Chapter Summaries

Sato and Miyamoto’s battle turned into the operation’s likeliest breakthrough, with Tyranitar overwhelming Pidgeot while Houndoom and Ice Ninetales remained evenly matched. As Miyamoto sent out her third Pokémon and the other battles stayed deadlocked, Sato realized he needed to end the fight quickly before Team Rocket brought in another Elite Four trainer.

• Tyranitar’s Stomping Tantrum opened the ground beneath Ice Ninetales, and its Inferno flames nearly trapped the Pokémon before Pidgeot’s Hurricane helped it unleash a freezing Blizzard.
• Ice Ninetales froze Tyranitar and Houndoom, but Tyranitar used Stone Edge to stop Pidgeot’s Brave Bird, and Houndoom broke free and melted Tyranitar’s ice with Inferno.
• Ice Ninetales attacked Houndoom with Iron Tail: Ninth Movement, but Houndoom burned it with Will-O-Wisp and countered with Blast Burn, leaving both Pokémon standing without a clear advantage.
• Tyranitar escaped the ice and detonated rocks around Pidgeot, badly damaging it and gaining the upper hand.
• Zhihong and Kouke struggled to hold off Caesar and Athena, while Lance’s Dragonite and Charizard remained deadlocked against Arbok and Weezing.
• Sato judged his battle with Miyamoto to be the operation’s last opening, but Miyamoto sent out her third Pokémon, prompting Sato to resolve not to let the fight drag on.

Sato and the Elite Four battled Team Rocket’s leaders until a threatened Explosion let the Rocket members escape with Teleport. Sato’s hidden spatial barrier trapped them nearby, but Athena collapsed from the strain of teleporting.

• Sato secretly amplified Houndoom and Tyranitar with Dark Power, severely injuring Miyamoto’s Ice Ninetales and forcing her to send out Ampharos.
• Giovanni’s Mother ordered Weezing to use Explosion, prompting Athena and Caesar to teleport away while Miyamoto regrouped with her Pokémon.
• Athena used group Teleport to escape with the other Team Rocket members, leaving the defenders frustrated and Team Rocket’s Pokémon behind.
• Sato’s spatial barrier caused the four Rocket members to reappear a hundred meters away, and Athena collapsed with blood at her eyes and nose.
• Sato told Gengar to shrink the barrier and catch the Rockets, while Giovanni’s Mother prepared Weezing for a fight.

Giovanni's Champion-level Beedrill shattered Sato's Space Barrier and overwhelmed Sato and Lance's Pokémon in battle. Sato planned an escape, while Lance secretly prepared to stay and help him.

• Team Rocket's Vice Leader ordered Weezing to use Explosion, but Beedrill shattered Gengar's Space Barrier and ambushed Sato and Lance.
• Sato used Umbreon, Tyranitar, and Houndoom to defend against Beedrill, while Lance's Dragonite joined the fight; together, they barely stopped one of Beedrill's ordinary strikes.
• Sato recognized Beedrill as Giovanni's Pokémon, and Team Rocket's members realized their Boss had arrived.
• Giovanni's Mother left with Miyamoto, while Athena and Caesar stayed to watch Beedrill fight.
• Sato told Lance and the others to escape while Gengar locked onto Beedrill, and Lance quietly replaced his Great Ball with an Ancient Poké Ball.

Sato and Lance faced Giovanni’s Champion-level Beedrill until Shiping arrived with his Champion-level Weavile and drove it off. Giovanni then tried to recruit Sato by offering him Team Rocket’s leadership, leaving Sato to accept the offer if he could take over from Giovanni.

• Mega Gengar trapped Beedrill in a Space Barrier, but Beedrill escaped by spinning through it and charged at Sato and Lance.
• Athena and Caesar followed Giovanni’s orders to pursue Zhihong and Kouke, while a hidden voice taunted Sato and Lance.
• Shiping sent his Champion-level Weavile to intercept Beedrill, and the two Pokémon fought to a stalemate as Lance went after Zhihong and Kouke.
• Giovanni tried to undermine Shiping by pointing out the League’s Champion-level protection, but Shiping mocked Giovanni and praised Sato.
• Giovanni offered Shiping Team Rocket’s leadership if he would recruit Sato, and Shiping and Sato agreed on the condition that Giovanni step down.
• Beedrill retreated into the forest, and Giovanni promised to make Sato his heir when Team Rocket ruled the world.

