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"Who are you? Why did you injure my Murkrow?"
The burly man didn't spare a single glance at the unconscious Murkrow scattered on the ground.
Instead, he raised his shotgun—a double-barreled firearm with an unusually large bore—and pointed it directly at Sato, his voice cold and filled with killing intent.
"My apologies, brother. The moment I approached, these Murkrow swarmed me and launched an attack. I had no choice but to defend myself and make them take a little nap," Sato replied.
Seeing the man aiming his gun at him, Sato frowned. However, since he had come here with a purpose, he tried to maintain a friendly tone.
To further prove that he was an ally, Sato raised his right hand and shook it slightly, revealing the Team Rocket-issued watch on his wrist.
Yet, the moment he lifted his hand, a glint of murderous intent flashed in the burly man's eyes. Without hesitation, he pressed the trigger on his shotgun.
Bang!
Bang!
Two sharp gunshots rang out. From the shotgun's barrels, two Great Balls shot out like bullets, streaking toward Sato's head.
In that split second, Nidoking's eyes glowed blue. The two high-speed Great Balls were immediately enveloped by a layer of blue psychic energy.
Under the influence of Psychic, their momentum drastically slowed, and they continued to decelerate.
Then—Bang!
Just as Nidoking was about to completely halt the two Great Balls in midair, the burly man fired again.
This time, however, he wasn't aiming at Sato. Instead, he targeted the gap between the two floating Great Balls.
A third Great Ball shot out from the shotgun and slammed into the space between the two restrained ones.
The next second, the two Great Balls that had been caught by Nidoking's Psychic were sent flying in opposite directions, as if they were billiard balls being struck.
The two Great Balls landed precisely to Sato's left and right.
Although they had missed their initial target, the moment they hit the ground, two beams of white light shot out. A Honchkrow (Level 35) and a Houndoom (Level 37) emerged before Sato.
At the same time, the third Great Ball fired by the burly man also released a flash of white light, summoning a Golem (Level 32).
The three Pokémon were clearly well-acquainted and worked seamlessly together. The moment they appeared, they launched a coordinated three-pronged attack on Sato.
On the left, Honchkrow used Drill Peck, its entire body spinning into a black whirlwind as it charged forward.
In the center, Golem activated Rollout, barreling ahead with unstoppable momentum.
To the right, Houndoom's mouth overflowed with flames, and in the next moment, a fiery Flamethrower roared toward Sato.
"Use Protect! Come out, Pelipper—use Hydro Pump on Golem and Houndoom!"
Faced with the incoming attacks, Sato remained calm, his expression as cold as water. He swiftly commanded Nidoking to block with Protect while tossing out another PokéBall.
The moment Nidoking received the command, a green energy barrier enveloped both him and Sato. Honchkrow's Drill Peck, Golem's Rollout, and Houndoom's Flamethrower were all stopped in their tracks.
At the same time, a Shiny Pelipper burst out of Sato's thrown PokéBall.
Currently carrying the rare mutated Supreme Sky Splitting Stone, Pelipper immediately summoned dark clouds over the forest cabin, which rapidly expanded.
Within moments, a light drizzle began falling over the forest, extinguishing Houndoom's black flames instantly.
The moment she appeared, Pelipper unleashed a massive Hydro Pump toward Houndoom and the blocked Golem.
However, the burly man's Houndoom was well-trained. The instant Pelipper fired, it ceased its flames, pushed off the ground, and narrowly dodged the attack before retreating to its trainer's side.
Golem, on the other hand, wasn't so lucky.
Pelipper's Hydro Pump slammed into it head-on, sending it flying.
With rain-boosted power and Golem's quadruple Water-type weakness, the attack was devastating. It was a one-hit knockout.
On the other side, seeing the failed attack and Golem's miserable defeat, Honchkrow—being a cunning Dark-type—wisely chose to retreat, avoiding being pincered by Nidoking and Pelipper.
"You've got some skill. Why are you here?"
The burly man's pupils shrank slightly as he watched Sato not only evade his well-planned assault but also counterattack effectively, defeating his Golem.
Raising his hand, he signaled Honchkrow and Houndoom to stand down while keeping his shotgun trained on Sato.
Truthfully, he had already noticed the Team Rocket watch on Sato's wrist earlier.
However, the fact that Sato had mercilessly taken down his flock of Murkrow had infuriated him. A moment ago, he had indeed intended to kill Sato.
'Damn it. Is this guy really just a grunt?'
The burly man had initially assumed that Sato was just another low-ranking member. But the sheer skill Sato displayed in that brief moment made him uneasy.
Now, he regretted acting so rashly.
Even so, he refused to show any weakness. He remained firm, not wanting Sato to sense his inner fear or hesitation.
"Hmph. I'll explain after I beat you down. Nidoking, use Thunderbolt on Honchkrow! Pelipper, use Hydro Pump on Houndoom!"
Hearing the burly man's question, Sato smirked coldly. His expression darkened, his gaze now filled with murderous intent. Without hesitation, he ordered his Pokémon to attack.
According to Team Rocket's internal rules, members were forbidden from killing each other. However, if someone attacked first, the victim had the right to defend themselves—even if it meant killing the assailant.
Now that Sato had a valid reason, he planned to teach this man a painful lesson.
From the start, the Murkrow had attacked him, yet he had let it slide. Now, this man had just tried to kill him outright. If Sato didn't retaliate, he'd be seen as weak.
And in an organization like Team Rocket, there was only one rule that truly mattered—survival of the fittest.
The moment Sato gave his orders, a golden lightning bolt shot from Nidoking's horn, crackling toward Honchkrow.
At the same time, Pelipper unleashed another powerful Hydro Pump, surging toward Houndoom with unstoppable force.