After running for a while through the quiet forest, Kay suddenly started hearing the sounds of a battle coming from deeper inside.
He stopped in his tracks and listened carefully. The noises were clear; shouts, rustling leaves, and Pokémons' cries.
Without making a sound, Kay began walking slowly toward the noise, moving quietly between trees and bushes.
He bent low and avoided stepping on dry leaves or twigs, making sure not to alert anyone to his presence.
There was always the chance that his target was nearby, maybe fighting against wild Pokémons, and Kay didn't want to take any risks.
As he got closer to the battle, he saw a group of Mankey surrounding a Pidgey. At first, Kay thought this might be his target's Pokémon.
The Pidgey looked like it was following commands and was clearly not a wild one. But as Kay moved past a tree that had been blocking his view, he finally got a good look at the trainer giving commands to Pidgey.
To his disappointment, it wasn't the person he was looking for. It was another player entirely.
Even though it wasn't his target, Kay decided to take a short break and quietly observe the battle.
He crouched down behind a thick bush, watching with interest as the player directed his Pidgey in battle.
Kay didn't want to waste time, but this scene gave him an idea. He realized that if he could see this player, then his target who should be nearby might also be watching or had watched.
The forest wasn't empty, and this kind of noise would attract attention from anyone around. That meant his target had probably noticed the fight as well.
Kay leaned against the tree trunk and started thinking deeply. He tried to imagine what his target would do next.
If he were the target, what would be the smartest move? Would he use the distraction to escape?
Would he stay there to watch the battle? Kay began building a plan in his head, going over all the possible actions his target might take.
While he was deep in thought, Eevee suddenly twitched its ears. It stood alert and looked up at Kay, letting out a soft but sharp bark.
"Eevwee..." it said again and again, trying to get his attention. Kay looked down, surprised by Eevee's sudden reaction.
He stayed quiet and let Eevee finish. Even though he couldn't speak the Pokémon language, Kay had spent enough time with Eevee to understand its signals.
After a moment of listening, Kay gave a small nod. He had understood what Eevee was trying to tell him.
Thanks to Eevee's sharp hearing, it had heard something that Kay couldn't; a voice giving commands from deeper within the forest.
Eevee had picked up on another trainer who was also watching the same battle. This meant that there was someone else nearby, hidden just like Kay, observing the fight. And that person could very well be Kay's target.
Knowing this, Kay's expression turned serious. He couldn't ignore this new piece of information.
He had to find out who the hidden player was. If it really was his target, this could be the best chance to confront him.
But if it wasn't, Kay would lose precious time and possibly let his real target escape. Still, Kay decided that waiting was the best choice.
He would watch until the battle ended and see what the hidden player would do. If the hidden person launched an attack, Kay would get a clear view of who it was.
Kay guessed that the trainer in front of him was the target of the hidden player. That would explain why someone else was hiding and watching. It all made sense.
But at the same time, Kay knew he was taking a risk. If this hidden player wasn't his target, then Kay had just wasted time he couldn't afford to lose. He might miss the chance to find and catch his real opponent.
But even with that risk, Kay had no better choice. He needed to find out who the hidden player was, and this was his only way. If he lost his chance now, he would just have to try again at the next opportunity.
Kay turned to his partner and whispered, "Eevee, keep your ear on the hidden player. Let me know the moment he starts moving."
Eevee nodded with understanding, its large ears twitching slightly as it focused on the distant sounds hidden by the forest.
Kay then crouched low behind the bush and stayed patient, keeping his eyes locked on the player ahead.
The trainer, unaware of the watchers around him, continued to command his Pidgey in battle. Despite being surrounded by a group of angry Mankey, Pidgey moved quickly and precisely.
It flapped through the air, dodging attacks and striking with clean hits. One by one, the Mankey were knocked out. The little bird showed incredible skill, not letting any of the wild Pokémons land a serious blow.
By the end of the fight, Pidgey had only received a few light injuries, which didn't slow it down.
Kay admired the bird's performance, though his focus wasn't really on the battle; it was on what would happen next.
He leaned forward slightly. This was the moment he'd been waiting for. As the last of the Mankey ran away in fear, Kay felt the tension rise. He knew this was the perfect time for a surprise attack from the hidden player.
Then, he heard the other trainer's voice shouting to Pidgey, "Very good work, Pidgey. Come here so I can treat you."
Pidgey gave a happy chirp and flew toward its trainer, but at that moment, Eevee barked softly, alerting Kay.
The hidden player was on the move. Kay's heart began to beat faster. He looked across the trees, trying to spot movement.
The enemy was still just outside the range of his system, so he couldn't get any data from the system yet, not even Pidgey's stats.
Suddenly, a flash of white shot through the trees. A large bone flew spinning toward Pidgey and its trainer.
The player must have had sharp reflexes because he jumped back just in time, avoiding the flying bone by inches.
If he had been just a second slower, the bone would have hit him directly, and that might have been fatal.
Kay's eyes darted toward the source of the bone. A figure was stepping out from the shadows.
Kay stared closely at the person's face, and then a smile crept across his lips. It was player number 27.
Beside the trainer stood a small, brown Pokémon wearing a large skull on its head like a helmet.
In its hand, it caught the returning bone without any effort, like it was catching a stick thrown for fun.
The Pokémon was Cubone. Despite its small size, Cubone looked strong; too strong for its size.
It didn't wait for a second command. With a shout, it jumped high and charged straight at Pidgey, who quickly flapped its wings and flew into the air to lead the fight away from its trainer.
See you in the next chapter...
Drop some Power Stones...