Chapter 154: Chapter 153: Compensation
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Midday the following day, in Sato's room.
Sato was seated at the table in the living room, which was filled with an array of delicious food. As he sampled the various dishes, he chatted enthusiastically with a tall sailor seated across from him.
"Sato, my friend, your Golbat and Bellossom are seriously impressive! They took down that ferocious Gyarados with ease together—absolutely amazing, much stronger than my Cloyster."
The tall sailor, Hans, let out a hearty laugh and downed a large mug of beer, his voice booming with praise for Sato.
"No, no, Hans, you're giving me too much credit. Without your Cloyster wearing down that Gyarados first, my Golbat and Bellossom wouldn't have stood a chance. It was mostly thanks to you. That Gyarados is all yours to catch—I'm happy with that. Let's have another drink!"
Sato shook his head humbly, raising a slightly smaller mug of beer, which he drank down before refilling Hans's cup with a grin.
Hans, the tall sailor, had become acquainted with Sato after they joined forces to take down the Gyarados. Hans's strongest Pokémon was his level 31 Cloyster.
When they met, Hans and a few of the ship's guards had been battling a level 37 Gyarados. Despite giving it their all, only Hans's Cloyster remained standing against the enraged creature, struggling to hold its own.
However, as Gyarados unleashed its relentless Dragon Rage, even the highly defensive Cloyster couldn't hold out for much longer.
Just as it was on the brink of defeat, Sato had arrived with his Golbat and Bellossom.
With their help, the battle quickly turned around, as Golbat and Bellossom managed to subdue the raging Gyarados with Air Cutter and Stun Spore.
After Gyarados was defeated, a dispute arose over who had the right to capture it. Although Sato delivered the final blow and saved Hans and the other guards, the damage Hans and the others had inflicted was significant.
Moreover, a Gyarados, despite its wild nature and difficulty to tame, was a valuable addition to any team due to its impressive combat strength.
Even on the black market, a Gyarados could sell for no less than 20 million PokeDollars. This particular level 37 Gyarados knew several powerful moves, doubling its price.
For Hans and the other guards, who didn't earn much, Gyarados was a windfall, making it hard for them to let it go.
But for Sato, the Gyarados was less valuable. Since he hadn't defeated it alone, it was unlikely that this already highly aggressive Gyarados would obey him if captured and could even become a danger to him instead.
So, Sato ultimately stepped back, and Hans decisively used a Net Ball to capture the Gyarados.
Though Sato's decision seemed like a loss, he earned the friendship of Hans and the other guards.
Through his friendly conversation with Hans, he also gathered valuable information about the St. Louis ship and the recent Gyarados attack incident.
Hans and his group couldn't, in good conscience, just take all the benefits of the Gyarados. Otherwise, it wouldn't sit right with them, and they knew their colleagues wouldn't want to work with ungrateful people.
Hans and the others didn't want to risk future relationships for a short-term gain.
So, as compensation for Sato's help, they tried to cater to his interests. Knowing he was searching for a Water-type, they spent a bit to gather a few promising ones from other ship guards.
As ship guards themselves, Hans and the others interacted with many Water-types in their daily duties.
Occasionally, they were lucky enough to catch decent Water-types, which became a bit of a side business for them on long voyages.
The extra income allowed them to care better for themselves and their Pokémon. Relying solely on their modest guard salaries would barely be enough, especially for guards with families to support.
For them, catching Pokémon was almost like being part-time hunters.
"Oh, really? Well, then I definitely have to check out the Water-types you brought! Being on a ship without a Water-type Pokémon has made me feel uneasy. You know how it is—choosing the wrong Pokémon to train can waste both resources and energy," Sato said, his eyes lighting up with excitement.
He quickly downed his own beer and then focused his attention on the five Net Balls on the table.
A faint, almost imperceptible blue gleam appeared in his eyes as he scanned the data of the Pokémon inside.
In the next instant, a hint of joy appeared in Sato's eyes.
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