POKEMON : STARTING WITH FLASH METAGROSS

Rax grimaced in pain as his elbows scraped against the rough ground, but he used his hands to cushion Cubone.

"Cubone, are you okay?"

Rax barely stood up, half-kneeling on the ground. His scratched hands trembled as he steadied Cubone.

Cubone didn't respond but stared at Rax with its small, determined eyes.

"I was careless..."

Rax lowered his head, gripping the bone club tightly.

Before he could finish speaking, Cubone turned away and began walking toward the still-standing Probopass.

Suddenly, a dazzling blue light enveloped Cubone.

In the light, Cubone grew taller with each step.

It was evolving!

Rax stared in stunned silence, unsure of what to say.

When the light faded, Cubone was no more—it had evolved into Marowak and continued advancing toward Probopass, step by step.

Probopass instinctively retreated slightly, only to roar in frustration at its own hesitation.

At that moment, Marowak had broken through to the advanced beginner level!

Facing Probopass, with its four-times type disadvantage, Marowak showed no fear.

"Marowak!"

Marowak raised its bone club high and charged at Probopass without hesitation.

Probopass regained its composure, remembered its Mini-Noses, and launched another Magnet Bomb.

The projectiles screamed toward Marowak, but this time, it was ready.

With precision, Marowak swung its bone club, deflecting all three Mini-Noses.

By then, Marowak had closed the distance and leaped onto Probopass's head.

With a powerful downward strike of its bone club—

Clang!

The impact echoed like a bell, forcing Probopass out of its Magnet Rise and slamming it into the ground.

A deep dent marred its red, rounded head.

After this decisive blow, Probopass lost all fighting spirit and fell unconscious.

Swoosh!

Without hesitation, Rax threw a Poké Ball and captured Probopass.

Wild Probopass were exceedingly rare and valuable, especially since the method for evolving Nosepass into Probopass wasn't yet widely known.

Marowak handed the Poké Ball back to Rax, who locked it and turned his attention to his newly evolved Pokémon.

"Wow, you've grown taller and stronger!" Rax exclaimed.

Marowak crossed its arms, holding its bone club confidently, its head slightly raised with pride.

But... it was still short.

Marowak: (｀⊿´)

Normal Marowak were barely a meter tall, and even Rax's taller-than-average one hadn't broken that limit.

Not every Pokémon could grow infinitely, no matter how many calcium supplements they consumed.

With Marowak's evolution confirmed to have no lingering effects, Rax turned his attention to the remaining Nosepass.

Aze and the others had managed to handle the rest of the group effectively.

The Nosepass in the pit were battered and exhausted, offering no resistance.

Following Rax's advice, everyone worked together to capture the subdued Nosepass.

The local Pokémon Center and police station were already aware of the Nosepass group, so most of them would be handed over to the league for proper handling.

While trainers could keep a few for themselves, the rest would be compensated by the league, albeit less than selling them outright.

As for Probopass, Rax had no intention of giving it up—it was far too valuable.

With the Nosepass group dealt with, the team returned to town, exhausted but victorious.

Rax accompanied the group to the Pokémon Center, where he handed Marowak and Probopass over to Nurse Joy for treatment.

Although confident in Team Rocket's abilities to manage their operations discreetly, Rax couldn't help but feel a little uneasy as he waited.

Fortunately, Marowak's treatment was quick, and it soon returned to Rax's side, looking as cool and composed as ever.

However, Probopass needed overnight observation due to the severity of its injuries, and the medical fees were predictably higher.

Still, Rax felt it was worth every Pokécoin, especially seeing Marowak's confident demeanor after its evolution.

On the other side of the center, Harumi approached with Kirlia and Aze.

Kirlia greeted Rax cheerfully, and he smiled in return.

Kirlia's psychic support during the battle had been crucial. Without it, Cubone—now Marowak—might not have survived long enough to evolve.

Even Marowak, usually aloof, acknowledged Kirlia's contribution with a nod.

"Haha, Kirlia's always dependable," Harumi said, stroking its head fondly.

Rax nodded. "A good partner indeed."

Harumi added, "Rax, Aze and I want to thank you for everything you did. We spoke to Nurse Joy, and a research center is interested in the Nosepass group. The compensation is about 200,000 Pokécoins, and we want you to have it all."

Before Rax could refuse, Aze quickly interjected, "You led the charge and protected us when things got dangerous. Without you, we wouldn't have made it back safely."

Rax hesitated for a moment but eventually accepted the reward.

With 200,000 Pokécoins in hand, Rax felt secure about his training expenses for the next six months.

Combined with the value of Probopass, which Team Rocket would surely reward with a significant number of points, Rax was in an excellent position to prepare for the future.

Now, with Marowak reaching the advanced level, Rax was finally eligible to participate in the selection for Mobile Intelligence Officers.

However, having just one powerful Pokémon felt insufficient.

With funds to spare, it was time to consider acquiring a third Pokémon.