"Kleavor, use Stone Edge, then follow up with Slash!"
Pointed stone pillars erupted around Kleavor, forming a jagged shield that intercepted the Hyper Beam. Then, with a singular, powerful downward stroke, Kleavor's axe cleaved the remaining energy of the beam in two.
"Feraligatr, use Ice Beam!"
A freezing bolt of energy struck the Ursaring squarely, encasing the massive bear in a solid block of ice. Only its eyeballs remained visible, rolling around in frantic circles.
"Very well, Mr. Skee," Tenshi Sasaki said with a cold smirk. "Next, will you surrender peacefully, or shall I have these two beat a confession out of you first?"
With his Pokémon incapacitated, Skee's bravado vanished. He looked at the ferocious Kleavor and Feraligatr, his spirit breaking as he slumped his head in total surrender.
"Excellent, Tenshi. You have successfully defeated the first enemy of your new life."
The voice continued to echo in Tenshi's mind. The boy dropped to his knees and kowtowed three times, his forehead hitting the forest floor.
"I thank the Great Master for granting me these Pokémon and helping me through this crisis," Tenshi shouted. "I beg the Master to accept me as your disciple!"
"Even if I had my own motives for helping you?" Feng Che asked.
Feng Che considered it; taking on this student wasn't a bad move at all.
"I am willing," Tenshi said firmly. "If not for you, I would have died at the hands of these poachers today. Even if I were eventually found, my grandfather would only think I brought shame upon the Sasaki name. I have been abandoned by my kin; I have nothing left to lose."
"So be it. Our meeting was fated. From this day forth, you are my first disciple," Feng Che declared. "These two Pokémon will stay with you for now to act as your guardians."
Considering the danger Tenshi was in, Feng Che decided the Kleavor and Feraligatr were better off by the boy's side. "Now, look up. I am right here."
Tenshi raised his head and was stunned to see a handsome, refined young man descending from the trees. It was a stark contrast to the ancient hermit he had imagined.
"What? Disappointed?" Feng Che teased.
"No! Master, the fact that you possess such power at such a young age proves I have made the right choice," Tenshi blurted out.
"My name is Feng Che. I am the new Leader of the Viridian Gym, and from now on, your teacher. Your situation is still precarious, so I suggest we head straight to the police station. You will report the kidnapping, and I have recorded everything—the conversations of your cousin, the bodyguards, and the servants. This man here is your living evidence. But be warned: the family's reputation will be dragged through the mud. Are you ready for that?"
"I don't even remember my parents," Tenshi said, his voice cracking but his eyes hardening. "I was brought back to the family when I was very small. My grandfather was never home. The other relatives mocked me as a 'stray' and a 'bastard.' I used to stay silent, hoping for their approval, but they only grew more cruel. Now, they've tried to kill me. I am done with that family. From now on, I am my own person. I will make everyone who looked down on me regret it."
His resolve was exactly to Feng Che's taste. "Good. Recall your Pokémon. I'm taking you to Officer Jenny."
Once the Pokémon were back in their balls, Feng Che grabbed Tenshi's shoulder and used Teleport, vanishing from the woods.
Viridian City Police Station
Tenshi calmly recounted the kidnapping to Officer Jenny. He handed over a recording that provided irrefutable proof that his older cousin had masterminded the attempt on his life.
Within the hour, the news broke. The media went into a frenzy: Sasaki Heir Files Kidnapping and Attempted Murder Charges Against Kin.
Taro Sasaki's Office
The elder Sasaki was admiring a rare gemstone when his secretary, Sai, burst in.
"Mr. Sasaki! Disaster!"
"Sai, what could possibly warrant such panic?" Taro asked, displeased.
"It's about Young Master Tenshi!"
Tenshi's parents had died in a plane crash when he was two. Taro viewed the boy with a mix of love and resentment. "My foolish son left the family for a woman and lost his life, leaving me with this brat. Did he get bullied into crying again? I've doubted if he even has Sasaki blood—timid, weak, cowardly. I've been hesitating to even leave the company to him."
"Sir, the news just broke. The Sasaki Group's stock is in freefall. We've lost tens of billions of League Credits in market value already, and it's still dropping," Sai stammered, handing over a tablet.
The headline read: Tenshi Sasaki Sues Cousin, Bodyguards, and Servants for Malicious Kidnapping.
"They dared to do this?!" Taro's face turned purple with rage. "But... wait. Tenshi did this? He caught the poachers and went straight to the police?"
Taro's anger suddenly shifted into a strange sort of pride. "I gave that boy so many chances to speak up when he was being bullied as a child, and he always stayed silent. I hated that cowardice. But now... he finally shows some of my youthful spark! Investigation everything Tenshi has been through recently."
He looked at the image of the composed, resolute boy on the screen. "Do not show mercy to the relatives involved. Send them to the League's prison. As for the losses to the group, the side-branches responsible for the kidnapping will pay every cent. If they want to play dirty, they can pay the price."
"Sai, prep the jet. I'm going to get my grandson personally." Taro rushed out, leaving his precious gemstone forgotten on the desk.
Indigo Plateau
President Goodshow's secretary hurried into his office.
"What? Taro Sasaki's grandson was kidnapped in Viridian City?" Goodshow smiled thinly. "A scandal of this magnitude... it would be a waste not to use it. Feng Che, your curtain is finally about to fall. Prep the plane; I'm going to Viridian."
Viridian Police Station
Feng Che stayed by Tenshi's side to ensure no one intimidated him. Suddenly, a helicopter landed outside, and Taro Sasaki rushed into the station. He let out a visible sigh of relief when he saw Tenshi was unharmed.
"Good... good. You're safe."
Taro's eyes then landed on Feng Che. "You are the Viridian Gym Leader who stepped up to protect my grandson? The Sasaki family will never forget this debt. If not for you, the direct line of my family might have ended today. Since you have become my grandson's teacher, you are now an honored guest of our house."
Just as the atmosphere turned warm, a second helicopter descended. President Goodshow stepped out, a calculating glint in his eyes.
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