Midway through their conversation, Jiang Han suggested he needed to step away for a moment.
Steven gave him a look that said, "I understand."
"Go ahead, I'll wait for you here."
Jiang Han stepped into the shadows, seized the opportunity to put on his mask, and headed toward the Team Rockets survey team's location.
"Executive Sir!"
Seeing Jiang Han arrive, Erlang immediately scurried over with a fawning expression.
Because Jiang Han was currently pretending to be a rock enthusiast, his body was covered in dirt. Erlang looked at the Executive Sir before him, thinking that this powerful Team Rocket Executive must have just emerged from a major battle.
"What is the progress?"
Jiang Han asked in a deep voice, his tone devoid of emotion.
"Reporting, Sir! It will take about 10 more minutes."
"Very good! I will protect you in the shadows later. Once the mission is complete, retreat immediately, and do not engage in conflict with anyone. Understand?" Jiang Han said in a deep voice.
Upon hearing this, how could Erlang dare to defy Jiang Han?
In his eyes now, this Executive was simply synonymous with mystery and power!
"Understood!"
Jiang Han nodded in satisfaction.
He slipped back into the shadows and returned to Steven's side.
"Brother Jiang Han, what took you so long?"
"Quick, come look at the stone I just found!"
...Just as the two were talking, a sudden change occurred!
A surge of fiery heat passed right in front of them, and Jiang Han found it somewhat familiar.
It was that angry Fire-type pokémon he had encountered earlier while leading the survey team!
And opposite that presence was another equally powerful pokémon!
Jiang Han and Steven exchanged glances, both seeing surprise reflected in the other's eyes.
The two reached a consensus and immediately crept toward the direction of the battle.
As they drew closer, the heat in the air intensified. The cave walls glowed faintly red under the high temperature, and gravel rattled down due to the violent vibrations, hitting the ground with crisp sounds.
A strong smell of sulfur mixed with the stench of metal friction assailed their nostrils, making them uncomfortable.
"Boom!"
Another loud crash sounded.
A massive Aggron was sent flying by a powerful force, its heavy body slamming violently into the rock wall, leaving a huge dent as gravel rained down like drops.
Its opponent was a Camerupt of considerable size, whose volcano-shaped humps on its back continuously spewed scorching magma and black smoke, warping the air around them.
These two wild pokémon had clearly entered a genuine rage, aiming every move mercilessly at the opponent's vital points.
Hidden behind several large rocks nearby, three Team Magma members in red uniforms were peeking out, watching the battle with barely suppressed excitement on their faces.
"Boss, these two big guys are fighting fiercely! Looks like a winner will be decided soon," one tall, skinny man whispered.
The leader, a burly man with a thick patch of beard on his chin, lowered his voice, a hint of greed in his tone:
"Wait a little longer. We'll make our move after they've both been severely injured! By then, both the powerful Camerupt and the rare Aggron will be ours!"
"Boss is brilliant!" The two men beside him immediately flattered him.
Jiang Han and Steven, hiding in the shadows of a rock on the other side, took in the entire scene.
Steven frowned deeply and whispered to Jiang Han:
"It's the Team Magma!"
"So that's what they're planning—how despicable! We can't let them succeed."
Jiang Han, however, was calculating something else entirely.
The fighting range of the two pokémon was slowly shifting toward the location of the Team Rockets survey team.
If this continued, the survey team would eventually be exposed.
No, he had to find a way to divert the battlefield.
Thoughts raced through Jiang Han's mind, and a plan quickly formed.
He spoke earnestly to Steven: "Steven, you're right. We'll split up. You deal with those two underlings, and I'll take care of their leader. We need to finish this quickly!"
Steven glanced at Jiang Han, saw his determined expression, and realized he wasn't joking. He nodded heavily. "Alright! My Beldum is also ready to stretch its muscles."
He took a Poké Ball from his waist. A flash of light later, his metallic Beldum appeared beside him, its single eye glowing red, hovering in mid-air, full of fighting spirit.
Jiang Han also quietly released his Sneasel. Its black figure merged into the cave shadows like a phantom, without making a sound.
"Move out!" Jiang Han commanded.
Steven no longer hesitated. He dashed out from behind the rock, heading straight for the two Team Magma underlings.
"Beldum, use Confusion!"
Beldum's single eye flared with bright red light, and an invisible psychic force instantly enveloped the two underlings who were still busy flattering their Boss.
"Who's there?!"
The two men were terrified. Before they could react, their bodies were controlled by a powerful force, lifted off the ground, and rendered immobile.
"Team Magma, your plot ends here!" Steven's voice echoed through the cave like thunder.
The Team Magma leader was startled by the sudden turn of events. He spun around, only to see his two subordinates easily subdued by a young man and his Beldum.
"Bastard! Where did this punk come from, daring to interfere with the Team Magma's business!"
He roared in fury. Just as he was about to command his pokémon forward, he felt a bone-chilling coldness strike him from behind.
A black shadow shot out from the darkness behind him like lightning!
It was Sneasel!
"Ice Punch!" Jiang Han's voice rang out coldly.
A chilling white frost instantly crystallized on Sneasel's sharp claws, and with a whistling sound that tore the air, it smashed hard into the Team Magma leader's back!
The blow was swift and vicious, giving the opponent no chance to react whatsoever.
The leader felt an extreme coldness erupt from his back, instantly invading his limbs and bones, as if his blood were about to freeze.
He didn't even have time to let out a scream. His body stiffened and he fell straight down, a thick layer of frost crystallizing on the back of his uniform.
All of this happened in the blink of an eye.
Steven had just used Confusion to slam the two underlings against the wall, knocking them unconscious. When he turned back, Jiang Han had already finished the fight cleanly.
Looking at the unconscious Team Magma leader lying on the ground, Steven's pupils slightly contracted.
What incredible speed, what decisive attacking!
This young man named Jiang Han was far stronger than he had imagined!
He hadn't even clearly seen the movements of that black pokémon just now!
However, the trouble did not end there.
"Roar!"
Freed from the Team Magma's watchful eyes, the battle between the two powerful wild pokémon grew even more intense.
The volcano on Camerupt's back erupted violently again, spewing hot magma everywhere. A head-sized glob of magma whistled through the air, flying directly toward the location of the Team Rockets survey team!
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