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"Another trainer is approaching. Look, he's heading toward Yas Gym!" one resident observed.
"Damn! He must be another hired mercenary!" another complained.
"But wait... doesn't he seem different somehow?" a third resident noted with curiosity.
"You're right! Setting aside that unknown Pokemon, look at the Eevee on his head and the Pikachu on his shoulder—he appears incredibly strong."
"Indeed, he's so young, yet why does he seem more powerful than either gym leader?"
"His Pokemon are absolutely adorable!" someone gushed.
Upon witnessing Eddie's arrival, the residents of Dark City naturally began discussing the newcomer. Initially, they assumed Eddie was another hired mercenary, as both gyms had recruited numerous outsiders to help defeat their rivals.
Because these mercenaries were strangers to the community, they fought with even less restraint than locals, making Dark City's residents particularly resentful of visiting trainers.
However, closer observation revealed that Eddie was distinctly different from the typical hired help. The trainers recruited by both gyms were almost exclusively intermediate and advanced-level trainers of considerable age—individuals who had reached their peak potential and now worked as hired muscle purely for money. In simple terms, they were mediocre trainers who had hit their ceiling and could only find employment in morally questionable mercenary work.
Eddie was clearly different. Any observant person could see that Eddie was quite young, and the Pokemon accompanying him radiated powerful auras. Unlike players in the game world, residents of the Pokemon world recognized that Elite-level Pokemon naturally exuded such presence.
A young trainer with Elite-level Pokemon strength was obviously not a hired thug. Someone with such promising potential would never stoop to working as a notorious mercenary.
Eddie observed the discussing townspeople with mild surprise. He had expected them to confront him aggressively, as portrayed in the anime. Instead, because of Pikachu and Eevee's evident strength, they had immediately determined he wasn't one of those mercenaries.
"I am an official representative sent by the League, and I'm here to resolve the problems caused by these two establishments," Eddie announced to the crowd. "I need volunteers to follow me with rope and binding materials to secure the individuals after I defeat them."
He planned to move between both gyms systematically. Without restraining the defeated opponents, some would inevitably escape—actually, many of them definitely would flee given the opportunity.
Eddie despised such violent troublemakers and considered them worse than Team Rocket members. He intended to teach them a thorough lesson before ensuring they all faced proper imprisonment.
Since these townspeople had already identified him as an ally rather than an enemy, requesting their assistance seemed logical. At minimum, they should be capable of binding the opponents he knocked unconscious.
"An official League representative? Fantastic! Finally, someone's come to deal with these criminals!" one resident cheered.
"We can finally stop suffering in Dark City," another said with relief.
"You're really from the League? Is this actually true?" someone asked skeptically.
When the townspeople heard Eddie's declaration, most immediately erupted in celebration, though some questioned his claimed authority.
"Believe it or don't—I have business to handle with those troublemakers now," Eddie replied dismissively.
While Eddie lacked official identification, he wasn't concerned. These people harbored more hatred for the two gyms than he did. Even without proof of League authorization, as long as Eddie took action against the gyms, they would gladly assist him.
This prediction proved accurate.
After Eddie finished speaking, he walked directly toward Yas Gym. Behind him, many residents gritted their teeth, gathered rope and binding materials, and followed his lead.
When someone takes decisive action, others naturally follow. After the first townsperson joined Eddie, most others did the same. They had endured this situation far too long, and now someone had finally arrived to address it. Regardless of whether Eddie truly represented the League, they wouldn't care if Team Rocket itself was solving their problem.
When people can live stable lives, they rarely concern themselves with who maintains order.
Gradually, most of Dark City's population had joined Eddie's procession. From a distance, the group appeared to number in the hundreds.
This massive turnout not only startled members of both gyms, who hurriedly retreated to prepare for unexpected developments, but also shocked Eddie himself. He had only needed a dozen volunteers to help with restraints, but now hundreds had gathered, creating an atmosphere resembling preparation for a massive confrontation.
"Gym Leader, they're heading toward Yas Gym," a Kaz Gym member reported to his superior.
"Going there?! Excellent! It seems the townspeople support us—they'll definitely help us drive away Yas Gym!" declared the Kaz Gym Leader with a confident expression. "Notify everyone! We're moving out together. Today will definitely bring resolution!"
The Kaz Gym Leader assumed this resolution would result in his establishment gaining official gym recognition. He happily summoned all his followers to march toward Yas Gym.
Simultaneously, Yas Gym members were reporting similar observations to their own leader.
"They're coming to us?! Wonderful! Clearly the townspeople support us—look, they're here to help us fight!" proclaimed the Yas Gym Leader with identical confidence. "Alert everyone! We're mobilizing together. Today will definitely bring resolution!"
Both gym leaders shared the same delusion, believing today would mark their official gym recognition. They mobilized their entire forces and headed directly toward the anticipated confrontation point, each determined to achieve decisive victory.
Both leaders assumed the townspeople were there to support their respective causes, making them extremely confident that civilian assistance would guarantee triumph over their rivals.
Consequently, the two factions encountered each other on the street before Eddie's procession could reach Yas Gym.
"Yas Gym is finished! Today marks your doomsday!" the Kaz Gym Leader shouted.
"Kaz Gym is finished! Today marks your doomsday!" the Yas Gym Leader responded with identical fervor.
After these simultaneous declarations—which neither leader seemed to recognize as eerily similar—both sides immediately launched into battle.
Fighting resumed in the streets, with Pokemon attacks flying everywhere and additional buildings suffering destruction. However, this battle differed from previous encounters, as both factions fought with desperate intensity.
Because each side believed today represented their final battle, they were determined to utterly defeat their opponents.
However, their conflict was interrupted mere minutes after it began.
"Pikaaaaa... CHUUU!!!" Pikachu's voice rang out powerfully.
"Eevee! Eev eev!" Eevee added its own battle cry.
Flamethrower and Thunderbolt attacks appeared directly on the battlefield, forcibly separating both warring groups.
"Perfect timing—both factions are here. Let's deal with them all at once," Eddie declared calmly.
Members of both gyms looked toward the source of this authoritative voice.
A young trainer stood with hundreds of townspeople behind him, while Eevee, Pikachu, Gengar, Gardevoir, Garchomp, and Snorlax positioned themselves beside him in a formidable display of Peak-level power.
Faced with this overwhelming show of force—a trainer commanding six Peak-level Pokemon backed by hundreds of determined townspeople—the entire battlefield fell into stunned silence.