Chapter Summaries

Sato learned that his application was for the dangerous Independent Alliance Investigator position and began an escape course with Suben. He passed the first assessment by evading Suben’s attack and leaving him holding a piece of his pants.

• Sato learned that Alliance Investigators had to be Direct Lineage Members, and that his Independent Investigator assessment demanded skills beyond combat strength.
• Sato arrived early for his first escape class and narrowly dodged an attack from Suben’s Sandshrew and Abra, though they tore his clothes.
• Suben explained the course’s close-combat dodging, Giant Garden Maze, and ultra-long-distance escape assessments, including their costs and limits.
• Suben unexpectedly attacked Sato again during the explanation, but Sato dodged and left Sandshrew holding a piece of cloth from his pants.
• Sato asked if he had passed the first assessment and showed Suben the piece of white cloth.

Sato finished Suben’s lesson and began Disguise Class with Oshima Qingfeng, who required him to master disguises across different genders and ages. Sato reluctantly agreed to dress as a girl and emerged from the fitting room transformed, while Kikuriku and Juguan learned about the class and planned to observe it.

• Suben ended the lesson after Sato’s test, and Sato trained Pikachu and Froakie before heading to his next class.
• Sato met Oshima Qingfeng, whose appearance and voice changed as he explained that Disguise Class had no distinctions of gender, age, or species.
• Oshima told Sato to pass by disguising himself as several different types of people and walking outside without being recognized.
• Sato objected to playing a loli or big sister, but Oshima insisted, so Sato agreed to learn how to dress like a girl.
• Kikuriku and Juguan learned that Sato was taking Disguise Class and found a way to sit in on it.
• Sato came out of the fitting room in a Lolita dress, and Oshima styled him until he saw a pretty girl in the mirror.

Sato joined Aono’s Pokémon League Investigator class and began studying alongside his former Gym apprentices, who were now Apprentice Investigators. After class, he ate lunch with them while excited classmates crowded around without getting food.

• Sato kept the photo Oshima Qingfeng had secretly taken, claiming he would use it to study disguise techniques.
• Sato arrived at class and introduced himself to his classmates as a Gym Leader from Dark Night Town.
• Aono began teaching how League Investigators could use local organizations and forces to assist with missions.
• Sato studied attentively with Little Ming, Si'nan, and Sosuke, while Aono praised his dedication.
• Sato went to lunch with the three former apprentices and asked why their classmates were still watching them instead of eating.

Sato studied Emotional Control through a prerecorded lesson, then passed the Multi-Pokemon Command assessment on his first day. That evening, he completed one-sixth of the Disguise and Disfigurement Technique assessment by visiting the night market undetected.

• A lab-coated assistant played Teacher Zuo Di's lesson, which taught investigators to follow Pokémon League law and manage the negative emotions that followed conflicts.
• Sato attended Multi-Pokemon Command training and applied for the assessment, which required him to defeat a military-style team while protecting himself.
• Sato used Zoroark, Umbreon, Honchkrow, and Gengar to defeat the 112-member opposing force and passed the assessment.
• Sato disguised himself as a hunched old man and visited the night market, completing one-sixth of the disguise assessment without being recognized.

Sato took Suben’s escape assessment in Labyrinth Forest, using Ralts to scout a route while Hydreigon carried them through. Ralts found the fastest path, but Sato soon left the route Suben knew, keeping him guessing about how the test would unfold.

• Suben flew Sato to Labyrinth Forest on Pidgeot, and Sato arrived on Honchkrow, which had recently reached Pseudo-Elite Four Intermediate.
• Suben explained that Sato had two hours to cross the forest basin and could not use Teleport to skip the course or fly over it on a Pokémon.
• Sato sent out Ralts and Hydreigon, while Honchkrow returned to its Poké Ball because the dense forest left no room for it to maneuver.
• Ralts surveyed the forest for several minutes, found the fastest route, and directed Little Left, Little Right, and Little Three as they carried Sato and Ralts into the woods.
• Suben followed behind and realized Sato was taking the shortest route he knew, then watched Sato leave it and wondered what he would do next.

Sato passed the Natural Maze, infiltration, and theoretical assessments, then completed his disguise assessment by walking through the night market dressed as a beautiful woman without being recognized. He secretly changed back with Gengar’s help and returned, relieved that his Pokémon would not learn about the outing.

