Walking through the streets of Green Town, Jack—known to some as the Ghost Fox—had already locked onto his next target. He was simply waiting for Ramil to get into position.
After all, without Ramil, this entire performance couldn't begin. Ramil was a vital part of the plan—not just for the strike itself, but for the escape route as well. Jack couldn't afford to manufacture a flaw in his plan without a believable insider.
Fortunately, Ramil didn't let him down. Moving with practiced ease, he guided his teammates through the streets of Green Town. Even if some of them survived this encounter, they'd never suspect Ramil was involved. He'd made sure of that.
Once the group had reached the designated range, Ramil took advantage of a moment when no one was looking and discreetly sent Jack a message.
That was the cue.
Jack didn't hesitate. He had already studied his target's routine over the past several days. It took him only moments to pinpoint the man's exact position.
From there, it was simple. Haunter would silently plant the bomb—and Jack would trigger it with a thought.
Boom.The explosion echoed across Green Town, immediately catching the attention of everyone nearby.
Kusaka Hideki's informants sent word to him within seconds and began sweeping the area.
Normally, Jack would never leave behind a single clue. Not even the most skilled tracker could find a lead. But this time was different. This time, he wanted to be found.
On purpose, he left a few subtle flaws in the remote-controlled robot's trail. He needed Hideki and his team to feel like they were closing in—just enough to spring the trap.
And Jack was confident they'd bite.
"Accelerate!"
Hideki Kusaka issued the command from atop his Charizard, his voice low and urgent. His three teammates, riding specially rented Toucannon, nodded and followed close behind.
Hideki didn't usually move this aggressively. But this wasn't a usual situation.
The Kusaka family had detected the Ghost Fox's presence in Green Town.
Under normal circumstances, it would've been impossible. Ghost Fox was notoriously careful—he wouldn't leave an obvious trail unless he wanted to.
The Kusaka family strategists suspected a feint. Ghost Fox strikes in Green Town, leaves a false trail, and disappears in the opposite direction. A classic misdirection.
But Hideki saw through it. He believed the Ghost Fox had deliberately created that trail to draw attention away from his real objective.
Jack knew that with his current bounty, if the local police or other forces identified him, they wouldn't try to capture him outright. Instead, they'd tail him and wait for reinforcements.
But that was precisely what Jack wanted—to be followed.
Which meant… he was still in Green Town.
Hideki didn't know exactly what Jack was planning, but he was sure of one thing—this was his opportunity.
Finding a trace in Green Town would be far easier than searching the entire region.
What puzzled Hideki was why Ramil happened to arrive in Green Town at this exact time. The coincidence was too suspicious.
But after questioning Ramil's squad, his doubts eased.
"Third Master, we got something on surveillance. We believe this is the Ghost Fox in disguise."
Hideki had barely arrived in Green Town when his family's agents greeted him with a report. One of them brought footage of a middle-aged man captured on video.
Hideki's eyes flashed with excitement.
"Any current intel on the target?"
"No. But what we do know is that the Ghost Fox is still in town—and he's active."
"We now have two strategies," the agent continued. "First: we stay passive. Wait for him to make his move, and catch him in the act. Second: we reveal our hand, let him know we're onto him, and pressure him into slipping up."
Hideki understood. This wasn't just a tactical decision—it was a test of his leadership.
Although this man—Rant—was from the Kusaka family, he served Hideki's father, the current head of the clan.
Hideki's grandfather had recently retired, and his father, as the eldest son, had ascended to lead the family. But that position wasn't secure.
Hideki's uncles were still vying for control, and in a family as powerful as the Kusakas, ambition was never in short supply.
To secure his place, Hideki's father had to prove his capability—and now, he was evaluating which of his sons might one day succeed him.
Hideki's eldest brother had become a rising star in the political world. His second brother had joined the Investigators, quickly becoming a favorite of King Lance, and was already among the top talents in the agency.
Now it was Hideki's turn. He was being groomed for greatness—and this mission could make or break him.
"I prefer to act, not wait," Hideki said firmly after just a moment's thought. "I want to control the initiative."
"Understood, Third Master."Rant handed him a prepared dossier. "Here's a list of all available personnel in Green Town, along with Pokémon stats and battle readiness. Feel free to command them as needed."
"I won't need help yet," Hideki replied. "For now, I need you to continue monitoring the area. I must be the first to know the moment Ghost Fox makes a move."
He paused, a smile touching his lips.
"And if we're going to spook the enemy, we'll need bait. Preferably someone disposable."
The message was clear.
The most convenient scapegoat was Ramil.