Seeing that the Houndour pack didn't immediately attack, Sato felt relieved and quietly returned Zoroark to its Poké Ball before stepping forward alone.
"Houndour, let's have a battle. If you lose, you come with me. If you win, you can take all this food with you." Sato spoke directly to the pack leader while reaching into his bag, pulling out a large pouch filled with high-quality Pokémon food.
The keen noses of the Houndour instantly picked up the rich aroma of the food. A few younger ones couldn't help but swallow their saliva.
"Grrr..." The Houndour leader stepped forward, accepting the challenge. Since it had been cured of the poison in time and had suffered no major injuries, its combat ability remained largely intact.
"Larvitar, this one's yours!"
The moss-green Larvitar perked up, eagerly dashing forward. Despite facing a significantly taller, jet-black canine, it showed nothing but excitement and battle intent.
As soon as Larvitar took its stance, Houndour wasted no time, launching itself like a black blur straight at Larvitar!
Larvitar instinctively crossed its small arms, showing no fear. At the moment of impact, a thin yet sturdy, polished rock barrier appeared at the point of contact!
Larvitar's blood-red eyes flashed. The smooth stone barrier instantly shattered inward, turning into countless sharp, jagged shards that embedded themselves into Houndour's body!
A pained yelp escaped from Houndour. Its black fur was now streaked with bleeding cuts. Rather than looking weakened, it appeared even more ferocious!
Unlike a conventional Rock Slide, Larvitar's rock-based moves had a unique characteristic: they were small and fast!
A hail of sharp stones materialized out of thin air, shooting at Houndour from unpredictable angles and varying speeds!
What seemed like a chaotic barrage was, in reality, a precisely calculated trap. By the time Houndour realized, every escape route had already been sealed!
Still, Houndour displayed remarkable adaptability. It minimized damage, allowing only two rocks to graze it as it darted away from the bombardment. Now, it began circling Larvitar, keeping its distance.
Without missing a beat, Houndour started launching rapid, low-energy Embers, playing to its speed advantage. It was clear, it had identified Larvitar's lack of agility and was employing hit-and-run tactics!
Meanwhile, Houndour's incredible resilience allowed it to swiftly seal its wounds, preventing any further deterioration.
Everything about its approach confirmed what Sato had observed earlier, this Houndour was incredibly smart!
"Larvitar, Dragon Dance!"
As another Ember attack came its way, Larvitar broke into a mysterious dance, dodging the flames effortlessly. Unseen energy coursed through its small frame, enhancing both its speed and attack power!
"Again, Dragon Dance!"
Years of surviving in the wild had honed Houndour's instincts to near perfection. The moment Larvitar attempted a second Dragon Dance, a much more formidable Flamethrower erupted toward it!
Aggressive offense, hit-and-run, concealing its full strength, this Houndour was exceeding expectations!
"Maintain Dragon Dance and charge in! Use Brick Break!
Larvitar's blood-red eyes remained unwavering. It possessed natural fire resistance, so without hesitation, it charged straight through the flames toward Houndour!
By the time the second Dragon Dance was complete, Larvitar's attack power had skyrocketed. Its tiny arms glowed with a fierce orange energy: Brick Break!
The powerful strike landed cleanly on Houndour's lower jaw, sending it flying. It crashed into the midst of its pack, causing a stir. Several Houndour bristled, growling aggressively, ready to lunge at Sato!
Silently, Gengar emerged from Sato's shadow. Several Shadow Balls hovered ominously around it, radiating an unmistakable aura of danger.
Just as the more aggressive Houndour were about to attack, a weak, yet authoritative whimper echoed from within the pack.
Instantly, the entire pack froze.
After a long pause, with the support of the other Houndour, the pack leader slowly stepped forward.
Its eyes were filled with complex emotions as it looked at Sato, then at Larvitar, who had barely sustained any injuries. Finally, it walked forward, stopping in front of Sato.
"Woo..." Houndour lowered its head, signaling its submission. The grass and countless small wounds covering its body made it look quite battered.
Sato crouched down, placing his right hand on Houndour's back. The Houndour instinctively tried to pull away but suddenly felt a mysterious energy surge through its body.
"Hold still for a moment."
A sharp pain followed, causing Houndour to tense up. Yet, it endured without a sound.
Minutes later, Houndour felt an unfamiliar warmth coursing through its body. It stared at Sato, eyes wide in stunned silence, looking surprisingly... cute.
"This is your Poké Ball. Whenever you want to come back and visit, I'll bring you here."
Houndour's eyes lit up. It eagerly nodded, wagging its short tail rapidly in excitement.
The Houndour pack seemed to understand what had happened. One by one, they picked up the food Sato had left and slowly retreated, reluctant but accepting.
Sato extended the Poké Ball. Houndour raised its right paw and tapped it lightly. A flash of red light followed, and without resistance, Houndour was captured.
Taking out the Potential Analysis Device, Sato scanned the Poké Ball to check Houndour's stats.
Strength: Ordinary Peak
Potential: Dark-type (Pseudo-Elite Four) + Fire-type (Elite)
Natural Moves: Leer, Ember, Howl, Smog, Roar, Bite, Odor Sleuth, Beat Up, Fire Fang, Sucker Punch, Flamethrower
Egg Moves: Thunder Fang
Sato blinked in surprise. A female Houndour?
He hadn't expected that. However, his attention quickly shifted to Houndour's ability.
Early Bird, a trait that allows the Pokémon to wake up from sleep much faster than usual!
A seemingly underwhelming ability, but to Sato, it was far more valuable than Flash Fire!
Because Houndour was perfectly suited for the combo technique he had learned at Goldenrod Gym: Rest, Snore, and Sleep Talk!
Sato had already planned Houndour's initial training path.
With an Elite-tier Fire potential, it wouldn't lag behind. And if an opportunity to enhance its potential arose, he was confident it could improve even further.
Moreover, Houndour was on the verge of evolution. Once it evolved, its Ordinary Peak strength would instantly advance to Elite level!
With this capture, Sato's team was finally full:
Zoroark - Gengar - Larvitar - Spinarak - Carvanha - Houndour
Six Pokémon, all possessing Pseudo-Elite Four or higher potential!
And it had taken him only half a year to assemble this lineup.
Feeling satisfied, Sato looked at each of the six Poké Balls before carefully securing them onto his belt.
Releasing Houndour once more, Sato allowed the newly caught pack member to guide him out of the forest. With its lead, he quickly found his way back to the main road, continuing his journey toward Olivine City.
Echoing howls rose from deep within the forest.
At Sato's feet, Houndour suddenly stopped, ears perked, turning back toward the distant cries.
It could hear its pack, bidding it farewell.