After helping repel Team Rocket from Violet City, Sato became a feared target as his Gengar’s spatial abilities were exposed and Team Rocket repeatedly withdrew ahead of his arrival. He launched surprise raids in Goldenrod City and Celadon City, forcing Team Rocket to surrender and end its sieges.

• Shiping warned Sato to stay hidden until he became a Champion, then left while Sato used Tyranitar and Umbreon to clean up and treat the Wild Pokemon.
• Sato and Lance regrouped after failing to capture Athena, stayed in Violet City until Team Rocket’s forces had withdrawn, and were sent to support other cities.
• Sato chose Goldenrod City, where he learned that Team Rocket had mostly withdrawn and Master Yasumura praised his growing reputation.
• After Team Rocket repeatedly fled ahead of him, Sato returned secretly to Goldenrod City and had Gengar seal over a hundred contact points, leading to mass arrests.
• Sato appeared in Celadon City two days later and trapped more than a thousand Team Rocket members, including two Doctor-level Researchers and two Elite Four level Trainers.
• Team Rocket announced its surrender, canceled its plans to siege League cities, and withdrew or went into hiding.

At the Johto Alliance’s post-war commendation convention, officials reviewed the battle’s losses and honored those who had served. Sato was formally appointed to the Johto Region Elite Four as Dark Night, while he wondered what to eat with Cynthia that evening.

• Joy Meiqing spoke with an Officer Jenny representative, who hinted at the Nurse Joy Family’s past treatment of Sato.
• President Damalanchi arrived with Ryu, Sen, Lance, and Sato, and the convention began under Johto Alliance Branch President Beiyuan Xin.
• Beiyuan Xin read the post-war casualty and damage figures, while Damalanchi scolded the attendees and then mourned the losses.
• Beiyuan Xin read lists of outstanding personnel, and President Damalanchi occasionally commented on familiar names.
• President Damalanchi formally appointed Sato to the Johto Region Elite Four with the title Dark Night, and Sato accepted his letter of appointment.

Sato received his Elite Four appointment and a wealth of rewards at the Johto Alliance Commendation Conference, where Beiyuan Xin unexpectedly resigned as Branch President. He then went home to Cynthia, who had prepared dinner, and the two shared a warm meal.

• Damalanchi announced Sato’s appointment as the Dark Night Elite Four and listed the resources and privileges he would receive.
• Beiyuan Xin resigned as Branch President of the Johto Alliance, then left the conference room after bowing to the attendees.
• Damalanchi adjourned the meeting and said a new Branch President would take office soon.
• Sato ignored Lance’s calls and hurried to his assigned home after receiving Cynthia’s message that she was waiting for him.
• Cynthia welcomed Sato with a home-cooked dinner, and they hugged before sitting down to eat while Lopunny listened from the kitchen.

Sato and Cynthia spent five days dating in Silver Town while their outings dominated online trends. When they were called back to their Elite Four duties, they reluctantly parted, and Sato promised to visit Cynthia in Sinnoh soon.

• Sato bought Cynthia and himself several triple-scoop ice creams, and Cynthia became embarrassed when she realized she had offered him the one she had already eaten.
• Videos and reports of Sato and Cynthia’s date went viral, and fans debated their relationship and celebrated their apparent romance.
• Sato and Cynthia spent five days exploring Silver Town together while their dates repeatedly topped the trending searches.
• On the sixth day, Lance and others called Sato and Cynthia back to work, and Cynthia said the Sinnoh Elite Four had accumulated duties in her absence.
• Sato promised to visit Cynthia in Sinnoh after he finished his work, and they reluctantly said goodbye.

Sato reported to the Johto Alliance and discovered that his Elite Four role came with a packed schedule of duties across Johto. He returned to Dark Night City, where his friends and Gym staff welcomed him home, and learned that the city had been thriving in his absence.

• Lance showed Sato his Elite Four schedule, explained which invitations were optional, and revealed that Sato had fourteen work tasks for the month.
• Lance advised Sato that he could delegate some duties to capable subordinates, and Sato thought of the talented people at his Gym.
• Sato flew directly to Dark Night City, which had grown considerably and now had its own operating airport.
• Dark Night Gym's staff and apprentices greeted Sato with a large welcome, and he reunited with George and Mark.
• George and Mark told Sato that Dark Night City had suffered few losses in the recent attack and that Team Rocket and other underground groups had kept away.

