"Boss, why don't we just join Team Rocket in that town directly?"
Someone not particularly bright blurted out the question.
"Are you an idiot?! After what we did there, do you think Team Rocket would dare take us in?!"
Hearing this, a pockmarked Trainer beside him slapped the fool who asked.
"But aren't Team Rocket even more ruthless than us? I heard they even conduct human experiments."
The simple-minded man, clearly used to speaking his mind, continued pressing the issue.
"That was before! The current Team Rocket doesn't abduct people openly anymore—or they do it so discreetly that no one knows.
Unlike us—we slaughtered two entire families in that town!"
The pockmarked man sneered, his tone filled with arrogance.
⸻
"Enough. Don't bring that up again."
Hirano's expression darkened.
"What's done is done. Our only way out now is to find Team Rocket's base here before the League catches up."
"Damn it… This is frustrating. I heard the base here was only recently established and is extremely secretive. Even the informant doesn't know the exact location!"
⸻
"Alright, Boss. Since you've laid it out clearly, we'll keep following you."
The pockmarked man quickly changed his tone, nodding obediently.
"Yes, Boss!"
"We'll follow you all the way!"
After getting their answer, the others immediately began expressing their loyalty.
After all, they had no future within the League. Joining Team Rocket was their only remaining path.
⸻
"Don't worry. With my strength, I'll become a squadron leader. When that happens, all of you will be my subordinates."
Hearing their pledges, Hirano nodded in satisfaction.
"Haha, thank you, Boss!"
"I knew following you was the right choice!"
Everyone quickly echoed their gratitude, as if the earlier tension had never existed.
⸻
"Enough talk. We've rested enough. Split into pairs and search the area. Mark locations with high Pokémon activity, then regroup here in two hours."
"Yes, Boss!"
The group quickly divided and left in pairs.
⸻
"Boss, I'll stick with you. It's safer that way."
The yellow-haired man forced a smile and followed Hirano.
"Fine. Keep up."
With that, Hirano left the tree hollow alongside his Hitmonlee.
⸻
Meanwhile…
The League's search team had already reached the inner area of the forest.
The four squads split into different directions and began their search.
As expected, Icarus's group was assigned to the sparsest area.
It was obvious—they were there just to fill numbers and avoid interfering with the stronger teams.
⸻
"Sigh… forget it. We were only here for basic merit anyway."
Brother Teng sighed, clearly unhappy but resigned.
"Icarus, you three go left. I'll take these two to the right."
"Alright."
⸻
The trio headed into their assigned area.
As expected, it was relatively safe:
Sparse trees
Low grass and bushes
Close to marked safe routes
But naturally:
Fewer Pokémon
Lower strength (mostly low-tier Ordinary level)
Under their coordinated attacks, these Pokémon were easily turned into materials.
⸻
"Sigh… what a waste. If Team Rocket was still collecting Pokémon, we could've earned a lot of contribution points."
Icarus tossed a snake fang into his bag, looking at the remains of an Arbok.
⸻
"Brother Icarus, are we just going to keep walking like this? Aren't we looking for the fugitives?"
Airi asked, glancing at her communicator.
"It says two fugitives have already been taken down. Only four remain—including the leader!"
⸻
Cough…
"Airi, these things can't be forced."
Icarus smiled and explained calmly.
"With our strength, if we actually run into them, we'd be the ones in danger.
Even the weakest fugitive has three mid-stage Pokémon. If we encounter them, we'll just call for backup—and the reward will go to someone else.
We're here mainly to gain experience."
⸻
"Oh… I see…"
Airi looked at her fully packed bag, slightly dejected.
"I bought so many supplies…"
⸻
"It's fine. They won't go to waste. You'll use them eventually."
Icarus patted her head reassuringly.
"Stone, did you prepare anything extra?"
⸻
"Uh… no. Brother Icarus didn't say anything, so I didn't think about it."
Stone scratched his head awkwardly.
⸻
"How could this be…"
Now realizing she was the only one who overspent, Airi became even more upset.
⸻
"Alright, alright. Who knows—we might actually run into them. Then we'll be relying on you."
Icarus laughed lightly.
⸻
After some teasing, Airi quickly recovered.
The trio continued moving deeper into the forest.
⸻
A few hours later…
"Help! Help!"
Faint cries echoed from the distance.
⸻
"Brother Icarus, someone's calling for help—it's a woman!"
Airi reacted immediately.
