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At exactly noon, the bus from Goldenrod City to Ecruteak City departed on schedule. Sato leaned against the window, watching the traffic on the wide streets and the flow of pedestrians, though his thoughts were still lingering on what had happened just minutes before.
When faced with the temptation of Celebi, the legendary Pokémon, Sato had carefully weighed his options — and in the end, he resisted.
He returned Celebi to Chris without hesitation, making it clear that he had no desire to be entangled with her mysterious organization.
Chris's face had darkened when she heard his answer, but she hadn't pressed the issue. Instead, before leaving, she showed him a dossier.
It was a file on Sato himself. As he glanced over the detailed information about him, he had been utterly shocked. Yet even then, right up until Chris walked away, he hadn't acted rashly.
The meaning hidden in that gesture couldn't have been clearer: if persuasion didn't work, then threats would.
But Chris was disappointed. Sato neither bent to kindness nor to pressure. He had set his heart on avoiding any involvement with her mysterious organization and refused to yield.
In the end, with no other choice, Chris took the file back and destroyed it in front of him before leaving in silence.
"That organization is bound to be a disaster sooner or later… it'll have to be eliminated eventually. And that mole within Team Rocket must be rooted out, or else my plan of infiltrating the League under a new identity and washing myself clean will be riddled with flaws."
"As expected, this world is nothing like the anime. It's crawling with all kinds of monsters and demons."
"Power… it still comes down to power. A pseudo Elite-Four level Trainer isn't enough. Maybe only a high Elite Four tier, or even a Champion level Trainer, can truly stand untouchable."
Recalling the scene of Chris silently threatening him with that dossier, Sato's heart burned with fury.
That file was like a Damocles' sword hanging above his head, ready to fall at any moment. If it ever dropped, his hopes of cleansing his identity would be ruined forever.
The network of contacts and resources he had painstakingly built could crumble, and until he reached the level of a Trainer with true weight, he would always live under the League's shadow of suspicion.
Fortunately, for now he was still safe. His standing was too low — he had no roots in the League. Even if Chris had tried to report him with that file, the worst outcome would've been the end of his League prospects.
In truth, aside from exposing himself to the League's upper echelon and revealing his core Pokémon team, he wouldn't lose much of substance.
In fact, if Chris chose to report him, Sato could just as easily report her in return.
After all, any organization capable of cloning legendary Pokémon and using them to recruit powerful Trainers would draw far more scrutiny from the League than a "small fry" like him.
That was why he had threatened Chris with his telepathic powers. By openly revealing himself as a psychic, he forced her to tread carefully.
Chris was no fool. Once she realized Sato was a psychic, she knew her plan to recruit him had spiraled out of her control. Psychics were notoriously difficult to kill — even an Elite Four level Trainers would struggle to take one down unprepared.
And if she couldn't kill him, the consequences would be disastrous: her own identity exposed, hounded by Sato's pursuit, and worse, risking her organization being dragged into the open. To prevent the League from following the trail, her own people might even silence her.
So in the end, Chris abandoned her attempt to recruit him. She destroyed the file before his eyes, signaling she wouldn't expose his secrets.
But both of them knew the truth — this wasn't over. Their paths would inevitably cross again. And when that day came, it would be a battle with real blades and blood.
"Pichu~!"
Suddenly, Pichu hopped down from Sato's head and floated in front of him, sensing his frustration. The little Pokémon pulled silly faces and acted out goofy poses to cheer him up.
"Hahaha, your Pichu is really funny."
The antics drew a laugh from a male passenger nearby, who reached out to pat Pichu's head. But Pichu darted away with a look of disdain, leaving the man's hand and smile frozen in midair.
"Thanks… but don't worry, I'm fine. I'll just have to be more careful. And you—" Sato chuckled, patting Pichu's head and speaking to it with telepathic warmth, "—you'll have to work hard too."
"Pi~ Pi~ Pi!"
Pichu puffed up with determination, mimicking Swampert by raising its tiny arms in a bodybuilder pose and throwing little punches to show it would train hard.
Unfortunately, Pichu's display of bravado lasted less than three minutes before it yawned, fluttered back onto Sato's head, and promptly fell asleep.
Sato could only shake his head with an amused sigh. He leaned back against his seat to give Pichu a more comfortable perch, making sure it wouldn't fall.
He had been patiently caring for Pichu all this time, ensuring it enjoyed every day. With the help of the Soothe Bell, their bond had grown quickly. The fact that Pichu now tried to comfort him was a wonderful sign.
At this rate, it wouldn't be long before their closeness reached the level needed for evolution.
When that time came, Pichu would become his next ace Pokémon — one belonging to his new identity.
"Next stop, the Slowpoke Temple. I can't wait. Once I've taken care of my hidden dangers, I'll finally be able to set off on a real adventure with Pikachu."
Sato turned his head, watching the scenery flash past the window, his face full of anticipation.