After handling the four Pokémon hunters without mercy, Renjiro turned his gaze toward the battered Nidoqueen trapped in the heavy iron cage. The scene before him stirred both determination and sympathy in his heart.
> Pokémon: Nidoqueen
Type: Ground, Poison
Level: 43
Gender: Female
Ability: Poison Point (30% chance to poison an attacker that makes contact)
Moves: Stomp, Body Slam, Charge, Horn Attack, Earth Power, Hyper Beam
Aside from being female and a level lower than the Nidoking he'd encountered earlier, this Nidoqueen shared almost identical traits. She had no hidden ability and was clearly exhausted from the ordeal.
Renjiro pulled out Nidoking's Poké Ball and flung it into the air.
"Come out, my mighty one!" he called.
A flash of red light burst from the Poké Ball, and Nidoking emerged, towering and powerful, his eyes immediately locking onto Nidoqueen.
"Nidoking, break that cage open!" Renjiro commanded without hesitation.
"RAWR!" Nidoking roared, stomping the ground as he charged at the cage.
He raised his thick, muscular arms and brought them crashing down on the cage with tremendous force.
BOOM!
The reinforced steel bars groaned under the blow, bending and warping.
Unwilling to stop, Nidoking grabbed two of the deformed bars with both hands. Muscles rippled under his hide as he exerted every ounce of his strength, prying them apart inch by inch.
CRACK!
With a final roar of effort, Nidoking wrenched the bars wide enough for Nidoqueen to escape.
The injured Nidoqueen lay on her side inside the cage, too weak to move.
Nidoking turned, his eyes pleading with Renjiro. He let out a low growl, as if begging Renjiro to help.
"I understand," Renjiro said gently, stepping forward. He reached up and patted Nidoking's massive frame. "Leave her to me."
Kneeling beside Nidoqueen, Renjiro placed his hands gently on her battered body. Closing his eyes, he summoned the power of Viridian—the power of life itself—channeling it through his palms.
A warm, invisible energy flowed from him into Nidoqueen, spreading through her veins, knitting torn muscle, mending broken bones, and purging the residual toxins from the hunters' cruel attacks.
Nidoqueen let out a soft whimper. Slowly, her eyelids fluttered open, and she gazed at Renjiro, recognizing the kindness in his touch.
She didn't resist. Instead, she relaxed under his healing power, trusting him completely.
"Rest easy now. I've healed your injuries, but you'll need time to regain your strength," Renjiro said softly, wiping the sweat from his brow. Using the Viridian power so extensively had drained him, leaving his limbs heavy and his head light.
Nidoqueen, regaining some strength, managed to sit up. With gratitude shining in her eyes, she gave a soft, rumbling cry.
Nidoking stepped forward, nuzzling Nidoqueen affectionately, relieved beyond measure to see his partner safe.
Renjiro watched the touching reunion. He took a breath and said, "Nidoking, Nidoqueen—I ask you both: will you join me? I promise to protect you, to help you grow stronger. With me, you'll never have to fear hunters or slavers again."
Nidoking glanced at Nidoqueen, as if seeking her opinion.
Nidoqueen nodded, eyes determined. "Roar!" she cried, signaling her agreement.
Their encounter with the hunters had opened their eyes. They had power, but not enough. Together, under Renjiro's guidance, perhaps they could become invincible.
With that silent understanding, Nidoking faced Renjiro.
"We accept."
A wide grin spread across Renjiro's face. His heart swelled with joy.
"Excellent!" he said. Without delay, he drew an empty Poké Ball from his belt and tossed it toward Nidoqueen.
The ball struck its mark, transforming Nidoqueen into a beam of red energy and absorbing her within.
Click!
The ball sealed.
Renjiro picked it up, holding it aloft.
"I did it! Nidoqueen is mine!" he said, beaming with excitement.
Now, his team felt complete: Beedrill and Milotic as his student Pokémon, Nidoking, Nidoqueen, and Persian representing his more secret identity tied to Team Rocket.
He returned Nidoking to his Poké Ball as well, giving his mighty ally time to rest and heal fully.
Next, Renjiro turned his attention to the aftermath—the bodies of the four Pokémon hunters and the remains of their equipment.
He laid them out in a row and surveyed the gear: Poison Barbs, paralysis darts, a Thunder Shock gun, and a flying device that looked barely functional.
Renjiro shook his head in disappointment.
"These guys called themselves hunters with this garbage? Either the tech in this world is pitifully behind… or they were nothing but amateurs," he muttered.
He kicked aside a broken dart gun, realizing there was nothing here worth salvaging except perhaps the flight pack.
His gaze shifted to the Pokémon.
All three—Charmeleon, Honchkrow, and Mongoose—were unconscious but alive. Krookodile had already taken its own life out of grief.
Renjiro rubbed his temples.
"Killing humans is one thing… but what am I supposed to do with these Pokémon?"
As if on cue, Charmeleon stirred. The fire lizard groaned, blinking as it tried to make sense of what had happened.
Renjiro sat calmly nearby, chewing on a blade of grass, Beedrill at his side like a loyal sentinel.
"Your trainer is gone," Renjiro said, his voice steady. "I killed him."
Charmeleon's eyes widened as it spotted its trainer's lifeless form.
"Now, you have a choice," Renjiro continued. "Four options, and I'll honor whichever you pick. One: end your life as Krookodile did. Two: let Beedrill finish you. Three: return to the wild and live free. Four: join me, and I'll help you become stronger than you ever dreamed."
Charmeleon trembled as it weighed the choices. Death wasn't an option. Its heart burned with the desire to grow stronger, to prove its worth.
"Char!" it cried, choosing the fourth path.
"Good," Renjiro said, smiling. "Come stand by me. Together, we'll make you a hundred times stronger."
Charmeleon walked over, standing behind Renjiro, its eyes fierce with renewed purpose.
One by one, Honchkrow and Mongoose woke.
Renjiro offered them the same options. Honchkrow chose to join him, while Mongoose, with a final nod of thanks, slipped away into the wilderness, seeking peace in freedom.
Just then, Renjiro's phone buzzed loudly, snapping him out of the moment.
He glanced at the screen.
Li Zhenhua.
Renjiro answered.
"Boss! Recruitment's complete. We've got all the workers we need from Liming Street. The company can officially start operations tomorrow!" Li Zhenhua's voice was bright with excitement.
"Good work," Renjiro said with satisfaction. "Handle the arrangements as you see fit."
Renjiro had no interest in managing day-to-day affairs. That was what trusted people like Li Zhenhua were for.
"Don't worry, boss. We'll make Dewen Company's name known across the world!"
Renjiro ended the call and looked around at his growing team—his loyal Pokémon, the fallen enemies, and the future that awaited.
There was much to do. But for now, the winds of victory blew strong at his back.
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