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"As expected, it still doesn't work… It seems that legendary Pokémon with larger populations don't contain any origin power. There's really no way to take shortcuts."
"A legendary Pokémon without origin power is already this troublesome. If it actually had it… its strength would probably be countless times greater."
"At that level, without absolute power, no amount of people would make a difference in trying to capture it. Just look at how this Zapdos defeated the League—that kind of Pokémon is no longer afraid of being swarmed by low-tier forces."
After releasing Zapdos, Sato attempted several times to use the system to extract origin power from it. When all attempts failed, he decisively gave up, feeling somewhat helpless.
He then shifted his gaze to the Zapdos frozen in solid ice, pondering how to deal with this extremely troublesome Pokémon.
There was no doubt—his act of capturing Zapdos this time was essentially snatching prey from the jaws of the League. Although he had contributed greatly during the battle between the League and Zapdos, he knew the League would never simply hand it over because of that.
Sato estimated that it wouldn't be long before the League dispatched elite trackers to find him. At the same time, they would likely contact him through the communication number he had left behind, using technological means to pinpoint his location.
And it wouldn't just be the League. Other factions that learned of the news would also spring into action. His current situation was extremely unfavorable.
"In the end, it all comes down to strength. If I had top Elite-Four level power, this Zapdos in my hands would only boost my combat strength—and neither the League nor other factions would dare act rashly."
"A powerful Pokémon that can't immediately be converted into combat strength is truly a curse… This is what they mean by 'a man is innocent, but his treasure invites trouble.'"
Thinking of everything that might happen next, Sato couldn't help but feel a chill in his heart.
The League, a colossal entity, had countless experts. During the previous super-legendary incident, they hadn't even gone all out. But this time, his act of seizing Zapdos would undoubtedly anger certain figures within the League.
The days ahead would not be easy.
However, the League was only a secondary concern. What troubled Sato the most right now was Zapdos itself.
Although Zapdos was a legendary Pokémon with Elite-Four level strength and extraordinary physical resilience, its injuries were severe. It had already fallen completely unconscious. If it wasn't treated soon, its life would be in danger.
As for how to treat it, Sato wasn't worried—he had Roserade, a Pokémon capable of using Grassy Terrain for healing.
What truly concerned him was what would happen after Zapdos recovered.
Zapdos had not been captured through his own strength, and as an Elite-Four level legendary Pokémon, it would never obey his commands. Worse, once healed, it might not only refuse to thank him—it might immediately attack him.
Yet its injuries couldn't be delayed any longer. If he missed the best treatment window, the damage could become irreversible. Even if it survived, it might be crippled—or worse, die outright.
"This is really troublesome… It seems I'll have to seek outside help."
Sato quickly considered possible solutions, but in the end, he could only come up with one relatively safe option.
That was—to entrust Zapdos to someone he trusted, someone strong enough to suppress it.
After thinking it over, only two candidates came to mind:
Professor Oak… or Giovanni.
Both possessed Champion-level strength. To them, Zapdos was merely a somewhat stronger Pokémon. Suppressing it would pose no difficulty.
However, Sato also knew that no matter which of the two he chose, he might temporarily—or even permanently—lose ownership of Zapdos.
Professor Oak belonged to the League. With his sharp mind and vast information network, he would quickly deduce Zapdos's origin. At that point, he might very well return it to the League.
Of course, Oak was reasonable. He would likely strive to secure compensation for Sato—and Sato would also avoid being targeted by the League.
As for Giovanni, things were less certain.
Although Giovanni was known for being fair, that depended on the situation. Zapdos, after all, was a legendary Pokémon—a strategic resource. If Sato handed it over, it might very well be like throwing meat to a dog—never to return.
Of course, Giovanni would compensate him—perhaps even allowing him to choose from various pseudo-legendary Pokémon.
But choosing Giovanni meant continuing to face the League's hostility—and over time, that pressure would only intensify.
After a fierce internal struggle, Sato finally made his decision:
He would entrust Zapdos to Professor Oak.
To be honest, it wasn't about avoiding the League's pursuit—it was because he simply couldn't bear to lose Zapdos.
In his view, giving it to Professor Oak gave him a far higher chance of retaining ownership than handing it to Giovanni.
Professor Oak was approachable and held immense authority within the League. If he were willing to advocate for Sato, there was a strong chance that Sato could keep Zapdos.
But if he handed it to Giovanni, getting it back would be nearly impossible.
Giovanni, after all, was the ruthless leader of Team Rocket. He would never allow something so valuable to slip beyond his control.
Sato knew that Giovanni wouldn't take it by force—he would provide a perfectly reasonable justification.
Something as simple as:
"You currently lack the ability to control Zapdos."
And promises like "You can have it back when you're strong enough" would merely be empty words.
Even if Sato truly reached Elite-Four level strength in the future, Giovanni would never return Zapdos. By then, it might already belong to a Rocket executive.
If Sato wanted it back, the only way would be to defeat that Elite-Four level executive.
Otherwise, it would be impossible.
Legendary Pokémon were incredibly rare. Sato had finally obtained the chance to capture one—how could he possibly give it up willingly?
Especially one as powerful as Zapdos.
At the end of the day, he was still a Trainer who pursued strength.
His strongest Pokémon, Swampert, was already close to breaking through to Elite-Four level. When that happened, he believed Swampert would be strong enough to defeat Zapdos.
And once he fully subdued Zapdos, his combat power would skyrocket—he would no longer be considered weak even among Elite-Four Trainers.
Moreover, Zapdos fit perfectly into his rain team composition. It even possessed Hidden Power (Water)—a move that countered Ground- and Rock-type Pokémon.
Sato was certain that with an Elite-Four level Swampert and Zapdos in his rain team, his strength would increase dramatically.
And when that time came—
he would no longer need to live at the mercy of others.