Chapter 354: Courting Death

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The eastern district of Pewter City was its commercial hub. The urban facilities here were far superior to those in the city's other three districts.

Compared to the desolate and run-down atmosphere of the southern district, this area was thriving with prosperity.

Even the border region between the southern and eastern districts had begun to absorb some of that flourishing energy. Many shops here remained open late into the night.

In this border area, there were no fewer than a dozen nightclubs, along with numerous arcades and underground casinos.

Because rental prices here were significantly lower than in the eastern district, the cost of goods and services wasn't high.

With affordable yet quality services, business in this area was booming. Every evening, a large number of people from the eastern district would come here to spend their money.

In short, this border region between the southern and eastern districts was a prime piece of real estate—an irresistible slice of meat for anyone eyeing its potential profits.

Both the gangs from the southern district and those from the east were eager to get their hands on it. Controlling this area meant a daily flow of protection money that was anything but small.

Previously, because the gangs in the eastern district were generally stronger than those in other parts of the city, one of the three major eastern gangs, the Iron Fist Gang, had taken control of this area due to its proximity.

However, ever since the Black Serpent Gang eradicated the fearsome Spearow Gang and took over the entire southern district, they had made repeated attempts to wrest control of this lucrative territory from the Iron Fist Gang.

As a result, the past few weeks had seen over a dozen skirmishes in this area between the Black Serpent Gang and the Iron Fist Gang.

The two factions had grown openly hostile, and conflicts would erupt almost immediately whenever members from both sides encountered each other.

Naturally, these gang disputes had taken a toll on the local economy. Foot traffic in the area had nearly halved, leaving business owners deeply worried.

At the moment, Sato was dining at a restaurant called Gourmet House, the finest establishment in the district.

Unfortunately, like many other businesses here, it had suffered from the gang war's impact.

When he arrived, the restaurant—capable of seating over a hundred guests—had only about a dozen customers inside. The sluggish business was evident at a glance.

Due to the low number of patrons, both the restaurant owner and staff were particularly attentive. VIP guests, especially those booking private rooms like Sato, were welcomed with even greater enthusiasm.

Though Sato trained his Pokémon with strict discipline, he was nothing but generous when it came to their well-being.

Ever since he had come into money, he had ensured they were fed only the best meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. If the opportunity arose, he also provided them with afternoon tea and a midnight snack.

Tonight, rather than feeding them the same Pokémon food they had already eaten three times earlier in the day, Sato allowed them to indulge in whatever delicacies they desired.

With Swampert's massive appetite and the influence it had on the rest of Sato's Pokémon—who had also developed large appetites under its example—the restaurant was having an unexpectedly good night.

One food cart after another was wheeled into the private dining room.

"A VIP indeed! A true VIP! Hey, you, hurry up and tell the kitchen to get moving! Don't you see the last food cart has already been emptied? Get another one in there, quick!"

The plump restaurant owner was watching the VIP room's surveillance feed from behind the counter.

Though he was stunned by Swampert's terrifying appetite, his heart was filled with joy. Seeing the food cart inside the private room nearly emptied, he cheerfully instructed a nearby waiter.

But just as he finished giving his orders—

BANG!

With a violent crash, a menacing-looking Houndoom smashed through the restaurant's glass doors. Behind it, more than a dozen burly men wielding clubs and other weapons swaggered in with their Pokémon.

The owner's cheerful expression vanished instantly, replaced by deep resentment.

Exchanging glances with one of his waiters, he quickly forced a smile and stepped out from behind the counter.

"My, my! If it isn't Lord Kosuke! What a pleasant surprise. Please, come in, have a seat! What would you like to eat? I'll have the kitchen prepare it for you right away!"

Carefully avoiding the snarling Houndoom, the restaurant owner approached Kosuke with an ingratiating smile.

Meanwhile, the waiter who had caught his signal discreetly pulled out a communicator and sent a brief message to one of his contacts.

The message contained only three words: "The Serpents are here."

"Go. Search the place. Houndoom's nose doesn't lie."

Kosuke ignored the owner's pleasantries, his gaze sweeping over the sparsely populated restaurant. Then, he gestured for his men to proceed.

The moment Kosuke spoke, his gang members eagerly began their "search"—which was more akin to open robbery. Expensive wine, fine dishware, and high-end food all fell into their hands.

"Lord Kosuke! What are you doing?! I already paid this month's protection fee in full! You can't just destroy my restaurant!"

The owner's face turned pale as he watched the gangsters ransack his establishment. He could no longer keep up his act and yelled in protest.

His defiance was futile.

A glint of cruelty flashed in Kosuke's eyes. Without hesitation, his Houndoom slammed into the owner with a brutal Tackle, sending him flying.

Had Kosuke not gestured for it to stop, the Houndoom might have followed up with a Flamethrower.

This Houndoom had been Kosuke's trusted partner for years, one of his main battlers, and had already reached level 41. Its keen sense of smell was exceptional, which was precisely how Kosuke had tracked his target here.

Even though his enemy had tried to mask their scent with perfume, Houndoom's extraordinary nose had still managed to detect it after a bit of effort.

Kosuke had absolute faith in its ability. He was certain that Sato—the man who had injured over a dozen members of the Black Serpent Gang—was hiding here.

"You Black Serpent bastards have gone too far! Just you wait—someone will put an end to you one day!"

Gritting his teeth against the pain, the restaurant owner struggled to his feet with the help of two waiters. He pointed a shaking finger at Kosuke and cursed loudly.

The moment his words fell—

BOOM!

A Machoke suddenly burst through the restaurant's wall, as if shot out of a cannon, before slamming into the opposite wall with bone-crushing force.

It didn't stop there. With its momentum unchecked, Machoke crashed through the wall entirely and was sent hurtling into a nightclub ten meters away.

Before anyone could even process what had happened, screams erupted from beyond the shattered wall.

One after another, several more Pokémon were violently blasted through the same opening, sent flying into the nightclub across the street.

The screams lasted for barely ten seconds before abruptly ceasing.

Then—

Under Kosuke's and his Houndoom's fearful gaze, a towering Swampert casually tore the remaining fragments of the wall apart.

A moment later, a young man clad in a black Elite Trainer attire casually stepped out of the rubble beside it.

Behind them, the Black Serpent gang members who had gone into the VIP room to search, along with their Pokémon, now lay motionless in pools of blood.

"I wasn't even planning to come after you yet," Sato said, his expression cold and dangerous as he stared at Kosuke. "But here you are, delivering yourself right at my doorstep.... Tell me, are you so eager to die that you're literally courting death? Hmmm..?"