Read advance chapters for both of my work, exclusively on Patreon at - www.patreon.com/Sniperwoof
-----------------
At six o'clock the next morning, the bustling port of LaRousse City was beginning to awaken. Standing on the pier, a plain-looking, taciturn young man gazed out at the horizon.
His clothes were slightly tattered, his hands bore thick calluses, and a belt with PokeBalls hung at his waist—clear signs of a struggling, impoverished Pokémon Trainer.
The young man turned his head, his eyes lingering on the city perched atop the island cliffs. A trace of regret and reluctance flickered across his face.
After a long sigh, he shook his head and headed toward an aging cargo ship docked nearby.
Onlookers observed him with mixed reactions. Most offered sympathetic glances, while a few smirked with schadenfreude. Yet not a single person showed pity.
To many, this young man was no different from countless other trainers who had come to LaRousse City with lofty dreams and ambitions, only to have them crushed by the city's harsh realities.
Now, like so many before him, he was leaving, burdened with disappointment and regret. Sympathy, they thought, was unnecessary for someone who had chosen this path.
The young man handed over a tattered half-note worth 1,000 PokeDollars to a grizzled, bald sailor, securing passage in the cargo hold. Joining a line of similarly dressed passengers, he followed them up a narrow plank onto the heavily loaded ship.
With a low, resonant whistle from its smokestack, the ship began to pull away from the port, cutting through the calm morning waters toward the open sea.
In no time, the ship was but a tiny speck on the horizon, disappearing from the view of the laborers on the pier.
Once the city of LaRousse had vanished from sight, the taciturn young man on the deck finally turned away. Letting out a deep sigh of relief, he seemed unburdened at last.
This taciturn young man was, of course, Sato. Having taken a black-market ship to quietly leave LaRousse City, he was now on his way.
Despite his stunning victory over Alice the day before, achieving a remarkable ten consecutive wins, he knew his days in the city were numbered.
Aware of what had happened with others like Fujiwara Kari, Sato didn't wait for retaliation from Alice or her associates. As soon as the battle ended, he decided to make his escape.
Where there are people, there's always a market. Many trainers, stripped of their resources, couldn't even afford a proper ticket to leave the city. In response, black-market transport like this cargo ship thrived.
Sato had spent 1,000 PokeDollars for a makeshift ticket that granted him space in a storeroom on board. Thanks to this ticket, Sato had left LaRousse City safely, though not without some lingering regret.
He had completed his mission three days ahead of schedule, leaving him time to explore the city. Unfortunately, Alice's unexpected appearance forced him to abandon those plans.
Originally, Sato had intended to relax after fulfilling "Sophia's Mission."
He had wanted to visit LaRousse City's antique market—a prospect that still tugged at his heart. Imagining the treasures he might have missed brought a pang of disappointment, but he quickly refocused his attention.
In his hand was a small, seemingly ordinary slip of paper. Yet its contents and handwriting commanded his full alertness.
The message was simple: he had completed his task and was required to report to Sophia at the Rocket Team base in Pewter City within ten days.
The note had appeared in his pocket shortly after his tenth victory, as though placed there by an unseen hand.
"Seems like Rocket Team has been shadowing me with someone incredibly skilled at concealment," Sato mused, tearing the paper into tiny pieces and scattering them into the sea breeze.
Watching the fragments vanish, his expression grew more serious.
"I need to work on my detection skills."
He shifted his gaze to the shadow at his feet, lost in thought.
Meanwhile, in the grandest hotel of LaRousse City, the lowest floor echoed with the sounds of shattering objects.
Alice, her face tear-streaked and red with frustration, was throwing everything within reach. Outside the room, a group of maids stood trembling, unsure what to do.
After a while, an elderly man with impeccably groomed hair and a neatly trimmed beard appeared. Dismissing the maids with a wave, he waited for the noise to subside before entering.
Inside, Alice was curled up on a leather sofa, staring blankly ahead. She looked up at the old man but said nothing.
"I don't want anyone to touch him," she said coldly after a long silence, her voice steady despite the tears she wiped away.
"I won't give up. I'll defeat him myself one day."
The elderly man, Grandpa Pino, smiled faintly.
"As you wish, Miss Alice. But you won't find him now—he's already gone. It may be a long time before you see him again."
"I don't care!" Alice retorted sharply, her expression hardening.
"I'll get stronger. Grandpa Pino, I don't want to be a frog trapped in a well anymore. I want to travel. Alone!"
Grandpa Pino's smile widened, his approval clear. "Very well, Miss Alice. I'll make the arrangements. Your father will be thrilled to hear this."
Alice nodded resolutely, her earlier frustration replaced with determination. The journey ahead, for both her and Sato, was only beginning.