Ariel walked unobtrusively to an unoccupied corner and tapped the screen.
An encrypted message popped up.
[Mission Assignment: Ariel]
[Target: The owner of the Fallarbor Town underground battle casino, "Soro," and the special individual in his possession—the Black Charmander.]
[Mission Content: 1. Infiltrate the underground casino to gather intelligence on its internal structure, cash flow, and personnel composition. 2. Obtain detailed combat data, physical data, and intelligence on the special abilities of the Black Charmander.]
[Note: This mission is primarily for intelligence gathering. The arrest operation will be carried out by a follow-up team. The target is special; proceed with extreme caution.]
Below the message was an attached photo.
In the photo was a Charmander with a completely black body. Its scales resembled obsidian, the flame on its tail was an eerie, ghostly purple, and its eyes were filled with a ferocity that didn't match its size.
A normal Shiny Charmander is golden yellow.
But this one was pure black.
Ariel's eyes narrowed slightly.
Just as he had anticipated.
Team Rockets had an almost obsessive interest in these "unique" special individuals.
Fallarbor Town, a peaceful little town famous for its agriculture and Contests, hid an underground casino for Pokémon battles beneath its surface.
This stark contrast between light and darkness spoke volumes in itself.
Why here?
Because it was peaceful, so supervision was lax.
Because it was an agricultural town with a simple economic structure, there would always be people eager to make quick money through more exciting means.
Supply and demand had fostered fertile ground for darkness.
Ariel closed his pokédex, his mind already rapidly constructing the framework for the entire plan.
The path was clear.
First, rest at the Pokémon Center, then head to the "Battle Tent" mentioned by those three youths.
The glow of the setting sun cast a warm golden hue over Fallarbor Town.
The air was filled with the fragrance of soil and the sweet scent of ripe berries, blending into a comforting aroma.
In the continuous fields, farmers worked, simple and content smiles on their faces.
Several Poochyena chased and played on the ridges, occasionally letting out cheerful barks.
This was Fallarbor Town, an agricultural hub nourished by the volcanic ash of Mt. Chimney.
"This year's harvest is truly good, thanks to the blessing of the Mountain God!"
"Yes, yes! The Harvest Festival starts today. My kid is still clamoring to show off his skills at the Battle Tent!"
"Keep it up, lads! The boss said the hardest worker during the Harvest Festival gets a Pokémon as a reward!"
"Yeah!!"
...The idle chatter from the roadside gave Ariel a more direct understanding of this town.
The Harvest Festival, a two-week-long celebration.
For the residents here, this was a season of Joy and harvest.
But for Ariel, the clamor of a festival was often the best breeding ground for darkness.
His face showed no expression as he walked calmly down the street, like an ordinary traveler who had just arrived. Yet, his deep eyes, sharp as a hawk's, took in every bit of information around him.
The peace and tranquility here formed a stark, ironic contrast with the underground world he was about to face.
The doors of the Pokémon Center slid open automatically, and warm light and Miss Joy's sweet voice greeted him simultaneously.
"Welcome! How may I help you?"
Ariel wasted no words. He directly placed four Poké Balls on the tray and simultaneously handed over a card.
It was a card that was completely black, its edges inlaid with dark gold patterns.
The moment Miss Joy saw the card, her professional smile faltered slightly before becoming even more respectful.
She quickly operated the equipment, not even asking Ariel if he needed to check in.
"You and your Pokémon must be tired. Please wait a moment."
She carried the Poké Balls toward the treatment room, her steps noticeably lighter.
This Black-Gold Card was a symbol of identity for official League members.
It was the perfect representation of his League status.
Soon, Miss Joy returned the fully restored Poké Balls and handed over a room key.
"Mr. Ariel, we have arranged our highest-grade Deluxe Single Room for you. All facilities in the room, including the private training yard in the backyard, are free for you to use."
"Hmm."
Ariel took the room key, acknowledged with a single, frugal word, and turned to walk toward the elevator.
Behind him, several young Trainers in the Pokémon Center lobby watched his retreating figure and couldn't help but whisper.
"Who is that guy? He seems so arrogant."
"No idea, but if Miss Joy is that polite to him and gave him that black room key, he's definitely not ordinary."
"Pfft, maybe he's just some rich kid. If we really fought, who knows who'd win."
Ariel heard these remarks but paid them no mind.
The room was indeed nice. While it couldn't compare to the extravagant style of Mauville City, the wooden-colored furniture and soft carpet exuded a warm, homely feel.
What satisfied Ariel the most was the private backyard training yard outside the window, fully equipped with all kinds of basic training facilities.
This provided great convenience for his upcoming actions.
He released all his Pokémon.
Krokorok came out and lazily sprawled on the carpet. Malamar floated in mid-air, curiously poking at a wall hanging with its tentacles. Sneasel warily surveyed the surroundings, while Froakie stayed quietly by Ariel's feet.
"You've all worked hard. Rest well tonight."
Ariel checked each Pokémon's condition one by one. Only after confirming they were all in high spirits did he walk to the window, his gaze falling on the faint outline of Mt. Chimney in the distance.
"Soro... the Black Charmander..."
He muttered to himself, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.
The night passed without incident.
The next day, Ariel didn't rush to inquire about the casino. Instead, he headed straight for the Battle Tent in the center of town.
It was a massive tent-like structure. Its exterior looked somewhat worn, but the flow of people in and out was continuous, including many Trainers who exuded a formidable aura.
This was a specialty of Fallarbor Town—an officially established battle venue with relatively free rules.
According to the intelligence provided by Team Rockets, this was also the first threshold to the underground world.
"Hello, I'd like to register."
Ariel walked up to the front desk and spoke to a yawning staff member.
"Oh, a newcomer?"
The staff member lazily lifted his eyelids.
"Single or double battle? Win streak challenge or regular battle?"
"Single battle. Win streak challenge."
"Oho, ambitious."
The staff member perked up a bit and handed over a form.
"Fill this out. A nickname is fine; nobody cares about your real name. Win one match for five hundred league coins. Three consecutive wins get an extra reward. Five or more wins... heh, we'll talk when you manage that."
"We'll match you with opponents of comparable strength."
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