Kaz's last conscious moment froze at the instant the Metal Tail swept across him.
Nozomi watched as the massive Steelix's metallic tail slammed Kaz unconscious and clicked his tongue twice.
Did he really think all that nonsense he spouted earlier was just idle chatter?
No—it was a deliberate act to draw Kaz and his Rocket subordinates' attention. While talking, Nozomi had already signaled Steelix silently.
Then, at the very moment when Kaz and the Rocket members' vigilance was at its lowest, Steelix struck with a single Steel Tail, clearing the field in one shot.
"Just like that?"
"Are these really the same Rocket members who had us on the ropes before?"
"Why do they seem so weak in Nozomi's hands?"
The nearby observers, who had watched Nozomi dispatch the Rocket "inspectors" in a matter of moments, were left in stunned numbness.
Nozomi recalled his Metagross and ordered Steelix to block the Rocket Team's retreat. He then addressed the stunned inspectors still frozen in place:
"Don't just stand there—arrest these Rocket members immediately!"
"Ah!"
Hearing Nozomi's command, the inspectors snapped back to attention.
"Yes, sir!"
Faced with a group of incapacitated Rocket members, the inspectors displayed excellent professionalism, swiftly and orderly handcuffing the downed Rocket trainers.
Nozomi paid them little mind and turned to Officer Jenny, who had emerged from cover with a look of admiration. He gestured toward the street, now a scene of utter destruction.
"Officer Jenny, I assume I don't need to pay for the damage to these streets, right?"
Jenny, initially thinking Nozomi was about to ask some critical question, stifled a laugh.
She then realized her behavior might seem impolite and cleared her throat awkwardly. "N-no, Mr. Nozomi. Your actions were heroic; there's certainly no need for compensation."
By regulation, any damage caused by large Pokémon in a city must be covered by their trainer, who bears responsibility.
But Nozomi's actions were a matter of public service. If he had to pay for this, who would be willing to confront the Rocket Team in the future?
"Good, then I'm relieved."
Compensation? Impossible. Not in this lifetime!
Nozomi's tone and expression made Jenny chuckle.
Securing Steelix's Poké Ball on his belt, Nozomi watched as the Pokémon inspectors finished handling the captured Rocket members, loading them into the transport vehicle along with the previous batch from Scar.
A square-faced, upright inspector approached him. "Hello. I am Ishida, commander of this transport operation. Your assistance today is greatly appreciated."
Nozomi smiled. "It's nothing. I used to be a Pokémon inspector myself. Seeing this, I couldn't just stand by. Besides, these Rocket members were coming for people I'd captured—letting them escape would have been a direct slap in my face. So, it's no trouble at all."
Ishida shook his head. "You're too modest."
Though he said it casually, stepping up first against so many Rocket members demonstrated remarkable character.
Especially considering that Nozomi had left the Pokémon Inspector Corps for some unknown reason.
This was pure humanitarian spirit.
Though Ishida didn't know Nozomi well, even from this single event, he could see qualities absent in many trainers and even Pokémon inspectors.
Nozomi's humility despite his achievements greatly increased Ishida's admiration. He sensed there was more to the story behind Nozomi's resignation.
Unaware of Ishida's silent judgments, Nozomi only felt that the inspector commander seemed to like him.
After a brief pause, Ishida cautiously spoke:
"I wonder, Nozomi… would you be interested in returning to the Inspector Corps? To become a full-fledged Pokémon inspector again?"
He emphasized the word full-fledged.
"I have some influence within the League. If you're willing, you could rejoin the corps directly as an official inspector."
The nearby inspectors, tidying up the battlefield, were stunned.
An official inspector!
Even among the inspectors present, many were still interns like Nozomi before his resignation. Becoming a full-fledged Pokémon inspector isn't easy; even seasoned interns require extensive evaluation. Yet their commander was inviting a resigned Nozomi straight into the official ranks!
"Thank you for the offer, but I'll pass. Being a Pokémon trainer suits me just fine," Nozomi replied with a smile.
He thought: unless I'm out of my mind, why would I leave a peaceful, promising life as a trainer to endure the daily grind of inspections?
Maintaining world peace can be done casually; doing it daily would drive him insane.
Ishida's expression revealed a hint of regret.
"Very well," he said.
He felt it was a real loss.
Having witnessed Nozomi capture high-ranking Rocket members, Ishida knew Nozomi's strength far exceeded his own. With Nozomi's help in future Rocket conflicts, victory would be far more certain.
But Nozomi had clearly declined, so he could not insist. His frustration now focused entirely on whoever had caused Nozomi to resign.
"Damn it… what reason forced Nozomi to leave the corps?"
He resolved to use his connections to investigate. If Nozomi had been pushed out today, who else might be? He had to uncover the scoundrel hiding among them.
"Anything else? If not, I'll take my leave," Nozomi said, noticing the growing crowd of onlookers.
"No, that's all," Ishida sighed, bowing deeply. "Thank you for putting aside past matters to assist us."
"I already said it was just a casual favor. Farewell!"
Nozomi left with Bulbasaur at his side.
Jenny stared after him, somewhat dazed.
Though he had appeared for less than an hour, Nozomi had left a deep impression.
As she watched him disappear down the street, feeling a pang of loss, his voice suddenly rang in her ear:
"Oh, almost forgot—remember to transfer Kaz's bounty into my account! My account number is—"
Jenny perked up immediately and saluted in the direction he had gone. "Understood!"