"My lord, we need to go—now!"
As the explosion faded, Asen—an elite member of Hideki Kusaka's team—rushed in, shouting and dragging Hideki to safety.
The blast had detonated inside their residence.
And just like that, the final member of Hideki's squad—his last remaining Psychic-type trainer—was killed instantly in the explosion.
No one knew how the Ghost Fox had planted the bomb, or how many more there might be. Their only option was to flee—immediately.
Asen wasn't driven by loyalty. His concern for Hideki Kusaka stemmed entirely from self-preservation. If Hideki died, Asen would be lucky just to avoid becoming a scapegoat. More importantly, all the promises Hideki made to him—power, promotion, and protection—would vanish.
Hideki, rattled but quick to respond, bolted alongside Asen. With a sharp snap, a Poké Ball burst open in his hand.
"Charizard, take us up!"
With a roar, Hideki's Charizard soared into the night sky, clutching both him and Asen.
This wasn't just any Charizard—it was one of the three elite Charizards raised in the Kanto region. A dual Fire/Flying-type, prized by the Kusaka family for its strength and growth potential.
Its light-orange skin gleamed in the moonlight, accented by cream-colored plating on its chest and tail. A pair of wide blue-green wings beat powerfully against the air, and the fire blazing at the end of its long tail cast eerie shadows in the night.
Charizard's bloodline bore traces of a Dragon-type lineage—making it a top-tier Pokémon often assigned as a starter for heirs of powerful families.
But tonight, the powerful creature could only carry its trainers away in retreat.
It was as if the Ghost Fox was toying with them.
After the first explosion, nothing else happened.
Still, Hideki and Asen didn't dare return to the residence. Instead, they flew straight to meet with Rant Kusaka—Hideki's cousin and the family's acting leader in the region.
At this point, Hideki no longer cared about his father's judgment. If that last bomb hadn't targeted his teammate, he'd be the one in pieces right now.
For the first time, Hideki Kusaka understood the true terror of the Ghost Fox. And for the first time in his life… he was afraid to die.
Rant Kusaka, ever the calm strategist, didn't blame Hideki for the disaster. Instead, he acted swiftly.
All Kusaka combat personnel were recalled to Rant's estate. Patrols rotated continuously, checking every room, every shadow. No chances were taken—the Ghost Fox wouldn't get another opening.
At the same time, Rant instructed Hideki to place his remaining men under the Green Town Police's command, following the Alliance's orders.
This would let them keep up appearances—and take credit for any progress made.
Lastly, Rant discreetly sent agents to monitor Ramil's hospital room. If things went sideways, they'd eliminate Ramil quietly—removing any competition for merit.
If the mission succeeded, a dead man couldn't share the credit. If it failed, Ramil would become a scapegoat.
Rant didn't have proof, but ever since Ramil was attacked, something about the situation felt off.
His solution? Simple—eliminate the source of uncertainty.
Though his demeanor toward Hideki remained warm, Rant had already begun maneuvering behind the scenes.
If Rant could take down the Ghost Fox, he'd not only claim the Kusaka family's favor—he might even break through to senior rank.
That night, Jack—the Ghost Fox—whispered to his partner.
"Go, Haunter. You know what to do."
Under cover of darkness, Haunter floated into the night, a bomb clutched in his ghostly hands.
The police, meanwhile, were also moving.
The earlier explosion had snapped every officer back to high alert. In the command office, the police chief studied the latest reports—but still came up empty.
He wasn't worried about his job. What gnawed at him was one question: what exactly was the Ghost Fox's objective?
If Jack truly intended to destroy Green Town, the constant bombings made sense.
But what if… he didn't?
Their original assumption had come from Ramil's warning. But what if Ramil had simply been misled?
Just as the chief began to doubt everything—
RRRING!
The phone rang, jolting him upright.
"Chief! We found a time bomb—it's already been planted! The defusal team's on the way, but there might be more!"
There was no hesitation. The chief ordered the entire department to mobilize. Evacuations began immediately.
But they were already too late.
BOOM!
A second explosion rocked Green Town.
Flames lit up the skyline.
The chief stared out his window, heart sinking. Judging by the location, the blast had targeted Hideki Kusaka again.
The fire, the roar—it was unmistakable.
Had it begun?
Was this the start of a chain reaction?
The chief shouted into his radio:
"Find every bomb! Evacuate everyone! Our priority is minimizing casualties!"
And then he ran—straight toward the explosion.
He had no idea where the Ghost Fox would strike next.
But if the explosions were centered around Hideki Kusaka, then maybe—just maybe—the Ghost Fox would appear to finish the job.
The dust settled.
Amid the rubble, Hideki Kusaka—badly burned and bleeding—struggled to rise.
His Charizard lay unconscious beside him, its wings torn and body scorched.
Not far off, Rant and Asen lay motionless—killed instantly in the blast.
There was no longer anger in Hideki's eyes.
Only pure terror.
He realized it now: the Ghost Fox hadn't just outplayed him—he'd targeted him.
This wasn't a mission anymore.
It was a hunt.
But Jack didn't plan to let Hideki suffer for long.
From the shadows, Haunter emerged—his presence undetectable in the chaos.
Without hesitation, he phased behind Hideki.
And in a flash, struck through his heart.
No words.
No mercy.
Mission complete, Haunter vanished once more into the night.
And just like that…
Hideki Kusaka, heir to the Kusaka family…
was dead.