• Sato and Ralts found an efficient route through the Natural Maze, earning Sato a pass on the Second Stage assessment from Suben.
• Sato passed the infiltration assessment after Gengar used Space Barrier to defeat the masked ninja’s hide-and-seek challenge.
• Sato attended his theoretical and emotion-control lessons for half a month before preparing for his final disguise assessment.
• Sato walked through the crowded night market in a Lolita outfit, where bystanders admired him but no one recognized him.
• Sato used Gengar’s Space Barrier to change back in private and warned Gengar to keep his cross-dressing secret from Ralts and the others.

Sato passed the Independent Investigator assessments and received a custom black combat uniform before attending the badge ceremony. He officially became an Independent Investigator of the Pokémon League.

• Sato completed the Investigator assessments, and his results were reported to Chairman Damalanchi and the Elite Four.
• A Pokémon League staff member invited Sato to the badge ceremony and presented three custom combat uniforms for him to choose from.
• Ralts picked the pure black uniform, and Sato tried it on while Liang Guang took a photo of them together.
• Sato learned that Liang Guang planned to sail alone to the Orange Islands.
• Sato attended the ceremony at the Mew Meeting Hall and officially received his Independent Investigator Badge.

At Vermilion City's docks, Lance and Sato posed as struggling brothers to approach a fisherman suspected of helping a Pokémon-poaching ring. The fisherman led them to a house where four badly injured Pokémon were being held, leaving them inside the poachers’ operation.

• Lance and Sato watched the fisherman sell a large moray eel, then Lance approached him while posing as a poor man seeking a Pokémon for his younger brother.
• The fisherman recognized Lance’s request and told the pair to return at two, while Lance pretended to misunderstand and left with Sato.
• Lance told Sato that a group at the docks was poaching marine Pokémon, selling or killing them for their parts, and the two planned to use the fisherman to find the group.
• Lance and Sato returned with a bulging leather bag, and the fisherman led them through the docks to an ordinary residential house.
• The fisherman brought Lance and Sato into a dim room where two Goldeen, a Staryu, and a Shellder were held in a murky tank, all badly injured.

Lance and Sato posed as brothers seeking a Starter Pokemon and used money to persuade Kojiro to lead them to a more capable seller. They reached Boss Gu, revealed as Tarou Furuta, the leader of Vermilion City's Marine Pokemon Poaching Group and the target of Lance's mission.

• Lance and Sato inspected Kojiro's injured, hungry Pokemon, and Lance complained that none were suitable for his foolish younger brother.
• Lance gave Kojiro Ten Thousand Pokemon Coins and persuaded him to take them to someone who could provide a better Pokemon.
• After Kojiro went to change, Lance bragged about his acting, and Sato questioned why he had been made the foolish younger brother.
• Kojiro led Lance and Sato through the dockside streets to Boss Gu's guarded house, where Benming let them inside.
• Lance and Sato met Boss Gu, who was Tarou Furuta, the leader of Vermilion City's Marine Pokemon Poaching Group.

Sato and Lance confronted Tarou Furuta at his hideout, where their Absol and Dragonair overwhelmed his men and forced Furuta to fight personally. As the battle continued, a Raticate suddenly lunged at Sato.

• Tarou Furuta laughed off Sato and Lance’s request for a Pokémon and ordered his men to attack them.
• Sato’s Absol and Lance’s Dragonair quickly defeated the weaker Pokémon and then knocked out Elite-level Cloyster and Scyther.
• Furuta tried to apologize and bargain, but Lance revealed they had come to arrest him.
• Furuta sent out Tentacruel and Kingler; Absol met Kingler’s attack while Dragonair froze Tentacruel’s Sludge Wave.
• A Raticate suddenly lunged at Sato, and Lance shouted a warning.

Sato and Lance defeated Tarou Furuta’s Marine Pokemon poaching gang and secured the captives. After the criminals were bound, Lance led Sato inside to search for evidence and a hidden room.

