…Infernape had fallen, yet Zoroark still hadn't broken through despite having defeated a stronger opponent across levels.
Sato patted Zoroark on the shoulder, signaling it not to rush.
The breakthrough from Peak Ace to Elite Four… was never something that came easily.
"Zoro…"
Zoroark shook its head dejectedly, then turned and charged toward the remaining Pokémon from the Hunter Guild.
If one wasn't enough, then fight ten…
If ten weren't enough, then fight a hundred!
Hunter Q was already restrained. With their leader captured, the now headless Hunter Guild became even easier to deal with. Sato watched Zoroark's stubborn figure fade into the fray and said nothing more.
At this point, it was best to let Zoroark vent.
The battle was already decided. The Pokémon Hunters began surrendering en masse, no longer putting up a fight.
After all, they couldn't escape, and they couldn't win. There was no point in resisting.
Among them, Sato not only blocked every member of the Hunter Guild but also personally captured their leader, Hunter Q, making him undoubtedly the one who had contributed the most.
But he didn't feel particularly thrilled. After all, if Cynthia had arrived earlier, she could have achieved the same result with ease.
Without Zoroark's breakthrough, everything else felt meaningless to Sato.
Soon enough, a now emotionally drained Zoroark returned silently to Sato's side, and for once, its normally calm demeanor revealed a rare trace of helplessness.
"No rush. We'll have plenty more chances."
Sato gently stroked Zoroark's smooth fur, comforting it sincerely.
'You were my Starter Pokémon across two lifetimes… how could you not advance?'
Sato's calmness and trust soothed Zoroark's frustration and reignited its determination.
"Zoro!"
Zoroark nodded firmly, then voluntarily returned to its Poké Ball.
It would recover to peak condition as fast as possible… and wait for the next opportunity to break through.
---◓---
Back at the base, Cynthia got straight to work handling post-operation cleanup. She had no time to come see Sato.
But Sato wasn't bored. Using his high-level League intranet access, he began searching for any major events recently occurring in the Sinnoh region; preferably something that could offer Zoroark another worthy opponent.
And it didn't take long for Sato to find something interesting…
The Sunyshore Power Plant had been overrun by a large number of Electric- and Fire-type Pokémon working together. Due to its high danger level, no Trainer had dared to take the assignment so far.
The plant was under the jurisdiction of Sunyshore City, but its Gym Leader, Volkner, had also been temporarily reassigned to the Mt. Coronet operation.
So the matter of the power plant had simply been shelved, until Sato came across it.
With the operation finished, Sato's role as "tool man" was no longer needed, so he could leave without… any burden, really.
---◓---
"Uh… want to come with me?"
Looking at Cynthia standing silently before him, Sato unexpectedly found himself feeling a bit timid.
"…You think I can leave right now?" Cynthia motioned toward the mountain of files on the desk. Her tone was calm, but Sato could clearly hear the resentment beneath it.
"I just thought-"
"I'll spar with you."
"Huh?" Sato froze, caught completely off guard.
"You're going to Sunyshore City across the mountains to find opponents, right? Then why not battle me instead?"
"Really!?"
Sato lit up with joy and couldn't help asking again. In response, he got only Cynthia's sharp turn and an eye-roll.
"Hehe~"
Sato didn't mind at all. With a goofy grin, he cheerfully turned around and carried his already-packed luggage back to his room.
After dinner, Sato shot Cynthia a mischievous glance, then casually made his way to the cliff where they'd spoken before, silently waiting.
Soon enough, Cynthia arrived as promised, though her expression was still far from pleasant…
Looking at Sato's eager stance, Cynthia couldn't help but want to ask.
'Did I bring you back to Sinnoh just so you could use me like some sparring tool?
Is my beauty really worthless compared to my combat strength…?'
Yuga. Sato. Worse. Than. A. Beast!
"You're here! How should we battle today!?"
Sato asked, practically bouncing with excitement… continuing to poke at Cynthia's nerves.
"Whatever!"
"Alright, let's start with a 1v1 warm-up and-"
"Garchomp, battle ready!"
Seeing Cynthia so swiftly and decisively send out her ace Pokémon, Sato was momentarily stunned.
She really didn't hold back at all.
"Zoroark, we go all out!"
But before he could dwell on it, Cynthia had already commanded Garchomp to attack. A clean, sharp Brick Break came crashing down toward Zoroark.
"Dodge it! Night Daze!"
"Zoro!"
Zoroark leapt backward repeatedly, effortlessly evading the incoming strike, and seized the chance to unleash a wide-spreading Night Daze!
"Intercept that Night Daze. Slash it apart with… Slash!"
As Cynthia's command rang out, Garchomp had already raised its right claw to its left hip, preparing a sword-draw stance.
[Draw Style: Slash]
Shuuuun-
Slashhhh~
A blinding white arc flared before Garchomp. In the blink of an eye, the Night Daze was sliced cleanly in two.
"Dragon Rush!"
Cynthia's battle style remained as aggressive and forceful as ever. Her overwhelming endurance and relentless pressure wore down opponents without them realizing it.
Add in the sheer intimidation of Dragon Rush, and most Trainers' first instinct would be to defend or flee.
Counterattack? Nearly impossible!
In the next instant, Dragon Rush made contact with Zoro-…
No… it was a clone!
As the first clone was shattered by Garchomp's charge, the entire battlefield was suddenly filled with countless shadowy clones. Each one was vivid and lifelike, even shouting threats at Garchomp as they swarmed.
[Illusion Tactic ◓⃙ Stage Two: Form and Voice]!
The initial Night Daze had always been a diversion; whether it hit or not, destroyed or not, it was just a cover.
The real goal had been to let Zoroark set up its Illusion strategy.
And now, Zoroark's upgraded tactic had succeeded!
Not only could it replicate form, it could now simulate sound with uncanny accuracy!
"Dark Pulse!"
"Zoro~"
"Zoroark!"
"Zor…"
"Dattebayo~"
A chorus of Zoroark voices erupted from all directions, followed by waves of Dark Pulse that sealed off all of Garchomp's escape routes.
But among all these blasts, which ones were real and which ones were fake? Likely only the one that actually hit would give the answer…
"Garchomp, Sandstorm!"
"[Night Daze: Singularity Sphere]!"
The battlefield was quickly engulfed in a raging Sandstorm, while Zoroark began forming a glowing sphere between its hands.
Amid this brutal storm, there was a fleeting moment of stillness.
And then chaos came crashing down like the sky itself…