Chapter 456: Entry and High-Tech Products

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Thick clouds veiled the bright moon and stars, casting the night sky in a dim, misty gray. Yet, the port of Cinnabar remained brightly lit as always. People moved about the harbor, bustling with various motives, creating a lively and noisy scene.

Wearing all black and a human-skin mask crafted from Ditto, Sato blended seamlessly into the crowd. Moving steadily and calmly, he made his way toward the largest luxury cruise ship currently docked at the pier.

A pure white gangway connected the ship to the dock, flanked on both ends by rows of burly sailors standing guard in decorated uniforms.

Though the sailors kept their eyes forward, they radiated an intimidating aura that silently warned outsiders to stay back. The curious onlookers, lacking tickets, dared not approach the gangway too closely.

It was Sunday—the day of the week when the luxury cruise ship hosted its elite banquet—so there were noticeably more guests tonight than usual.

At the gangway entrance, a few overwhelmed attendants were sweating profusely while handing out various masquerade masks to guests. Their professional smiles had grown stiff and forced from overuse.

Sato followed the flow of boarding passengers and exchanged a ticket worth 100,000 PokeDollars for a gleaming golden mask and a banquet admission stub marked "6969."

Under the guidance of a smiling but clearly exhausted female attendant, Sato entered the lavish cruise ship and stepped into the grand ballroom where the banquet was already underway.

Inside, elegant decorations filled the hall. Tables were neatly arranged with an abundance of gourmet food and fine wines. A large orchestra on the central stage played graceful and soothing music that resonated throughout the hall.

Unfortunately, while the banquet itself was splendid and the staff enthusiastic, the guests clearly weren't here for the wine or food. Conversations were minimal—everyone was minding their own business.

Observing this peculiar atmosphere, Sato smiled faintly beneath his golden mask. He ignored the lavish offerings and instead found an empty chair nearby. Sitting down, he leaned back and closed his eyes to rest.

Roughly ten minutes later, a loud chime rang through the ballroom—9:00 PM. Simultaneously, the music came to an abrupt stop.

A sharp blast from the ship's horn followed, accompanied by a slight tremor beneath their feet.

The ship had set sail. The real banquet had just begun.

Many guests, clearly regulars, promptly exited the hall with practiced ease and headed straight toward their destinations.

Newcomers, meanwhile, were guided by the enthusiastic staff and gradually made their way to their assigned locations.

Having visited many black markets before, Sato was well-versed in how things worked. Without saying much, he asked a nearby attendant to take him to the top deck of the ship.

Upon reaching the top, Sato approached a higher-ranking attendant stationed along the upper corridor and whispered the secret passphrase given to him by the chubby broker.

As soon as the attendant heard the code, his previously stern expression relaxed. He gave a courteous bow and gestured for Sato to follow him.

The attendant led Sato through a series of twists and turns along the top-deck corridor before finally stopping in front of a secluded room.

A dozen other attendants were already stationed nearby. Upon Sato's arrival, they all gave him a slight bow before returning to their disciplined, statue-like stance.

"Please, go in. The items you're looking for are inside," the attendant said with a polite gesture and a faint smile. Once he finished speaking, his expression returned to neutral as he joined the other silent attendants by the corridor wall.

'This cruise ship doubling as a black market… Who on earth is running this operation? These attendants all have thick calluses on their palms, steady gaits, and iron discipline. They even carry an unmistakable scent of blood. They're not just servers—they're trained soldiers. A black market staffed by soldiers? That's deep water.'

Sato gave the stone-faced attendants a subtle glance, inwardly surprised, but chose not to dwell on it. He pushed the door open and walked in.

The room was fairly spacious but had clearly been specially remodeled to resemble a store. All merchandise was sorted into display cases with glass panels, organized for both showcasing and sale.

There weren't a huge variety of items, but the majority were standardized weapons. As Sato walked past them, he skimmed the accompanying product descriptions and immediately felt a twinge of alarm.

There was no question—these were all high-tech weapons. Their design targets were clearly Pokémon. The destructive potential was terrifying.

A few of the weapons particularly caught Sato's interest.

For example, there was a small handgun powered by a piece of Thunder Stone at its core. According to its description, this pistol was called a Thunder Laser Gun. It fired energy bullets infused with concentrated Electric-type energy.

These bullets packed a punch comparable to a full-power Thunderbolt from an elite Electric-type Pokémon. Upon impact, they even caused small-scale energy explosions.

As long as the Thunder Stone's energy wasn't depleted and the barrel didn't overheat, the gun could fire continuously.

Frankly speaking, a well-trained soldier armed with this handgun could go toe-to-toe with an elite-level Pokémon.

Even against a pseudo Elite-Four level Water-type, it could still pose a threat—especially from range.

Of course, it didn't come cheap. The price tag: 50 million PokeDollars.

Additionally, the Thunder Stone powering it had to be of at least high-grade quality. The sheer cost made it clear—this was a weapon that literally let money fight Pokémon.

Sato didn't believe he was more capable than a trained soldier, but he was confident his physical condition was well above average—and he had Bullet Time, which meant he likely had a real edge when it came to shooting.

If he wielded this Thunder Laser Gun with his Bullet Time ability, he wouldn't be just another trainer powerless against Pokémon in a fight.

Aside from the Thunder Laser Gun, Sato also took a liking to another weapon: the Vulcan Grenade. It was a hand grenade packed with highly concentrated Fire-type energy using advanced technology.

Despite being only the size of a small apple, its destructive power, according to the description, was enough to turn a two-story building into a blazing inferno in seconds. The burst of heat could exceed a thousand degrees Celsius.

Used at the right moment, this tiny grenade could seriously wound a pseudo Elite-Four level Pokémon in an instant. Against Grass-, Steel-, or Ice-type Pokémon, it might even result in a one-hit kill.

To describe its power, it was comparable to a full-strength Blast Burn used by a pseudo Elite-Four level starter Fire-type Pokémon. 

(Note: Blast Burn – a Fire-type special attack, 150 base power. Effect: A fiery explosion engulfs the opponent. The user cannot move the next turn.)

The Vulcan Grenade was also outrageously expensive—each one cost 10 million PokeDollars. When Sato saw it, his first thought was: money bomb.

Still, despite its price, Sato believed the Vulcan Grenade was worth it. Compared to the Thunder Laser Gun, it was far more flexible—anyone could throw it effectively.

If not for the restrictions against carrying such high-damage weaponry, Sato would've definitely gritted his teeth and bought seven or eight as trump cards.

He knew full well that in the dense, bug- and grass-type infested tropical rainforests, this money bomb would be devastating. No Grass- or Bug-type Pokémon could survive in front of such fiery wealth.