• Gengar stopped Raticate from biting Sato, while Absol defeated Kingler and Dragonair struck down Tentacruel with Thunder.
• Tarou Furuta sent out his remaining Pokemon and tried to flee, but Dragonite blocked his way and Lance revealed his identity.
• Lance’s appearance shattered the gang’s resolve, and Butterfree and Ariados bound the fleeing poachers with String Shot.
• Lance and Sato finished arresting the gang and planned to contact Nurse Joy in Vermilion City and Officer Jenny.
• Lance led Sato into the house to search for evidence, while Gengar slipped underground to look for a hidden room.

Sato and Lance uncovered a vast Water-type Pokémon poaching operation, rescued the surviving Pokémon, and turned the evidence over to Officer Jenny. After Lance left, Sato began working alone as an Independent Investigator and searched the Kanto map for missions, considering Team Rocket’s presence in Vermilion City.

• Gengar revealed a hidden basement where poachers had butchered Water-type Pokémon and kept others crammed into tanks and pools.
• Lance and Sato left the basement and told Officer Jenny that the suspects, including Tarou Furuta, had been captured and that the evidence was below the house.
• Officer Jenny’s team took over the case, while the officers who saw the basement came out vomiting.
• Sato and Lance brought Absol and Dragonair to the Pokémon Center, where Lance told Sato his mentoring was over and left on Dragonite.
• Sato released Pikachu, reflected on being alone, then checked the Alliance Intranet and began looking for missions.
• Sato spread out a map of Kanto and considered investigating Team Rocket’s substantial presence in Vermilion City.

Sato met Meijiu in Vermilion City and bought information about Aida Sha, a counterfeit Pokémon-item dealer who had harmed young trainers. He tracked Aida Sha’s operation to an abandoned factory and discovered it was connected to Tarou Furuta’s supply, then moved to find Aida Sha.

• Sato met Meijiu at the Ocean Café and bought information from her for one hundred thousand Pokémon Coin.
• Sato learned that Aida Sha had made and forcibly sold counterfeit Pokémon items, damaging the prospects of new trainers.
• Sato followed the information to abandoned factories northwest of Vermilion City and used Gengar’s Space Barrier to enter unseen.
• Sato overheard workers complain that Tarou Furuta’s recent arrest had disrupted their supply and realized Furuta’s stolen Pokémon Energy Organs had been sold to the counterfeit operation.
• Sato hurried deeper into the factory to find Aida Sha and take down the operation.

Sato raided the Counterfeit Item Factory and confronted Aida Sha, whose operation used Tentacool organs to make counterfeit Water Stones. After Sato’s Pokemon stopped Aida Sha’s escape, the factory’s workers and Pokemon surrounded Sato and his team.

• Sato searched the factory and found that its workers processed Tentacool Red Agates into counterfeit Water Stones.
• Sato confronted Aida Sha, who sent out Primeape, Golem, and Victreebel to fight Drapion.
• Aida Sha sent out Noctowl and Rapidash and tried to flee, but Pikachu struck Noctowl with Thunderbolt and Absol blocked Rapidash’s path.
• Sato emerged in his Alliance Investigator uniform and ordered his Pokemon to stop Aida Sha as he tried to escape again.
• Absol struck Rapidash with Pursuit while Drapion and Pikachu overwhelmed Primeape.
• Aida Sha’s subordinates arrived with their Pokemon and surrounded Sato and his team.

Sato and his Pokémon fought off Aida Sha’s attackers while Absol stalled Aida Sha under Sato’s guidance. Aida Sha threw two Magnetic Bombs at Sato, and after the explosions cleared, Aida Sha was gone, leaving bloodstains behind.

• Aida Sha ordered Rapidash to attack Absol while Sato’s Drapion, Pikachu, and Froakie fought the surrounding Pokémon.
• Sato guided Absol to dodge Rapidash’s attacks and counter with Water Pulse and Pursuit, preventing Aida Sha from escaping.
• Sato’s Pokémon began defeating the attackers, and the remaining men fled, only to find the Counterfeit Factory sealed by invisible walls.
• Aida Sha threw two Magnetic Bombs at Sato, who ordered his Pokémon to use Protect before the bombs exploded.
• Drapion cleared the smoke with Whirlwind, and Sato found that his Pokémon were safe while Aida Sha had disappeared, leaving bloodstains behind.

Sato captured Aida Sha and secured medical aid for Rapidash, then learned where Aida Sha sold counterfeit goods. After turning Aida Sha and the factory’s workers over to Officer Jenny, Sato left Vermilion City on Hydreigon.

