g!

  The sharp knife was tossed to the ground without hesitation, causing Zorua's body to tremble. The st trace of fusion in its eyes vanished instantly, repced by alertness.

  It curled up slightly, clearly preparing to pounce.

  "Don't worry, I won't hurt you," Sato said softly, eling the Power of Darkness within him toward the wound on his hand.

  A surge of pure Dark-type energy slowly spread out along with the seeping blood.

  Using his blood as a medium, the Power of Darkness didn't dissipate immediately. Instead, it merged with the blood, radiating an irresistible allure to the Dark-type Zorua.

  The sed extension of the Power of Darkness: Blood Nourishment.

  With Dark energy as its core, when mixed with the user's own blood, this pure energy became easily absorbable by Dark-type Pokémon, enhang their physical dition, intelligence, and even iential.

  In his past life, Sato had fought desperately in a life-or-death battle against Zorua, his arm getting bitten by its sharp fangs.

  At that moment, the ower of Darkness inside him had miraculously pulled Zorua out of its bloodthirsty frenzy.

  Now, however, Sato had deliberately cut his hand on his own accord, and Zorua had yet to be ed by the surrounding stench of blood.

  The irresistible temptation drew Zorua forward step by step.

  It sloroached Sato, thees small tongue and began lig his blood. Only then did Sato finally take the time to observe his past-life panion, who had entrusted its life to him.

  A frail, bony frame.

  Messy, dull fur.

  A balding tail and several long whip scars.

  Sato knew all too well—this Zorua was a discarded Pokémon from the anization. Its previous trainer had died on a mission.

  Because Zorua was weak, it had bee behind at the base rather tha on assigs.

  Zorua had never been seen in Kanto before. Even in Unova, where it inated, Zorua was sidered extremely rare.

  At this time, the Pokémon League still cked strong trol over different regions, making information exge difficult.

  This resulted in rare and powerful Pokémon like Zorua being unreized in Kanto.

  Kanto had no native Dark-type Pokémon. Trainers were unfamiliar with their weaknesses, strengths, or even their moves.

  Thus, a gem like Zorua was overlooked aually reduced to nothing more than a trial Pokémon.

  "From now on, stay with me."

  Sato extended his hand, gently running his fihrough Zorua's messy fur.

  Zorua stiffened for a brief moment but seemed to uand his words.

  It then allowed itself to be petted obediently.

  "Zorr~"

  The wound on Sato's arm wasn't deep, so only a small amount of blood had flowed before the cut sealed itself.

  Zorua nudged Sato's arm affeately, signaling that it had had enough.

  "You just 't drink any more, huh?"

  Sato griapping its small head.

  Unlike in his past life, where his Power of Darkness had been weak and sparse, the energy inside him now was far more trated. Even a small amount was more than enough for the frail Zorua.

  "Zoru~"

  Zorua's blue eyes shifted, a hint of ing fshing through them before it suddenly whimpered and acted cute.

  Seeing this, Sato couldn't help but feel a wave of emotion.

  Before evolving, Zorua yful, mischievous, and skilled iion. Even after enduring immense suffering, it never lost its lively nature.

  But after evolving into Zoroark, it became silent and cold—a natural predator of the night, ohat never wasted words when as sufficed.

  Click!

  The iron cage door opened automatically.

  The dim light cast a shadow over Zorua's body. It shivered violently, then darted behind Sato, trembling.

  Sato turned and picked up Zorua, feeling its frail frame. A trace of heartache flickered in his eyes as he lowered his head and stepped out.

  "Hmm?"

  "What's that in his arms?"

  "Is that… a Pokémon? Weren't we supposed to kill them?"

  Murmurs of shod fusion filled the air.

  Sato looked up.

  There were about seventeen hteen other recruits who had passed, whispering amongst themselves.

  The sed-round cages had mostly tained Rattata and Furret— Pokémon that were agile yet weak.

  Even with a knife, Rattata had been far more troublesome than Caterpie. The sed trial was meant to weed out recruits with physical weaknesses or those still hesitant to kill.

  "Number 136, what are you holding? Why didn't you kill it? Do you want to die instead?"

  The Red-rank assassin's voice rang out, ced with unusual excitement.

  He seemed eager for something.

  "I tamed it. That should t as passing, right?"

  "Of course not. I'll give you one ce—kill it right now, and I'll let you pass!"

  The Red-rank assassin's eyes gleamed with amusement.

  Watg someone kill their own Pokémon just to survive? What a delicious spectacle!

  Sato frowned deeply.

  In his past life, he had alsht Zorua out of the cage, yet no one had questioned him.

  After all, taming a Pokémon ihe cage was harder than killing one. Any anizatioher righteous or evil—would urn away true talent.

  Something was wrong. Sato tightened his grip orembling Zorua, then shifted his gaze to the silent Blue-rank assassin. He was the true authority here.

  "I said, kill it!"

  The Red-rank assassin snarled, stepping forward alongside his Houndoom.

  Both man and Pokémon radiated intimidation.

  "Zorr…"

  Zorua turs head, its body still trembling, but it still bared its fangs at the vastly stronger Houndoom.

  A slender hand suddenly covered Zorua's eyes.

  At the same time, Sato carefully calcuted the strength of his current body and the Power of Darkness, searg for a way to break free.

  Yet, even as his mind raced, his gaze never left the Blue-rank assassin. He couldn't let Zorua provoke Houndoom further.

  "Enough. Fall in line."

  "Lord Kalo, but—"

  The Red-rank assassin tried to object but was met with a pair of bottomless eyes and an untested aura of terror. Houndoom, too, instantly cowered. It whimpered in submission, tail between its legs, retreating behind its master.

  "Y-Yes… Lord Kalo. Number 136, fall in line!"

  The Red-rank assassin barked his and, his eyes dark with rese.

  He had clearly marked Sato as an enemy.

  L his head, Sato silently took his pce at the end of the lihe Zorua in his arms trembled a little less, though its rapid heartbeat still pulsed against Sato's chest.

  For Zorua, even just baring its fangs had been a battle of life ah.

  Gently stroking its fur, Sato eled traces of the Power of Darkhrough his palm, calming its emotions.

  His eyes darkened. He had already memorized Houndoom's distinct Dark-type energy signature.

  He hadn't expected his sed kill to appear so soon.