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In the following ten or so minutes, Sato moved like a messiah among the crowd, warmly welcomed by over a dozen strangers in succession, each one enthusiastically offering him items that, to his surprise, turned out to be quite decent.
Unfortunately, almost every single one of them left in high spirits but returned shortly after with faces like they'd just attended a funeral.
However, once they realized their flying Pokémon mounts were rapidly recovering their stamina, their expressions changed instantly—eyes lighting up with renewed hope and joy as if they'd found a way to survive.
There was no doubt that these people were currently experiencing a strange blend of pain and delight.
At that moment, Sato—acting like the heartless merchant he was—was happily tucked away in some secluded corner, carefully counting the fine wool he'd just sheared off a flock of fat sheep. The spoils were more than enough to knit himself a luxurious woolen coat.
The members of Team Rocket who had made it this far in the rookie showdown were among the most elite of the new recruits. Without some form of special opportunity or background, they wouldn't have reached this point.
In other words, while they weren't swimming in wealth, each one of them had considerable assets—being worth tens of millions of PokéDollars was the norm.
But thanks to Sato's little fleecing session just now, their assets had effectively been halved.
On the other hand, Sato made a handsome profit. All he had offered in return were a few hundred PokeBlocks—items that could be cheaply manufactured from common berries.
What's more, to avoid giving anyone the chance to power up for the upcoming matches, he intentionally limited each transaction to no more than 50 mid-grade PokeBlocks.
Although the items these people brought were fairly valuable, none of them compared to the Toxic Essence that Maya had handed over. Because of that, Sato didn't opt for barter trades. Instead, he went straight for Alliance currency.
At a ruthless black-market rate of 200,000 PokéDollars per mid-grade PokeBlock, Sato sold around 800 in total—instantly netting himself over 160 million PokéDollars.
His previously drained wallet—emptied out by high-tech purchases and awakening agents—now bounced back slightly, reaching over 200 million PokéDollars once again.
Of course, Sato was well aware that doing something like this was bound to attract resentment. It was highly likely he'd become a target in the matches to come. That's why he made sure to disguise his appearance for every transaction.
He even traded with each person one-on-one, changing his appearance after every deal to minimize the risk of getting ganged up on later.
When the benefits of the PokeBlocks—especially their stamina recovery—became apparent, word spread quickly. Soon, a new wave of wealthy "sheep" came flocking his way.
Thanks to this second batch, Sato gained another 100 million PokéDollars, bringing his funds back to a near-peak level.
Interestingly, even that icy-cold Team Rocket Elite came to buy PokeBlocks from him.
Unfortunately, Sato didn't dare scam someone of that caliber and even offered him a few high-grade PokeBlocks free of charge.
Perhaps appreciating Sato's tact, the elite not only introduced himself but also secretly gifted him a directory containing profiles of some of the participants.
All in all, Sato's black-market dealings were but a small interlude in the second phase of the Rookie Competition. Half an hour passed in a flash, and the elite Rocket member named Nogu—who was at the pseudo Elite Four level—set off once again.
This time, their long-distance flight didn't take place under blue skies and white clouds. Instead, it unfolded beneath a moonless, star-scattered night sky.
However, the PokeBlocks Sato had distributed played a crucial role during this flight—no one fell behind.
It had to be said: Sato, all by himself, had subtly influenced the early dynamics of Phase Two in this Rookie Competition.
After over an hour of nighttime flight, Nogu led Sato and the others into a dense sea mist.
The fog was so thick—and the darkness so deep—that the human eye was rendered nearly useless. Visibility was limited to a mere meter or two.
What's worse, the fog also seemed to interfere with sensory perception, making it difficult for even Pokémon to navigate. Even Crobat's echolocation was practically useless.
Thankfully, Nogu knew this area like the back of his hand and carried a special tool capable of emitting a powerful piercing light to guide the way.
Without him, Sato and the others might have gotten hopelessly lost in this fog—trapped forever.
This sea mist spanned hundreds of nautical miles. Sato and the others spent over ten minutes flying through it before finally emerging on the other side—where a massive island suddenly loomed into view.
Now under a magnificent, starry sky with not a single cloud above, the island stood serenely, untouched. Oddly enough, the thick sea mist that had enveloped the ocean for hundreds of miles couldn't even drift within 100 meters of the island. It was as if some invisible force kept it at bay, forcing the fog to linger at a respectful distance.
It was unbelievable, but undeniable—they were witnessing the raw, mysterious power of nature.
As they drew closer, they noticed that the island was also surrounded by countless whirlpools. At the center of each vortex, water vapor was continuously rising, constantly feeding the thick fog that surrounded the island.
Clearly, this vast fog was a direct result of the island's unique aquatic surroundings.
"What a hidden paradise… What kind of mysterious power could be protecting this island? It's like Pandaria from the Pokémon world…"
Sato couldn't help but marvel at the sight before him, quietly awestruck by the wonders of nature.
(Note: Pandaria is a continent in World of Warcraft long shrouded by sea mist. It is the homeland of the Pandaren.)
Before Sato could savor the moment any longer, the stoic Nogu bluntly urged him to keep moving. Eventually, they arrived at a small artificial island dozens of meters away from the main island.
Team Rocket had already built a large, fortified base on this artificial island. It was brightly lit, and even from afar, Sato could tell it was under heavy security—dozens of Rocket members were patrolling the perimeter.
As Sato and the others approached, two teams of Rocket members on flying mounts immediately surrounded them. The two captains leading them were both pseudo Elite Four trainers, their Pokémon radiating equally strong auras.
All of them gave off a hardened, militaristic vibe—tinged with the metallic scent of blood. It was clear these were battle-hardened Rocket elites.
Even the usually icy Nogu obediently had his Pidgeot hover in midair and submitted to inspection.
But before the security check could be completed, a loud alarm suddenly rang out from the base.
Immediately, the Rocket elites who had been checking them abandoned their posts and flew off toward the base without hesitation.
Startled by the siren and the elites' urgency, Sato and the others tensed up, turning to the one person who might have answers—Nogu.
His expression was grim. Though he remained silent, he raised a hand and pointed toward the large island.
Following the direction of his finger, Sato and the others looked.
Under the faint moonlight, it only took a few seconds for them to see it: a dark cloud speeding toward the Rocket base from the island.
But as soon as Sato saw what that "cloud" truly was, his whole body went cold. A chill ran down his spine as a powerful sense of impending doom took hold.