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"You're looking to die. Honchkrow, Brave Bird! Houndoom, Hyper Beam!"
Seeing Sato issuing cold-faced commands to his Pokémon to attack, the burly man instantly knew things had gone south. Even so, he gritted his teeth and resolutely commanded his own Pokémon to fight back.
As a Squad Leader in Team Rocket, he understood that retreating now would mean utter ruin.
The forest cabin was under surveillance. Every move here was being monitored by the underground Rocket base in Pewter City. For all he knew, the higher-ups might already be watching this unfold.
Had he managed to kill Sato when he first attacked, things would have been simple—just the death of a low-level grunt, nothing significant.
As a squad leader, he had some power and reputation. He could have just reported to his superiors that Sato entered the restricted area without identification, forcing him to act. In that case, the higher-ups wouldn't have blamed him over an unimportant grunt.
But now, Sato had effortlessly dismantled his ambush and even taken down one of his Pokémon. This made things much worse for him.
The burly man faced three major problems:
First, Sato had proven himself far from an insignificant grunt. Though his rank was still low, his strength was undeniable—it was only a matter of time before he climbed the ranks.
His display of power had undoubtedly drawn attention from above.
Second, his reckless attack was recorded by surveillance. Even if Sato killed him now, the higher-ups wouldn't defend him.
Third, Sato was really furious and was looking to make an example of him. If he could withstand Sato's wrath, his position in the base would remain secure—he might even get promoted.
But if he failed, he'd become nothing more than a stepping stone for Sato. He'd be mocked by his colleagues, unable to hold his head up in the base, and he'd lose favor with his superiors.
One misstep, and it was eternal regret. The burly man was filled with remorse, but it was too late to back down now. He had no choice but to fight.
The moment he issued his orders, Honchkrow and Houndoom sprang into action.
Honchkrow surged forward, cloaked in a blue aura. It didn't attempt to dodge the Thunderbolt launched by Nidorino, instead charging straight at it in a brilliant blue streak.
The golden arcs of electricity struck Honchkrow, and though much of the energy was dispersed by its blue aura, Thunderbolt was still super-effective. Combined with Honchkrow's relatively low defenses, the attack caused it significant pain.
For a moment, the blue glow surrounding Honchkrow dimmed, and its momentum faltered.
Yet, as the Brave Bird attack bore down on Nidorino, the latter remained unfazed. Without waiting for Sato's command, it reacted instinctively—its powerful hind legs glowed white, and its forehead horn shone with a piercing purple light.
Nidorino kicked the ground with Double Kick, using the force to propel itself forward. Its body became a streak of purple as it met Honchkrow's Brave Bird head-on with Poison Jab.
On the other side, Houndoom faced the Hydro Pump unleashed by the shiny Pelipper. In response, it fired an orange beam from its mouth—Hyper Beam—to intercept the attack.
Unfortunately for Houndoom, the downpour in the forest had only grown heavier, amplifying the power of Pelipper's Water-type moves. Under these conditions, the Water-type Hydro Pump vastly outpowered the Normal-type Hyper Beam.
In the next instant, the orange beam from Hyper Beam was completely overwhelmed. Pelipper's massive torrent crashed into Houndoom, sending it flying just like the Rhydon before it.
With a pained howl, Houndoom was hurled backward, slamming through three trees before coming to a stop.
Perhaps because Hyper Beam had weakened Hydro Pump slightly, Houndoom wasn't completely knocked out—but it was gravely injured.
Struggling to rise, Houndoom tried to stand its ground. But Pelipper, remembering Sato's strict training, showed no mercy. Another massive Hydro Pump burst from its beak.
This time, Houndoom took the full brunt of the attack. No matter how unwilling it was, it could only collapse.
Meanwhile, the battle between Honchkrow and Nidorino was reaching its climax.
With a base Attack stat of 125, Honchkrow's Brave Bird was a force to be reckoned with.
But Nidorino wasn't far behind. Thanks to its Hustle ability, its Poison Jab had reached a power level of 120—matching the strength of Brave Bird.
The only real difference was their Attack stats—Nidorino's was only 72. However, the burly man's Honchkrow was just a blue-tier Pokémon, and at similar levels, the Attack gap between them wasn't insurmountable.
As the two moves clashed, the fight turned into a brutal contest of endurance.
In the end, the level 35 Nidorino fell just short against the level 37 Honchkrow. It was sent flying backward.
(Note: Honchkrow has an individual value of 131, while Houndoom's is 135—both blue-tier Pokémon.)
However, Brave Bird is a double-edged sword—while it deals heavy damage, it also causes severe recoil. Though Honchkrow had forced Nidorino back, it was also gravely injured.
And by now, Nidorino's horn was crackling with golden electricity once more—it was ready to use Thunderbolt again.
In the blink of an eye, another bolt of golden lightning shot forward, striking Honchkrow before it could react. Letting out a shrill cry, the battered bird plummeted to the ground.
The two-against-three battle had reached its conclusion. The winner was, of course, the one who had been forced into this fight—Sato.
With their opponents defeated, Nidorino and Pelipper flanked the burly man, murderous intent in their eyes. If he dared to make a move, they would send him to the afterlife without hesitation.
"Now we can talk properly," Sato said coldly, stepping forward. "Tell me—how do you plan to compensate me?"
"According to the organization's rules, I have the right to end you, permanently. But to be honest, I'd rather not. Especially since we might work together in the future."
"However, you know the rules," he continued, pulling out a gleaming hunting knife. "Hand over your 'life money.'"
Expressionless but exuding a chilling aura, Sato pressed the blade against the burly man's throat, his voice ice-cold .