She was in terrible shape. Not only had Hunter J ambushed her earlier, but her Pokémon had also suffered heavy losses under Giant Gengar's attacks.
If Giant Gengar had not later been drawn away by the enormous Salamence, whether she could have escaped at all was still uncertain.
Now someone of unknown identity had appeared behind her, and with only one badly injured Cacturne left, even protecting herself would be difficult.
The woman assessed the situation before her. Knowing that her injuries would keep her from outpacing the other party, she had no chance of survival unless she lay in ambush.
The Cacturne beside her understood her intentions and began taking root underground, recovering stamina while also preparing Destiny Bond.
If the other party had only one Pokémon, she would not hesitate to take it down with her to ensure her trainer could escape.
The woman looked ahead and clenched her fists. As long as she made it through this tomb passage, she would have a chance to live!
Yet as the footsteps approached, that hope felt so faint.
Thinking of her husband and daughter at home, the woman's eyes grew moist. If she had a choice, she would never take this path again.
"Nai!"
Gardevoir suddenly stopped Ye Qing, who was still calculating how much money he had made this time, and stared straight into the cave.
"Someone there?"
Ye Qing understood immediately and waved Infernape forward.
Hearing the nearby footsteps stop, the woman suddenly had a bad feeling.
Before she could think further, dazzling fire spread through the tomb passage toward her, its searing heat making her feel as though she were suffocating.
Cacturne had not expected the other party to discover him ahead of time. Facing the surging tongues of flame, he resolutely stepped in front of