Sato reunited with his Pokémon at the Gym before traveling to Goldenrod City to judge the Region Exchange Match. There, regional team leaders praised their contestants and tried to win his favor so he would guide them.

• Sato gathered his Pokémon in the training room and reminisced with them through the night, inspiring Absol and the others still striving to reach Elite Four Level.
• George brought Sato breakfast and reminded him that he had work, so Sato ate and left for Goldenrod City with several eager Pokémon.
• At the competition venue, Sato received the participant list and agreed to meet the visiting regional team leaders.
• The team leaders praised their promising newcomers and their connections to prominent figures, hoping Sato would favor and guide their contestants.

Sato, judging the Pokémon League Region Exchange Match as Elite Four Moyan, offered a personal reward to the contestant who surprised him and then accurately predicted match after match. The crowd grew excited by his predictions until one contestant finally broke his streak.

• Sato greeted the contestants and announced a special reward for whoever surprised him most, regardless of whether they became champion.
• The Region Exchange Match began, and Sato repeatedly predicted the winners by spotting decisive details in the battles.
• Sato told the audience that the contestant who surprised him would be the one who broke his prediction, restoring excitement to the matches.
• Contestants rejected one trainer's suggestion to throw a match, insisting they would not disgrace their regions.
• The crowd erupted when a contestant finally broke Sato's prediction.

Zhuzhen and Jumpluff defeated Sato’s Jynx, overturning Sato’s prediction and winning the Region Exchange Match battle. Sato recognized Zhuzhen as the boy he had once guided and rewarded him with a World Tree Spring Branch, while the competition prepared to continue.

• Jumpluff overcame Jynx, and the referee declared Zhuzhen the winner as the crowd erupted in cheers.
• Zhuzhen remembered how Sato had inspired him to become a Trainer and revealed that he had staked everything on the battle to show Sato their strength.
• Sato teased Zhuzhen for forgetting him, and Zhuzhen called him Brother Mo, recalling their connection from Spirit Fruit Town.
• Sato gave Zhuzhen a segment of World Tree Spring Branch to replenish Jumpluff’s Origin Energy and said he would teach him how to use it.
• Sato warned the host to move the competition along, and the host stopped asking intrusive questions.

Sato arrived in Ecruteak City to investigate Team Rocket activity and found clues pointing to the K9 Experiment. He sent Si'nan and Sosuke to investigate while secretly backing them up, then set out to locate the experimental subject and the hidden base.

• Sato met Si'nan and Sosuke in Ecruteak City, reviewed their findings, and assigned Si'nan to investigate the western forest and Sosuke to monitor Team Rocket in the city.
• Sato secretly sent Zoroark and Gardevoir to follow Si'nan and Sosuke, then went to the city's Underground Market.
• At Team Rocket's G-8 base, Sachi and Oka argued over their failure to recover the K9 Experiment and ordered their subordinates to continue searching.
• Sato found a metal fragment in the Underground Market that seemed familiar and decided to accelerate the investigation and rescue the K9 Experiment.

Sato and his gym apprentices located Team Rocket’s K9 Experiment, a tiny Ariados, and Sato’s Pokemon captured and treated it. The Ariados woke calmer but remained wary, leaving its recovery unresolved.

• Si'nan reported finding a Team Rocket elite member and narrowing down the base’s location, while Sosuke identified the tiny Ariados Team Rocket had been searching for.
• Sato ordered Si'nan to locate an exact entry point before sunset and took Sosuke to rescue the Ariados.
• Sosuke’s Houndoom tracked the Ariados through Ecruteak City, and Gardevoir and Gengar stopped it when it tried to flee.
• Sato had Gengar use Hypnosis and Gardevoir use Heal Bell, putting the struggling Ariados to sleep and easing its distress.
• After waking, the Ariados attacked Gengar with Venoshock and tried to escape, but Gardevoir restrained and soothed it until its eyes began to clear.

Sato led Sosuke and Si'nan in an assault on Team Rocket’s underground base, rescuing the experimental Pokémon and confronting its leader, the former Elite Four Shaka. Their battle threatened to destroy the facility, but Gengar secretly held the collapsing base in place, trapping Shaka.

