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After welcoming Mary as a guest midway through his lunch, Sato was no longer disturbed during the rest of his meal. Over time, his previously sour mood began to improve.
The unexpected appearance of the mysterious and powerful Mary added complexity to Sato's plans for dealing with his enemies.
However, it also gave him a glimmer of hope for direct revenge.
For one, Mary's strength was likely on par with that of Rhodes, which gave him a potential ally—or at least a point of reference.
"If she truly is one of the masterminds behind it all, her openly seeking me out for treatment suggests she hasn't been exposed yet. Coupled with Team Rocket's current calm demeanor, it's clear that Mary and her group haven't achieved their objectives. That means they're bound to act again soon."
With this valuable piece of intelligence, Sato's mind began working at full speed, analyzing the situation and trying to predict the next moves of his enemies.
Eventually, he concluded that this group had likely failed in their previous attempt and would soon launch another attack. This realization presented an opportunity for Sato to act amidst the chaos.
While he might not yet match the likes of Mary or Rhodes in strength, he was more than capable of handling their subordinates.
After all, he had successfully repelled the assailant who ambushed him, and Hans, one of their agents, was even weaker than that.
Once the two sides clashed, with the leaders facing off against each other, Sato would have his chance for revenge. Of course, this plan required him to continue improving his strength and maintaining his cover.
Soon, lunch was over, and the second round of the Saint Louis Pokémon Tournament was about to begin.
This time, perhaps due to special arrangements by the organizers, Sato's match was scheduled as the second battle in the round. Thus, he barely had time to don his white coat before taking it off again.
Sato's opponent for the second round was a middle-aged man named Taro Otoya.
He was dressed sharply in a suit and tie, with thick reflective glasses, impeccably styled hair slicked with pomade, and a luxury briefcase in his right hand—a classic image of a corporate professional.
From his appearance, it seemed likely that Taro Otoya was only a part-time Pokémon Trainer. However, Sato had treated this man's Pokémon earlier in the morning.
He knew that Taro owned a level 28 Machoke, which indicated decent strength.
When Sato and Taro took their positions at opposite ends of the No. 2 battle arena, the area quickly filled with spectators, many of whom were Trainers who had also advanced to the second round.
Among them was Anna, the photography enthusiast, who was already prepared to capture every moment.
Clearly, Sato's overwhelming performance in the first round had raised alarm bells for those aiming to win the championship.
They were now closely observing his every move to gather intelligence.
Once both contestants were ready, the referee signaled to the staff on the elevated platform, prompting the roulette-style selector on the large screen to spin rapidly.
It ultimately stopped on the "Grass Field," with Taro Otoya being selected to move first.
In no time, the battle arena transformed into a lush grassy field interspersed with sparse woodlands.
"Come forth, my aerial bodyguard! Fight for me!"
The corporate professional's expression turned serious as he pulled a standard red-and-white PokéBall from his suit pocket and released his Pokémon onto the field.
'Aerial bodyguard? So fucking cringe!,' sato thought, his expression turing wired with the second hand embarrassment.
With a flash of white light, a well-developed Pidgeotto appeared, swiftly circling the air above the grassy field. Its sharp eyes locked onto Sato with a predatory focus.
As Pidgeotto stared at Sato, he returned its gaze with equal intensity.
For a moment, Pidgeotto felt an unsettling sensation of being completely seen through. It instinctively retreated a short distance, suddenly on high alert.
Pidgeotto Details:
Pokémon: Pidgeotto
Level: 22
Type: Normal/Flying
Ability: Keen Eye
Gender: Male
Level: 22
Known Moves: Tackle, Sand Attack, Gust, Quick Attack, Whirlwind, Twister, Brave Bird (Egg Move), Double Team (TM), Protect (TM)
Taro Otoya was once a Pokémon Trainer who dreamed of becoming a Pokémon Master. Unfortunately, due to his humble origins and lack of significant opportunities, he quickly faded into the crowd.
Unable to endure the harsh and frugal life of a bottom-tier Trainer, Taro abandoned the grand ambitions of his youth.
Like most ordinary Trainers, he returned to human society and found a more stable way of life.
Though his abilities as a Trainer were modest, his experience as someone who had journeyed across multiple regions gave him an edge in knowledge and insight.
It wasn't long before he secured a job as a sales representative.
Thanks to his outstanding performance, Taro climbed the ranks through years of effort.
He was now the head of the Sales Department at Silph Co.'s branch in Saffron City and is currently on a business trip to the Hoenn region.
Having resolved the resource issue that plagues most Trainers—money—through his hard work, Taro began to reminisce about his old life as an adventuring Trainer.
He decided to re-enter the profession, albeit as a hobbyist this time.
Taro's participation in the Saint Louis Pokémon Tournament isn't driven by prize money. His goal is simple: to fully enjoy the thrill of Pokémon battles.
"Come out, Nidoran! I'm counting on you for this match."
After reviewing his opponent's data, Sato quickly decided which Pokémon to send out first. Taking a PokéBall from his belt, he released Nidoran onto the field.
The next moment, Nidoran's mostly purple body appeared on the battlefield. After briefly sizing up its opponent, it quickly darted into the tall grass, expertly camouflaging itself within the dense vegetation.
The moment Nidoran appeared, the crowd along the edges of the battlefield erupted into awe, once again marveling at Sato's excellent Pokémon training skills.
Among them, Anna was so impressed that she immediately hit her camera's five-shot burst button.
"Pidgeotto, use Gust to flush it out!"
As soon as the referee announced the start of the battle, the experienced Taro Otoya wasted no time issuing an attack command to his circling Pidgeotto.
Upon hearing its Trainer's instructions, Pidgeotto's sharp eyes gleamed with determination.
Thanks to its Keen Eye ability, it quickly pinpointed Nidoran's hiding spot in the grass. With a powerful flap of its wings, it created a white whirlwind about a meter in diameter.
The whirlwind, expertly controlled by Pidgeotto, swept toward the area where Nidoran was concealed. The roaring wind bent the tall grass in all directions, leaving Nidoran's position completely exposed to everyone.
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