Before leaving the Team Rocket base, Sieg made his usual rounds through the Black Market but didn't find anything that interested him.
However, he could feel that everyone walking through the Black Market seemed hurried, the air permeated with a tense, murderous atmosphere.
"A bit strange."
Sieg released Murkrow, who flapped its wings and perched on his shoulder as he tightened the wide black robe around himself.
He didn't linger long in the Black Market, leaving through an inconspicuous exit.
After returning to the Pokémon Center, Sieg began reviewing this trip to the Team Rocket base and the process of meeting Archer.
This was his long-cultivated habit of reflection and analysis.
After mentally reviewing everything and confirming he hadn't revealed any flaws or suspicious behavior, his anxious heart finally settled.
"Archer is the Executive who was specially promoted by Boss Giovanni within Team Rocket last year. He's a newly appointed Champion-level powerhouse. This information has spread widely within Team Rocket's internal network."
But why was he inexplicably transferred to the Hoenn region this time without bringing any of his direct subordinates along?
Regarding the various factional struggles and power plays within Team Rocket's internal structure, Sieg knew very little.
He shook his head, pushing these chaotic thoughts aside. First, he used the room service to order a large table full of food.
Besides what he'd eat himself, most of it was for his Pokémon, especially Sandile, for whom he ordered a large roasted lamb leg.
Sandile thoroughly enjoyed the satisfying feeling of tearing into meat. Although it wasn't as thrilling as ripping into raw flesh, this roasted lamb leg seasoned with spices had its own unique flavor.
After Sieg finished organizing everything in his room, he took out all the poisons he'd purchased this time.
Including that lump of Black Sludge.
After these past days of continuously feeding it poison, it had barely recovered somewhat. At the very least, it could now affect Poison-type Pokémon around level 30.
When worn, it allowed Poison-type Pokémon to gradually recover stamina. Within Team Rocket, it would absolutely be extremely popular. Selling it would definitely bring in several hundred thousand Pokédollars.
After all, Team Rocket's "starter Pokémon" were Koffing, Ekans, and Zubat, all of which had Poison typing.
Moreover, many of Team Rocket's mainstream teams also frequently used Poison-type Pokémon, such as Beedrill, Muk, Nidoking, Nidoqueen, and so on.
Poisons were a branch of pharmaceutical science that required mastery of considerable theoretical knowledge and practical skills. At the very least, Sieg currently couldn't craft any high-difficulty poisons.
He could merely use Black Sludge as the main ingredient, fusing various toxins together to form a mixed poison.
Sieg first put on specially made gloves and a mask, then sealed the entire room to prevent the poison's smell from escaping.
He commanded his Pokémon to guard the door, windows, and other locations, maintaining constant vigilance.
Only after all these preparations did he slowly take out materials one by one from his spatial backpack, including what he'd purchased this time: poison gas from an Elite-level Weezing, venom from an Arbok, and a small vial of Qwilfish toxin.
Besides these, Sieg had also prepared other fine supplementary materials.
For example, from the brute's Pokémon he'd killed while rescuing Lunna, there was Ariados's heart and the lingering death energy from Haunter.
There were also various toxins he'd been consistently collecting. Although these toxins were extracted from lower-level Pokémon, they made up for it in variety.
This even included toxins extracted from the sweat secreted by Umbreon's body.
Compounding pharmaceutical agents was absolutely not a simple matter, even for just one branch of it, poisons.
The fundamental principles of poison, poison formula design and optimization, selection and identification of toxic materials, operation of pharmaceutical equipment, techniques and precautions for compounding poisons, poison testing methods, poison storage and usage.
All of these various considerations were details Sieg had to account for. Fortunately, he had simplified countless difficult and complicated procedures.
He only needed to find neutral materials and ensure the poisons didn't create conflicting reactions. The mixed poison created this way would be very difficult for ordinary people to neutralize with standard antidotes.
Only someone like Sieg, proficient in pharmaceutical science and poisons, would have a chance of neutralizing it.
After battling through the entire night, with countless failures during the poison compounding process, the final result was gratifying.
Sieg carefully placed the small vial of purple-green poison into a storage container. Inside was a mixed poison combining toxins from multiple Pokémon species, potent enough to threaten ordinary Elite-level Pokémon.
Unless the opponent was Steel-type and immune to poison, or was a Grass or Poison-type with natural resistance to toxins.
Otherwise, Sieg had complete confidence in his poisons. After all, this small vial of poison alone had cost nearly 500,000 Pokédollars in materials.
Sieg placed all the various complicated equipment on the table into a specially made trash bag. Because everything was contaminated with toxins, he couldn't dispose of it openly.
He carefully stored it in his spatial ring, planning to discard it in the wilderness if he got the chance later.
He then took out specially made antidotes and wiped clean any minute traces of splattered toxins on the table.
Finally, after thoroughly cleaning the entire room and completing all tasks, he could relax.
But this was far from the end.
After all, people couldn't just stand there and watch you spray poison on their Pokémon, right?
The simplest method was undoubtedly to apply the poison to his own weapons, such as crossbow bolts, daggers, or short blades.
A more sophisticated approach would be to disguise the toxin as ordinary liquids, like water or beverages, and secretly poison the target.
Unfortunately, Sieg's current mastery of poison wasn't that advanced. After all, he was only self-taught.
All his pharmaceutical knowledge came from the Breeder's Guild channels and the library at Petalburg Gym.
In this Pokémon world, the supreme mastery of Poison-type Pokémon and poisons was still monopolized by a few long-established families.
Among them, the most widely known was undoubtedly the Poison-type Gym Leader known as the "Poison Master", Koga.
Koga was an expert in medicines and poisons, often using medicines he made himself to treat Pokémon illnesses. As a descendant of the Iga Ninja Clan, he was also a master of ninjutsu, having taught many students, including his own daughter.
He was currently one of the Johto League's Elite Four members, as well as a Gym Leader.
Also the only Poison-type Elite Four member at present.
The only Elite Four member to be promoted from Gym Leader status.
Specializing in Poison-types, he held authority over the Soul Badge.
"However, according to memories from my past life, it won't be long before he's recruited by Team Rocket and officially becomes a Team Rocket Executive."
"At the same time, he'll resign as Gym Leader and pass it on to his daughter, Janine."
After all, as a ninja, being proficient in assassination and poisons was perfectly normal, and the Fuchsia City he governed was one of the few cities that openly permitted the sale of poisons.
Sieg took out the hand crossbow bolts and dagger he'd purchased and applied the freshly compounded poison to them.
"Though the crossbow is fast to load, I still need to practice my accuracy." Sieg fiddled with the compact hand crossbow, thinking to himself.