A scheme within a scheme, hidden fangs (6,000-word chapter)

The two had barely finished speaking, their arms still raised, when three different voices rang out.

"Shadow Sneak."

"Dragon Breath."

"Aurora Beam."

"Huh? Huh?!!"

Haya blinked. Before she could react, three terrifying attacks shot toward her almost simultaneously.

"Mr. Dian! Mr. Thatcher! That's so unfair!!"

She instantly panicked, unable to understand why the three of them were attacking her as though they had planned it together. It was outrageous! They had no gentlemanly manners whatsoever!!

The spectators began whispering among themselves, clearly not having expected this turn of events either.

Quite a few experienced Trainers, however, looked grave, because they understood why it had happened.

"Oh dear... little Haya's in big trouble!"

A fashionably dressed woman with sandy blond hair walked up beside Fennel and rubbed her head. "Fennel, sorry! I overslept!!"

She laughed awkwardly, then silently apologized to Thatcher down below as well. But what could she do? She had overslept.

Yes, it wasn't her fault. The wicked sleep demon was to blame!

"Viola! Thank goodness. I thought you'd gotten lost."

Fennel sighed with relief. "It's fine. Thanks to Dian, I got in with him."

"Ooh~ calling him by his first name? Nicely done, Fennel!"

Viola glanced at Lorelei's apprentice below. "Though Thatcher might... hahaha."

"Hmm?"

Fennel tilted her head, clearly not quite understanding.

But something else soon caught her attention. "Why did those three Pokémon attack Seaking together without their Trainers telling them to?"

"Ah, little Haya reacted too slowly, so all three Pokémon decided she was the first opponent they should eliminate."

Viola explained, "Thatcher aside, those other two have frightening coordination with their Pokémon too."

Just now, everyone except Haya had ordered an attack at almost the same moment, but none of them had specified a target. They had left that choice to their Pokémon.

And