Krokorok's eyes widened in shock, but before it could even react, the next wave of attacks came crashing down. Crawdaunt's massive claws, wrapped in torrents of water, slammed directly into Krokorok's body.
Whether it was Crawdaunt's pent-up energy from being out of battle for too long, or simply its natural ferocity, all that restrained power finally found its release.
One strike after another rained down, relentless and merciless.
And every blow landed straight on Krokorok's face.
WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!
Each punch followed by another, crashing down with brutal precision!
In just four devastating blows, Krokorok lost all ability to fight. Its face was beaten so severely that its features were twisted beyond recognition, and it collapsed limply to the ground, barely clinging to consciousness.
"That's enough, Crawdaunt."
Sieg's calm voice cut through the air, halting Crawdaunt's violent assault. It wasn't out of mercy, after all, what mercy could you show to a criminal?
The only reason he spared Krokorok's life was to verify a suspicion he had.
With a casual flick of his wrist, he tossed out an Ultra Ball, capturing the weakened Krokorok instantly. The Pokéball contracted with a soft click, and Sieg clipped it neatly to the back of his Pokédex.
"Beep-beep-beep～～～"
"Krokorok, the Desert Croc Pokémon. The evolved form of Sandile. They live in groups in the desert. The special membrane covering its eyes guards them against sandstorms."
"Level: 31. Type: Ground/Dark. Gender: Female. Ability: Intimidate. Height: 3'3". Weight: 73 lbs. Growth rate: Medium Slow. No outstanding characteristics."
"Known Moves: Sand Attack, Leer, Bite, Rage, Torment, Sand Tomb, Pursuit, Mud-Slap, Embargo, Swagger, Crunch. Egg Move: Focus Energy."
Glancing over the data displayed on the screen, Sieg immediately understood.
"So it's female. No wonder she stayed behind to guard the territory." His eyes narrowed as the pieces fell into place.
Among Krokorok communities, females typically remained to protect the nest while males ventured out to hunt for food and drive away intruders. The females were responsible for incubating eggs and raising the young.
"Which means these seven Sandile eggs are mine now." Sieg ordered his other Pokémon to clean up the scene quickly, then departed without delay.
He made his way back to the sandy slope where he and Murkrow had agreed to rendezvous.
Sure enough, within minutes, the harsh cries of a crow echoed across the desert night.
From the darkened sky, Murkrow swooped down, its wings beating as it returned to its trainer.
Sieg put on his dark cloak, his figure melting into the shadows as he quietly left the desert behind.
Meanwhile, when the other Krokoroks returned to their nest after failing to track down the intruder, what they discovered was devastating. Not only had their companion vanished without a trace, but their precious eggs had disappeared as well.
Their enraged roars shook the desert, and in their fury, they destroyed everything in the surrounding.
The next day, bands of Krokorok rampaged across the desert, attacking other Pokémon groups with savage brutality, showing no mercy whatsoever.
The situation became so dire that the League's Ranger outpost stationed in the nearby Plains dispatched personnel to investigate the disturbance.
But none of this concerned Sieg anymore. By then, he had already left the desert and reached the border of Route 111.
"That must be Mauville City up ahead."
Mauville City was a modest settlement, serving mainly as a waypoint for travelers passing through the area.
Few people actually chose to live there permanently. It functioned more as a rest stop, a place where traveling trainers and adventurers could resupply during their journeys.
In truth, it was less a town and more a transit hub.
Sieg's eyes lifted toward the tall walls surrounding the settlement, curiosity flickering in his gaze. A quick search on his device soon revealed the reason.
Back in the early days, when the Hoenn League first began expanding the inland, the surrounding routes had been teeming with wild Pokémon. They frequently attacked nearby residents, and in some cases, entire communities had been wiped out.
As a result, the towns in the area built towering defensive walls. But as humanity's strength grew, the high-level Pokémon were gradually driven away or captured. The League stationed military units, Rangers, and monitoring forces throughout the region.
The walls, however, remained.
Upon entering Mauville City, Sieg wasted no time heading to a Pokémon Center. His body was utterly exhausted from the journey.
From collecting materials atop Mt. Chimney, to his encounter with Team Magma, crawling out of Fiery Path's tunnels, then his detour through Route 111, and finally his battles in the desert, half a month of constant travel and fighting with no proper rest had pushed him to his limits.
Too tired even to eat, he collapsed directly onto the bed.
From the Pokéball at his belt, Umbreon emerged quietly, curling up beside him.
"Umbre..."
It gave a soft goodnight call.
Moonlight streamed through gaps in the curtains, bathing Sieg's face in silver light, while the glowing rings on Umbreon's body shimmered faintly in the darkness.
The night passed peacefully.
The next morning, Sieg awoke to his stomach growling loudly. After hastily grabbing breakfast at the Pokémon Center's café, he returned to his room and opened his spatial backpack.
This journey had netted him quite a collection of valuable items.
First, there was a pile of unusual materials, some so rare that even Sieg couldn't identify them without consulting his Pokédex. They came from Mt. Chimney, Fiery Path's caves, Route 111, and the desert.
Then there were the Pokémon he had captured: Spoink, Cottonee, and the Poison-types belonging to the couple who had ambushed him.
These were Pokémon he couldn't openly sell through official League channels, since all transactions had to go through monitored routes by law.
Spoink and Cottonee would be manageable. But the Poison-types belonging to those criminals were certainly registered in the League's database. Sieg couldn't risk leaving loose ends, so the black market was his only option.
His gaze fell upon the seven tan-colored eggs lined up on the bed. He immediately ordered seven incubators online. Thanks to his Level 2 League clearance, delivery arrived within just a couple of hours, hand-delivered to his door.
After carefully loading each incubator with nutrient solution, Sieg finally felt at ease.
Then came the real work of cataloging his gains.
From Spoink, he had obtained a pink gem brimming with psychic energy, highly sought after according to the League's bounty board. Sieg selected the buyer offering the highest price, exchanging it for a substantial amount of Pokédollars.
As for the captured Pokémon, he matched them one by one to missions posted on the bounty board, selling off everything except the couple's Poison-types.
Cottonee, with its Prankster ability, fetched a premium price from a collector willing to pay in League Points.
When the transactions were complete, Sieg retrieved his ID card from the automated terminal with a cynical smile.
"The League officially bans all private Pokémon trading, yet here it operates its own platform, allowing bounty hunting and sales under the guise of 'regulation.'"
He shook his head to clear away such thoughts. Maybe it was just exhaustion from too many sleepless nights.
His mind drifted to the cotton shed by Cottonee. High-end manufacturers often used it to make premium pillows and bedding.
"Looks like before I sell this batch on the black market, I can harvest their cotton for some extra profit first."