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After making his decision, Sato immediately set off. According to the task-claiming process, he had to visit one of the supply stations on either side to apply for the mission.
However, just as he turned around, he spotted a thin young man standing not far away, looking at him with a puzzled expression. The young man was a head shorter than Sato, with a pale complexion and sharp, bloodshot eyes, making him seem like he hadn't slept in a long time.
Behind him stood three burly young men, each covered in tattoos and scars, clearly not the friendly type. They stood in perfect formation behind the thin young man, also looking at Sato with confused expressions.
Although Sato's face remained expressionless, his pupils shrank slightly, and his heartbeat quickened. This exhausted-looking young man was none other than Rondo, his mortal enemy from the Team Rocket underground base in Pewter City.
But from the way Rondo and his three subordinates looked at him with confusion, it was clear they didn't recognize him.
Previously, Sato had been a malnourished, sickly-looking, dark-skinned youth. But after over a month of proper meals and recovery, he had grown noticeably stronger, and his once-pale skin now had a healthy glow.
On top of that, his hairstyle had changed significantly—now resembling Red's from the Pokémon Adventures manga—no longer the plain buzz cut from before.
These changes, along with his improved physique, had greatly altered his appearance over the past month.
More importantly, Sato's aura had undergone a complete transformation. He was no longer the weak, easily bullied youth of the past but a Trainer who, by chance, had once defeated a Legendary Pokémon.
Because of this, he now exuded a powerful confidence. Even if he stood still in a crowd, his presence was striking.
If he were to put on an elite Trainer's uniform, the distinguished aura around him would be even more pronounced—anyone with sharp eyes would immediately recognize him as a powerful Trainer.
With both his inner and outer self having changed so drastically, it was no surprise that Rondo and his subordinates didn't recognize their old enemy.
At most, they found Sato somewhat familiar, as if they had seen him before, but they couldn't quite place him.
In normal circumstances, enemies meeting each other should be filled with hostility, yet because of Sato's drastic transformation—and the fact that he wasn't the reckless, impulsive type—the encounter remained unexpectedly calm.
Realizing that Rondo hadn't recognized him, Sato smirked inwardly. To amuse himself, he even shot them a playful smile before casually heading toward the supply station on the left side of the mission hall.
However, what happened next left Sato both amused and speechless.
Rondo was a deeply calculating person. Although he didn't recognize Sato, he instinctively felt that Sato was someone formidable. Seeing Sato nod and smile at him, Rondo immediately returned the gesture with a smile of his own.
His three subordinates, upon seeing their boss smile at Sato, immediately assumed that Rondo knew him. Without hesitation, they all flashed what they thought were friendly smiles at Sato, with the tallest and burliest among them even waving at him.
"…"
Sato was left utterly speechless.
Of course, he had no intention of exposing the truth. With the Rookie Battle Tournament already two days in, time was tight. If Rondo and his men failed to recognize him, it only meant fewer unnecessary complications for him.
But just as Sato took a few steps forward, a PokéBall on Rondo's belt suddenly burst open on its own. A bright white light shot out and landed directly in front of Sato.
The next moment, an Arbok—twice the size of a typical one—appeared before him. The massive purple serpent coiled its body upon emerging, raising its enormous head and locking its blood-red eyes onto Sato, seething with deep-seated hatred.
A cold glint flashed in Arbok's eyes. In the blink of an eye, its head shot forward like a purple bolt of lightning, jaws wide open, revealing rows of venomous fangs as it lunged at Sato.
Feeling the sheer killing intent radiating from the Arbok, Sato's instincts screamed danger. Without hesitation, he rolled to the left, narrowly avoiding the serpent's lightning-fast strike.
"You want me dead? Fine, bring it on! Go, Pelipper—use Hydro Pump!"
Narrowly escaping death, Sato's eyes filled with murderous intent. He immediately released his Shiny Pelipper, ordering her to attack.
The moment Pelipper appeared, she saw the Arbok preparing to launch another strike at Sato. Her eyes flashed with fury, and she unleashed a powerful jet of water from her beak.
A loud "BOOM!" echoed through the hall.
Pelipper's Hydro Pump was incredibly fast. Just as Arbok was about to bite down on Sato, the high-pressure water blast struck it head-on, sending it flying.
The massive serpent crashed violently against the mission hall's wall.
"Finish it off! Keep using Hydro Pump! Kill it!"
Having just been ambushed and nearly killed, Sato was furious. His eyes gleamed with killing intent as he ordered Pelipper to keep attacking, determined to take Rondo's Arbok down for good.
At the same time, his eyes flashed blue as he activated his system's scanning function, instantly pulling up Arbok's data.
...…
Pokémon: Arbok
Level: 37
Type: Poison
Ability: Shed Skin
Gender: Male
Known Moves:Wrap, Leer, Poison Sting, Bite, Glare, Screech, Acid, Crunch, Ice Fang, Thunder Fang, Fire Fang, Stockpile, Swallow, Spit Up, Acid Spray
Egg Move:Iron Tail
Tutor Move:Rock Tomb
TM Moves:Protect, Hidden Power (Water), Poison Jab, Aqua Tail, Giga Drain
Held Item: Poison Barb
IVs:
HP: 28
Attack: 30
Defense: 28
Special Attack: 30
Special Defense: 29
Speed: 30
Overall IV Rating: Gold Tier (Total IV: 175)
...…
"So this bastard actually got lucky enough to pick a gold-tier Ekans? What are the chances?"
Sato was stunned by Arbok's stats. He had never expected his old enemy to have such ridiculous luck—getting a gold-tier Pokémon just from the standard selection process for rookie recruits.
With such impressive stats, this Arbok was naturally quite formidable. Even after taking a direct hit from Pelipper's same-type-boosted Hydro Pump, it seemed barely affected.
The massive serpent quickly recovered, slithering out of the way just as Pelipper fired a second blast of water.
Then, Arbok began moving with eerie, serpentine agility, swiftly closing the distance toward Sato. When it was less than ten meters away, the snake patterns on its chest suddenly shifted in a bizarre manner.
The next second, Arbok's speed skyrocketed.
With a sharp "whoosh," it left behind an afterimage as it transformed into a purple blur, instantly appearing behind Sato.
A deadly sense of danger surged through him, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead.