Chapter 272: Mightyena & Dusclops (Bonus Chapter)

Read advance chapters for both of my work, exclusively on Patreon at - www.patreon.com/Sniperwoof

-----------------

The Mightyena was bathed in the light of evolution, her body undergoing a remarkable transformation. 

The size of a Poochyena was typically comparable to an adult native dog, slightly larger than a Growlithe. But now, her form grew significantly, eventually reaching the size of an adult cheetah.

This newly evolved Mightyena was approximately 1.5 times larger than a typical one, standing notably taller. 

Anyone observing her would immediately recognize her as a Pokémon of exceptional upbringing.

After completing her evolution, her once gray fur gained an additional thick layer of black fur, resembling a protective black armor that covered her head, back, tail, and limbs, giving her an imposing appearance.

Her eyes, however, remained largely unchanged from when she was still a Poochyena—her irises retained their rare gray hue.

Perhaps due to her ability shifting from Run Away to Intimidate, Mightyena's wolf-like aura of dominance, which had been present even as a Poochyena, now grew overwhelmingly powerful. 

She exuded the majesty of a true wolf king.

Sato had a strong feeling that if a wild Poochyena or Mightyena encountered her now, they would unconditionally submit to her authority.

"You're truly impressive after evolving. You've grown so large that I feel like I could ride you," Sato remarked, gazing at the transformed Mightyena, whose appearance and demeanor had undergone a dramatic change. 

He now understood why the village elder had hesitated to allow her evolution.

The current Mightyena was a completely different being compared to her previous self. Her pride had more than doubled, and with the further awakening of her lupine bloodline, her rebellious nature and bloodthirsty gaze had become even more pronounced.

If not for the presence of his Swampert, which was even stronger than Mightyena, Sato wasn't entirely sure she would obediently listen to him. 

Now, Mightyena would only bow to true strength; a trainer lacking sufficient power would not be able to command her and might even suffer her backlash.

Mightyena turned her sharp, crimson gaze toward Sato, then shifted her eyes toward Swampert, who radiated an intimidating and menacing aura, and the Golbat perched on Sato's shoulder, staring coldly at her. 

Finally, she lowered her proud head to Sato, allowing him to gently pat her.

However, her tail remained still, unlike the wagging tail of a Growlithe. This indicated that while she acknowledged Sato's strength, she did not yet see him as her true master.

Sato wasn't surprised by this. Mightyena's wolfish nature made her difficult to truly tame. 

In terms of loyalty, she was far behind a Growlithe, who would remain steadfastly devoted to their trainer. Mightyena's allegiance was reserved for those who could defeat her. 

A trainer who failed repeatedly might find themselves abandoned without a second thought.

The evolution of Poochyena into Mightyena was merely a brief interlude. Sato soon shifted his focus to the spacious room before him. 

The numerous screens displaying various feeds confirmed his suspicion—this was the surveillance room of Team Magma's underground base.

The monitoring system was still operational. The screens provided a clear view of the docks and surrounding main roads, covering at least 70% of the area. 

Surveillance within the base itself was even more comprehensive, sparing only areas requiring privacy.

Sato inspected each seat in the room, noting their cold, untouched surfaces. It was evident the base had been abandoned, with Team Magma temporarily relinquishing their hold on this hidden facility.

Demonstrating his skills as a former top-tier programmer, Sato quickly breached the base's relatively weak cybersecurity measures. Using simple hacking techniques, he gained control of the base's systems.

However, Sato was frustrated to find that Team Magma's secrecy was impeccable. They had thoroughly erased and destroyed all critical data before leaving, leaving no chance of recovery. 

He suspected they had refrained from triggering the base's self-destruct mechanism only because they intended to return someday.

Fortunately, his efforts weren't in vain. By accessing various camera feeds, he located several members of the White River Village guard, dock workers, and Pokémon imprisoned in the lowest level of the underground base.

The surveillance footage revealed that the captives had been beaten and forcibly sedated, leaving them in a deep sleep. Their faint breathing was the only reassurance that they were still alive.

Time was of the essence. 

Sato deactivated all the base's defenses, granting himself unrestricted access. Apart from occasional resistance from Pokémon left behind by Team Magma, his journey was unimpeded.

Before long, Sato arrived at the lowest level of the base—the dimly lit dungeon. 

Flickering lights above cast eerie shadows, while the air reeked of decay and foreboding, prompting Sato to heighten his vigilance as he approached the cell holding the White River Village guards.

Just as Sato advanced, Mightyena suddenly growled toward the darkness ahead. A large Shadow Ball formed in her mouth and shot forward.

Unfortunately, the attack was intercepted mid-air by an invisible force. 

From the shadows of the dungeon, a pair of crimson eyes opened, followed by a dozen smaller, similar eyes appearing one after another.

A Dusclops and its cohort of Duskulls emerged from the darkness, confronting Sato.

"So, there are still guards here, and not weak ones at that. Dusclops, Duskulls, you're no match for me, and I'd rather not harm you. Swampert!"

At Sato's command, his Swampert stepped forward, letting out a thunderous roar. Its battle-hardened presence surged outward, filling the air with an imposing aura.

The Duskulls recoiled slightly under Swampert's intimidating presence, their crimson eyes betraying a hint of fear.

However, the level 38 Dusclops stood its ground, silently challenging Sato's declaration.

Its spectral fists, charged with ghostly energy, lunged toward Sato.