68 Chapter 68:

"Scorpion, huh?" Cain murmured to himself, a smirk playing on his lips as he overheard the nearby conversation. "That's just the street name they've given it. In the Sinnoh Region, the only Pokemon they could be referring to were either Skorupi or Gligar, right?"

"But wait, Gligar isn't exclusive to Sinnoh," Cain realized, "it also roams the Johto Region. So, it must be a Skorupi they're talking about." A flicker of excitement sparked within him as the realization hit, he knew about Skorupi all too well. He had caught one in his previous life, but its talent was not up to par and he eventually released it. However, Skorupi were remarkable Pokemon. Upon evolving into a Drapion, it would transform into a Poison and Dark-type, making it a formidable force on the battlefield.

Why, you ask? The Dark attribute made up for the Poison attribute's weakness, and the Poison attribute made up for the Dark attribute's. With this combination, Drapion was only vulnerable to Ground-type moves, and even then, it could shrug off most attacks from other types. And with the added bonus of being immune to Psychic-moves, Drapion could go toe-to-toe with any Pokemon.

But that's not all. Drapion had high stats in speed, defense, and attack, making it a perfect combination of tank and attacker. And with its speed, it could outmaneuver its opponents, leaving them unable to kite it.

"Plus it's not just its attributes and species value that make Drapion so exceptional," Cain thought to himself as he continued to listen in on their conversation. "Its abilities are top-notch too. If it's Battle Armor, it can act as the ultimate meat shield. If it's Sniper, it can be trained to deliver devastating damage in close combat. Or if it has the hidden ability, Keen Eye, it can be a continuous damage dealer.

In other words, Drapion can perfectly fulfill the role of tank, warrior, and continuous damage dealer, making it an all-rounded powerhouse, evoking memories of a popular game from Cain's past experiences on Earth.

As he listened intently to the thieves' conversation and learned more about the stolen Skorupi egg, he surmised that either the owner of the egg was unaware of its theft or the egg had a questionable origin and the owner couldn't speak up.

Cain was convinced that the Pokemon egg was of illicit origin. After all, if it had been obtained legally, it could have fetched a higher price in the Sinnoh Region, because most people in the Kanto Region were unaware of its value.

This meant that the Pokemon's talent was truly exceptional. Otherwise, the owner wouldn't have gone to such lengths to sell it in the Kanto Region, where they were likely to receive a lower price.

Cain also suspected that the real owner had a significant amount of influence in the Sinnoh Region, which is why the second owner was too afraid to appear in front of them.

The thought of having a Pokemon with such outstanding attributes and aptitude filled Cain with excitement. He couldn't help but feel moved by the opportunity that had fallen into his lap.

As Cain continued to listen in on the two thieves' conversation, he noticed that it had shifted from Pokemon to women. Bored with the topic, Cain peered out to see that the thieves had their backs to him, keeping watch over the situation outside.

It made sense, given that they had sought refuge in a dead-end alley to ensure their safety. But what they didn't know was that there was a gap in the depths of the alley, and Cain was hiding within it.

Cain couldn't be sure if the two thieves had Pokemon or if they were simply ordinary black-market gangsters, but he was ready to act either way. He placed his hand on Slowpoke's Pokeball at his waist and signaled to Murkrow and Gastly to be on standby.

The black market was known for its lawlessness, with violence and death being commonplace. As long as one wasn't caught, they could get away with anything. It was a place where the line between criminal and honest folk was blurred, and it was impossible to keep the vicious individuals in check.

Cain was part of the notorious Team Rocket, and he knew all too well that as long as they appeared to be above board, they could operate in the shadows as they pleased.

The thieves were in high spirits, discussing how they would spend the money they were about to get, their guards down. This was Cain's chance.

"Gastly, sneak over and use Hypnosis. Slowpoke, use Confusion to control them. Murkrow, use Wing Attack to take them out!" Cain commanded, releasing Slowpoke from its Pokeball and sending it into action.

Slowpoke was quick to act using Confusion to control the thieves' mouths and hands, rendering them powerless. The brawny man, who had just realized what was happening, tried to shout for help but found that he couldn't move his mouth.

His hand instinctively tried to reach for the Pokeball at his waist, but he was taken aback by the sudden appearance of a Gastly. The ghost-type Pokemon didn't waste a moment, using its Hypnosis to put the two thieves under its spell.

Meanwhile, Murkrow struck with lightning-fast speed, its wings glowing with white light as it sent the two men flying with a muffled thud.

Their fragile human bodies were no match for the power of Pokemon, and the intense pain sent them into unconsciousness. Slowpoke, who had been keeping a close eye on the situation, caught the incubator containing the Pokemon egg as it slipped from their hands.

Cain, expressionless, retrieved his dagger from his Team Rocket belt, the same one he had used on the trial island. Just as the saying goes, the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.

Cain wiped his bloody dagger on their clothes after sending them to the Yellow Springs. The thieves each had two Pokeballs, but they were not given the opportunity to release their Pokemon before being killed by Cain.

It was to prevent such situations that Cain had Gastly hide in his shadow, ready to swiftly respond to any sudden assaults. For additional security, Gastly had also learned Protect, as Cain understood the vulnerability of humans when confronting Pokemon.