The moment Sato heard the voice, his expression changed drastically. A flash of blue light passed through his eyes, and his entire body instantly disappeared from the spot.
The next second, a tremendous roar like mountains collapsing and the earth splitting apart rang out. An enormous Steelix, considerably larger than others of its kind, suddenly crashed onto the ground, its immense weight causing the earth beneath it to crack.
Atop Steelix's enormous head sat a short man riding a Forretress that was floating in midair through the use of Magnet Rise. The man was staring coldly at Sato, who stood on the ground ahead of him.
"One of the Three Beast Warriors, Carr? As expected, he's a despicable bastard."
Looking at the short man riding Forretress in the air ahead of him, Sato immediately recognized his identity. His expression became solemn.
At the same time, killing intent began to brew in his heart.
He and this man had no grudge against each other. They were even comrades in the same organization, yet the moment Carr appeared, he had immediately launched a lethal attack.
If Sato hadn't been a Psychic, an ordinary person would probably have already been crushed into meat paste by Steelix.
Against such a vicious man, if he ever got the opportunity, Sato would definitely kill him.
The newcomer was indeed Carr. He was the final person Giovanni had sent to intercept Sato.
Unlike the other Team Rocket members who had come to intercept Sato today, Carr was one of Giovanni's most trusted Three Beast Warriors. He acted in an eccentric and unpredictable manner and was personally ruthless and merciless, always going straight for his opponent's life whenever he attacked.
Today, he had come to intercept Sato under Giovanni's orders. He had originally intended to teach Sato a good lesson, suppressing the arrogance of this man who had suddenly and quietly become an Elite-Four level Trainer, making it easier for Giovanni to bring him under control.
Of course, Carr himself was also extremely covetous of the Zapdos in Sato's possession. Otherwise, he wouldn't have immediately gone for the kill.
"Hehehe~ Kid, you really do have some tricks up your sleeve. But if you want to beat me, you're still a hundred years too early. Steelix, crush him."
Carr clearly hadn't taken Sato seriously at all. Even after his initial killing blow had failed, he continued to sneer at Sato.
Hearing Carr act so recklessly, Sato immediately looked toward the balcony at the top of the nearby building.
The person who had originally been standing there was already gone.
Sato's heart immediately sank.
Upon hearing Carr's command, Steelix's enormous crimson eyes suddenly flashed with a bloodthirsty glow. It immediately sprang into action.
Despite its seemingly cumbersome body, Steelix moved with astonishing agility. Like a giant serpent pouncing on its prey, it shot toward Sato with incredible speed.
Double-Edge was activated.
However, the scene Carr expected—Sato once again using Teleport to escape—didn't happen.
Nor did the scene of Steelix's massive iron body crushing Sato into the ground occur.
"What?!"
Amid a dazzling burst of multicolored light, Carr watched in astonishment as Steelix's head was actually pushed backward by Mega Swampert.
Steelix's massive body was sent crashing heavily onto the ground to the left.
At this moment, Sato was staring coldly at Carr, as though he were looking at a dead man.
"Kid, what kind of look is that? Do you even know who I am? I'm one of Team Rocket's Three Beast Warriors! You're nothing more than a Team Rocket Elite. When you see me, you should be getting on your knees!"
"Steelix, get up already! Use Iron Tail!"
Carr noticed the killing intent in Sato's eyes, and a powerful sense of danger immediately arose within him. But he quickly bared his teeth and shouted arrogantly.
Steelix was a level-78 Elite-Four level Pokémon belonging to Carr, so its strength was naturally formidable. It was impossible for it to be knocked unconscious simply because Mega Swampert had shoved it aside.
Hearing Carr's command, Steelix's long tail immediately lit up with dazzling white light before sweeping toward Mega Swampert and Sato with incredible speed.
But the scene Carr had hoped to see—Sato and Mega Swampert being smashed into bloody pieces by Steelix's tail—still failed to materialize.
Mega Swampert actually caught Steelix's Iron Tail with one hand.
Immediately afterward, an unbelievable scene unfolded before Carr's eyes.
Mega Swampert grabbed Steelix by the tail and began swinging it around like a rope, repeatedly smashing the enormous Steelix against the ground.
No matter how desperately Steelix struggled, it was completely useless.
"..."
Elsewhere, Giovanni was watching what was happening in the open area outside through a computer screen in his office on the top floor of the building.
His eyes narrowed slightly, and his breathing became noticeably heavier.
Even before reaching the Elite level, Swampert had already possessed astonishing physical strength. After its body underwent a new transformation through the infusion of energy and its strength rose another level, its already monstrous physical power had naturally advanced by leaps and bounds.
According to Sato's estimation, Swampert's current strength was in no way inferior to that of a powerful Fighting-type Pokémon such as Machamp at the Elite level.
The force behind Steelix's sweeping Iron Tail was naturally not something to underestimate, but for Swampert, it was still within a range it could withstand.
Moreover, Swampert had already Mega Evolved into Mega Swampert.
As Mega Swampert continued smashing Steelix into the ground as though it were a rope, the mass of dark clouds that had expanded overhead finally released its first drop of rain.
Immediately afterward, heavy rain began pouring down.
At the same time, a Zapdos covered in crackling lightning suddenly rose into the sky from the ground.
With a piercing cry from Zapdos, countless serpentine bolts of lightning began surging through the dark clouds overhead, followed by successive peals of thunder.
Mega Swampert was brutally smashing Steelix.
Zapdos was commanding the lightning.
The situation on the battlefield instantly underwent a dramatic reversal.
Carr, already soaked completely through by the rain, suddenly felt a chill run through his entire body.
For a moment, Carr was rendered speechless.
The battlefield also fell into an eerie silence.
The only sounds remaining were the repeated thunderous impacts of Mega Swampert smashing Steelix into the ground and Steelix's agonized cries.
Before long, Steelix stopped howling.
Under Mega Swampert's relentless assault, it had been beaten unconscious and would not be waking up anytime soon.
"Mr. Carr, I presume? I've heard quite a lot about you. Hello, I'm Sato."
"Now that the winner has been decided, may I pass?"
"Of course, if you still want to continue fighting, I'll gladly oblige."
"But if you do, you'd better be prepared to die."
Seeing Carr's face turn somewhat pale, Sato used his telekinetic powers to rise into the air. He then stepped onto Zapdos, which had voluntarily flown over to him.
Looking down at Carr from Zapdos's back, Sato spoke calmly.
Hearing Sato's words, Carr's previously pale face immediately flushed red.
He raised his head and glared fiercely at Sato, his eyes bloodshot.
Clearly, this Three Beast Warrior, who normally acted in an extremely eccentric and domineering manner, was extraordinarily arrogant at heart.
Even though the situation was overwhelmingly unfavorable for him now, he still found it difficult to tolerate Sato's attitude toward him.
However, the victor had already been decided.
No matter how unwilling he was to accept it, Carr could only temporarily lower his head.
He knew very well that his favorite form of combat—his explosive art—would have difficulty posing any threat to the man before him.
Moreover, this damn rain had completely ruined his subsequent explosive attacks.