Now I'll reformat Chapter 13 according to your outline specifications:
Chapter 13
3:14 PM – Crimson Reef Island, Eastern Forest Sector
Jayden Cross remained motionless in the shadows, his expression blank as he listened to the trio's animated conversation. His eyes, however, flickered with cold calculation. He knew the Rocket Team maintained extensive archives of treasure maps, and a select few among them contained legitimate treasures worth pursuing. He'd considered exchanging points for them before, but survival had taken priority. Now, encountering treasure hunters on his first day beyond the perimeter felt like fate intervening.
The fat one, he recognized immediately. Yellow-grade Koffing, decent talent despite mediocre training. The other two barely registered in his memory from the base briefings. It didn't matter. They had something he wanted, and in the wilderness, possession was nine-tenths of the law. The remaining tenth was decided by whoever was still breathing when the dust settled.
His mind worked through variables with mechanical precision. The fat one's Koffing posed the greatest threat, but whether it knew Self-Destruct remained uncertain. Too far for CIPHER to scan properly. The green-clothed youth's Zubat appeared well-maintained, good muscle definition along the wings. The short one's Oddish presented minimal concern thanks to type disadvantage against Nincada's Ground typing and eventual evolution.
...
Fighting three trained Pokémon differed fundamentally from culling wild specimens. But Nincada's recent growth had been steady, deliberate. Jayden activated CIPHER with a thought, and data streamed across his vision.
[CIPHER ANALYSIS INITIATED]
[SUBJECT: Nincada]
Pokémon: Nincada (Green-Tier)
Gender: Male
Level: 12
Type: Bug/Ground
Ability: Compound Eyes (Increases move accuracy)
Held Item: None
Inherited Moves: Night Slash, Bug Bite, Endure
Known Moves: Scratch, Harden, Leech Life, Sand Attack, Fury Swipes
Trained Moves: False Swipe, Dig
TM Moves: None
[COMBAT EFFICIENCY: 73%]
[ANALYSIS COMPLETE]
Two days of constant battles had pushed Nincada to Level 12, and the creature had developed its signature Fury Swipes technique. The multi-hit attack would prove invaluable against clustered opponents.
Jayden lowered himself to the forest floor, moving with practiced stealth. Dense undergrowth provided excellent concealment as he advanced on the oblivious trio. Nincada stayed pressed against his back, claws finding purchase in the fabric of his jacket without piercing skin. The creature understood silence better than most humans understood speech.
...
Five meters. Maximum effective range. Any closer and even these distracted fools would notice him. This distance would allow CIPHER's enhanced scanning capabilities to penetrate their Pokémon's data signatures.
His eyes pulsed with digital light as information flooded his neural interface.
[SCANNING TARGETS]
Target One – Koffing: Level 14, Yellow-Tier aptitude. No Self-Destruct in move pool. Primary threat.
Target Two – Zubat: Level 13, Orange-Tier aptitude. Decent speed, likely knows Bite and Wing Attack.
Target Three – Oddish: Level 11, Yellow-Tier aptitude. Poorly trained despite potential. Weak link.
[TACTICAL RECOMMENDATION: Eliminate weakest target first to establish numerical advantage]
The plan crystallized instantly. Three versus one presented exponentially higher risk than two versus one. Mathematical certainty. The Oddish had to go first, and Nincada's Ground-type resistance to Grass moves made it the perfect assassin for this particular job.
"Nincada," Jayden whispered, his voice barely audible over ambient forest sounds. "Use Sand Attack to create cover, then close distance on Oddish. Fury Swipes into Leech Life combination. Drain it dry."
Nincada's compound eyes glittered with understanding. Days of synchronized combat had forged communication beyond words. A twitch of antennae confirmed acknowledgment.
Jayden raised three fingers. The countdown began. With each descending digit, Nincada's claws dug slightly deeper into his jacket, muscles coiling like springs under that rigid carapace. The creature's breathing slowed, entering the combat trance Jayden had drilled into it through relentless training.