⸻
"Understood. Pidgeotto, fly higher and scout. Stay hidden."
"Pidgeotto!"
⸻
"Let's move back first," Icarus said calmly.
"Until we know what's happening, we don't interfere."
⸻
This was one of his core rules:
Never interfere blindly in the wild.
Never trust unfamiliar Trainers.
⸻
After retreating a few hundred meters, they hid in dense bushes.
Soon, Pidgeotto returned.
⸻
"Pidgeotto! What did you see?"
"Pidgeotto~ Pidgeot!"
⸻
A woman is fleeing. It's the same one we saw at the Pokémon Center.
⸻
"…It's Airi?"
Icarus was surprised.
He quickly realized—
No, it was Airi's sister.
⸻
"Continue."
⸻
"A dead male Trainer… a Pidgeotto… a Raticate…"
"A pockmarked man chasing her—with a Tangela."
⸻
"And her Rattata is barely holding him back…"
⸻
Icarus quickly pieced things together.
They must have come to search for family relics… and ran into the fugitives.
⸻
"Pidgeotto—did you see any other Pokémon?"
"Pidgeot!"
No.
⸻
"But… there was a bitten snake tail… and marks from a flying Pokémon…"
⸻
"Good. That means his other Pokémon are injured."
Icarus's eyes sharpened.
⸻
"This is Pockmarked Face… one of the weaker fugitives."
"If he's injured… we might actually have a chance."
⸻
Turning to Airi, he smiled.
"You were right. There's an injured fugitive chasing someone."
⸻
"Then we can't let him escape!"
Airi said immediately.
⸻
"I'm thinking the same."
Icarus nodded.
"Stone?"
⸻
"No objections."
⸻
"Good. Stay hidden. Use binoculars."
"She shouldn't be far."
⸻
Moments later—
"There!" Stone whispered.
⸻
Through the bushes, they saw:
The fugitive… and the captured woman.
⸻
"Don't rush," Icarus said calmly.
"Let's observe first."
⸻
He shook his head at Airi, who was already preparing to act.
⸻
"When someone is careless… that's when they're most vulnerable."
⸻
"Aah… I understand…"
Airi blushed slightly and nodded quietly.
"Boss, why don't we just join Team Rocket in that town directly?"
Someone not particularly bright blurted out the question.
"Are you an idiot?! After what we did there, do you think Team Rocket would dare take us in?!"
Hearing this, a pockmarked Trainer beside him slapped the fool who asked.
"But aren't Team Rocket even more ruthless than us? I heard they even conduct human experiments."
The simple-minded man, clearly used to speaking his mind, continued pressing the issue.
"That was before! The current Team Rocket doesn't abduct people openly anymore—or they do it so discreetly that no one knows.
Unlike us—we slaughtered two entire families in that town!"
The pockmarked man sneered, his tone filled with arrogance.
⸻
"Enough. Don't bring that up again."
Hirano's expression darkened.
"What's done is done. Our only way out now is to find Team Rocket's base here before the League catches up."
"Damn it… This is frustrating. I heard the base here was only recently established and is extremely secretive. Even the informant doesn't know the exact location!"
⸻
"Alright, Boss. Since you've laid it out clearly, we'll keep following you."
The pockmarked man quickly changed his tone, nodding obediently.
"Yes, Boss!"
"We'll follow you all the way!"
After getting their answer, the others immediately began expressing their loyalty.
After all, they had no future within the League. Joining Team Rocket was their only remaining path.
⸻
"Don't worry. With my strength, I'll become a squadron leader. When that happens, all of you will be my subordinates."
Hearing their pledges, Hirano nodded in satisfaction.
"Haha, thank you, Boss!"
"I knew following you was the right choice!"
Everyone quickly echoed their gratitude, as if the earlier tension had never existed.
⸻
"Enough talk. We've rested enough. Split into pairs and search the area. Mark locations with high Pokémon activity, then regroup here in two hours."
"Yes, Boss!"
The group quickly divided and left in pairs.
⸻
"Boss, I'll stick with you. It's safer that way."
The yellow-haired man forced a smile and followed Hirano.
"Fine. Keep up."
With that, Hirano left the tree hollow alongside his Hitmonlee.
⸻
Meanwhile…
The League's search team had already reached the inner area of the forest.
The four squads split into different directions and began their search.
As expected, Icarus's group was assigned to the sparsest area.
It was obvious—they were there just to fill numbers and avoid interfering with the stronger teams.
