Pokémon: Wings Of Shadow

Shiro wasn't surprised when he heard that Hugo wanted to buy the Dragon Scale.

"How much are you offering?" he asked.

"The black market price for the Dragon Scale is around two million Pokédollars, but its actual value should be about five million Pokédollars," Hugo said confidently, smiling as he spoke. "Our offer is three and a half million, plus the feather powder from an Elite-level Corviknight. Your Rookidee should be ready to evolve soon, right?"

Shiro nodded. At Hammerlocke Stadium, his job was to serve as a sparring partner for Rookidee. With daily battles, it was easy to tell how strong it was and whether it was ready to evolve.

An Elite-level Corviknight was incredibly powerful, its feathers as hard as real steel. The powder it produced naturally contained both Flying and Steel-type energy, which would be highly beneficial for Rookidee.

For the Dragon Scale, three and a half million Pokédollars was a fair price.

Shiro could tell that Hugo was sincere and truly wanted to buy the scale.

"We came here with sincerity," Hugo said as he took out a League Card and a black metal box from his bag, placing them on the table. "We can complete the transaction right now if you're ready."

He gestured for Shiro to bring out the Dragon Scale.

"Alright." With an offer like this, Shiro had no reason to refuse.

He wasn't familiar with the black market outside Macro Cosmos' control, and he didn't trust it.

Even if he could sell it for five or six million Pokédollars, it wasn't as good as the guaranteed three and a half million and the valuable resource for Rookidee right in front of him.

Shiro stood up and walked toward the stairs.

Hugo and Dorian both watched him closely. Moments later, Shiro returned holding a cloth bundle.

"The Dragon Scale," he said, spreading the bundle on the table to reveal the precious blue scale inside.

"Alright!" Hugo grinned, his joy evident. He could sense the powerful aura of the dragon-type Pokémon radiating from the scale. Without hesitation, he slid the League Card and the black metal box toward Shiro.

Dorian silently lifted his head, his gaze fixed on the items worth millions of Pokédollars.

Under his black cloak was a fierce-looking face, bald and menacing. It was the same man who had teamed up with Hugo before to test Shiro's strength.

"Dorian, let's go," Hugo said as he carefully wrapped the Dragon Scale and put it in his backpack, still smiling.

Shiro also inspected the League Card and the powder in the metal box. Once he confirmed everything was in order, he gave a slight smile.

With these resources, he could likely stay in Hammerlocke for another year or two. Maybe even wait until Rookidee reaches Advanced-level.

Without strength, Shiro wasn't interested in taking risks. Slowly staying in one place to train and grow was the safest option.

"Alright, we'll be on our way then." Hugo glanced at Shiro with a smile before turning toward the door.

Now that he had secured the Dragon Scale, Hugo planned to flip it on the shadow black market—a network outside Macro Cosmos' reach. There, he could easily sell it for far more than its estimated value.

Though officially priced at five million Pokédollars, items like this were always in high demand but short supply. It wouldn't be surprising if the price soared to six or even seven million once listed.

Based on his estimates, it could go for around 6.5 million. After deducting the 3.5 million Pokédollars and the Corviknight feather powder worth 300,000, he would still be looking at a profit of at least 2.7 million—maybe even more.

The thought of such massive profits left Hugo elated. He practically danced toward the door.

But just as he reached for the doorknob, his tall, slender frame suddenly froze.

A claw, covered in Ghost-type energy, pierced through Hugo's back, emerging from his abdomen, before quickly retracting, leaving a trail of crimson blood behind.

"Ugh… Dorian, you…"

Hugo didn't even need to think. He instantly realized the bald man behind him had betrayed him.

Staggering as he turned around, he reached for the Poké Ball at his waist, but before he could grab it, a pink claw slashed through his wrist, severing his hand.

"Hmph." Dorian just sneered, not bothering to explain himself. He had always gotten along well with Hugo. Their relationship was solid, and Hugo had even taken care of him in various ways throughout their time in Hammerlocke.

But with a prize worth millions of Pokédollars sitting right in front of him, in a secluded little house—who could possibly resist?

Dorian certainly couldn't.

As a wanted criminal, he had long since lost the ability to hold back.

"Morgrem! Kill the kid upstairs!" Dorian growled while yanking the backpack from Hugo's lifeless body.

The Pokémon with the pink claw stepped forward—a small pinkish-red skinned humanoid creature.

It bared a cruel grin and turned its gaze to the second floor.

Crash!

The sound of shattering glass echoed from above.

Shiro had never fully trusted them. After stashing his earnings, he had hidden on the second floor, carefully observing the two men.

He wanted to wait until they were completely gone before securing his belongings.

But instead of witnessing them suddenly spin around and attack him after the trade, he had stumbled upon an entirely different betrayal.

'Guess it worked out anyway.'

Shiro moved without hesitation. He grabbed his backpack, his entire fortune inside, secured the league card and metal box, then gave the signal.

His Rookidee unleashed an Air Cutter, shattering the window. Without wasting a second, Shiro leaped through the opening and escaped.

Morgrem, a Pokémon with a three-stage evolution, evolves from Impidimp at level 32, reaching Advanced-level strength at minimum.

And this Morgrem had clearly just evolved, its power still fresh and unrefined. Still, it was more than strong enough to completely overwhelm Shiro. It could knock out both his Rookidee and Gastly with ease.

The smartest move now was to escape.

Killing someone in a hidden corner of Hammerlocke wasn't a big deal. As long as the body was dealt with and no one reported it, there wouldn't be much trouble.

But if someone was killed in broad daylight or a body was left behind, the police would be on the scene in no time, tracking down the culprit like hungry wolves.

Solving cases earned them rewards from the Dragon Taming family behind the scenes.

Dorian knew this well. That's why he stayed behind to deal with the corpse, sending Morgrem after Shiro.

With its Dark and Fairy typing, Morgrem had plenty of tricks to deceive opponents and make a clean escape. Even if it ran into the police, as long as it didn't get caught, it wouldn't be a problem.

First floor, inside the house.

"This brat isn't strong, but he's cautious," Dorian muttered, pulling out a Poké Ball. "Come out, Grimer. Clean this mess up!"

A purple sludge-like Pokémon appeared on the floor, reeking of filth. It wriggled forward, engulfing Hugo's corpse completely.

Moments later, it spat out a League Card and a set of keys.

Dorian picked them up and stuffed them into his pocket.

The League Card held the last of Hugo's money. The keys belonged to his house in Hammerlocke.

Once he got his hands on Shiro, Dorian planned to head straight to the black market for a new identity.

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