Sieg walked out of the small room where the move-learning machines were kept, silently sweeping his gaze across the surroundings. Some rooms were lit, while others lay in shadows.
The patrol squad that kept order in the black market lingered nearby, and he could vaguely feel the eyes of cloaked figures occasionally glancing his way.
Hidden beneath his mask, Sieg's lips curled into a cold sneer. He tugged at the hood of his black robe, then slipped away into the bustling crowd.
Not even a few seconds after his departure, several hidden observers quietly followed him. More remained in the vicinity, waiting, eyes fixed on the little room, watching every trainer who emerged from it.
They were like predators, carefully picking their prey.
Sieg slowly made his way to the stalls, crouching as if to browse goods, though in truth he was observing his stalkers from the corner of his eye.
For these scavengers who wished to kill and plunder, Sieg naturally showed no mercy. Within the twisting alleys of the black market, he managed to shake off several pursuers after multiple sharp turns.
Only one remained, following closely behind. That man's tracking and disguise techniques were frighteningly good.
"There is a path to heaven, yet you refuse to walk it. Hell has no gates, yet you throw yourself inside willingly."
Sieg tightened the robe around him, lips stretching into a cruel, feral grin.
Some fools always believed their skills in stealth and pursuit were flawless, thinking no one could ever uncover them.
Yet they never realized that arrogance and ignorance were often what buried them.
Sieg turned into a labyrinthine alleyway and disappeared into the darkness.
Although the powers behind the black market prohibited open fighting, countless lives were snuffed out here. As long as one was not caught in the act, as long as no evidence was laid bare, nothing would come of it.
After all, those who entered this place were hardly simpletons.
In this cesspool where the strong preyed on the weak, death and darkness played out every single day.
Sieg crouched behind a heap of garbage, the stench making him frown slightly, but he endured it in silence.
At his side, his Murkrow shifted restlessly, nearly unable to bear the stench, but it obeyed its master's command and forced itself to stay still.
Barely two minutes later, the pursuer ran into the alley, panting heavily. He hesitated, glancing into the depths of the shadows.
"Go, scout ahead!"
The man released a Golbat, ordering it to fly into the alley.
Sieg's eyes sharpened. The instant the man stepped in, he commanded;
"Murkrow, Tailwind then Drill Peck! Crawdaunt, Razor Shell, strike that Golbat down!"
He seized the fleeting opportunity. Murkrow burst from the garbage heap like lightning, streaking past Golbat, aiming straight for the stalker himself.
In the pitch-black alley, only a fleeting shadow could be seen.
"Ugh, ahhh!"
A muffled cry rang out. How could a fragile human body withstand the assault of a trained Pokémon?
A blood-soaked head tumbled from their shoulders, rolling to Sieg's feet, the face frozen in terror and disbelief.
The acrid scent of blood filled the air, stirring a faint excitement within him. Since coming ashore, Sieg had seldomly indulged in such slaughter. He had been suppressing his true nature, the bloodthirst of a pirate.
The Golbat, not very strong, was instantly knocked out by Crawdaunt's strike.
Sieg pulled a dagger from his belt and began looting the corpse. His mood remained calm and steady, his face devoid of expression throughout.
The dagger in his hand was still the standard-issue blade he had been given when he first boarded the pirate ship.
As he sliced open the black robe across the man's chest, revealing the clothing beneath, Sieg raised an eyebrow slightly. His voice dropped to a murmur.
"Hm? This symbol..."
From the mouth of the alley, hurried footsteps echoed. Sieg quickly cut away the strange emblem from the man's clothes, then melted back into the shadows.
Moments later, the enforcers of the black market patrol arrived. They found nothing but a headless corpse and a bloodied head beside a trash heap.
Sieg emerged from another alley, his black robe replaced with casual attire, though his mask still covered his face.
Later, he arrived at a shabby inn within the black market.
"Give me a room. Half a day will suffice."
He tossed down 200 Pokédolllars and went upstairs without sparing a glance at the clerk.
The attendant seemed used to this. In a place like the black market, all sorts of strange guests appeared.
Inside the room, Sieg first searched carefully for any listening or surveillance devices. Only after confirming it was safe did he sit on the bed.
From his pocket, he drew the fabric scrap he had cut earlier. A bold "R" stood out vividly on it.
"As expected of Team Rocket... they've already reached the Hoenn region."
That letter was all too familiar to Sieg. It represented none other than Team Rocket, an infamous organization.
He dumped the loot onto his bed. Two Pokéballs rolled out, nothing surprising, just the standard Pokémon Rocket grunts carried, like Koffing and Golbat.
But one item drew his attention, a card with bold lettering: "Squad Leader."
Sieg's ink-black eyes fixed on it, his thoughts deepening.
He stayed only a few minutes before leaving, leaving behind two Pokéballs under the bed, those of the slain Rocket squad leader.
"The waters of Team Rocket run far too deep. Who knows what kind of bizarre tracking methods they might have? Just two common Poison-types, hardly worth the risk."
Sieg always lived by the principle of caution. Even the smallest possibility of danger, he would not allow himself to face it.
What were 20 000 Pokédollars compared to being targeted by Team Rocket? Nothing.
Leaving the black market, he changed out of his cloak and mask in a deserted corner, donning the outfit of an ordinary trainer once more.
Only after confirming no flaws in his appearance did he head for the Pokémon Center.
By the time Sieg arrived, night had fallen. The bloody sunset dyed the horizon in brilliant colors, breathtakingly beautiful.
According to his original schedule, he should have had plenty of time left.
But fate had played its tricks. The relentless stalkers of the black market had forced him to waste hours shaking them off.
This time, Sieg did not head to the Pokémon restaurant as usual. Instead, he opened the ordering program on his Pokédex and swiftly selected a few dishes.
Soon, a sumptuous dinner was delivered to his room.
He ate with satisfaction, savoring every bite.
After finishing his meal, he stretched out lazily on the bed.
"Tonight, sleep will not come easily."
Sieg sat up once more, pulling rare materials from his backpack. Among them lay the most precious treasure of all, something he had stumbled upon by chance, Geofluid Essence.
Staring at the glittering resources before him, Sieg knew one thing. Tonight, he wouldn't sleep.