Chapter 7: Leaving the Base

The Poison Snake nodded seriously. The alliance had dispatched two top-tier experts, one of whom was a rare high-level master among them. This suggested that they were aware of the specifics of the mission; otherwise, they wouldn't have sent such high-caliber reinforcements. With a slight frown, he felt that the situation was a bit tricky, even with his limited knowledge.

"What about the leader?"

"The leader is already informed. I don't need to worry about who leaked the information. Right now, I just need a few people to help me with some small tasks. After all, this time we suffered significant losses, and I need some time to recover." The figure in the black robe withdrew his left hand and spoke lightly.

The Poison Snake's brow relaxed slightly; needing just a few people was not a problem for him.

"Do you want them after the trial ends, or do you need them now?" After asking, he couldn't help but chuckle. What could this group of kids do? They didn't even have the strength of a standard Team Rocket grunt.

"After the trial ends. I'll pick a few myself. For now, arrange a room for me to rest and adjust," the figure in the black robe said without further explanation. He didn't directly select talents from the existing troops for two reasons: first, he didn't know who among Team Rocket was an ally and who was an undercover agent of the alliance; second, he preferred to cultivate those who were blank slates without prior strength.

After sending the figure in the black robe away, the Poison Snake looked at the candle flames on the table, his hands crossed as he fell into deep thought.

Meanwhile, Haru Takashi had entered the forest with Dark Crow, not intending to stay at the edge this time. This was not only because the low-level Pokémon at the periphery were unsuitable for Dark Crow's training but also because Haru wanted to find a quiet place to set up camp and focus on making energy cubes.

As he ventured deeper, the paths became increasingly unclear, with more weeds and bushes surrounding him. He stored the yellow fruit energy cubes he had made earlier in Team Rocket's belt storage and wrapped a spare strip of cloth around his head to protect his face from thorns and branches.

Dark Crow stood on Haru's shoulder, continuously using Tailwind to maintain that advantageous state. While using it, he also controlled the airflow to gently push aside the surrounding branches and weeds, helping Haru move more easily. For larger branches, Dark Crow flapped his wings, using an unrefined version of his Gust attack to clear them, which also served as a form of exercise for his flying energy.

"Dark Crow, when using flying energy, you need to be mindful of how much you expend. Your stamina is your weak point, so you should conserve it when possible," Haru advised, providing guidance and training at suitable moments.

"Also, you should know that you are a dual-type Pokémon: Dark and Flying. Once we find a place, we need to start training your Dark-type skills specifically," Haru said, glancing at Dark Crow, who appeared increasingly spirited on his shoulder, and smiled.

"Ka!" Dark Crow nodded vigorously. He understood Haru's words. Deep down, Dark Crow also aspired to grow stronger, with a strong desire for battle.

With a flap of his wings, two gusts of wind burst forth.

Seeing Dark Crow's determination to grow stronger, Haru felt a wave of satisfaction.

For a trainer, having Pokémon with high innate talent means little if they lack the desire to fight or improve. Pokémon with lower talent but strong fighting spirit can be far more valuable. Dark Crow possessed considerable talent, and their bond was growing stronger; if he also had a high desire to become stronger, Haru believed that they both would achieve great things together in the future.

After walking for a short while, Haru's thoughts were interrupted by a robust wild Spearow that dove down from a tree, its fierce gaze coupled with a menacing appearance, its sharp beak and glinting claws indicating its intent to attack.

It was clear that the Pokémon on this island held no goodwill toward humans. Upon seeing the slender Haru, they often regarded him as prey. Moreover, Spearow were known to be quite irritable Pokémon.

However, to Haru, this sudden attack was merely a typical encounter. He shifted his body slightly, narrowly dodging the Spearow's strike.

This was a realistic world where Pokémon attacking humans was common, and strong Pokémon could deal sudden, lethal damage. Moreover, some individuals controlled Pokémon to directly attack humans. Team Rocket was one such organization; as long as they could complete their tasks, they did not care about fairness. Even within the alliance, there were those like this.

Therefore, being in a position of authority in Team Rocket and having the potential to become a master-level fighter, Haru had faced countless such situations. The Spearow's attack was nothing more than a regular occurrence for him.

Easily evading the Spearow's attack, Haru said to Dark Crow, "Dark Crow, use Tailwind and follow up with a Surprise Attack."

Dark Crow soared into the air, furious at the Spearow for its sudden assault, which had nearly harmed Haru. He felt a sense of humiliation; if it weren't for Haru's quick reflexes, the attack would have likely injured him. As Haru's Pokémon, this was a personal affront.

A dark streak of energy flashed by, and with the boost from Tailwind, Dark Crow's Surprise Attack hit the Spearow directly.

"Chir!" The Spearow shrieked as it was struck, being knocked back in pain.

At that moment, Haru took the opportunity to scan the Spearow's data.

**Pokémon:** Spearow (Orange)

**Gender:** Male

**Level:** 12

**Types:** Normal, Flying

**Ability:** Keen Eye

**Held Item:** None

**Inherited Skills:** None

**Base Skills:** Peck, Growl, Leer, Pursuit, Fury Attack

**Taught Skills:** None

Haru silently mused that an orange-quality Spearow was a decent wild Pokémon.

Seizing the opportunity, he commanded, "Dark Crow, don't stop! Use Peck!" His tone was calm.

Just as Haru finished speaking, Dark Crow was already in motion. In fact, he was ready to attack without needing Haru's command.

Before the Spearow could recover from being knocked back, it was struck once more by the swiftly acting Dark Crow. Already quite vulnerable, the Spearow paid the price for its reckless assault on Haru.

Coldly disregarding the fallen Spearow, Haru continued deeper into the forest. Spearow were social creatures, often appearing in flocks, and he did not want to engage a whole group right now. Moreover, he anticipated that the Pokémon he would encounter next would be stronger, and he preferred to conserve energy for the journey. Today's goal was to find a suitable camping spot.

Using his previous life experience living in the forest, Haru adeptly avoided stronger Pokémon and could identify the types of Pokémon present through various animal trails.

After swiftly defeating a few aggressive Pokémon and quickly vacating the area, it took about three hours before Haru and Dark Crow finally arrived at a spot that satisfied him.

It was a small lake surrounded by dense trees, with a small hill to the west where a cave appeared to have been excavated by Pokémon.

"This is the place!"

*(End of Chapter)*