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Sato showed no mercy. From his storage gear, he drew a sharp hunter's blade and, in one clean stroke, executed Baku.
Seizing the brief window before the other Blood Axe Squad members could arrive, he quickly stripped Baku's clothes and slipped them on. Then, with Ditto transformed into a human-skin mask, he disguised himself perfectly as Baku.
Acting required a full performance. To gain the trust of the other Blood Axe members, Sato deliberately took a weak Thunder Shock from Pikachu, leaving himself scorched and bedraggled.
His Swampert also landed a few heavy blows on itself, giving him the look of someone who had just survived a brutal fight.
From the time Sato subdued Baku and his Pokémon to when the first Blood Axe member arrived, barely one or two minutes had passed. Yet the first one didn't reach him until five full minutes later — and when he saw "Baku" in such a sorry state, his eyes instantly gleamed with a gloating look.
That alone showed how hated Baku was within the squad.
Soon, Kux and the rest of the Blood Axe members arrived. They looked at the charred, hair-standing figure of "Baku," and the lifeless Pokémon scattered around him. Their expressions were a mix of grimness and ill-concealed glee.
Baku might have been detested, but his strength was undeniable. In life-or-death combat, he ranked among the squad's top three.
Now, to see "Baku" reduced to such a state so quickly — it meant that if any one of them had encountered the unknown enemy alone, their fate wouldn't have been much better.
"Baku, what happened? What did the enemy look like?"
Once everyone had gathered and "Baku's" injuries had stabilized, Kux finally questioned him.
"Hmph, what do you mean what happened? Didn't you see? I was ambushed! That bastard wore black clothes and a mask, terrifyingly strong, and had a ridiculously powerful Electivire. My Pokémon were taken down instantly! If not for my Swampert risking its life to save me, I might not have lasted long enough for your so-called rescue!"
At Kux's words, Sato erupted in fury, letting killing intent radiate off him. He glared viciously, his voice hoarse as he shouted at Kux and the others.
When he said "rescue," he deliberately emphasized it, highlighting his anger at their slow response.
Kux didn't take offense. In his impression, if Baku had suffered such a loss and their support came late, this kind of reaction was natural.
But the other members bristled. Hearing "Baku's" reproach, their eyes flashed with murderous intent, their gazes on him turning hostile.
Right now, apart from his Swampert, all of "Baku's" Pokémon were gone. With his power diminished, they no longer needed to fear him.
Yet "Baku" still dared to act so arrogantly. For a moment, killing intent simmered among the squad.
But Baku was Baku. Even with reduced strength, he was utterly fearless. "Baku" glared right back at them, meeting their eyes with unflinching defiance.
Even Kux felt a flicker of murderous intent — but as captain, he had to think bigger. Baku was one of the few senior members left, and had always respected him.
If he let the others kill "Baku" now, his authority would collapse, the squad would fracture, and in the end, it would disband. His captaincy would be finished.
So, for the sake of the monthly resources he received and to maintain his dominance, Kux had no choice but to back "Baku," however much he disliked him.
"Enough! Look at the timing — infighting now is exactly what the enemy wants. Do you really want to let them laugh at us?"
"Mike, take Baku back to base for treatment. The rest of you, follow me to continue the search nearby. This time, no splitting up. The enemy is extremely strong — none of us can handle him alone."
Seeing the conflict ready to ignite, Kux quickly moved to Sato's side, shoulder to shoulder, and scolded the others with a reasonable excuse.
The members' expressions shifted at once, and their hostility faded.
Mike, one of Kux's trusted men, heard the order. Though unwilling, he obeyed. He released a Lapras, lifted "Baku" onto its back, and swam toward base.
On the way, Sato maintained his furious act, ignoring Mike entirely. Mike, seeing his sour mood, didn't bother to provoke him.
Thus, the two reached the desolate island where the base was located without exchanging a word.
Led by Mike — a true Team Aqua elite — Sato slipped smoothly into the heavily fortified base.
To be honest, the defenses were far stronger than he had imagined. Outside, he saw numerous Golbat fitted with miniature infrared cameras, as well as roving and hidden sentries.
Inside, there were countless checkpoints and cameras, with strict identity checks at every stage.
Had he barged in relying solely on psychic power, he would have been caught instantly.
Luckily, Baku's vicious reputation was well known in this Team Aqua base. None of the ordinary guards dared to check him — they waved him through without a word.
"Phew… that wasn't easy. But the bitter-meat ploy worked."
Back in Baku's room, after watching Mike leave, Sato finally felt the heavy weight in his chest lift. Exhausted, he collapsed on the bed, drained but relieved.
Then, focusing his psychic power, he scanned the room inside and out. Finding no hidden cameras, he retrieved Baku's belongings from the storage gear and began carefully studying them.