Chapter 275: Embodiment of Death

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A little past 10:00 AM, Sato set sail in a speedboat that dockworkers had quickly prepared for him. At the helm was a seasoned captain who specialized in ferrying passengers between the docks and Mt. Pyre.

With decades of experience, the old captain boasted that he could navigate the waters blindfolded and still safely and swiftly reach Mt. Pyre. 

True to his word, even with the engine running at full throttle, the captain maintained an impressive combination of speed and stability.

Sato speculated that the Team Magma must have coerced Marcus into leading them, given his knowledge of the secret paths described by the village elder. 

According to the elder's information, Team Magma couldn't have directly accessed the heart of Mt. Pyre because the concealed paths leading to the volcano's summit were located on the cliffs at the mountain's rear—hidden and nearly impossible to find without a guide.

Thanks to his extensive seafaring experience and familiarity with the coastline of Mt. Pyre, the captain quickly identified the ideal landing spot based on Sato's descriptions.

"It seems Team Magma landed here," Sato remarked, turning to the captain. 

"Thank you so much for your help—you've been invaluable. Now, stay hidden around this area. Your task is to guide the League rescue team when they arrive."

After an hour at sea, Sato, standing at the bow of the boat, finally spotted Team Magma's ships anchored near the cliffs of Mt. Pyre through his binoculars. 

Thrilled, he went into the cabin to inform the captain and crew.

"Don't worry, young hero. We'll do as you say," the captain assured him, thumping his chest for emphasis. "But be careful. Team Magma is extremely ruthless. They even kidnapped an old man like me—no respect for the elderly! And they're always plotting to destroy the world…"

The captain's chatter was relentless, but Sato left the cabin with a smile, stepping outside to release his Swampert into the water.

"Let's go, Swampert. Take me to them."

Swampert, now massive enough to serve as a reliable sea transport, carried Sato cautiously and steadily toward the cliffs where the Team Magma's ships were anchored.

Team Magma's guards had decent security measures in place, but many of them were gathered in small groups, either chatting or playing cards, with only a few keeping a vigilant eye on the water.

Suddenly, a dense white fog began to rise over the previously clear sea, spreading rapidly and obscuring the guards' view. 

However, the guards didn't seem alarmed. Instead, they cursed their luck and grumbled about the strange weather, attributing it to Mt. Pyre's peculiar environment.

The fog, however, was anything but ordinary. In this area, sea fog often indicated danger. Frequently, it was the result of Water-type Pokémon using Mist to create a veil. 

Moreover, the appearance of such fog tended to coincide with Ghost-type Pokémon becoming restless, even during the day.

These Pokémon, born from various dark phenomena, often sought to satisfy their eerie needs when they sensed the presence of the living.

"Come out, Golbat, Pelipper. Golbat, guide Swampert. Pelipper, keep an eye on the surroundings and be ready to act."

Sato, now on high alert, released Golbat and Pelipper into the fog. As he scanned his surroundings, a shadow appeared on the water ahead.

A chill ran down his spine as the world seemed to lose its color, turning into a black-and-white still frame. 

Everything fell silent.

The shadow had a single, malevolent eye that stared directly at him. Though the contact lasted only a moment, it conveyed an overwhelming sense of death and danger. 

Sato felt as though he was being judged by death itself.

Yet, despite the fear, Sato did not avert his gaze. He clenched his fists and stood firm, his unyielding will meeting the shadow's presence head-on. 

After a moment—or perhaps an eternity—the shadow's eye closed and vanished.

'You're quite impressive, young human,' an ancient, icy voice echoed in Sato's mind as the shadow disappeared. 

The words sent a shiver down his spine, and he instinctively looked around, but the presence was gone.

As the oppressive atmosphere lifted, the world regained its colors, and the sound of waves and wind returned. 

Sato, drenched in sweat, checked his surroundings but found nothing. Even Golbat and Pelipper reported no signs of other Pokémon.

"What was that shadow?" Sato wondered, his face pale. 

"I couldn't have imagined it. But why was I the only one who saw it? Even Swampert didn't sense anything."

Despite his resilient nature, the encounter had shaken him deeply. The shadow felt like the embodiment of death itself—a predator to all living beings.

With Golbat leading the way, Swampert carried Sato safely to a large rock near the cliff, only ten meters away from Team Magma's ships. 

Using the fog as cover, Sato quickly changed into a Team Magma uniform he had confiscated from a captive.

After the fog dissipated, Sato used infrared binoculars to survey the area from behind the rock. He soon spotted a hidden path on the cliff—a narrow opening marked by a long rope ladder, guarded by a six-member Team Magma squad.

To his shock, all six guards and their Pokémon were asleep, lying on the ground with unnaturally pale faces, as if trapped in a nightmare. 

The same eerie scene extended to the Team Magma's ships, where every crew member and Pokémon appeared similarly affected.

Sato's heart raced as cold sweat dripped down his back. He couldn't help but recall the shadow.

"What in the world was that thing? I'm certain I saw it… but why did it target only me?"

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