The moment Ryuuske recognized the man, he immediately chose to leave. He didn't believe that his current self could be a match for this strongest Gym Leader—not even with Mewtwo in hand. After all, Mewtwo was also a creation of the very organization this man led: Team Rocket.
This wasn't some children's cartoon where no one ever dies. On the contrary, Ryuuske had already killed more than a few Team Rocket members. He didn't think Sakaki was the kind of saintly figure who would hesitate to kill—one who mourned the world and couldn't even bring himself to slaughter a chicken.
Just look at the brutal experiments they carried out on both humans and Pokémon. Team Rocket wasn't technically a killer-for-hire organization, but to claim they'd never taken a life? Ryuuske would be the first not to believe it. He'd killed people himself—so what chance would a massive underground organization have of staying clean?
Yet, after not getting very far, Ryuuske turned back. Not because he suddenly had a surge of heroism and wanted to go all out against the leader of an evil organization. Nor was it because he suddenly thought he was stronger than Sakaki.
No—the reason was that Sakaki's clumsy and downright comical entrance made Ryuuske realize something: the other man wasn't confident he could kill him either. Not due to a gap in power, but because of Mewtwo's unpredictability. As long as Ryuuske didn't foolishly rush in, Mewtwo could always help him escape—even from the most dangerous situation.
With that in mind, Ryuuske calmed down. Since Sakaki had already spotted him, running would only provoke a more direct confrontation. Rather than let things spiral into violent chaos, it was better to just go along with this Rocket boss's little act. His biggest advantage was intel.
He knew who Sakaki was—the mastermind behind Team Rocket—so he could stay on guard. Sakaki, on the other hand, didn't know that Ryuuske knew. That alone would keep Ryuuske safe for a few days—at least until Sakaki ran out of patience.
Ryuuske was honestly worried Team Rocket might send more people after him. There was no way Sakaki was their only powerhouse. If Team Rocket had a Psychic-type expert, even Mewtwo could be caught off guard and lose in a moment of carelessness.
Still, after seeing Sakaki's miserable, half-drained appearance, Ryuuske couldn't resist letting him suffer a little. As long as it didn't cross Sakaki's bottom line, the man wouldn't lash out. Besides, this body had been tortured by Team Rocket before. Even if just to thank the past "Ryuuske" for his sacrifice, he had to do this.
Sure, his acting was a little over-the-top—but hey, reality was an over-the-top drama!
"…'Dragon Pulse'!"
The dragon's roar echoed like a soundwave through the atmosphere, sending out a strange ripple that cracked nearby rocks. A group of wild Zubat shuddered. In the face of Dragon Pulse, they dropped from the sky like grains sifting through a sieve. One after another, they crashed to the ground. Those closer to the epicenter twitched a few times before losing all signs of life.
Those further back managed to flap back into the air in a panicked escape. The Golbat among them, looking like it'd just downed a bottle of wine, swayed unsteadily and followed the retreating swarm.
Ryuuske frowned as he watched the Golbat fly away, muttering to himself, "…That Golbat seemed way too strong."
Of course it was—that was one of the Gym Leader's ace Pokémon!
Lying flat on the ground, Sakaki grumbled internally but quickly forced a smile onto his face. He reached a hand toward Ryuuske and said, "…Thanks, kid. If it weren't for you, I probably would've died to those Zubat… Mind giving me a hand? I think I hurt my leg."
"Come on now, a full-grown man like you asking a 15-year-old boy to help you up? Don't you feel even a little ashamed? You look perfectly strong and healthy to me. Not a bit like someone in need of help. Were you lying to me earlier? Maybe you're not a Pokémon League investigator at all—maybe you're just some prospector looking to strike it rich? Otherwise, why would you come to the depths of Mt. Moon so unprepared?"
Ryuuske's tone was suspicious.
Let him walk over and help? That wasn't just a scam risk—he could lose his life!
This brat's got a seriously toxic mouth. Doesn't he know what it means to help others?!
Sakaki cursed silently but kept a sheepish smile on his face. Struggling to get up, he adopted the tone of a friendly uncle and said, "…Haha, I understand your doubts. There are a lot of gold-diggers in Mt. Moon—and most of them are reckless. As a Trainer, staying vigilant in the wild is smart… Hang on, here's my ID. Once you see it, you'll believe me."
Sitting on the ground, Sakaki fished an ID out of his pocket. Team Rocket could forge as many of these as they wanted. But then, his pupils shrank. Something was wrong—
He'd overacted. He actually sprained his ankle!
Now Sakaki was genuinely nervous. Sure, in this world, medical tech was borderline sci-fi, and this kind of injury could be healed quickly. But real battles weren't just sports matches. In a fight where humans and Pokémon worked as one, a sprain could mess up a Trainer's positioning and reflexes—something that could be fatal. Especially for someone like him, known as "Sakaki of the Earth," who excelled at ground-based combat—not flying on airborne Pokémon.
"Been in the office too long. My body's getting stiff,"
Sakaki chuckled self-deprecatingly and made a mental note to get back into shape once he returned.
He really did miss the days when he was a Trainer.
Unaware that Sakaki had slipped into middle-aged nostalgia, Ryuuske's hand moved to the Master Ball at his chest as he muttered and walked forward, "…These days it's too easy to fake an ID. Who knows if you're telling the truth… But you look like a kind, honest uncle, so I'll trust you—for now."
"Wait!"
Seeing Ryuuske walking over, hand on the Master Ball at his chest, Sakaki panicked. He knew full well what was inside—Mewtwo. Those with dark intentions were always the ones with the least sense of safety, and he quickly called out to stop him.
"What's wrong, Uncle?"
Ryuuske jumped, startled. He had only dared to approach after putting his hand on the Master Ball's switch—yet Sakaki had stopped him so suddenly.
"You're suspicious of me, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't suspicious of you too. Judging by your earlier actions, you sure don't act like a regular Trainer. Who knows what you're really here for—maybe you're the one who came to Mt. Moon to look for Moon Stones or fossils… I'm tossing the ID over—take a look."
Sakaki threw the ID card to the ground near Ryuuske's feet. With his ankle sprained, he couldn't dodge anything too quickly. This kid's lack of a sense of security is insane. He actually kept his hand right on Mewtwo's Poké Ball switch. What if he suddenly tried to kill someone? In these deep mountains, even if Sakaki was a League investigator, they might never even find the body.
Sakaki had investigated what Ryuuske did back in the lab. This fifteen-year-old had really killed people. That Rocket Squad Leader who died in Viridian Forest? The postmortem showed he was killed by a move like "Dragon Rush." This guy wasn't like those naïve teenaged Trainers.
Sometimes Sakaki genuinely wondered—just how did this kid grow up?
He could be way too ruthless at times.
As the ID landed near his feet, Ryuuske's guard shot back up. This Rocket boss is terrifying—he's using reverse suspicion tactics to boost credibility. If he didn't already know Sakaki's true identity, he might've let his guard down from that alone.
And so, these two meticulous, overly suspicious men began waging a silent battle of wits…
…against each other—and the air around them.
To be continued…