Three. Two. One.
...
Nincada burst from cover like a missile, its claws churning earth into a blinding cloud. Sand exploded outward in a cone, catching the trio completely off-guard. Jayden rose smoothly from his crouch, abandoning stealth for direct engagement.
The Oddish barely had time to process the threat before Nincada was on it. Fury Swipes connected five times in rapid succession, each strike eliciting a pained cry from the Grass-type. Green ichor sprayed as claws found soft tissue between leaves.
"What the—!" The short trainer stumbled backward, shock overriding his ability to command.
"Oddish, use Acid!" he finally screamed, voice cracking with panic.
Too slow. Nincada's mandibles clamped onto Oddish's stem, and crimson energy began flowing as Leech Life activated. The Grass-type's struggles weakened rapidly as vitality drained into Nincada's body, wounds from Wing Attack closing before Jayden's eyes.
"Koffing, use Tackle!"
"Zubat, Bite attack!"
The fat trainer and green-clothed youth recovered faster than expected. Their Pokémon surged forward, but Nincada had already calculated the optimal extraction point.
"Disengage. Dig." Jayden's command was ice-cold.
Nincada released the now-limp Oddish and vanished underground in a spray of dirt. Koffing'sTackle hit empty air, and Zubat's fangs snapped shut on nothing. The Oddish collapsed, fainted but alive. Mercy was inefficient, but corpses attracted unwanted attention from predators.
...
"It's you!" The fat trainer's face contorted with recognition and rage. "The lucky bastard from the second-place finish!"
Jayden's expression remained neutral, though his lips curved into something that might have been a smile in better lighting. The "trick" he'd employed during initial testing had apparently become base gossip. Most dismissed him as a fraud who'd exploited loopholes rather than demonstrated actual skill. Their condescension was noted and filed away for future reference.
"Don't think that cheap trick makes you special," the fat one continued, positioning himself between Jayden and the short trainer who'd collapsed beside his Oddish, sobbing. "You got cocky, ambushed the wrong people. That's gonna cost you."
"Pathetic," the fat one spat toward his weeping companion.
The green-clothed youth nodded sharply, and their Pokémon shifted into combat formation without verbal command. Experienced teamwork. This would be more challenging than the initial strike suggested.
"Zubat, close in! Wing Attack!"
"Koffing, Smog!"
Coordinated assault, obscuring Nincada's position with poison while Zubat exploited the chaos for a physical strike. Not bad tactics for base recruits.
"Nincada, Harden, then Dig to reposition behind the Koffing."
Nincada's carapace gleamed as its Defense rose, deflecting the worst of Zubat's strike as it burrowed. The Smog rolled across the battlefield like a toxic fog, but Nincada was already underground, immune to the airborne poison.
The Zubat's wing connected with Nincada just before it fully submerged, sending it tumbling three meters. Damage, but not critical. Nincada'sHarden had absorbed most of the impact.
...
"Koffing, use Pursuit!" The fat trainer's eyes gleamed with vicious satisfaction.
Pursuit—doubled damage against retreating targets. If that connected after Nincada had already taken damage, it could be catastrophic. One hundred twenty power effectively, enough to crush bones.
Jayden's expression didn't shift. High damage meant nothing if the attack missed its mark.
"Speed. Underground evasion pattern Delta-3."
Nincada vanished beneath the surface as Koffing'sPursuit struck dirt, leaving a small crater. Subterranean advantage. Koffing was a Poison-type balloon, and balloons didn't fare well against surprise attacks from below.
"Emerge behind Zubat. Bug Bite."
Earth exploded as Nincada burst upward directly beneath the circling Zubat. Mandibles glowing with Bug-type energy clamped onto the Flying-type's wing membrane. Zubat shrieked, thrashing wildly.
