Leaving the Base

Viper nodded gravely. The League had dispatched two Elite level trainers, one of them being a rare Advanced Elite, which indicated that the League had a fair understanding of the specifics of the mission. Viper, who had only limited knowledge of the situation, felt that the situation was becoming tricky.

"What about the Leader?" he inquired.

"The Leader is already aware. I don't need to concern myself with who leaked the information. Right now, I just want a few individuals to help me with some minor tasks. After all, I've suffered some losses in strength during this mission, and I need some free time to recover," the figure in the black robe replied casually, retracting the withered left hand.

Viper's brow relaxed. Asking for a few individuals was no problem for him.

"In that case, are you waiting until after the trial ends, or do you need them now?" he asked, even chuckling a bit. "What use can these kids be right now? They don't even have the strength of Team Rocket grunts."

"After the trial ends. I'll select a few then. For now, please arrange a room for me to rest and recover," the figure in the black robe replied without further explanation. The reason for not selecting candidates directly from the existing team was twofold: they didn't know who among the current Team Rocket members might be allies or League infiltrators, and inexperienced individuals were easier to mold.

Once the figure left with their escort, Viper watched the candle on his desk, steepling his fingers, lost in thought.

Meanwhile, Larry ventured deeper into the forest with Murkrow. This time, he didn't plan to linger around the forest's periphery. Not only were the lower-level wild Pokémon more suitable for Murkrow's training, but Larry also wanted to find a quiet spot to set up camp and focus on crafting Pokéblocks.

As he ventured further in, the forest's paths grew fainter, and the surrounding undergrowth became denser. Larry stowed the Pokéblocks he had previously crafted into the storage space of the Team Rocket belt. He then used the remaining strips of fabric to wrap around his head, protecting his face from any thorns or branches that might scratch him.

Perched on Larry's shoulder, Murkrow continuously used Tailwind, maintaining a consistent breeze. At the same time, it controlled some air currents to gently displace branches and weeds, making Larry's journey easier. When encountering larger branches, Murkrow would flap its wings with all its might, using an unrefined Tailwind skill to disperse the obstacles, offering it flying energy training as well.

"Murkrow, when using flying energy, remember to control the quantity. Since stamina is your weak point, saving energy whenever possible is crucial," Larry advised during opportune moments, providing guidance and training for Murkrow.

"Murkrow!" Murkrow nodded vigorously, understanding Larry's words. Deep down, Murkrow was a spirit eager to grow stronger, and its fighting spirit burned brightly.

With a spread of its wings, two mini whirlwinds blew forth.

Seeing Murkrow's enthusiasm for growth, Larry couldn't help but feel pleased. For a Trainer, even if their Pokémon possessed high innate talents, they were far more valuable if they had the will to grow stronger. In that regard, Murkrow had decent talents, a growing bond with Larry, and a strong desire to improve. With these qualities, Larry believed they could achieve great things together.

However, their journey was briefly interrupted when a robust wild Spearow swooped down from a tree. Its fierce gaze hinted at its predatory intent, and its sharp beak and menacing talons made it clear that it intended to kill.

It was clear that the Pokémon on this island harbored no goodwill toward humans. When they spotted someone like Larry, who seemed slender and weak, they often considered him as potential prey. Spearow, in particular, was known for its aggressive temperament.

Nonetheless, Larry regarded this sudden attack as nothing more than a casual greeting. He shifted his body ever so slightly, narrowly avoiding Spearow's assault.

In this world, it was entirely common for Pokémon to launch direct attacks on humans. Strong Pokémon could cause sudden and deadly harm to humans, making them a constant threat. Moreover, some individuals controlled Pokémon to launch assaults directly against humans. The Team Rocket was one such organization that, as long as their missions were accomplished, cared little for fairness. Even within the League, there were individuals who shared this approach.

Therefore, being a Team Rocket executive responsible for taking over a city and becoming an almost Elite level trainer, Larry had faced countless situations like this. The attack from Spearow was nothing more than a common occurrence for him.

Easily dodging Spearow's attack, Larry directly instructed Murkrow, "Murkrow, keep using Tailwind and prepare for a Feint Attack."

Murkrow, filled with indignation due to the sudden attack that nearly harmed Larry, eagerly took to the air. It had a strong sense of pride and a sense of humiliation that stemmed from its role as Larry's Pokémon. If Larry hadn't reacted swiftly to evade the attack, he might have been injured. As Larry's Pokémon, this was a challenge that had been presented to it.

A streak of darkness cut through the air, leveraging the acceleration from Tailwind. The assured critical hit struck Spearow directly.

"Spearow!" Spearow cried out in pain as it was struck and sent flying.

At this moment, Larry took a brief moment to scan Spearow's information.

...

[ Pokémon ]: Spearow (Orange)

[ Gender ]: Male

[ Level ]: 12

[ Types ]: Normal, Flying

[ Ability ]: Keen Eye

[ Held Item ]: None

[ Inherited Moves ]: None

[ Basic Moves ]: Peck, Growl, Leer, Quick Attack, Wing Attack

[ Tutor Moves ]: None

...

An orange potential Spearow was indeed a decent wild Pokémon. Larry thought to himself.

Seizing the momentum, Larry commanded, "Murkrow, don't stop! Use Peck!"

Before Larry even finished speaking, Murkrow was already prepared to launch another attack. In fact, Murkrow was eager to continue its assault.

Spearow, still reeling from the previous attack and unable to react in time, paid the price for its attempt to attack Larry.

Without showing any remorse for defeating Spearow, Larry adjusted his posture and continued deeper into the forest. Spearow was known for its group-dwelling nature, often appearing in flocks. At this point, Larry had no intention of facing an entire flock of Spearow in battle. Moreover, he anticipated that the Pokémon he would encounter later would become progressively stronger. He didn't want to waste his energy on the way; today's goal was to find a suitable campsite.

With the experience from his previous life living in the forest, Larry could skillfully avoid some of the more formidable Pokémon and identify the types of Pokémon based on their tracks.

After swiftly defeating several hostile Pokémon and leaving the scene, it took approximately three hours for Larry to finally arrive at a relatively satisfactory location.

It was a small lake surrounded by dense trees. On the west side of the lake, there was a small hill with a cave clearly dug out by Pokémon.

"This is it!"