After shaking off everyone who was following him, Cain entered a small, shabby shop, completely different from the other stores around it.
Inside, he saw some worn-out shelves with food on the verge of molding and many cobwebs covering them. As he moved deeper into the shop, a strong stench of decay engulfed him.
Cain frowned but did not back out. This shop was a place he frequented in his past life.
It was a store that sold human skin masks.
Although in ruins, it was actually somewhat famous in the black market. If not for how run-down it appeared, it would have surely been a busy place given the owner's talent.
The shop owner was also an odd character. Despite his great skill, he wasn't interested in making money. He had an air of "take it or leave it," and never advertised his business. For this reason, his reputation spread only among regular clients.
Thanks to those few regulars, his shop managed to stay open.
Cain brushed aside a cobweb that was about to fall on his head. Even Murkrow, resting on his shoulder, couldn't help but use his Tailwind move to avoid the omnipresent cobwebs.
When he reached the back of the shop, an old man with glasses and a disheveled appearance sat behind the counter, focused on an unfinished human skin mask, not even glancing at who had entered.
Cain didn't mind his indifference; the owner was always like that, as if that mask were an unparalleled treasure. Strangely, every time he finished a mask, he would throw it on the floor like trash and start working on the next one.
The cycle repeated endlessly, and except for eating or basic needs, the old man never left that corner, which served as both his counter and workshop.
"Boss, I want to buy five masks," Cain said, covering his mouth with his hand and frowning.
The smell was simply unbearable, and Cain couldn't help but wonder how many days the old man had gone without bathing, with such a strong stench that it almost made him nauseous.
The old man didn't lift his head, and without pausing his work, said, "The masks are on the floor, pick whichever you want. The card reader is on the counter. Each mask costs twenty thousand pokédollars. If you want them, pay with the card; if not, get out, I don't have time to deal with you."
Cain was already familiar with the owner's habits, so he didn't say anything else. He picked up a few ordinary-looking masks from the floor, paid one hundred thousand pokédollars on the card reader, and quickly left the shop.
Why did Cain insist on buying human skin masks from this particular shop? Was it only because of the owner's skill?
No, there was another reason: no other shop could match a unique quality of this place: every mask made here was one-of-a-kind. None were repeated; each had its own distinct style and appearance.
Finally, after leaving that smelly shop, Murkrow on Cain's shoulder took a deep breath, clearly relieved after enduring such an unpleasant environment.
Cain smiled and patted Murkrow's head, saying, "Alright, stop panting. We also need to get used to environments like that. Sometimes, your opponent might have an even worse smell."
For example, a Gloom, a Grimer, or a Muk. The stench they emitted was far worse than that shop.
"Caw, caw!" Murkrow gave a look of disbelief, unable to imagine how he would face such an enemy.
Cain laughed. "You might come across one someday. Once you experience it, you'll understand."
Saying this, Cain took a secluded path and, after making sure no one was around, slipped into an alley.
The next thing he planned to do was buy other items, so it was best to put on a new mask to avoid being recognized when leaving the black market.
He took a new human skin mask from his Team Rocket belt. Although the shop owner was very unkempt, his masks were impeccably clean, crystal-clear, and as thin as cicada wings, not much different from the masks that could be exchanged within Team Rocket.
When he put on the mask, the cold sensation on his face surprised him. He only needed to adjust it slightly for it to fit perfectly to his skin. After pressing the edges for a moment, the mask blended with his skin, becoming indistinguishable.
Just as Cain was putting on the mask, he heard two hurried footsteps break the silence of the alley.
Cain quickly hid in a narrow gap, hand on his belt, ready to release Slowpoke at any moment to escape if needed.
"Didn't I get rid of all the followers?" Cain thought, frowning as the footsteps got closer.
He assumed he had shaken off all those trailing him, so he had chosen this dead-end alley to change masks and prepare for shopping, but now two people had entered this remote place. It was hard not to think they were following him.
However, when the two started talking, Cain let out a sigh of relief.
The footsteps stopped nearby, and just as Cain was about to release Slowpoke, one of them spoke in a shrill voice: "Brother, why didn't we just leave the black market and instead come here?"
A loud smack sounded, followed by a deeper voice: "Are you stupid? If we leave now, they'll catch us. We hide for a while, and then we'll leave unnoticed. We might even sell this thing today."
"Hehe, you're right, brother. But, is this worth it? We went through a lot to steal this Pokémon egg, but I don't even recognize the species." The shrill voice spoke again.
"You're an idiot; of course it's worth it. Do you think I would've stolen it if it wasn't? I heard it's an egg from a Sinnoh Pokémon with great potential. No wonder they traveled from Sinnoh to Saffron City to sell it."
Hearing their conversation, Cain felt slightly intrigued. "A Pokémon from the Sinnoh region sold here? Pokémon hunters or ordinary trainers? I didn't expect them to steal it."
"Brother, how much do you think it's worth?"
"At least several tens of thousands. I heard them mention something about a scorpion, seems like it's a Pokémon with great potential. Otherwise, they wouldn't have come all the way to Saffron City to sell the egg."
"Wow, that's a fortune!" Hearing the tens of thousands, the shrill voice became even more excited.
"Shut up! Do you want us to be found out?"
...
(End of Chapter)