In this life, he had finally escaped from an underground anization—there was no way he would join another one!

  Sato didn't care whether Voya was just buying time or if she was joking—he was taking this fight seriously!

  "Zoroark, Night Daze! Larvitar, Rock Polish!"

  Zoroark k slightly, its right hand toug the ground, its azure-blue eyes locked onto Charmeleon and ales. The sed, Dark-type energy formed a massive expanding riered around Zoroark, rapidly spreading outward!

  "Hmph! ales, take Charmeleon and use Agility!"

  Their coordination was seamless—Charmeleon leaped into the air, and at the same time, ales jumped up and caught it, evading Zoroark's Night Daze with perfect timing!

  "Rock Slide!"

  "Larvitaar!"

  Having used Rock Polish, Larvitar had boosted more than just its speed—two fist-sized sharp stones whizzed through the air, striking ales and Charmeleon with full force!

  Both Pokémo out pained cries—the damage from Rock Slide was far greater than they had expected!

  "Zoroark, Feint Attack! Larvitar, cover with Rock Slide!"

  Sato's ands came swiftly, giving Voya's Pokémon no ce to catch their breath.

  Zoroark moved like a shadow, its speed turning it into a blur as it charged toward the two Pokémon.

  From the rear, Larvitar trolled over a hundred small rocks at once, ung them forward in random, chaotic trajectories, pletely overwhelming the battlefield!

  "ales! Charmeleon! Protect!"

  inally, Voya had still been thinking about trying to recruit Sato, but seeing Larvitar's Rock Slide, she was stunned.

  Just two stones had been enough to make ales and Charmeleon scream in pain—and now, a full barrage was ing at them like a meteor shower!

  She didn't even have time to question why a Larvitar had such absurd power—her reflex was to defend first!

  As the Rock Slide crashed down, Voya quickly realized something was off—the rocks were her as fast nor as sharp as before!

  It was a bluff!

  The Rock Slide ended with minimal impact, and the Protect barriers around ales and Charmeleon faded instantly—just in time for Zoroark to strike!

  Its cws, infused with Dark-type energy, sliced into ales' —a direct critical hit!

  ales was sent flying, rolling across the ground several times before lying pletely motionless!

  "Charmeleon, Fmethrower!"

  Charmeleon temporarily forced Zoroark back with a stream of fmes. Voya took advantage of the moment to recall her fainted ales, her once calm and calg expression now repced with fury.

  "Zoroark, Night Daze! Larvitar, Rock Slide!"

  Sato remained uhere was no reason to be afraid. Ohe self-destruct program activated, Voya would have far bigger problems than him!

  "Charmeleon, Drage! ales, Fme Wheel!"

  Voya quickly tossed out a ales to support Charmeleon's attacks.

  Night Daze erupted at cle—its sheer power forced both Pokémon back, though their bined moves had somewhat lessehe damage.

  Another Rock Slide rained down, but Voya pletely ig, fog instead on anding her Pokémon to surround and overwhelm Zoroark!

  BAM! BAM!

  This time, two hidden, razor-sharp storuiales and Charmeleon, causing signifit damage!

  Voya's eyes widened in shod frustration—her Pokémon were being pletely outmaneuvered! She felt a slight sense of fear—Sato's battle tactics were overwhelming!

  His mix of deception and uability—just from a single Rock Slide, Larvitar had turhe battle into chaos!

  And Larvitar wasn't even at the Elite level!

  At that moment, Zoroark seized another opening—another Feint Attack struck, leaving Charmeleon nearly down for the t!

  "Gengaar!"

  Gengar floated over to Sato, tugging at his sleeve.

  Turning to look, Sato saw that the chaotic battle around them had already eeam Rocket had pletely colpsed!

  Houndour was leading the remaining Pokémon, ensuring the battlefield was cleared.

  Sato grinned and recalled Zoroark. He g Voya, who stood motionless with only a ales guarding her.

  Saying nothing, he led the entire group of Pokémon as they stormed out of the underground base.

  ...

  Ihe base, Voya colpsed onto the ground in frustration. She couldn't uand—since when had Team Rocket bee so weak?

  A ten-year-old kid had single-handedly overturheir entire base.

  "Lady… Lady Voya!"

  A Team Rocket grunt stumbled toward her, his eyes filled with panid terror.

  Voya shot him a cold gre. Though her posture at the moment was far from elegant, her preseill carried authority.

  "All of the test subjects in the research area have escaped…!"

  "I saw that. Do you think I need you to tell me?"

  "A-and also…"

  "Say another useless word, and I'll cut your to!"

  "The Potential Enha Serum was taken as well!"

  "Damn it!"

  Voya shot to her feet, her furious gaze locked on the base's exit, but she had o vent her rage.

  "L-Lady Voya…"

  "What now?! Spit it all out at once!"

  "The intruder set a self-destruct program in our database—in just a few minutes, all of the base's data will be wiped!"

  Voya spun around, her fury overflowing.

  "Then why the hell are you still standing here?! Go disable it!"

  "Y-yes! I already sent someoo—"

  BANG! BANG!

  Suddenly, the entire underground base lost power.

  A few seds ter, the lights flickered ba, but the grunt who had beeing was now ashen-faced, slumped on the ground in plete silence.

  For the first time, Voya felt real panic.

  There were no more test subjects to capture, no Potential Enha Serum that money could reproduce—that be easily acquired—but without data records, everything was lost!

  "Sato!!!"

  -------

  Esg from the underground base, Sato faintly heard a pierg scream from behind. His body tensed for a moment, then he quied his pace.

  After over half an hour, Sato led hundreds of Pokémon deeper into the forest. Along the way, no wild Pokémon dared to block them, all choosing to stay far away.

  "This pce should do!"

  Sato came to a stop first, gasping for breath.

  The other Pokémon halted as well. Although many of them harbored deep hatred for humans, they were retively friendly toward Sato, who had freed them.

  "Houndour, scatter them. Tell them to run far—any dire except where we came from."

  "Awo~"

  Houndour affeately rubbed against Sato's leg before turning to rey instrus to the Fire-type Pokémon.

  "Woof! Woof!"

  In the crowd, around twenty to thirty Houndour lowered their bodies—it seemed they wao's Houndour as their leader.

  Houndour shook its head. It stood firmly by Sato's side, not taking a siep forward—it had already made its choice.

  At that moment, a Charmeleon stepped forward from the crowd.

  It silently approached Sato, staring at him for a long moment before pulling something from behind its back—a small, glowing orb.

  "The Fme Orb? Yiving this to me?"

  Charmeleon hen shook its head. It raised a d poioward Houndour.

  "It's for Houndour? But… it probably doesn't his, right?"