Chapter 3: The Ghost in the Clear is Murderous

Kane walked out of the arena slowly, already thinking about his disciple, Bert, who trailed behind him.

Kane's icy and frightening expression made the press dare not approach him.

"Teacher, are we heading back to Ecruteak City now?" Bert asked. He was aware that all six of Kane's Pokémon had lost their ability to fight, so he assumed that returning to Ecruteak City was the next course of action.

Bert's ambitions were clear—to become the Gym Leader of the Ecruteak Gym. Although Koga had promised him great benefits, it was still far from the position of Gym Leader.

Kane's face remained calm and composed as he replied, "Don't be impatient let's go to the Pokémon Center first. After that, we'll decide what to do in Ecruteak City."

Kane scoffed inwardly. This young man was too impatient. Despite studying Pokémon for many years, Kane had failed to recognize the wolfish heart hidden behind this disciple's façade.

Bert, hearing this, grew anxious. As long as Kane's Pokémon regained their strength, Bert wouldn't stand a chance against him. The thought of a sneak attack crossed his mind—if only he could act before Kane retrieved his Pokémon, the old man would stand no chance, even if he just reached for a Pokéball.

Noticing Bert's distracted expression, Kane decided to continue probing him.

"Bert, how many years have you been with me?"

"It's been more than ten years," Bert replied.

Kane sighed with a seemingly sentimental tone.

"Ah, more than ten years... I still remember when you were just a young boy "

Bert felt a mixture of discomfort and nostalgia, a faint unease creeping through him.

The two arrived at the Pokémon Center located in the Johto Alliance headquarters.

"Hello, Mr. Kane. How may we assist you?" Nurse Joy greeted them with her usual angelic smile.

Kane scanned the list of Pokémon services available: healing, care, recovery, massage, therapy...

"Please provide a full set of services for my six Pokémon. I'll return to pick them up at four in the afternoon," Kane instructed.

"Rest assured, Mr. Kane, we will take good care of them," Nurse Joy replied as she took Kane's Pokéballs and handed them over to a Blissey.

"Bert, let's go to the Alliance headquarters to meet Kazuki," Kane said once his Pokémon were being taken care of.

Bert was surprised and asked, "Teacher, why do we need to meet with Kazuki, the Elite Four member?"

"Kazuki is responsible for the evaluation and replacement of Gym Leaders," Kane explained, his expression unchanged, but he periodically glanced at Bert with suspicion.

Bert grew increasingly nervous, his words coming out jumbled, "Teacher, what… what do you mean?"

Kane had anticipated this reaction and calmly replied, "I'm old, and I have no heirs no wife no family. After losing the Poison-type Elite Four challenge, I've become disillusioned. I just want to retire peacefully. You've been loyal to me all these years, so I plan to recommend you to Kazuki to take over my position as the Ecruteak Gym Leader and you're like a son to me i practically raised you."

Kane knew Bert all too well—this two-faced man valued nothing more than personal gain, yet his caution and paranoia often got the better of him.

Kane was fully prepared, not fearing a sneak attack from Bert. However, if Bert were to sense any danger and flee to seek refuge with Koga, Kane would lose his chance for revenge. That would be unacceptable.

By laying everything out in the open and following formal procedures, Kane knew Bert would be more likely to fall into his trap.

Sure enough, Bert's excitement was obvious, his words filled with gratitude: "Teacher, your kindness knows no bounds! You're like a father to me, and I will care for you in your old age."

"There's no need for such talk between master and apprentice," Kane said with a sigh. "I've done what I could, but I wish I could have helped you further, especially in that Elite Four challenge. You deserved a better opportunity."

Kane's tone was heavy with regret, and Bert, now overwhelmed with guilt, was filled with only gratitude for his teacher as tiny tears began to fall down his eyes.

For now, Kane had to keep Bert steady. His Pokémon were still recovering, and once they reached Ecruteak City, Kane would make his move.

