"You must think that someone like me, who stops at nothing to achieve my goals, isn't trustworthy."
He continued, his tone as flat as if he were stating a fact, "That's true. I am indeed a pragmatic person, and to achieve my goals, I can sacrifice many things."
"But that doesn't mean I treat my Pokémon poorly."
He changed the subject, and the Poké Ball on his wrist opened in response. With a flash of red light, the sturdy figure of Krookodile appeared beside him.
"On the contrary, my Pokémon are all my most important partners."
Ariel gently patted Krookodile's rough back; the latter was looking around with a blank expression, having no idea what was going on.
"It is my first Pokémon. It has been by my side since it was an egg. Look at how well I've raised it."
Krookodile was full of questions, but it still cooperated by puffing out its chest, revealing its sturdy muscles, and even grinning to show two rows of sharp white teeth, trying to look fierce.
But its blank expression made the performance look somewhat comical.
Ariel ignored his Pokémon's inner drama; his gaze remained in a Lock-On to Tyranitar.
"Becoming my Pokémon means embarking on a path to becoming strong. But my requirements for partners are extremely high; not only must they have top-tier talent, but they must also be of the Dark-type."
"As it happens, your child meets all my conditions."
A combination of tactics had been used: threats, temptations, and concrete examples.
According to Ariel's script, this trapped Tyranitar should have been shaken, even if it didn't yield immediately.
However, Tyranitar just looked at him quietly, and at the Krookodile beside him.
A look of hesitation flashed across its eyes, but the expected emotional compromise for the sake of its child did not appear.
Instead, it let out a low growl, the dull sound echoing in its chest.
It wanted to express something.
Ariel's eyebrows twitched slightly.
An invisible Psychic force radiated from him, pouring out like liquid mercury, instantly enveloping the entire cage.
This power was not aggressive; it was purely a bridge for communication.
The next second, a surge of intent mixed with anger, despair, and a hint of aloofness and determination slammed into Ariel's mind.
The amount of information was not large, but it was extremely clear.
Ariel instantly retracted his Psychic power; he could no longer maintain the calm on his face, and the corners of his mouth twitched uncontrollably.
He fell silent.
Yuki, standing to the side, was confused. She only saw Ariel and Tyranitar stare at each other for a moment, and then his expression became rather strange.
She couldn't help but step closer and ask in a low voice, "Lord Ruth, what... what did it say?"
Ariel did not look at her; his gaze remained on Tyranitar, filled with a bit of scrutiny, a bit of absurdity, and even a hint of... admiration?
After several seconds, he spoke slowly, his voice somewhat dry.
"It says to recall my Pokémon."
"Open this cage."
"Then, I am to stand right here, in front of it."
"If I have the guts, it will hand the child over to me."
Every word from Ariel was like a heavy hammer, striking Yuki's heart.
She was completely stunned!
What? Recall the Pokémon? Open the cage? Stand unarmed in front of a Tyranitar?
What is a Tyranitar? It is a terrifying existence known as a "walking natural disaster"!
Never mind a claw strike; even a casual breath attack could blast a person to smithereens!
How is this any different from sticking your neck out and begging the other party to slash you?
"That's impossible!" Yuki blurted out, her voice sharp with excitement. "It's humiliating you! How could such an unreasonable demand..."
Her chest heaved with anger, and she felt that this Tyranitar was simply unreasonable.
But she couldn't finish her sentence.
Because Ariel didn't speak. He didn't refute, didn't get angry, and didn't even immediately reject the proposal.
He just stood there in silence, quietly staring at the giant beast in the cage.
The color drained completely from Yuki's face, and a chill shot straight from the soles of her feet to the top of her head.
She looked at Ariel's profile. In the dim light, his young face appeared sharp-featured, yet inscrutable.
A thought, so crazy that it made her tremble, surfaced in her mind.
Lord Ruth... he wouldn't actually be considering this proposal, would he?
Time seemed to stretch in this moment. In the dungeon, only the "drip-drop" of water and two heavy breaths remained.
Ariel's brain was racing. Crazy? Yes, this was definitely a crazy move.
Tyranitar's pride far exceeded his imagination; it would rather perish together than bow its head in a cage.
What it proposed was not a deal, but a test. A test where life was the wager.
It was gambling, betting that he wouldn't dare.
As long as he took one step back, all his previous groundwork and all his psychological tactics would become a joke.
Dangerous? Extremely dangerous.
Once the cage was opened, life and death would depend entirely on the other party's whim.
His own Psychic power, against a furious strike from Tyranitar, was no different from paper.
But...
Deep in Ariel's eyes, a flame, even more intense than the one in Tyranitar's eyes, quietly ignited.
He never made an investment without a return. The higher the risk, the greater the reward.
If he backed down, he would get nothing. If he won the bet, he would gain this Tyranitar's recognition, as well as the child in its belly.
This kind of Bond, exchanged with courage, was far more solid than conquest by force.
Besides... he, Ariel, has never been afraid.
Yuki watched Ariel's silent back, feeling as if her heart was about to jump out of her throat.
She wanted to speak up and dissuade him, but she found her throat tight, unable to say a word.
She could only watch helplessly as Ariel, in that death stare with the primeval beast, slowly raised the corners of his mouth into a slight arc.
It wasn't a smile, but a kind of near-manic excitement.
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