Lance's storage ring was a mess. Most of the rare herbs had lost a portion of their potency due to poor preservation.
"Although some specific ingredients from the original formula are missing, I've found substitutes within your collection to bridge the gap," Feng Che murmured. He methodically stripped Lance's stash of its most valuable components.
Lance watched, fascinated, as the young Rocket recruit handled the materials with clinical precision. This boy is no mere grunt; he's a master-class pharmacist. Team Rocket clearly hasn't realized the gem they have in their ranks. If they had, he wouldn't be in a death trial. Is it possible to poach him for the League?
Dragonite hadn't slept for days. Feng Che lit a mild incense that released a drowsy, soothing aroma. As the dragon ate a customized energy block, it suddenly nodded off, its head hitting the floor with a soft thud.
Ditto immediately snatched the dropped block and swallowed it. Its face instantly contorted. [Ditto: Spicy! IT'S BURNING! My mouth is on fire!]
"Haha, sorry Ditto. Dragonite prefers spicy flavors, so I made those extra hot," Feng Che laughed, ruffling the blob's head and giving it some berry juice to soothe the burn.
Lance looked at the interaction. "You have a close bond with your Pokémon. Why choose Team Rocket?"
"Because when I was at my lowest, someone from Team Rocket took me in," Feng Che said, his gaze flickering with memories of his arrival in this world. "To repay him, I'm taking this trial. But once I pass, I plan to travel the world and become a truly great trainer."
Lance gripped a Poké Ball in his pocket, his expression shifting. If this boy becomes an enemy of the League, he will be terrifying. For a long moment, the air was tense, but eventually, Lance's hand relaxed. He closed his eyes and drifted into a much-needed sleep.
Feng Che pulled out the Salac Berries. These berries, also known as Snake-Scale fruits, have a hard, armored shell. Using his psychic power, he peeled back the scales one by one. An intoxicating fragrance filled the room, stimulating the neurons of everyone present.
One berry yields three doses. With my psychic precision, I should hit Legendary quality.
He spent the night grinding, brewing, and purifying. He used psychic energy to spin the liquid at high speeds, extracting every impurity. The result was ten 100ml vials of a shimmering, lapis-lazuli blue elixir.
Salac Elixir: Legendary Grade. Dramatically increases neuronal reaction speed. Effective for both humans and Pokémon.
"Finally," Feng Che exhaled, downing a mental potion to replenish his drained psychic reserves.
At dawn, Lance and Dragonite were awoken by a rhythmic thud-thud-thud. Rookidee was practicing her Peck in the corner.
"I haven't slept this well in years," Lance said, his joints popping as he stretched.
"This is the Salac Elixir," Feng Che said, handing a blue vial to Lance and another to Dragonite. "It will skyrocket your reaction speed, but be careful—your flight speed will also increase significantly. You'll need to practice to maintain control."
Lance didn't hesitate. He tossed the dragon its dose, and man and dragon gulped it down.
"Aren't you worried I'd poison you?" Feng Che asked.
"If you wanted me dead, I'd be a corpse in the bushes by now," Lance replied.
Feng Che packed his gear. "I won't be returning to this treehouse. Antidotes and a year's supply of energy blocks for Dragonite are in your ring. Good luck, Lance."
"Wait," Lance called out. "What's your name?"
"For now, my Rocket codename is Kongjian."
As Feng Che turned to leave, an object whistled through the air. He caught it—a League High-Level Investigator Badge.
"If things go south for you in Team Rocket, take this to any Pokémon Center and tell Nurse Joy to contact me. I owe you a life, Kongjian. Thank you." Lance bowed deeply.
Feng Che smiled and disappeared into the forest. He had secured a formal Rocket spot (easily within reach now) and the eternal gratitude of an Elite Four member. A wise trade.
As he walked toward the Pidgeot territory to deliver some elixir to his avian friends, his communicator began to scream with alerts.
Alice:Kongjian, hide! News spread that you traded with Alakazam for a massive amount of points. Teams are hunting you right now!Tianchen:Kongjian, what did you do?! People with sketches of your face are everywhere. I just found out: the points are public. Every Alakazam/Hypno allows players to check the leaderboard. You are currently Rank 1.
"Public leaderboards... Rocket wants us to slaughter each other for the finale," Feng Che realized.
"Found him! Kongjian is here!" a shout echoed from the brush.
Feng Che looked up. He was no longer the hunter. He was the prey.
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