At the Johto Alliance headquarters, Kane successfully recommended Bert to Kazuki. All that was left was for the Alliance to approve the request, and Bert would officially take over as Ecruteak's Gym Leader.

Kane returned to the Pokémon Center at the appointed time to collect his Pokéballs. His Pokémon had fully recovered, and he was pleased with the results.

Meanwhile, Koga's situation was far from ideal. The first five of his Pokémon had their poison sacs ruptured, rendering them useless. His Gengar, having absorbed an overwhelming amount of toxins, self-destructed upon returning to his base camp.

Kane put away his Pokéballs and said, "Bert, let's head back to Ecruteak City now."

"Of course, teacher. I'll prepare right away," Bert replied, eager to leave the scene. The fewer people around, the fewer risks of exposing his true intentions.

The high-speed rail from Mt. Silver to Ecruteak City took two hours.

By the time they arrived at the Ecruteak Gym, it was about 7 p.m. Most of the disciples had already gone home for the day, and the gym was nearly empty, save for a few staff members.

Kane looked at his betrayer, barely restraining the urge to kill him on the spot. However, he knew better than to act in haste. After all, this was a lawful society, and he needed to dispose of Bert quietly, leaving no evidence behind.

After a normal dinner, the housekeeper cleaned up and left for the night.

Now, only Kane and Bert remained in the massive Ecruteak Gym.

The time had come.

"Bert, come with me to the lab. I'll hand over the Gym Badge. I'm tired, and starting tomorrow, you're the new gym leader."

Kane's words were simple and casual, but Bert was too overwhelmed with excitement to notice any danger.

The lab was underground, and it was dimly lit and cramped, used primarily for Kane's Pokémon research. There was nothing out of the ordinary at first glance.

Bert followed Kane inside, but a sudden chill ran down his spine. Something felt off, and his body began to tremble.

"Teacher, is the Gym Badge really here?"

"Yes, it's right here," Kane replied, gripping Ariados's Pokéball tightly in his hand.

Before Bert could react, Ariados pounced on him, binding him with toxic threads in an instant.

Kane turned around, his gaze cold and murderous as he stared down at the helpless Bert.

Bert, paralyzed with fear, stammered, "Te-teacher… What's happening?"

Kane sneered.

"Kain coldly commanded ariados to kill him ."

At Kane's command, Ariados sliced Bert's throat with its razor-sharp fangs.

When it came to killing, there was no need for words. Hesitation only brought danger. Kane had learned that hard lesson over his lifetime.

Kane had already planned the cleanup. The ghostly flames from Chandelure would incinerate the body until not even ashes remained. Skuntank would cover the stench with its foul fumes, while Drapion would demolish the entire secret chamber, leaving nothing but rubble behind. By the next day, the room would be filled with concrete, and no one would be able to trace any wrongdoing back to him.

This was a process Kane knew well. He had spent nearly 20 years as a Pokémon Hunter, killing when necessary for survival and resources.

If it weren't for those 20 years of bloody, knife-edge work, Kane never would have amassed the wealth needed to train his Pokémon. It was a miracle that someone of such low status could even become a Gym Leader.

Unlike the privileged children of the Pokémon Alliance, who never had to worry about money or Pokémon training, Kane had clawed his way up from nothing.

People like Ash Ketchum and Gary Oak, descendants of great trainers and professors, had it easy. Even though they were more than ten years younger than Kane, Ash had already become the Champion of the Kanto League, while Gary had risen to chief researcher. Their influence spread far and wide.

With Bert's body destroyed and all traces of the crime erased, Kane showered and returned to his room.

He scheduled an email to be sent to Kazuki in two days, explaining that Bert had left on a journey to pursue grander ambitions, relinquishing his claim to the Ecruteak Gym.

Kane reviewed everything in his mind, ensuring no detail had been missed. Satisfied, he finally allowed himself to rest.