• Aida Sha’s escape failed when he struck Sato’s invisible wall, and Rapidash collapsed from its wounds.
• Sato handcuffed Aida Sha, used Umbreon to stabilize Rapidash, and sealed it inside its Poké Ball.
• Aida Sha surrendered and asked Sato to save Rapidash, which Sato said would probably be released into the wild.
• Sato questioned Aida Sha about his counterfeit goods, and Aida Sha revealed his buyers after recalling Sato had saved Rapidash.
• Ariados brought the factory workers, bound in cocoons, to the entrance, where Sato handed them and Aida Sha over to Officer Jenny.
• Sato rode Hydreigon away after Officer Jenny thanked him for eliminating two major threats in Vermilion City.

Sato realized the evidence tying counterfeit Pokémon Items to the West Family was likely a deliberate attempt to mislead him, so he feigned urgency and flew to Goldenrod City. He suspected a local Vermilion City organization was behind the scheme and planned to visit Akane and Master Yasumura at Goldenrod Gym.

• Lance praised Sato for catching Tarou Furuta's buyer, and they teased each other about Lance's Dragon-type reputation and Butterfree.
• Sato reviewed information from Meijiu that pointed to the West Family and suspected someone had planted it to drive a wedge between them.
• Sato packed for Goldenrod City, while a blond Gym Leader ordered his subordinate to spread news that Sato was investigating the West Family.
• Once aboard the plane, Sato concluded the apparent urgency had been an act and reasoned that either a major underground organization or a local Vermilion City group had framed the West Family.
• Sato decided to visit Akane and Master Yasumura at Goldenrod Gym to investigate further.

Sato visited Master Yasumura and Akane in Goldenrod City, then sought advice about a plot involving counterfeit goods and the West Family. After Yasumura helped him navigate the investigation, Sato suspected Lt. Surge was behind the scheme, and a week later Yasumura reported that seventeen West Family members had been arrested.

• Akane asked Sato to battle her Miltank, but Sato declined because his Pokémon were resting.
• Sato told Master Yasumura about the counterfeit goods and the risk of being framed or implicating the West Family.
• Yasumura contacted the Pokémon League, and Sato warned West about the investigation.
• West asked Sato to investigate corrupt members of his family, while Yasumura offered to take charge of the inquiry.
• Sato suspected Lt. Surge had arranged the scheme and began forming a plan against him.
• A week later, Yasumura told Sato that seventeen West Family members had been arrested and that their businesses had suffered reputational damage.

After returning to Vermilion City, Sato conscripted Lt. Surge for a secret operation and appointed him Vanguard Trainer. Lt. Surge realized Sato had likely targeted him, but he was already trapped in the mission.

• Sato returned to Vermilion City and waited quietly for a week while Lt. Surge grew anxious.
• Officer Jenny called Lt. Surge to report that he had been conscripted as combat support for a special operation.
• Sato arrived at the Pokemon Center, greeted Lt. Surge, and said he had initiated the conscription.
• Sato led Lt. Surge away in a sedan and hinted that they would fight Underground Forces without revealing the target.
• Sato appointed Lt. Surge as the operation's Vanguard Trainer, and Lt. Surge suspected that Sato had made a move against him.

Sato led an elite Pokémon League force to attack Team Rocket Base A-12, while Lt. Surge was forced to join the assault. The battle began with Lt. Surge fighting Chakra and Sato’s Hydreigon supporting the League Trainers, before Sato sent Honchkrow to confront a Houndoom in the rear camp.

• Lt. Surge reluctantly agreed to lead the charge after Sato asked him to help complete the mission.
• Sato arrived at Team Rocket Base A-12, where Chakra ordered an evacuation and then prepared his forces to counterattack.
• Sato ordered the Pokémon League Trainers to attack, and Lt. Surge sent Magneton toward the base entrance.
• Chakra’s Forretress and Scizor attacked Lt. Surge, who responded by sending out Raichu and using Thunder.
• Sato commanded Little Left, Little Right, and Little Three to protect League Pokémon and bombard the base with Draco Meteor.
• Sato noticed Houndoom attacking the League’s rear camp and sent Honchkrow to confront it with Brave Bird.