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"Alright, let's leave it at that."
Sato slowly walked back with Pikachu from behind Phil, his tone calm as he addressed the blond man whose expression had turned grim.
"Brother Tyler, I knew you wouldn't just stand by!"
Seeing Sato return, Phil's heart immediately relaxed, and his face lit up with relief and excitement.
He knew better than anyone what Sato's strength was like — that man was an absolute powerhouse. Ever since they started taking missions together, Phil had barely suffered a scratch. The reason was simple: every enemy they encountered was instantly taken down by Sato's Pikachu in a single move.
In Phil's eyes, Sato's Pikachu was practically cheating — its Electric-type moves were absurdly powerful. Unless the enemy happened to be a Ground-type Pokémon, they rarely survived even one attack.
Now that Sato had stepped in again, Phil felt sure that the blond man didn't stand a chance.
"Are you trying to meddle? This guy insulted me. I must teach him a lesson — let him remember what it means to show respect in front of someone stronger!"
Though the blond man had just witnessed Pikachu's Electro Ball devastate the battlefield, he wasn't cowed. He merely raised his estimation of Sato's danger level. His glare sharpened as he demanded an answer.
As soon as he spoke, he pulled out a Great Ball, his eyes locked onto Sato.
Tyler was a well-known name in Slateport City — the man before him naturally recognized "Water's Tyler," Sato's nickname in the League.
What was interesting, however, was that despite the nickname, Tyler's strongest Pokémon wasn't a Water-type — it was the adorable-looking Pikachu.
So far, Pikachu had never lost a single battle against an opponent of the same level. (To conceal his strength, Pikachu carried only a normal Light Ball outside of training.)
"Bullying the weak isn't the act of a true strong man," Sato replied evenly, his calm expression unchanged. "Perhaps Phil said something rude earlier, but you struck first — and you already beat his Ninjask into submission. That should be enough. If you keep going and take a life, that's going too far."
Though Sato's tone remained light, there was resolve beneath his words.
Phil had been a great help lately — thanks to him, Sato could focus on training his Pokémon without neglecting the accumulation of League Contribution Points.
He had already gathered 2,500 points. If he completed this mission, he'd have enough to apply for the League's Outer Member promotion.
So, no matter what, he couldn't just stand by and watch Phil die.
"Hmph. So when I hit the dog, the owner comes running. Fine — let me see what the famous 'Water's Tyler' can really do!"
"Go, Flygon! Show him the might of a Dragon-type!"
The blond man sneered and threw his Great Ball. A flash of white light burst into the sky, and a massive Flygon appeared, hovering with wings that whipped up violent gusts.
Flygon wasn't just any Pokémon — it was the man's trump card, level 50 and trained to near perfection. With this powerhouse by his side, he had every reason to feel confident venturing deep into the Slateport Woods.
"ROOOAR!"
Flygon bellowed, sending a powerful shockwave toward Sato and Phil as it flapped its wings.
"So he has a Flygon, huh? Its level and potential aren't bad — almost about the same as the one I left with Professor Oak. No wonder he's so arrogant."
Sato's eyes gleamed as he analyzed Flygon using his system's detection ability, his expression tightening slightly.
"Flygon, give him a taste of your power — Dragon Pulse!"
The blond man wasted no time, shouting his command the moment the battle began.
Flygon reacted instantly — a draconic energy wave burst from its mouth and shot straight toward Sato's position.
"Dodge it, Pikachu — use Nasty Plot!"
Sato shoved Phil aside and rolled swiftly to the left, shouting his command mid-motion.
Pikachu's aerial control had been honed through relentless training. Gone was the clumsy inexperience of his early days — now, he glided through the air with precision.
Electric sparks flashed across Pikachu's fur as he darted sharply to the right, narrowly avoiding the Dragon Pulse. A dark aura enveloped him immediately afterward — the mark of his sharply increased Special Attack.
At that moment, a faint blue glint flickered in Sato's eyes. Hidden by invisibility on his shoulder, his Kecleon climbed silently down his back — completely unnoticed by the blond man.
Kecleon's body darkened, and a similar black aura surrounded him, indicating that he too had used Nasty Plot to raise his Special Attack.
"Impressive. But let's see your Pikachu dodge this — Dragon Rush!"
The blond man's expression hardened. He barked his command, and Flygon's body flared with dragonic energy, forming a massive comet-like dragon as it dove straight at Pikachu.
Faced with the oncoming assault, Pikachu didn't panic. He dropped from the air and dashed rapidly across the ground, vanishing into the dense grass to conceal his movements.
However, Flygon's hearing was razor-sharp. As a master of sonic control, it easily tracked Pikachu's movements, the dragon comet relentlessly homing in.
Just as Flygon's Dragon Rush was about to hit, Pikachu suddenly shifted sideways with unnatural precision — narrowly evading the strike.
BOOM!
The ground exploded, leaving a massive crater where Pikachu had just stood.
"Finish it, Pikachu — Hidden Power (Ice)!"
Before Flygon could recover from its dive, Sato seized the moment.
Having narrowly escaped with Kecleon's subtle assistance, Pikachu's cheeks sparked furiously. Icy-blue energy orbs formed around him, shooting forth like a hailstorm toward the crater.
"Quick — Protect! Block it!"
The blond man paled — Ice-type attacks were Flygon's bane, and he hadn't forgotten Pikachu's Nasty Plot boost. He panickedly ordered a defense.
Flygon reacted instantly, summoning a green energy shield just in time. Pikachu's Hidden Power (Ice) bombarded it, but couldn't pierce through.
However—
As Flygon rose again, thinking it was safe, a sudden flash of icy-blue light shot from the trees behind Pikachu — a perfectly aimed Ice Beam!
The beam struck true, slamming into Flygon the instant its shield vanished.
Kecleon, now shimmering ice-blue under Protean, had changed its type to Ice. Having also used Nasty Plot, the power of its Ice Beam was devastating.
Flygon — a Ground and Dragon-type Pokémon — was utterly helpless. Despite its higher level, it couldn't withstand such a blow.
With a painful roar, its half-frozen body plummeted from the sky.
"My apologies," Sato said coldly, turning toward the pale-faced blond man. "But this is the wilds — and my Pokémon's levels are far lower than your Flygon's. Did you really think I'd let my Pikachu fight at a type disadvantage without a plan?"