Read advance chapters for both of my work, exclusively on Patreon at - www.patreon.com/Sniperwoof
-----------------
Due to the threat covertly issued by a powerhouse from the Sea Serpent Gang, Sato kept his word. After Haiduo explained the entire situation to him, Sato ruthlessly extorted a hefty sum in return.
"Go on then. I keep my promises."
Sato toyed with the Soothe Bell in his hand, then looked up with a calm expression and said this to Haiduo, who had by now recovered somewhat from his injuries thanks to Bellossom's treatment.
Upon hearing this, Haiduo gave Sato a long, meaningful look before diving into the sea with his Tentacruel, whose wounds had also improved after being treated by Bellossom. They quickly vanished from Sato's sight.
And with Haiduo's safe departure, the lingering sense of threat in Sato's heart finally began to fade away.
In truth, Sato had only half-believed Haiduo's story at first.
It wasn't until he searched the spatial storage equipment handed over by Haiduo—and from the three other fallen members of the Sea Serpent Gang—and found numerous ancient gold coins and valuable antiques, that he was finally convinced that Haiduo had been telling the truth.
A few minutes later, Sato was the only one left on the beach. He quietly glanced at the three corpses nearly buried by sand and mud, let out a sigh, then turned and left with his Pokémon.
The battle, where he had been forced to take three lives, ended up rewarding Sato handsomely. Not only had he obtained the Soothe Bell he'd been seeking, but he also gained treasures worth at least over 30 million PokeDollars from Haiduo and the others.
If Sato's guess was right, the three deceased Sea Serpent Gang members had been the ones who, along with Haiduo, discovered the sunken ship underwater.
Just like Haiduo, they had grown rich overnight from their accidental discovery. In truth, they already possessed immense wealth. If they'd just lived quietly, their futures would've been secure and comfortable.
But perhaps the appearance of the Key Stone and Mega Stone sparked a greed that couldn't be quenched. Unsatisfied with the fortune they already had, they ultimately paid the price for their greed—with their lives.
"Seeking strength and wealth is fine, but chasing after power and riches beyond what one can bear… that always comes with a cost. I'd best not wade into these muddy waters for now."
With that thought, Sato couldn't help but sigh. The ambition he had briefly held to pursue the Key Stone and Mega Stone gradually faded. After careful consideration, he fully abandoned any thoughts of tracking them down.
It had already been two days since this incident. The whereabouts of those two precious items had become a mystery. They had likely already been taken far away.
Faced with tens of billions in treasure, what would the Team Rocket members who'd jointly stolen the Key Stone and Mega Stone, driven by greed, do next?
Would they remain loyal comrades and split the loot evenly? Or would they be consumed by ambition and begin killing each other?
Sato didn't know. But he could guess that none of them would meet a good end. After all, secrets rarely stay buried forever, and news about the Key Stone and Mega Stone had probably already spread.
At this moment, Sato had a vague feeling that the recent abnormal events at the Port might not just be due to the lack of ship tickets—it was probably related to this situation as well.
The sun had completely sunk into the sea. Sato strolled along the beach toward the distant glow of Pallet Harbour.
The moon was hidden behind clouds, and everything was bathed in dim light. Suddenly, the port ahead seemed to him like a giant beast lurking in the shadows, waiting to devour its prey—a nameless fear rose in his chest.
"No, this is too dangerous. I probably can't go to the port anymore. With tens of billions in potential value at stake, there'll be countless madmen who won't hesitate to challenge Team Rocket's authority. If I travel to Cinnabar Island the usual way, I might not survive the journey."
A thunderous thought exploded in Sato's mind. He froze in place, his expression grave.
Throughout the walk, he'd been thinking about the Key Stone and Mega Stone. The deeper he considered it, the more convinced he became that the strange activity around Pallet Harbour was closely connected to the incident. The sense of danger in his chest grew heavier and heavier.
And it made sense. That much money—tens of billions of PokeDollars—wasn't something that could be ignored. Did anyone really believe the local underground forces would just sit back and watch those "precious little things" slip away, even if it meant facing potential retaliation from Team Rocket?
But when Sato looked out toward the endless sea, he suddenly realized Team Rocket might not even get the chance to retaliate.
So many Team Rocket members had gathered here; surely the local underworld had already taken notice. All it would take was torturing one unlucky member for them to figure out what kind of mission Team Rocket had in this area.
If Sato guessed right, the only reason things still appeared calm at the port was because of Pallet Town's massive influence—nobody dared make a move there.
But once those Team Rocket members boarded ships and left the harbor… the bloodthirsty outlaws lying in wait would pounce like sharks smelling blood.
Those Team Rocket members, who had likely arrived two days earlier, were probably being monitored closely. If they left the safety of the port, they'd be walking straight into a death trap.
As for why Sato had managed to leave the port safely before—perhaps it was because he had only just arrived, and due to his strong aura, the hidden vultures watching the port had chosen not to act.
Still, the biggest reason Sato believed he was still alive was probably Daisy's involvement. She'd personally handed him the ship ticket, and many had witnessed the scene within Pallet Town.
Because of that, Sato was now considered a local. Could he be a double agent? That hypothesis was entirely possible.
Pallet Town held immense power, and the local underground didn't dare even raise their heads under its pressure. Whether or not the rumor was true, no one dared challenge Pallet Town's authority.
But… if he boarded the ship tonight and left the harbor—that would be a different story. After all, spots on the boat were limited. Only the top Team Rocket recruits would be on board.
And if that was the case, then it was highly likely that the Key Stone and Mega Stone were in the possession of one or more of those people. The outlaws, in the name of secrecy, would undoubtedly try to kill every last one of them.
Thinking even further, Sato began to suspect that the ship supposedly bound for Cinnabar Island might not even be real. The people on board could all be imposters—assassins in disguise.
Once out at sea, anything could happen. A "missing persons case" without witnesses would leave both Pallet Town and Team Rocket powerless to investigate.
Even Team Rocket couldn't violate the unspoken rules by invading the territory of another gray or dark force without reason. Otherwise, the consequence would be a storm of backlash from every other dark force in Kanto, fearing they would be next.
Sato figured that Team Rocket wouldn't break such rules just for a few "new recruits."
"But… I don't have much time left. If I can't get on tonight's ship to Cinnabar Island, I might be disqualified from the upcoming rookie battle altogether."
Thinking about the bind he was in—unable to advance or retreat—Sato couldn't help but feel torn. He furrowed his brow, struggling to figure out how to resolve this impossible dilemma.
Eventually, after much agonizing thought, a spark lit up in Sato's mind, and a hint of joy flashed through his eyes. He had come up with a method that might achieve the best of all worlds.
Still, before taking action, Sato carefully considered the feasibility of his plan. After all, everything so far was based on his own assumptions—if he was wrong, the consequences would be dire.
"I don't even know if this will work… Whatever. Desperate times call for desperate measures. I'm sure even Giovanni would be tempted by news of the Key Stone and Mega Stone. After all, those treasures can't be found just by looking."
He took out a communicator from his pocket and stared at the number on the screen for a moment. Then, with a determined look on his face, he made up his mind.
The number on the screen didn't belong to Giovanni, of course—Sato had never even met the man. The contact on the screen was someone named Joe Kondo.