"Hello there, little one."
A flash of white light burst from the Poké Ball, and Jack smiled as he greeted the timid Duskull now floating before him.
Duskull stared blankly at him. For some reason, Jack felt strangely familiar.
Seeing no immediate reaction, Jack figured his natural charm hadn't worked. So, he pulled out his second trump card—food made specifically for Ghost-type Pokémon.
Drawn by the rich aroma, the dazed Duskull's eyes lit up with hunger.
"Go ahead, it's all yours."
Jack placed the food in front of Duskull with a gentle nod. The little Ghost-type didn't hesitate any longer. It began devouring the meal in big mouthfuls.
Instead of forcing introductions or trying to win it over with words, Jack just quietly fed Haunter too, giving all his partners a good meal first.
By the end of the feeding session, Jack had used delicious food and a faint aura of phantom energy to build a basic bond with Duskull. He then introduced Haunter and Doublade to their new teammate—after all, they'd be fighting side by side from now on.
That's when Jack noticed something interesting. Despite all being Ghost-types, each of his Pokémon had a completely different personality.
Haunter, of course, was mischievous and energetic. But when given orders, he executed them precisely and without fail. That alone was enough to earn Jack's trust.
Doublade, on the other hand, was quiet—almost unnervingly so. Whether it was due to its typing or the nature of its species, it didn't act like a child despite being newly caught. It was stoic, serious, and rarely expressive.
As for Duskull? Honest.
Yes, it sounded strange to call a Ghost-type "honest," but Jack had seen enough to recognize sincerity in its quiet, reserved nature. Pokémon personalities weren't set in stone—each one was a unique soul.
Jack's job now was to help these three vastly different personalities work together in battle. That was the true skill of a Pokémon trainer—and especially critical for a mercenary like him.
Once the bond was established, Jack used the system to scan Duskull's data.
Pokémon: DuskullGender: MaleAbility: LevitateLevel: 5 (Base)Basic Moves: Leer (Lv.1), Astonish (Lv.1), Ice Beam (Lv.1)Taught Moves: NoneInherited Moves: Haze (Lv.1), Pain Split (Lv.1), Memento (Lv.1)
Jack nodded in satisfaction. One move in particular stood out—Pain Split. That alone would make Duskull a defensive powerhouse. And if things got desperate, Memento could cripple an opponent at the cost of Duskull fainting.
Satisfied, Jack turned in early. Tomorrow, his mercenary work would begin again.
The next day, now traveling under his alias Awen, Jack arrived at a small town.
Unlike the last time, he didn't go looking for a full-time agent. He chose a temporary agent this time—perfect for the cover story he'd prepared.
Temporary agents work differently. They don't offer personalized missions or build long-term trust. It's all transactional: you take what's available, and they don't care if you walk away.
They can also betray you at any time.
Luckily, Jack had Haunter and invisible surveillance devices to help keep him safe.
He'd already prepared the backstory for Awen:A pair of criminal brothers once made a living through robbery. But one day, they encountered a powerful Ghost-type. During the desperate battle to capture it, an uninvited third party appeared. In the chaos, the younger brother sacrificed himself to help his sibling escape.
The older brother, stripped of all Pokémon except that one Ghost-type, gave up his life of crime and became a mercenary—still dangerous work, but a faster way to earn resources and grow stronger.
Now, he fought under the name Awen.
It was the perfect story—and all Jack had to do was play the role convincingly.
Before long, he received his first mission through the temporary agent.
The target: a League-certified trainer of the Excellence rank.
Not a difficult job. Jack could tell the agent was just testing him.
But that didn't matter. Jack accepted the mission and left immediately, tracking the target's last known location.
This time, Jack made one significant change.
No bombs.
He wanted to see if he could eliminate a League trainer using only his Pokémon and tactics.
Once he located the target, he didn't rush in. He waited, watching as the man traveled through the wilderness, sometimes battling wild Pokémon, sometimes just resting.
It was almost too easy.
Jack even began to wonder if it was a setup.
But when night fell and his invisible surveillance confirmed the target was truly alone, Jack gave the order.
In the dead of night, Haunter floated silently through the darkness, moving like a shadow.
The trainer was cautious, sleeping lightly while rotating his Pokémon for night watch.
But not cautious enough.
Haunter used Hypnosis, lulling the target and his watchful Pokémon into a deeper sleep.
Then, like a whisper, Haunter moved in.
A single flash of shadow.
Blood sprayed across the grass.
The Excellence-ranked trainer died without ever waking up.
The smell of blood stirred Bulbasaur—the only Pokémon left standing—but it was too late.
His trainer's body lay still in a pool of crimson.