When the detonator in his hand failed to respond, Jack—known to the world as Ghost Fox—let out a frustrated sigh and casually tossed it aside.
The sight emboldened Bauer, who became convinced Jack had no other options left.
"Houndoom, Flamethrower!"
With the target in range, Bauer gave the order without a shred of hesitation.
And that's when the explosion struck.
A massive fireball erupted, lighting up the night sky and swallowing Bauer and his Pokémon whole.
In his final moments, two thoughts crossed Bauer's mind:
How did the bomb go off? Golduck's Moisture ability was supposed to neutralize explosives.
The blast radius… it even caught Ghost Fox himself! Was he not afraid of dying?!
Unfortunately, Bauer would never get his answers.
What Houndoom saw next was even more shocking—after the blast tore away Jack's black cloak, what lay underneath was a reinforced metallic shell.
Jack hadn't exposed himself at all. What they had chased down was just another remote-controlled decoy robot.
The real Jack detonated the explosives from a safe distance, having rigged the site with ten separate charges to ensure Houndoom would be taken out. Even then, the powerful senior-tier Pokémon only suffered serious injuries—not a complete defeat. It lay in a crater, barely conscious and unable to move.
This encounter reinforced something Jack already knew—bombs alone were no longer enough against high-level trainers and Pokémon.
Once the dust settled, the real Jack emerged from hiding and quickly captured Houndoom.
As for Bauer and Golduck? They were incinerated in the explosion.
Jack didn't let Golduck's remains go to waste. He took the body with him, possibly for analysis or resale.
Then he planted three more bombs in the area before leaving with Haunter.
When the police arrived on the scene, Jack remotely triggered the second wave of explosives—resulting in significant casualties.
But none of it could be directly pinned on him.
Sure, Ghost Fox was known for his bombings, but there was no concrete evidence this was his work. On the surface, the most suspicious party was Bauer.
He had loudly declared his affiliation with the Kusaka family while escaping a police cordon.
He had also been in close contact with Art and the mercenaries who were wiped out in the first explosion.
And now? Bauer and all Kusaka agents involved were missing.
The blame naturally shifted their way.
After escaping the town, Jack didn't stop running until he was miles away. Only then did he allow himself a moment to breathe.
As dawn broke, he found a secluded resting spot and began to take stock of his rewards.
Mission Summary:
System Reward: 80,000 EXP + 80,000 Hiring Points (from defeating Bauer and his men)
Current EXP Total: Over 150,000
Funds Acquired: Over 10 million Alliance Coins from bounties and captured Pokémon
Current Bank Total: Over 150 million Alliance Coins (including Art's hoard)
Jack considered using the EXP to boost Haunter, but decided to reserve it for his newer partners—Aegislash and Duskull—who were still at beginner strength. He'd develop them slowly and carefully.
As for Hiring Points, he had spent around 27,000 on the assault, but still came out ahead.
Meanwhile, Bauer's final transmission had already reached his superior, Suna.
Upon hearing of the police incident and the Kusaka family's alleged involvement, Suna had immediately mobilized nearby agents to trap Ghost Fox.
But by the time they arrived, they found only the decoy robot Jack had left behind.
A cold trail.
If they followed it, they'd be chasing ghosts.
Literally.
Jack, now back in his real appearance, casually strolled into a seaside town and made his way to the docks.
Even though Ash hadn't begun his famous journey yet, the world was already interconnected—regions like Hoenn, Sinnoh, and Unova were accessible via ferry routes and airlines.
Jack quickly purchased a boat ticket and found a quiet café to enjoy a cup of coffee while waiting to depart.
Elsewhere, Suna was growing increasingly frustrated.
He had dispatched multiple agents before sunrise. Yet by morning, not a single one had found a clue.
It was as if Ghost Fox had never even shown up.
To make things worse, Bauer's reckless behavior had now implicated the Kusaka family in the deaths of several police officers.
With no evidence to clear their name and with Bauer missing, the Kusaka higher-ups had no choice but to accept responsibility.
Still, Kusaka Masaru, one of the family heads, didn't blame Suna. In his view, Suna had done everything right—well-planned, thoroughly executed.
If Bauer had botched the mission, that wasn't Suna's fault.
Masaru's continued support only made Suna more loyal and determined.
Unfortunately, even Suna couldn't have guessed the truth—
Jack was already on a ship, leaving the Kanto region behind.
Standing at the deck, Jack watched the horizon and the waves stretching into the distance. He felt a surge of ambition swelling in his chest.
So what if I'm exiled from Kanto?
The world is massive. Anywhere can become my battlefield.
But that dream only lasted a few seconds.
Jack chuckled to himself and whispered:
"Let's take it slow. Time to lay low… and build something bigger."