Pokemon: Rising From The Dark

Yangdou is worthy of being a quasi-permanent elite, and Houndoom's strength is also superior. Before Slowpoke's Teleport could fully activate, a burst of hot flames erupted from Houndoom's mouth, targeting Aoki and Slowpoke.

"Murkrow, Gastly, use Protect!"

All of this was still within Aoki's expectations. The Murkrow and Gastly, which had been prepared in advance, instantly appeared in front of him. The light green energy shield from Protect blocked the path of the Flamethrower.

Houndoom's strength was clearly overwhelming. The Protect should have lasted two seconds, but under its attack, it barely held for half a second.

But that was enough. Slowpoke's Teleport activated, and Aoki and his Pokémon vanished from the forest.

Without obstruction, Houndoom's Flamethrower exploded against the woods behind them, sending a blast through the area. The trees were instantly engulfed in flames.

"Damn it!" Seeing Aoki escape Houndoom's attack, Yangdou cursed, his anger surging as his prey slipped through his fingers.

Unfortunately, the wild Pokémon in the forest suffered under Houndoom's claws.

After venting his frustration for a while, Yangdou reluctantly recalled Houndoom and disappeared into the woods.

As sirens blared in the distance, Saffron City police officers arrived at the scene. Leading them was the well-known Officer Jenny of the League.

In a spacious room in Saffron City, a woman with dark green hair and a red robe sat cross-legged. Strangely, she was suspended in mid-air. The room was filled with various dolls, giving it a childish appearance.

Suddenly, the woman's eyes snapped open, and a pale green light flickered in them. She murmured with a puzzled expression, "Oh? This feeling."

Anyone who knew her would be shocked—Sabrina! The Gym Leader of Saffron City and one of Team Rocket's three executives!

Meanwhile, after using Teleport, Aoki and Murkrow reappeared in a secluded corner of the black market.

This was a predetermined location Aoki had instructed Slowpoke to memorize in advance, meant for emergency situations. Originally just a precaution, it had now proven useful.

"Well done, Slowpoke. You've become much more proficient with Teleport." Aoki smiled, patting Slowpoke's back.

"Yawn~~" Slowpoke let out a lazy sound, squinting contentedly. The teleportation distance hadn't been too far, so the energy cost was minimal.

Given Aoki's current strength, he stood no chance against someone as powerful as Yangdou. Thankfully, Slowpoke's ability to Teleport had given him a way out. One day, he would return when he was strong enough.

"Yeah!" Suddenly, Slowpoke, who had been relaxing, tensed up. His once calm body shuddered.

Aoki noticed the change immediately, his expression sharpening. Slowpoke had never reacted like this before. The fear radiating from him was unmistakable.

"What's wrong, Slowpoke?" Aoki asked in a serious tone.

Slowpoke didn't answer. Instead, his trembling grew worse.

Murkrow seemed to sense something too and attempted to take off, but its body felt oddly sluggish.

The most alarming change was with Gastly. The purple gas surrounding it was rapidly dissipating. It attempted to retreat into the shadows but found itself unable to do so.

"Is this Slowpoke? How interesting!" A crisp voice echoed around them, yet there was no clear source.

"Who's there?!" Aoki called out, scanning the surroundings, but no one was visible.

Slowly, a figure materialized in the air. A young woman floated there, a smile on her lips, her gaze fixed on Slowpoke as if she had discovered something amusing.

Aoki's pupils contracted. A terrifying name surfaced in his mind—Sabrina!

The former Gym Leader of Saffron City. She had sensed Slowpoke's psychic energy from its Teleport and followed the spatial fluctuations to this location.

That explained why Slowpoke had suddenly tensed up, why Murkrow was struggling to fly, and why Gastly was nearly vanishing.

The Psychic Queen—Sabrina! Her psychic abilities were immense, rivaling those of an Elite-level Psychic Trainer.

Ignoring Aoki, Sabrina slowly floated closer to Slowpoke, examining it intently before smiling. "Little one, would you like a different Trainer?"

Her voice was playful, but in Aoki's ears, it was chilling.

"Yawn!" Slowpoke, still stiff from fear, felt the overwhelming force of Sabrina's psychic energy. But despite the pressure, its gaze remained stubborn as it let out a determined sound.

"Oh?" Sabrina's smile faded slightly, and a green light flickered in her eyes. Psychic energy gathered around her hands.

Her red robe billowed as though caught in an invisible wind.

For the first time, she encountered such strong resistance from a Pokémon.

"Yawn!" Slowpoke's cry grew louder. It was adjusting to Sabrina's overwhelming presence, managing to respond clearly.

Sabrina finally shifted her gaze to Aoki, her eyes cold. "You're its Trainer?"

Aoki felt her sharp stare like a dagger against his skin, making his hair stand on end.

"Master Sabrina, Slowpoke is my companion!" After a brief hesitation, Aoki responded firmly.

"You know who I am?" Sabrina asked. While famous in Saffron City, few could recognize her on sight, as she spent most of her time secluded in the Gym.

Aoki pulled his black robe aside, revealing the Team Rocket uniform beneath. From his belt, he produced a black, cloud-like insignia.

Sabrina had been unimpressed by the uniform alone, but when she saw the insignia marking Aoki as a reserve member of the Shadow Division, a flicker of surprise crossed her face.

"What is your relationship with Shadow?" she asked, her voice losing some of its usual coldness.