor Leaf and Magical Leaf formed a protective barrier, blocking the sniper bullet.
One of the Rangers immediately rushed toward the shooter's location, determined to neutralize the hidden assassin.
"Three o'clock, nine o'clock, ten o'clock," Lugo called out, directing his team to pinpoint and apprehend the hidden threats.
Some attackers didn't even have time to act before the Rangers reached them.
"Miss Aki, please take me to your home. I believe it's necessary to meet Sutton Murrigan in person."
To attempt an assassination so boldly within the city, Sutton Murrigan's crimes were growing more egregious by the moment in Lugo's mind.
However, Lugo wouldn't make premature conclusions until confirming the evidence.
As for the possibility of Sutton fleeing, Lugo wasn't concerned.
If Sutton dared to run, the Murrigan family itself would punish him first. Lugo could then use this as a pretext to further dismantle the family's influence, potentially uncovering more hidden threats in the Yolton District.
"No problem. Please follow me."
With the Rangers mobilized, Sutton Murrigan's plans were dismantled before they could take effect.
Before long, Lugo and his team, along with Aki, arrived at the Murrigan estate.
After revealing their identities, not only was Sutton apprehended, but even an Elite Four-level trainer from the Murrigan family appeared.
As for Ron, he didn't follow Lugo into the estate and thus wasn't privy to the details. All he knew was that Sutton was taken away by Lugo, his fate sealed.
Soon after, Aki successfully became the head of the Murrigan family. The League's intervention provided her the perfect opportunity to prove herself.
Before leaving, Lugo assured Ron that he could safely remain in the Yolton District without fear of retaliation from the Murrigan family.
Relieved, Ron stayed for five days. On the sixth day, Aki finally approached him.
Despite being only eighteen, Aki now exuded a mature and composed demeanor in her elegant formal attire, entirely different from the frail, protected girl Ron had first met.
"The original reward was supposed to be one billion credits, but since you requested contribution points instead, I'll go above and beyond and convert it at a 1,000:1 ratio for you."
After dismissing everyone else from the office, Aki playfully remarked, her mischievous tone adding to her newfound charm.
Unfortunately, Ron wasn't in the mood to appreciate it. Instead, he carefully checked his contribution points to ensure there were no discrepancies.
Ron had a clear understanding of Aki's personality—she was like a rose with thorns—beautiful but dangerous. Without sufficient ability to protect himself, Ron wasn't planning to get too close; otherwise, it would be all too easy to end up covered in wounds.
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