Chapter 82: A lamb to the slaughter

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"Get lost! Growlithe is a part of my team. If anyone wants to lay a hand on him, they'll have to deal with me first!" Sato angrily shoved aside the two boxes of money in front of him, his expression turning cold as he stared at Ichiro Yamaguchi, whose face had gone pale.

After speaking, Sato, accompanied by his three Pokémon, strode boldly through the five people, who had automatically made way for him, under the glow of streetlights and amidst the fluttering paper bills. They slowly disappeared into the night.

When Ichiro had stopped Sato, a crowd had already quietly gathered nearby, whispering among themselves. Most of these onlookers were Trainers, much like Sato, who had just left the Pokémon Center, the majority being civilian Trainers.

Now, with League bills scattered everywhere, some of the cash-strapped Trainers couldn't help but show deep greed. When a gust of wind suddenly blew through, sending more bills flying, it didn't take long before one bold Trainer stepped forward to snatch up the money. Soon, many others followed suit, grabbing at the bills drifting in their direction and clutching them tightly.

At this point, Ichiro Yamaguchi's four bodyguards scrambled to action, frantically trying to gather the scattered bills while ordering the Trainers who had grabbed the money to return it.

Of course, once the cash was in their pockets, the idea of getting these already-strapped Trainers to give it back was out of the question. After snatching whatever they could, these Trainers quickly bolted, scattering in all directions like rabbits fleeing for their lives.

"Forget it, don't bother with them. Gather up whatever's left, and bring me that guy who tipped me off. That scoundrel tried to scam me—I won't let him off easily," Ichiro muttered, regaining his composure as he watched Sato disappear into the night. He instructed his underlings to handle the aftermath.

Although Ichiro was an arrogant rich kid, lazy and domineering most of the time, being the son of a wealthy businessman had given him some insight. When he sensed the unrestrained killing intent emanating from Sato's two Pokémon, he realized he had severely misjudged the situation.

Unlike the average civilian Trainer who would back down with a little intimidation, Sato, while indeed a civilian Trainer, was clearly someone who had seen bloodshed. The kind of battle-hardened aura that Zubat and Gloom exuded couldn't be faked.

Ichiro had only ever encountered such fierce Pokémon from his father's bodyguards—men he knew were cold-blooded killers with dangerous pasts.

Was it worth provoking someone like this over a Growlithe? Being the son of a merchant, Ichiro naturally had a habit of weighing the costs. After quickly calculating the potential risks, he immediately decided it was better to drop the matter.

He wanted Growlithe mainly for appearances, but provoking Sato could easily cost him his life. Risking his neck for the sake of saving face was downright foolish. In the grand scheme of things, pride was worthless compared to his life, and Ichiro understood that perfectly.

'Wild Growlithe are hard to come by. From what I've heard, they usually live in wild Pokémon habitats beyond the safety zones, deep in dangerous areas. This guy has two incredibly strong Pokémon with him, so he must've caught Growlithe in one of these dangerous areas. The only nearby place that could house Growlithe would be Viridian Forest.'

'Surviving the deep, dangerous parts of that forest means this guy definitely has some skills. If I had failed to deal with him, things would've turned out very badly for me,' Ichiro thought to himself, finally abandoning any ideas of getting revenge on Sato.

Meanwhile, as Sato walked through the streets, his expression was still sour after the sudden encounter. He had only let Growlithe out for a short while, and already someone was trying to get their hands on him.

Sato was well aware that if he hadn't shown a strong stance earlier, that rich kid would have only become more aggressive. Not only would Growlithe have been taken, but Sato's own life might have been at risk. Even if he managed to take down his opponent, it would have caused him unnecessary trouble, becoming a big headache in the process.

'Power. In the end, it all comes down to power. Because of my status as a civilian without any backing and because I haven't shown enough strength, those who've been eyeing me in the shadows think I'm easy to bully. Growlithe must be like a juicy, irresistible prize for them. Looks like the road ahead won't be so peaceful,' Sato thought coldly, his expression hardening after a brief moment of reflection.

As Sato gradually moved away from the more crowded streets, Zubat, which had been quietly perched on his shoulder since it came out, suddenly let out a low, barely audible screech—something only Sato and Zubat could hear.

"Hmph, someone's following me. Fine, I'll make an example out of them. Human society is still human society, but the law of the jungle—where the strong prey on the weak—applies just as much here. Let's see who the hunter is and who the prey will be," Sato muttered, a cold glint of killing intent flashing in his eyes upon hearing Zubat's signal.

Sato and Zubat had been working together for a long time, and Zubat's subtle movements were enough to inform him that there were enemies nearby. Sato had been contemplating how to navigate his current predicament, and the arrival of these enemies gave him a clear direction.

Since people were underestimating him, it was time to send a message. He'd let those lurking in the shadows know that if they wanted to play the hunter, they'd better keep their eyes wide open. Otherwise, they might end up as the prey themselves.

There were twelve people tailing Sato now. Their clothing wasn't much different from that of other pedestrians, except for one noticeable detail: each had a wolf head tattooed on the back of their hands.

These twelve belonged to a small gang called the Wild Wolves from Viridian City. Despite being labeled a "small" gang, the Wild Wolves weren't weak. Every member could command Pokémon in battle, and they controlled two not-so-thriving streets in the city.

However, unlike typical gangs, the Wild Wolves didn't make their money from protection rackets or smuggling. Their primary income came from extortion. And to avoid angering the locals, they typically targeted outsiders.

Their favorite victims? Out-of-town civilian Trainers. When they spotted a lone and seemingly underpowered Trainer, they'd descend like a pack of hungry wolves, stripping their target of anything valuable.

When Sato first arrived in Viridian City, the Wild Wolves had already taken notice of him. And when he pulled out valuable wild Beedrill honey at the Pokémon item store, they began eyeing him like a fat lamb ripe for slaughter.

Upon further observation, they realized Sato owned a rare and valuable Pokémon like Growlithe, which only heightened their greed. Once they confirmed that Sato only had two strong Pokémon and was indeed traveling alone, they saw him as an irresistible prize.

To ensure everything went smoothly and without causing too much commotion, the leader of the Wild Wolves had personally joined the operation, bringing along twelve of his more capable members. As Sato gradually moved toward a quieter area with fewer people, they believed their chance to strike was fast approaching.