"Zubat, shake it off! Supersonic!" The green-clothed youth's voice cracked with desperation.
"Drop and retreat before the sound wave activates," Jayden ordered.
Nincada released and hit the ground an instant before Zubat'sSupersonic rippled through the air. The confusion-inducing soundwaves washed harmlessly overhead as Nincada pressed itself flat against the earth, using Ground-type instincts to minimize exposure.
[CIPHER ALERT: Enemy Pokémon fatigue levels increasing. Koffing: 68% stamina. Zubat: 54% stamina. Nincada: 71% stamina due to Leech Life recovery.]
The data confirmed what Jayden's instincts already knew. This was a war of attrition now, and Nincada held the advantage. Leech Life had restored more health than Zubat'sWing Attack had removed. Meanwhile, his opponents were burning stamina on missed attacks.
...
"Koffing, Sludge attack while it's grounded!"
Thick purple poison arced toward Nincada, but Jayden was already moving.
"Sand Attack into the trajectory, then Fury Swipes on the Koffing."
Nincada's claws churned sand into a defensive screen that partially dispersed the Sludge, reducing its potency. Then it surged forward, closing the distance to Koffing with shocking speed. Five rapid strikes raked across the Poison-type's membrane, tearing shallow gouges.
"Zubat, intercept with Bite!"
But Zubat's stamina was failing. Its attack was sluggish, telegraphed. Nincada sidestepped with minimal effort, allowing Zubat to overextend and crash into the dirt.
"Leech Life on Zubat. Finish it."
Nincada pounced, mandibles finding purchase on Zubat's exposed flank. Crimson energy flowed as the Flying-type's remaining strength drained away. Within seconds, Zubat went limp, unconscious.
"No!" The green-clothed youth recalled his fallen partner, face pale.
Only Koffing remained. The fat trainer's confidence had evaporated, replaced by cold calculation. He was weighing odds, considering retreat.
Jayden gave him no time to decide.
"Dig, then emerge directly underneath. Bug Bite to the weak point beneath its flotation sac."
Nincada vanished underground. Koffing frantically spun in circles, unable to predict the attack angle. When Nincada erupted from below, it was already too late. Mandibles clamped onto the vulnerable gas valve, and Koffing deflated with a pitiful wheeze before collapsing.
...
Silence fell over the forest clearing, broken only by the short trainer's muffled sobs and the fat trainer's labored breathing.
Jayden stepped forward, expression carved from stone. "The map. Hand it over."
The fat trainer's jaw clenched, but he reached slowly into his pack and withdrew a folded piece of weathered parchment. Jayden took it without breaking eye contact, then gestured toward the path behind them.
"Leave. If I see you again, Nincada won't stop at knockouts."
They didn't need to be told twice. The green-clothed youth helped the short trainer to his feet, and they fled into the forest, recalling their Pokémon as they ran.
Jayden unfolded the map, studying the markings by fading daylight. CIPHER overlay confirmed coordinates and highlighted potential cache locations. This was legitimate, not some rookie's fantasy treasure.
"Good work," he murmured to Nincada, who preened under the rare praise.
[COMBAT ANALYSIS COMPLETE]
[VICTORY ACHIEVED]
[NINCADA EXPERIENCE GAIN: Sufficient for Level advancement pending rest cycle]
[CURRENT STATUS: Level 12 → 13 progression available]
[TRAINER PERFORMANCE: Optimal]
Jayden allowed himself a slight smile. The map was his, and Nincada grew stronger with each engagement. Crimson Reef Island was brutal, yes. But brutality created opportunity for those ruthless enough to seize it.
He folded the map carefully and began walking toward the coordinates, Nincada scuttling at his heels. Somewhere ahead, treasure awaited. And Jayden Cross had never been one to leave valuables unclaimed.
4:47 PM – Coordinates Located
The real work was about to begin.
...
End of Chapter 13
"The strong take. The weak provide. That's not cruelty—that's ecology."