Watg as Officer Jenny and the fire brigade hurriedly left, Sato withdrew his gaze. With the old woman's chatter filling the air, he silently followed her into her home.

  After the old woman firmly promised to take care of him temporarily, Officer Jenny assured him that she would help process the necessary paperwork as soon as possible. But Sato knew his life wouldn't simply folloredetermined course.

  Even though he had fotten whely the anization's recruiter would arrive, he would still make the same choi this sed life—he would join the assassin anization amed "Ghost Ship."

  First of all, he had no family other than his parents. Without a legal guardian, he would be sent to an orphanage, where his iance would be assessed by the Pokémon League and only be given to him at the age of fifteen.

  To be fair, the Pokémon League was wealthy enough that they wouldn't embezzle his iance. But after witnessing the wonders of the Pokémon world, Sato couldn't accept living an ordinary life.

  Besides, a peaceful life wasn't something he could choose even if he wao. He still remembered—he hadn't voluntarily joihe Ghost Ship anization in his previous life. He had been kidnapped.

  -----

  That night, Sato quietly slipped out of the old woman's house.

  Though his body was still that of a child, his previous life had been one of wealth and privilege, so he wasn't frail. While he couldn't scale walls like an assassi, climbing over them was still manageable.

  Before long, he arrived at his burned-down home. The memories were hazy, and with the house reduced to ruins, he couldn't find anything familiar. Instead, the acrid smell of smoke made his head spin.

  "My body is really weak… I o train."

  As this thought crossed his mind, he discreetly activated the Power of Darkness within him, letting it circute through his body. The dizziness faded instantly.

  Sato began a thh search of the house. The police had sealed off the vil after extinguishing the fire, but they hadn't ed up yet. This gave Sato a ce to find his own hidden treasures.

  Thump, thump, thud!

  "This must be it."

  Sato tapped along the walls, distinguishing the differences in sound. Soon enough, he found a hollow se—just as expected. Every businessman had a safe in their home.

  In his past life, Sato had been an "inpetent" assassin, often taking the liberty to rob safes after pleting missions. He had cracked open more than just a few, and the one before him was a reli twenty years ago—far from challenging. Within moments, the safe en.

  The first thing that caught his eye was a stack of cash, bankbooks, and some dots.

  A rough estimate put the cash at around one million Pokédiven that a Poké Ball cost 200 Pokédolrs, this amount was enough to cover his living expenses for quite some time.

  However, for raising Pokémon, it was nowhere near enough. A fully evolved Pokémon with a base stat total over 500 had a bck market starting price of 100,000 Pokédolrs—and that was just the baseline. Factors like talent, nature, and rarity could drive prices even higher.

  Pushing those thoughts aside, Sato took all the cash. The remaining dots—property deeds, asset statements—were meanio him for now, much like the bankbooks. He set them aside.

  There was nothing else inside.

  With a sigh, Sato realized his parents had been pure businessmen through and through.

  Taking only the cash, he left the rest ihe safe and resumed searg.

  A short while ter, Sato emerged from the charred remains of the vil, a small backpack slung over his shoulders.

  After surveying his surroundings, he discreetly stashed his cash-filled spatial backpa a creviear the neighbor's wall. The summer vegetation would keep it hidden for the time being.

  Once he joined Ghost Ship, he would undoubtedly be searched. Carrying rge amounts of cash would be useless.

  And if his memory served him right, the anization's first field training for new recruits would take pce three months from now.

  That would be his ce to escape.

  By then, this stash of cash would bee his crucial survival fund.

  As for why he wasn't esg now? A sly yet familiar smile fshed in his mind.

  "Zoroark… wait for me."

  Now, all he had to do was wait for the recruiter's arrival.

  With that, Sato silently climbed bato the guest room the old woman had prepared for him.

  ---

  Barely thirty minutes had passed since he y down, and though he had yet to fall asleep, his mind still tangled in thoughts—he felt something.

  A faint movement outside the window.

  The Power of Darkness surged. A small but distinct wave of pt firmed his suspi.

  "Click."

  The window opened silently. A light nding sound followed.

  Eyes shut, Sato feigned sleep, his instincts on high alert.

  He felt a tinge of relief but remairemely cautious. If he had taken even a little loo finish his earlier as, this person would have caught him.

  And without a doubt, if he had been discovered, every st Pokédolr he had hidden would have been stolen.

  The people from Ghost Ship weren't Pokémon League "righteous" types. Murder and theft were routine business. And if this person was truly the Ghost Ship recruiter…

  "Misdreavus, Hypnosis."

  'So, it's them.'

  Sato allowed the Psychic-type move to take effect.

  At the same time, the Power of Darkness within him silently eroded the Hypnosis' influence, ensuring that not even the slightest disturbance showed.

  "A kid who lost his parents and is about to be dragged intanization… hahaha, how lucky for you!"

  At first, the man spoke with mock pity. But in the moment, his voice twisted with manic glee.

  Sato ched his hands uhe b, suppressing his emotions.

  "Don't worry. Once you're in, I'll make sure to find you soon. I'll set you free then."

  Sato memorized his voice, his st, the energy signature of his Misdreavus.

  Whether he willingly entered Ghost Ship or not didn't matter.

  This was the person who had dragged him into hell in his past life. That fact could never be fotten.

  "Let's go, kid! Once I bring you in, my mission is plete!"

  The stranger muttered to himself before hoisting Sato onto his shoulder.

  As they leaped out the window, a sharp jolt of pain nearly made Sato cry out.

  But he held back.

  In his past life, he had woken up already ihe anization. That meant he wouldn't regain sciousness mid-jourhat also meant Misdreavus' Hypnosis wasn't some low-level sleep move—it was something much stronger.

  "I just have to endure."

  Sato gritted his teeth.

  Luckily, disguise aion had been crucial lessons in the anization's training.

  Pretending to be asleep? pared to pying dead, this was nothing.

  Before long, he was thrown into a vehicle. The position wasn't fortable, but at least it was better than being carried. Endurance was a fual skill for any assassin.

  Sato remained perfectly still until the faint light of dawn began creeping over the horizon.

  The car slowed.

  The eopped.

  The driver's door opened.

  Sato heard it all.

  Then, he was lifted once more.

  The light dimmed.

  Sato knew—he had been brought inside Ghost Ship.

  No—ihe Ghost Ship training camp.

  Romeloff