Inside the death-trial treehouse, Lance felt a cool sensation coursing through his body after drinking the elixir brewed by Feng Che. His reactions felt sharper, his movements more fluid. Beside him, Dragonite nodded happily, its clumsy face filled with a blissful expression.
"Dragonite, get ready. Team Rocket is everywhere. We move at night," Lance said, feeling a lightness he hadn't experienced since being poisoned. Though some residual toxins remained, he was no longer coughing blood with every step. "Once we're clear, we'll head back to the Dragon Clan for a full check-up." He carefully stowed the empty vial into his ring, intending to have the League chemists analyze its incredible speed-boosting properties.
In the forest, Feng Che watched several Rocket helicopters sweep overhead.
"Helicopter 1: No sign of Lance." "Helicopter 2: Area clear."
In the control room, Instructor Viper had divided the island into sixteen sectors. "If Lance is spotted, fire the missiles immediately. No matter how strong that Dragonite is, a direct hit from a patrol missile will shred it," he told his adjutant.
"Will the trial be canceled, sir?" the adjutant asked.
"If Lance is found, yes. We'd have to abandon the island. It's a shame; Death Island provides immense resources. But the League's pressure is too great. If they find this place, the 'Elite Selection' becomes a joke."
Feng Che watched the choppers from below, the wind from their rotors whipping the trees. They're getting desperate. Good thing I harvested the Salac Berries already. If the Rocket forces have to retreat due to the League, I might be able to use my connection with Lance to buy this island legally under his name. Four Kings are allowed private domains. Then, I could own this goldmine.
On his way to the Pidgeot nest, Feng Che ran into the Zigzagoon Six. They were overjoyed to see him and danced when they heard he was taking them off the island.
"They're almost ready to evolve," Feng Che noted after an inspection. He planned to train the eldest, "Ah Da," as his main fighter and keep the others at a specialized nursery. I should eventually buy my own daycare center. A permanent base where my Pokémon don't feel like they're just 'parked' somewhere.
He recalled the six raccoons into Poké Balls. Moments later, the Pidgeot couple flew down to greet him, followed by a flock of Pidgeotto and Pidgey.
"Here is the elixir I made from the berries. It'll boost your speed significantly," Feng Che handed over two vials.
[Male Pidgeot: Is it really that magical? The berries themselves don't do much for us anymore. Our speed is already at the limit. But for our savior's sake, I'll act happy.]
The Pidgeots put on a show of excitement and gulped the potion. Suddenly, a cold surge hit their systems.
"Be careful, the increase is quite drastic, you need to—"
BOOM!
Before Feng Che could finish, the Male Pidgeot flapped its wings and launched like a literal missile, slamming head-first into a giant cedar tree. He slumped to the ground, a massive lump swelling on his head like a unicorn horn.
THUD. THUD. THUD.
One after another, the Pidgeots in the clearing began accidentally crashing into trees as they failed to account for their doubled reaction speed.
[Male Pidgeot: I... I underestimated this human. This is terrifying.][Female Pidgeot: It's great, but it really hurts the body.]
Feng Che left two more vials for their future offspring. "The first dose is the most effective. Keep the future Salac Berries for me; I'll turn them into medicine for your kin."
As more recruits flooded the jungle looking for him, Feng Che decided it was time to head for the Snowy Peaks.
On the other side of the island, Starhunt was raging. "Still no sign of him?!"
"S-sir, we haven't found Kongjian. But his score... he's in first place. He's far ahead of you," Fujiro stammered.
Starhunt's psychic aura flared, cracking the ground beneath him. "I promised Lady Athena the top spot. Contact Serpent Pillar, Manxiong, and Nakata. A massive reward for whoever finds him!"
In a dense grove, the leader of the Ninja Squad, Serpent Pillar, sat with a white Ekans around his neck. Chuzhu (Bug Pillar) knelt before him, delivering the message.
"Tell Starhunt to get lost," Serpent Pillar said coldly. "We follow Koga. We don't care about his rewards."
Once Chuzhu left, Serpent Pillar wiped cold sweat from his brow. "I was turned into a doll for three days by Sabrina for bothering her protégé once. If I help Starhunt hunt down her favorite recruit, she'll keep me as a toy forever. I'm not that stupid."
In the volcanic region, a massive Ursaring slammed a Camerupt into the dirt. A two-meter-tall bald man, Manxiong, laughed as he heard the report from Monkey.
"Starhunt wants us to find Kongjian? That idiot. Do you know how many points Kongjian has? 7,850! Do you know how hard it is to get that many? We get 100 for a Camerupt. His strength must be monstrous."
"I heard Starhunt got wrecked in the marsh," Manxiong continued, patting his Ursaring. "If Kongjian wants first place, let him have it. I'm not picking a fight with a guy like that. We'll stick to hunting wild Pokémon. I don't answer to Athena, so Starhunt's threats mean nothing to me."
Feng Che trekked through the forest toward the mountains. Suddenly, a shout erupted from the thicket.
"Found him! Kongjian is here!"
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
⭐ Read chapters early on Patreon → https://www.patreon.com/Bagga_10 ⭐
BONUS CHAPTER REWARDS
• Every 20 reviews = 1 bonus chapter
• Every 50 Power Stones = 1 bonus chapter
Your support directly unlocks more content and faster releases.