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Sato didn't make any effort to lower his voice, so many people nearby in the oasis clearly heard what he just said to Maya.
In an instant, a sense of relief spread through the hearts of many within the oasis—they now understood that Sato wasn't on the same side as Tomoki and the others.
After all, Sato's Swampert had just put on such a dazzling display, which indirectly confirmed that Sato currently belonged to the same power tier as Tomoki, Vanna, Ailes, and Rin.
If Sato had chosen to join forces with Tomoki, then even if Ailes and Rin joined forces themselves, they still wouldn't have been able to overcome the group led by Tomoki.
As for Vanna, most people in the oasis didn't factor her in. This wild Dragon princess was a notoriously stubborn person. With her headstrong nature, she wouldn't help anyone.
Under Maya's guidance, Sato soon met with Tomoki inside a small wooden cabin in the oasis. By that time, Tomoki had already brewed a pot of fine tea and was waiting for Sato.
"Please have a seat, Mr. Sato. This is a top-quality calming tea I brought from the outside. You must be tired after your journey—this tea will both quench your thirst and restore your energy. Come now, allow me to drink first as a gesture of respect."
Wearing a loose white suit, Tomoki gestured for the others in the room to leave as soon as Sato arrived. He then stood up and motioned for Sato to sit, all while warmly introducing the fragrant tea laid out on the table.
"As expected of good tea. One cup and I feel refreshed already."
Sato nodded and pulled up a chair, meeting Tomoki's gaze directly—neither humble nor arrogant. He waited for Tomoki to take a sip of tea before casually picking up the cup in front of him and downing it in one go, returning a bright smile as he spoke.
"I'm glad you like it, Mr. Sato. But truly, you've given me quite the surprise today. Your strength has progressed by leaps and bounds. I must admit, I'm impressed."
Although Tomoki had a burly appearance, his manners were refined, and every movement carried the air of confidence and power. The sincere praise he offered—accompanied by a warm and honest smile—earned Sato a touch of goodwill.
"You flatter me, Mr. Tomoki. But we both know this island is a sacred land for training. If we don't seize the opportunity to improve ourselves here, it'd be a shameful waste. That said, the island is full of peril. I've only gotten this far through near-death experiences—walking a tightrope where the slightest misstep means total annihilation."
Sato didn't smile at the compliment. Instead, recalling the storm of trials he'd endured over the past 20 days, he offered a bitter smile and spoke with deep emotion.
First, he was hunted by Ranka and barely survived a life-or-death pursuit. Then, on the western path, he was overwhelmed by Vanna's raw strength and fled for dozens of kilometers.
After that, during his journey north, he slowly built his power—only to stumble into the mysterious garden and nearly be wiped out by a high Elite Four level Venusaur.
Later, though significantly stronger, he faced off against both Ailes and Rin in the central zone. Only by a stroke of luck did he escape.
One could say that while Sato had made it this far through caution and strength, sheer luck played a huge role.
In his battle with Ranka, had Ranka realized the danger and fled earlier, Sato might never have had time to develop on the island.
In his clash with Vanna, had she pursued him relentlessly, his team would likely have suffered heavy losses—and he himself might never have recovered.
In the mysterious garden, if not for the kind persuasion of a Bulbasaur, Sato would've become fertilizer.
And against Rin, if two Elite Four level Pokémon hadn't interfered at the last second, Sato would've died on the spot.
Tomoki's expression turned serious as he heard Sato's words and saw the look on his face. Reflecting on how he'd spent the past several days focused solely on the ruins and neglecting his own training, he couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt.
Truth be told, Tomoki felt both amazed and jealous at how fast Sato had grown. But hearing this heartfelt reflection, his jealousy and surprise faded away.
As a core member of Team Rocket's inner circle, Tomoki was well aware of the dangers lurking on the island. He knew that Sato's words were genuine.
Just as Sato had said, this place was filled with lethal traps. A single misstep could spell certain death. Anyone who could survive even one or two weeks here was bound to be reborn stronger.
After all, over a thousand people had landed on the island initially, and only 63 remained. That's a survival rate of less than 7%. If Team Rocket didn't possess long-range teleportation technology, there would've been even fewer survivors.
Environment shapes people—it was no empty phrase.
"Mr. Sato, your journey sounds truly extraordinary. I must admit, I pale in comparison. But rest assured—if you and I work together from here on out, our expedition into the ruins is practically guaranteed to succeed. And I promise, your share of the rewards will be more than fair."
Tomoki, a man of great political shrewdness, quickly collected his thoughts and flashed another sincere smile as he smoothly transitioned into his proposal.
"Cooperate? Did I hear that right?"
Sato's pupils shrank slightly. His expression showed surprise, and he asked Tomoki in a doubtful tone.
To be honest, Sato had not expected Tomoki to suggest cooperation. After all, Sato and his partner were a two-man team—clearly at a disadvantage—while Tomoki had a large and powerful group behind him.
By comparison, there was no equality at all. In such a lopsided power dynamic, what did "cooperation" even mean?
"That's right. You're immensely strong, Mr. Sato. My camp is small—I couldn't possibly contain an Elite like you. Besides, we don't have any conflicts of interest, and you're also one of my uncle's subordinates. That makes us part of the same faction, family even. Naturally, we should cooperate."
"This is a detailed map of the ruins. If you agree to cooperate, Mr. Sato, feel free to take it and study it at your leisure."
Seeing the suspicion in Sato's expression, Tomoki simply smiled and calmly explained his reasoning. Then he took out a detailed map and gently pushed it across the table toward Sato.
In truth, Sato's earlier thoughts had been correct. In a power-imbalanced situation, there could be no real cooperation. Tomoki had initially intended to bring Sato under his command—he had never planned to treat him as an equal.
But Sato's strength had grown too fast. Tomoki wasn't confident he could keep him under control. And in Team Rocket, where strength was everything, he knew better than anyone that power ruled all.
Faced with a rising elite like Sato—whose strength was close to his own and whose growth was terrifyingly rapid—even if Sato had agreed to join, Tomoki wouldn't have dared fully trust him.
Simply put, as a relative newcomer, Tomoki still lacked the tolerance and confidence of someone like Giovanni.
Unable to control Sato, and knowing full well that recruiting him would shift the balance of power in the ruins expedition, Tomoki had no choice but to propose a compromise: cooperation.
What really sealed his decision was Sato's earlier, heartfelt reflection. It confirmed one thing—Sato was not someone who could be bought with cheap offers or short-term benefits.
To Tomoki, a man like Sato—who had braved storms to get this far—was clearly not someone willing to work under another. And since Sato was favored by his own uncle, there was no way he'd throw his lot in with Tomoki.
After listening carefully, Sato's eyes sparkled with contemplation. He wasn't naive—he quickly discerned the true reason behind Tomoki's proposal.
Though he knew Tomoki might still have ulterior motives, as long as the agreement was limited strictly to "cooperation" and didn't require allegiance, then it wasn't a bad idea.
Besides, Tomoki had gone as far as to share such a crucial ruin map with him. If Sato rejected him outright, he'd be making a powerful enemy within Team Rocket.
"I see. Since Mr. Tomoki holds me in such high regard, it would be rude of me to refuse. Let's cooperate."
Seeing Tomoki's sincerity, Sato had no reason to reject him. Without even glancing at the map, he tucked it away and extended his right hand with a smile.
"Hahaha~ Cooperation it is."
Tomoki's eyes narrowed with delight. His grin widened as he reached out with his own hand to shake Sato's, laughing heartily.