The Game er was as lively as ever. Sato entered calmly, apanied by Zoroark, who was disguised as a young man.

  Now that it had evolved, Zoroark's personality had beuch more posed. It walked with an air more human than even some actual people.

  This time, Sato avoided pying the Lucky Spin game—he was worried that if his luck was too good again, it would attrawatention.

  Instead, he casually pyed low-risk games, but his true focus remained on the security personnel.

  The venue was rge, and the guards stantly patrolled, making it difficult to get a t. However, Sato quickly notiajor ge pared to the previous night—patrol frequency had more than doubled!

  Loose oside, tight on the inside.

  For several hours, he and Zoroark wahrough the entire Game er, blending in with the crowd.

  Sato even took the time to teach Zoroark some simple games, letting it adapt to its human illusion. Oisfied, he ehe night's reaissance.

  Before leaving, he made one final check—the painting on the wall he Lucky Spin area remained unged. Only then did he calmly exit.

  Ohird day, Sato dider the Game er himself. Instead, he waited outside, letting Zo in alone.

  Everything seemed normal, except for ohing—several people were lingering around outside, walking bad forth without ever leaving.

  On the fourth day, Zoroark ehe Game er as usual. However, just three mier, it returned with urgent news.

  The painting had been ged!

  "Go into hiding. Stick to the pn."

  "Zoro~"

  Even while maintaining its illusion, Zoroark's growl sounded somewhat strange. But at that moment, no one paid attention to the sound.

  Zoroark re-ehe Game er, while Sato turned away a, heading straight for the Pokémoer.

  At 8:45 PM, Sato arrived at the Pokémoer.

  His first stop was the reception desk, where he booked a room for the night. However, instead of heading inside, he walked straight to the outdoor training grounds.

  "Haunter, Spinarak, work on your moves," he instructed casually while keeping an eye on the tinuous flow of trainers ing in and out of the Pokémoer.

  The miicked by.

  8:58 PM.

  He called back Haunter and Spinarak, ag as if he were simply giving them a break.

  8:59 PM.

  He fed both Pokémon High-Grade Pokéblocks, and they happily devoured them, oblivious to the real reason behind Sato's sudden generosity.

  They didn't uand why, but food was food.

  "It's happening!"

  9:00 PM.

  Sato felt a moment of plete silence, like the world had frozen for an instant.

  The moment his lips formed the word "Protect," Haunter—who was especially sensitive to danger—instantly activated its protective barrier!

  —BOOM!

  Every window in the Pokémoer shattered simultaneously as an explosion engulfed the building in fmes.

  The fireball rose high, lighting up half of Goldenrod City. Those nearby felt the ground tremble beh their feet.

  Fiery debris bsted outward, scattering like burnieors.

  Haunter's Protect absorbed the brunt of the impact, shielding them from the bst wave and ining debris.

  A split sed ter, Spinarak—finally reag—activated its own Protect, reinf the barrier and ensuring their survival.

  Dark Energy surged within Sato's body. The ringing in his ears, the pain, the dizziness—he shut them all out, fog only on his objective.

  Without hesitation, he rushed into the burning Pokémoer.

  "Haunter, find Nurse Joy!"

  The situation was dire, but Haunter didn't waste time pying tricks.

  Using its Ghost-Type perception, it began sing for life signals within the wreckage.

  "Spinarak, use String Shot!*"

  Sato poioward a fallen trainer, unscious and bleeding from a deep wound on their arm.

  Without hesitation, Spinarak ed the wound tightly, stopping the bleeding.

  That was all Sato could do for now.

  "Haunter!"

  The ghost let out a chilling cackle—it had found something.

  "Move!"

  Sato's eyes turned pitch bck, Dark Energy c through his veins. His vision cut through the smoke, allowing him to navigate the burning ruins without slowing down.

  The front desk ahead. If Nurse Joy was anywhere, she should be there.

  However, the fai rapid footsteps did not escape Sato's ears.

  "Haunter, Shadow Ball barrage!"

  Without hesitation, a dozen small Shadow Balls scattered in all dires. Two dazzling Air Sshes shot out from the right fnk, slig through two of the Shadow Balls.

  Footsteps approached. Three Team Rocket grunts, biforms, emerged oer another, stepping into Sato's view.

  Ihick smoke, a Crobat lurked silently—the Air Ssh from earlier was its doing.

  "He actually survived the explosion?" One of the grunts spoke in surprise.

  "Less talking, find Nurse Joy first!" The deep voice came from anrunt. "Arbok, Bind!"

  "Haunter, scatter Shadow Balls!"

  The other two Team Rocket grunts stepped back slightly, clearly prioritizing their search for Nurse Joy, dead or alive. Sato had the same goal, so he used Haunter aloo block the three of them.

  "You're asking for it! Arbok, Acid! Crobat, Wing Attack! Kill them!"

  From the shadows, Crobat and the powerful Arbok emerged, while the other two grunts sent out their Pokémon—two Houndour!

  "Haunter, Shadow Ball! Carvanha, Water Gun to hold off the Houndour!"

  This time, Haunter jured only two Shadow Balls, but they were much rger and darker!

  Boom! Boom!

  Both Crobat and Arbok were bsted away. Hauaking on two oppos at once, pletely suppressed them!

  Carvanha also demonstrated its potential. Despite being out of water, it rapidly densed airborne moisture to form a weakened Water Gun, pushing back both Houndour repeatedly!

  The advantage of high-potential Pokémon was clear. Even though they had yet to fully mature, they could still dominate against oppos of the same level!

  "Zzzzt!"

  Out of nowhere, strands of sticky silk shot from behind the three Team Rocket grunts, instantly binding their belts, preventing them from releasing more Pokémon.

  "Zoro!"

  "Sharrrrk!"

  Haunter and Carvanha pressed their advantage. Without their trainers' orders, the four opposing Pokémon could do nothing as Spinarak ed their owightly in webbing.

  Three mier, without ands, the four Pokémon quickly fell. Haunter remained lively, while Carvanha suffered injuries and had to be recalled.

  Without resolving Carvanha's mobility issue on nd, its battle performance would always be limited.

  Soon after, Sato found Nurse Joy unscious at the reception desk. Her body inned under a severely wounded and bloodied sey.

  …

  Outside the Silph Co. building, League trainers had already surrouhe area. The pn was to begin the full assault at 9:30 PM, swiftly seg the lobby to minimize chaos.

  But Team Rocket, already aware of the operation, had preemptively bombed the Pokémoer!

  Inside an inspicuous small building, a massive s dispyed footage of the Pokémoer engulfed in fmes.

  Most of those in the room wore poliiforms, with Officer Jenny of Goldenrod City seated he front.

  At the head of the room sat her than one of Johto's Elite Four—the ander of this operation te Team Rocket from Goldenrod City—Bruno, the Fighting-type Elite!