"Gengar, Energy Ball!"

  The victorious Gengar, having just taken down Fearow, wasted no time—it rushed toward Rhydon, summoning three glowing green orbs, then uhem in a straight line!

  A Grass-type Energy Ball attack—quadruple effective against Rhydon!

  "Rhydon, Fire Punch to ter!"

  Dead-fish eyes tanked Sato's kick, gritting his teeth as he shouted orders.

  Boom! Boom! Boom!

  Rhydon's fming fists smashed through the three Energy Balls—but its arms trembled slightly—Energy Balls weren't that easy to block!

  It wasn't over.

  After twon Dances, Larvitar's strength had increased signifitly.

  Before Rhydon could recover, Larvitar rushed behind it, leaping high into the air—and smmed a Brick Break straight into its waist!

  Rhydon roared in pain, its thick tail instinctively whipping back, smming into Larvitar.

  Larvitar had no time to dodge, and was sent flying—struggling to get back up.

  Boom! Boom! Boom!

  Three more Energy Balls hurtled forward—Rhydon crossed its arms, managing to block the first o the remaining two swerved, striking its exposed abdomen!

  A critical hit!

  Rhydon colpsed instantly—knocked out ly!

  "Power Whip!"

  Massive vines shed out, f Gengar to retreat—while Larvitar, still rec, was luckily not hit.

  Zoroark leapt high into the air, dodging easily—but something was wrong!

  Suddenly, dozens of additional vines sprouted from the grass below—Rhydon and Fearow's motionless bodies had already been dragged back toward Tangrowth!

  "Boom!"

  A thick bck fog erupted, shrouding the battlefield in darkness—in the already pitch-bight, visibility was now zero.

  During this brief moment of chaos—Dead-fish eyes suddenly threw two smoke bombs areated immediately!

  Sato paused for a moment, then chose not to pursue, falling back troup with his Pokémon.

  "The League has known about your assassination pn for a while now! You're not getting away!"

  He shouted smugly into the surrounding darkness.

  When the smoke cleared, the battlefield remained, filled with scars of battle, but his master was gone.

  Sato silently gathered his Pokémon, deep in thought. At this moment The Pokémoer had surely bee a fortress, sealing off all exits.

  With Fearow out of ission and his master heavily weakened, he shouldn't be foolish enough to return.

  Although Sato had po knock him unscious—he had to admit something to himself.

  If Larvitar hadn't mastered Stone Edge in time to block Rhydon Stone Edge, if Gengar hadn't taken down Fearow so quickly—right now—he'd be the one running for his life.

  Both Sato and his master were Blue-Rank Assassins, but his master was among the stro.

  That meant his master's remaining two Pokémon were highly likely to be Elite-level or stronger.

  On Sato's side Carvanha and Ariados had yet to be used. However Carvanha hadn't reached Elite-level yet, and Larvitar was already running on fumes.

  tinuing this battle would be too risky! but none of that could dampen Sato's mood because at that very moment a brilliant blue glow erupted from his team!

  Larvitar… was evolving!

  Despite its young appearance, Larvitar was actually older than Zoroark. Yet, after such a long period of accumution, it was only now beginning its first evolution.

  Raising pseudo-legendaries had never been easy. The time and resources required were beyond what most trainers could imagine.

  Sato approached the evolving co, extending his right hand—his Dark Energy flowed steadily over the glow, and with each breath, the co absorbed every st trace of the energy.

  Gengar and Zoroark spread out, instinctively guarding both Sato and Larvitar.

  This was a crucial moment. There could be no interruptions!

  Larvitar's evolution had e as a surprise. Though it had accumuted enough power, its sed stage was meant to be a period of stability.

  However.

  Crisis during battle was both danger… and opportunity.

  Mastering Stone Edge early roof of that. It sighat Larvitar's stored potential had begun awakening on its own.

  Like a dam holding back a reservoir. Ohe floodgates opened, if not properly trolled, the rushing water could break loose, leading to disaster.

  Evolution was the key to reinf that dam.

  And.

  Dark Energy was the catalyst.

  After a full mihe brilliant glow slowly faded. Larvitar was gone. In its pce stood a gleaming silver chrysalis.

  Pupitar!

  The massive co stood at a t 1.2 meters. Though its lower half was smooth and rounded, it remained firmly pnted on the ground.

  Sato ran his hand over its metallic surface. Its armor already felt like Tyranitar's pted shell—Tough and unyielding.

  "gratutions, Pupitar!"

  "Pupi-pu!"

  Pupitar's heavy-lidded eyes remained half-closed. Though it barely moved, Sato could feel its happiness.

  "Rest well. We'll feast when we're back!"

  Sato recalled Pupitar, not b to s its stats. Then mounted Zoroark and rushed back toward Kogaown.

  --------

  By the time he arrived Town was already urict lockdown.

  The first to greet him… Was a fully armed League patrol unit.

  "You're one of the Top Four from Tour Satht?"

  The tour had shaken all of Town, so locals had been keeping a close watch. The patrolling League officers quickly reized him.

  "Yeah, I was attacked too. My Pokémon are badly injured I o get to the Pokémoer."

  As he spoke, Sato handed over his Trainer ID, making things easier and avoiding unnecessary trouble.

  A video firmation from Joy Haruka yed.

  The officers' gazes turned envious. A Pokédex issued directly by the Joy Family? That was a on-a-lifetime event.

  "You know the way. Go on ahead."

  The squad captaiurned his Pokédex, adding—

  "The situation is under trol now. o worry too much."

  Sato's eyes narrowed. While slipping his Pokédex bato his bag, he casually asked—

  "What about the League's casualties? Were the losses bad?"

  "Among the Top Four… Only two teams remain."

  One of the more outspoken officers blurted out—

  "Ahem! You should head to the Pokémoer. We still have patrols to run."

  The squad captain cut in, quickly leading his team away.

  Sato pressed his lips together. From what he'd just heard it seemed the assassination attempt on Sen had failed.

  Otherwise, the patrol officers wouldn't have spoken so lightly about it.

  In the distaheir versation tinued.

  "Captain, why stop me? Everyone already knows about this. Sato's one of the Top Four, he'd find out soon anyway."

  "Whether he finds out or not isn't our . Remember—our job is patrol and keeping people calm. Not spreading rumors."