⸻
"Sigh… forget it. We were only here for basic merit anyway."
Brother Teng sighed, clearly unhappy but resigned.
"Icarus, you three go left. I'll take these two to the right."
"Alright."
⸻
The trio headed into their assigned area.
As expected, it was relatively safe:
Sparse trees
Low grass and bushes
Close to marked safe routes
But naturally:
Fewer Pokémon
Lower strength (mostly low-tier Ordinary level)
Under their coordinated attacks, these Pokémon were easily turned into materials.
⸻
"Sigh… what a waste. If Team Rocket was still collecting Pokémon, we could've earned a lot of contribution points."
Icarus tossed a snake fang into his bag, looking at the remains of an Arbok.
⸻
"Brother Icarus, are we just going to keep walking like this? Aren't we looking for the fugitives?"
Airi asked, glancing at her communicator.
"It says two fugitives have already been taken down. Only four remain—including the leader!"
⸻
Cough…
"Airi, these things can't be forced."
Icarus smiled and explained calmly.
"With our strength, if we actually run into them, we'd be the ones in danger.
Even the weakest fugitive has three mid-stage Pokémon. If we encounter them, we'll just call for backup—and the reward will go to someone else.
We're here mainly to gain experience."
⸻
"Oh… I see…"
Airi looked at her fully packed bag, slightly dejected.
"I bought so many supplies…"
⸻
"It's fine. They won't go to waste. You'll use them eventually."
Icarus patted her head reassuringly.
"Stone, did you prepare anything extra?"
⸻
"Uh… no. Brother Icarus didn't say anything, so I didn't think about it."
Stone scratched his head awkwardly.
⸻
"How could this be…"
Now realizing she was the only one who overspent, Airi became even more upset.
⸻
"Alright, alright. Who knows—we might actually run into them. Then we'll be relying on you."
Icarus laughed lightly.
⸻
After some teasing, Airi quickly recovered.
The trio continued moving deeper into the forest.
⸻
A few hours later…
"Help! Help!"
Faint cries echoed from the distance.
⸻
"Brother Icarus, someone's calling for help—it's a woman!"
Airi reacted immediately.
⸻
"Understood. Pidgeotto, fly higher and scout. Stay hidden."
"Pidgeotto!"
⸻
"Let's move back first," Icarus said calmly.
"Until we know what's happening, we don't interfere."
⸻
This was one of his core rules:
Never interfere blindly in the wild.
Never trust unfamiliar Trainers.
⸻
After retreating a few hundred meters, they hid in dense bushes.
Soon, Pidgeotto returned.
⸻
"Pidgeotto! What did you see?"
"Pidgeotto~ Pidgeot!"
⸻
A woman is fleeing. It's the same one we saw at the Pokémon Center.
⸻
"…It's Airi?"
Icarus was surprised.
He quickly realized—
No, it was Airi's sister.
⸻
"Continue."
⸻
"A dead male Trainer… a Pidgeotto… a Raticate…"
"A pockmarked man chasing her—with a Tangela."
⸻
"And her Rattata is barely holding him back…"
⸻
Icarus quickly pieced things together.
They must have come to search for family relics… and ran into the fugitives.
⸻
"Pidgeotto—did you see any other Pokémon?"
"Pidgeot!"
No.
⸻
"But… there was a bitten snake tail… and marks from a flying Pokémon…"
⸻
"Good. That means his other Pokémon are injured."
Icarus's eyes sharpened.
⸻
"This is Pockmarked Face… one of the weaker fugitives."
"If he's injured… we might actually have a chance."
⸻
Turning to Airi, he smiled.
"You were right. There's an injured fugitive chasing someone."
⸻
"Then we can't let him escape!"
Airi said immediately.
⸻
"I'm thinking the same."
Icarus nodded.
"Stone?"
⸻
"No objections."
⸻
"Good. Stay hidden. Use binoculars."
"She shouldn't be far."
⸻
Moments later—
"There!" Stone whispered.
⸻
Through the bushes, they saw:
The fugitive… and the captured woman.
⸻
"Don't rush," Icarus said calmly.
"Let's observe first."
⸻
He shook his head at Airi, who was already preparing to act.
⸻
"When someone is careless… that's when they're most vulnerable."
⸻
"Aah… I understand…"
Airi blushed slightly and nodded quietly.
-------------Author---------------
Read 50 advanced chapter
👉 patreon.com/Master_fic