• Sato left the captured Ariados behind and joined Sosuke and Si'nan to attack Team Rocket’s base near Ecruteak City.
• Sato used Tyranitar to expose the underground base, then ordered Gengar to seal it while he, Sosuke, and Si'nan fought their way inside.
• Sato reached the Core Laboratory and had Gardevoir subdue and carry away the experimental Pokémon.
• Shaka appeared with a frightened researcher, and Sato recognized him as the former Elite Four member who had betrayed the Johto Alliance.
• Sato fought Shaka as Sharpedo and Tyranitar battled Rhyperior and Donphan, wrecking the laboratory and shaking the underground facility.
• Shaka tried to escape by burrowing underground, but Gengar used its power to hold the base in place.

Sato was trapped in the underground base as Team Rocket’s Four Executives attacked and blocked his escape routes. He unleashed his strongest Pokémon and brought the Core Laboratory crashing down, leaving the confrontation unresolved.

• Shaka escaped to the surface with Claydol, Donphan, and Rhyperior after Sato’s Gengar was struck by Confusion.
• Athena and Team Rocket’s Four Executives—Lambda, Apollo, Caesar, and Athena—cornered Sato and launched a coordinated assault.
• Sato found that Mean Look prevented Gardevoir from using Teleport and giant roots sealed the underground escape route.
• Sato used the Keystone Necklace to amplify Zoroark and Gardevoir with Dark Power and Mega Evolved Tyranitar and Sharpedo.
• Sato sent Tyranitar, Zoroark, and Gardevoir to attack the dome, and their moves caused the Core Laboratory to collapse.

Sato and his Pokémon tried to escape Team Rocket’s four executives, but Shaka stopped their first attempt and left Team Rocket. With Dark Power and moonlight, Zoroark broke through to Champion level and trapped the executives in an illusion.

• Sato used Umbreon’s unexpected Mean Look to give his Pokémon an opening, and Gardevoir used Teleport to try to escape.
• Shaka reappeared and used Claydol to interrupt the escape, then renounced his ties to Team Rocket and walked away.
• Zoroark absorbed the Dark Power from Sato and Gardevoir, but stopped just short of Champion level.
• Moonlight shone on Zoroark, which broke through to Champion level as Dark Zoroark.
• Athena, Caesar, and Lambda recalled their Pokémon to protect themselves while Apollo faced Zoroark’s attack.
• Sato commanded Dark Burst, and Zoroark’s apparent Champion-level attack proved to be an illusion.

Sato escaped Team Rocket’s ambush and turned the hunt around, pursuing the scattered executives through the forest. After trapping and defeating Caesar, he cornered Lambda as well, leaving the chase underway.

• Sato fled west on Zoroark while badly injured, and Si'nan brought the unconscious Sosuke to Azalea Gym for treatment.
• Giovanni heard that the capture mission had failed and declared that he had begun creating a god.
• Apollo ordered the Team Rocket executives to return separately, and Athena, Lambda, and Caesar left the forest.
• Sato and Gardevoir emerged from hiding and pursued the scattered executives, capturing Caesar after Gengar rebuilt the Space Barrier.
• Sato trapped Lambda’s Fearow against a Transparent Wall, and Lambda’s emergency distress signal failed to get through.

After escaping Team Rocket’s attack, Sato returned to Azalea Gym and learned that the Old Gym Leader had helped Si'nan and Sosuke. Sato became more certain of his suspicions about the Old Gym Leader and went with Mark and the others to meet him over lunch.

• Gengar and Gardevoir returned to Sato without finding the escaped Team Rocket executive, and Sato decided they had already captured enough of the enemy’s leaders.
• At Azalea Gym, Si'nan told Mark how he and Sosuke had fled while Sato fought Team Rocket’s executives, and Mark left to search for Sato.
• Sato appeared at the Gym, and Si'nan and Sosuke saw that he was injured but recovering.
• Mark explained that he had come after the Pokémon League received a distress signal, and Sato praised Si'nan and Sosuke for escaping.
• Si'nan told Sato why he suspected the Old Gym Leader, and Sato confirmed his suspicions when he found the Old Gym Leader waiting outside.
• The Old Gym Leader invited Sato and the others to lunch, where Sato met Bugsy and encouraged him to help support the Gym.

Sato confronted Azalea Gym’s Old Gym Leader about leaking his whereabouts to Team Rocket, then heard Bugsy explain how the leak happened. