"The rules of this evaluation are a mess. First, we have to tame these wild Pokémon, and then when we finally find a treasure chest, we realize we still need a key."
"I've had enough," Seita grumbled, snatching a roasted rabbit from the fire and tearing off a leg.
"Boss, as long as we carry out the mission to assassinate that 'No. 1' recruit, Commander Yajiro will take us under his wing," the scrawny lackey said, trying to soothe him. "Life in Team Rocket will be much easier with a backer. Judging by how many Pokémon Yajiro can hand out at once, we'll never be short of combat power."
"Hmph, you think that man will actually let us go back?" Seita sneered, a sharp glint in his eyes. "He views us as disposable tools. Why do you think I've been dragging us through the jungle 'searching' for that kid for days? I was checking to see if anyone was monitoring us from the shadows."
"What do you mean, Boss?"
"Fatty, Shorty, Lefty—there's a reason I'm the leader of our four-man squad," Seita said, tapping his greasy head. "If we shoot the top recruit, someone will definitely investigate. I don't know about the others, but Executive August definitely will. When that happens, we'll be the perfect scapegoats. Yajiro gave us clones that dissolve in ten days—all the evidence disappears with them."
The scrawny lackey looked bewildered. "Then why give us heavy weaponry?"
"If I had to guess, the heavy gear has self-destruct mechanisms," Seita said grimly. Back at the base, he had been swept up in the fanatical atmosphere, but after landing on Death Island, the pieces began to click.
"Then... are we giving up on revenge?"
"Never. I won't forget the humiliation that kid gave me. But we'll kill him using Pokémon we've caught ourselves. In Team Rocket, using Pokémon to eliminate a rival is permitted—it's Boss Giovanni's law of the jungle. As long as we're discreet, no one will know."
Seita finished the rabbit leg, even using his dagger to crack the bone and suck out the marrow. He wiped his mouth on his sleeve and looked at the lackey. "Shorty, this was the best meal I've had on this island. Keep it up. You lost the backpacks, but you've redeemed yourself with this. Just don't let the quality drop, or you'll answer to me."
Outer Forest Treehouse.
Feng Che lay on the bed, deep in thought. The rhythmic tap-tap-tap of Rookidee pecking at Kasib Berries was strangely soothing. Ditto was curled up by the fireplace, where the logs crackled and popped.
The temperature on Death Island was bizarre. Despite the tropical latitude, the temperature plummeted by over 20 degrees at night. In a standard maritime climate, humidity stays high and the diurnal range is small.
There's a secret to this island, Feng Che mused. Or perhaps a powerful Ice-type artifact. Why else would Ice-type Pokémon leave the peaks and venture into the forest only at night?
He had learned this through eavesdropping on local Pokémon. Secrets are fine, but exploring them without sufficient strength is a death wish.
Priority one: Find the key-holders. Priority two: Level up Ditto and Rookidee.
The Arbok that Ditto had devoured must have been the ace of a high-ranking official. Moves like the "Elemental Fangs" suggested a very high level of training. Ditto was only limited right now by its own low level.
Feng Che knew the outer rim was home to Pokémon between levels 10 and 20. But the map from the previous owner suggested the central region jumped to level 25 and above. To get the high-value Credit Plates and Rocket Balls, he had to push into the heart of the island.
The Seviper leader he saw earlier was likely the strongest thing on the outer rim. If even it stayed away from the center, the inner forest must be home to monsters.
The map is my greatest 'cheat' here. While it didn't mark the chests, it detailed the entire ecology of the Death Archipelago.
To move efficiently, Feng Che planned to use his knowledge of pharmacy to craft a "Low-grade Golden Repel." By mixing herbs to create a scent Pokémon detested, he could avoid unnecessary skirmishes. High-level Pokémon might ignore the smell if provoked, but it would filter out the "trash mobs."
I'm sticking to the elite route. Two Pokémon—Ditto and Rookidee—are enough for now. Any more would spread my resources too thin and slow down our training.
With the crackle of the fire and the rhythmic tapping of Rookidee, Feng Che's eyes grew heavy, and he drifted into a deep sleep.
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