Upon entering Vermilion City, Cain headed straight to the cargo dock.
After communicating with the dock personnel using a secret code, he obtained information on which Team Rocket ship was about to set sail.
Cain approached a cargo ship that didn't seem very large at first glance, but he was stopped by several sailors.
"This is a private vessel. No access allowed," said one of the sailors, a burly man who extended his hand to block Cain's path.
Cain frowned and discreetly took out his shadow unit member badge, showing it subtly.
The sailor blocking him gave a sarcastic smile but didn't move his hand, keeping it firmly in front of Cain. The two other sailors behind him also smiled, looking at Cain with amusement.
At that moment, Cain understood the situation: these people knew perfectly well why he was there, but they had no intention of letting him through easily. The question was, for whom did they work?
Could they be shadow unit members? Or perhaps subordinates of another Team Rocket leader? Or maybe captains involved in the situation?
But it didn't matter who they were. Cain was no longer the same as when he left the island; he was now much stronger. If someone wanted to test his strength, he was willing to show them.
Cain's expression suddenly turned cold. Anyone who chose to confront him had to be prepared to face the consequences.
With a quick flick of his hand, a sharp dagger appeared.
He directed it straight toward the sailor's arm at an unexpected angle. However, the sailor was no novice; seeing the flash of the blade, he instinctively withdrew his hand, though he couldn't avoid getting cut.
Blood fell immediately to the ground, but Cain's dagger remained completely clean.
Clearly, Cain's dagger was extremely sharp, and he had applied considerable force and speed in his attack. If the sailor hadn't reacted in time, his arm would likely have been rendered useless.
The sailor quickly understood Cain's intentions. A violent look appeared in his eyes; after all, those moving in Team Rocket's circles had blood on their hands, whether it was the blood of their enemies or that of their own comrades.
Initially, he just wanted to give Cain a lesson, but he hadn't expected the young man to attack so decisively and mercilessly, without leaving room for negotiation.
The two sailors behind him were also taken aback; they had seen tough people before, but never someone who would strike without a word.
They had dared to stop a shadow unit member simply because a senior Officer had promised them rewards if they could gauge Cain's strength.
The sailor blocking Cain was a Team Rocket Officer. When he heard that the young man coming was a rookie who hadn't yet completed his island trials, he accepted the task immediately.
In his mind, Cain was just a kid, and the fact that he had a shadow unit badge was likely because someone saw potential in him, but his actual strength must be limited.
Moreover, the standard shadow unit badge only indicated the rank of captain, and as an Officer, he had no reason to fear him, although he didn't yet command a full group of captains.
The two men behind him had been his subordinates when he was still a captain.
He thought that by disciplining Cain, as long as he didn't go too far, the leader in the cabin wouldn't oppose it, especially because when the Senior Officer gave the order, the leader in the cabin had also heard the conversation.
Since the leader hadn't reacted, the Officer decided to accept the task.
But he never imagined that the young man before him, who seemed so inexperienced, would attack with such coldness.
"Kid, you're asking for death!" the Officer shouted, enraged at being challenged in this way by a mere soldier who had just been promoted to Captain.
He quickly pulled a dagger from his belt and threw it at Cain.
Clang!
The two daggers clashed, sparking. Cain, though young, had grown significantly in this time, but he still didn't have the strength of a burly man like that sailor.
After the clash of daggers, Cain stepped back several steps before stopping.
In this world, though Pokémon battles were common, that didn't mean that direct combat between humans had disappeared. As long as the enemy could be eliminated, the method didn't matter.
The future Gym Leader of Fuchsia City, for instance, was a ninja whose assassination techniques focused on stealth attacks, using Pokémon only as support.
That's why, in this world, physical training for trainers is extremely important.
"Haunter! Shadow Ball!" Cain's cold voice rang out. He knew that he was at a disadvantage in a close-quarters fight, and this clash was the perfect opportunity to withdraw.
Haunter, who had been ready in Cain's shadow, appeared immediately, forming two dark energy spheres in his hands and throwing them at the three sailors.
Upon seeing Haunter appear, the Officer's face immediately changed, and he rolled on the ground to dodge the attack. But his two subordinates weren't so lucky.
The two Shadow Balls hit them directly, and with the physical resilience of humans, they probably wouldn't survive, and if they did, they would be gravely injured. Moreover, Haunter hadn't held back at all.
Boom!
The sound of the explosion echoed.
The Officer, who had narrowly escaped, tried to pull out his Poké Ball from his belt, but Cain wasn't going to give him that chance.
"Haunter, Poison Jab!"
Using its ability to move through shadows, Haunter appeared in front of the Officer in an instant, its three-fingered claw covered in dark poisonous energy, heading directly for the man's face.
"Stop!" A voice suddenly echoed from the ship. A stranger had appeared on the bow, watching the situation with a stern expression.
The two sailors hit by the Shadow Ball lay motionless on the ground, while the Officer, who had received the order to intimidate Cain, was on the ground with Haunter about to attack him.
Cain looked at the newcomer, his eyes glinting with coldness, but he didn't give any order for Haunter to stop.
Seeing that Cain showed no intention of stopping, the Senior Officer's face immediately darkened.
"Stop," said another voice.
Cain recognized Umbra's voice.
His expression changed several times before ordering, "Hold!"
Haunter's poisonous claw stopped just an inch from the Officer's face.
The Officer's eyes were fixed on Haunter's claw, sweat running down his face.
He hadn't pulled out his Poké Ball in time and ended up in this situation. If it weren't for Umbra's timely intervention from the cabin, he would likely be dead.
And Cain had completely ignored the Senior Officer who had given the order.
(End of Chapter)