Chapter 5: The Viper Instructor

Before long, the noisy plaza quieted down. A fierce-looking man, nearly two meters tall and wearing a military cap, strode into the plaza. On his left chest, the most prominent spot, was emblazoned a red "R." Behind him followed ten members of Team Rocket, all wearing standard uniforms, each with an expressionless face and accompanied by a large hound. Next to the leading man walked a pitch-black hound, with two white, bone-like horns curving backward on its head. Its tail resembled that of a demon's—this was a Houndoom, a Dark- and Fire-type Pokémon!

Haru Takashi opened his eyes slowly when he sensed the plaza had quieted. As soon as he saw the man, his eyes narrowed slightly. It's him! He cast a glance at the Houndoom beside the man, a faint light flashing in his eyes as his chip activated.

**Pokémon:** Houndoom (Green)

**Gender:** Male

**Level:** 28

**Type:** Dark, Fire

**Ability:** Flash Fire

**Held Item:** None

**Inherited Moves:** Fire Fang, Fire Spin

**Basic Moves:** Inferno, Nasty Plot, Thunder Fang, Leer, Ember, Howl, Smog, Roar, Bite, Odor Sleuth, Beat Up

**Taught Moves:** Foul Play

**TM Moves:** Hidden Power (Rock), Shadow Ball, Flamethrower

Looking at Houndoom's level and its long list of skills, Haru couldn't help but feel a bit overwhelmed. The gap is too wide. He knew that this Houndoom wasn't even part of the man's primary lineup—perhaps not even his second-tier Pokémon. The man could easily wipe out everyone here, including all the Team Rocket members, by simply sending out a stronger Pokémon.

"There are still 156 survivors. Not bad, the quality of this batch is pretty decent." The man's voice wasn't loud, but everyone in the plaza could hear him. His tone was casual, as if lives didn't matter to him at all.

He glanced around the plaza, noting that everyone was now focused on him. "My name is Viper. I'm the head instructor for Team Rocket, specifically for Purgatory Island! From now on, your lives no longer belong to you." A sinister grin spread across his face as he saw the fear in their eyes, nodding in satisfaction.

"The trial on this island will last three months. Every week, you are required to gather here. If you fail to show up twice in a row, you will automatically fail the trial. I assume you already know the consequences of failing, don't you?" Viper said nonchalantly, pointing to a large stone in the center of the plaza. "This is the Trial Stone. It's a piece of Team Rocket's latest technology, capable of measuring the strength of a Pokémon's attack. You'll take turns attacking the stone, and based on the data returned, we'll rank you. The top ten will earn 100 points, with increasing rewards as you climb higher in the ranks. Find out what you can exchange your points for on your own."

**Team Rocket Points**—a currency exclusive to Team Rocket, exchangeable for almost anything in the world. It was this system that had enabled Team Rocket to rise to its current level. In this world, rare resources were often monopolized by powerful families, and no amount of money could buy them.

These points could be used not only on the island but also at any Team Rocket base after the trial ended.

"The maximum number of people who can pass this trial is fifty. The top ten will each receive 10,000 points. The top three will be awarded a Team Rocket-forged Alliance ID card. And the first-place winner will be allowed to choose any top-tier starter Pokémon from Team Rocket's warehouse." Viper paused, making sure his words sunk in. "And the most important thing—there are no rules in this trial!"

"Let the first ranking begin!" Viper sat down in a chair in the center of the plaza, signaling his subordinates to begin recording the process.

Under the direction of ten Team Rocket members, everyone quickly lined up to take the first test.

"Ekans, Bite!" A boy's voice rang out. A purple serpent lunged at the giant stone in the center, its sharp fangs gleaming as it bit down hard. *Thud!*—but it left no mark.

"Attack value: 56!" The result flashed on the stone's display, and a nearby Team Rocket member emotionlessly called out, "No. 34, attack value: 56! Currently in first place! Next!"

The boy, No. 34, seemed dissatisfied with his result, clicking his tongue as he walked away.

Next in line was a nervous boy with a Zubat. "Zubat, Tackle!" The boy's shaky command was followed by Zubat slowly flapping its wings and crashing into the stone. "Attack value: 19!"

Seeing the low result, No. 34 breathed a quiet sigh of relief, sneering. Those still waiting for their turn looked at the nervous boy with disdain.

"No. 13, attack value: 19, currently second! Next!" The Team Rocket soldier showed no emotion, disinterested in these amateurish attempts from the trainees.

And so it went, one after another.

"Attack value: 98!" A gasp echoed through the plaza. The new leader was a tall, slender boy with fair skin and pristine clothes, seemingly out of place in the trial. His Pokémon was another Ekans, standing proudly before the crowd, its gaze filled with contempt.

Haru's eyes narrowed. It's him. If I remember correctly, this is the guy who took first place in this trial. He won a high-quality Bulbasaur and started his meteoric rise, outpacing even me, even after I activated my chip. His name... should be Guga!

As the testing continued, it was finally Haru's turn, No. 234.

"Another one with a rare Pokémon!" People began to whisper when they saw the Murkrow perched on Haru's shoulder. Team Rocket typically distributed Zubat, Ekans, or Koffing, but occasionally, someone would receive something different. A rare Pokémon didn't necessarily mean it was stronger, but it did mark its trainer as different—a potential outsider.

"Tch, it's just a Murkrow. What's the big deal? The last Murkrow didn't perform that well. Look at how scrawny this one is—no way it'll do any better," someone scoffed.

Haru remained calm, ignoring the jeers. He took a deep breath and commanded, "Tailwind, then Peck!" His calm demeanor shut the hecklers up, leaving them slightly embarrassed.

Murkrow took flight, pale winds swirling around it. After a few days of recovery, it had returned to its normal size. With a flap of its wings, it dove toward the stone, using the momentum from Tailwind and gravity to strike with force. *Thud!* Murkrow landed gracefully back on Haru's shoulder.

"Attack value: 97!" The result on the stone hit like a slap to the faces of those who had mocked him. An attack value of 97—second only to Guga's 98, with third place trailing far behind at 90.

"No. 234, attack value: 97, currently second! Next!" Even the Team Rocket recorder glanced at Haru with a bit more interest before announcing the result.

In reality, Murkrow wasn't strong enough to produce that kind of result on its own. Haru had used a technique, combining the speed boost from Tailwind with the force of gravity, which boosted the attack's power. A few others in the crowd began to think, realizing that Haru had used a clever trick. A small trick, but it made a big difference, didn't it?

The rules had already been made clear—there were no rules!

Viper had been watching the entire test. As Haru finished, Viper's gaze lingered on him for a few extra seconds.

An interesting kid!

(End of Chapter)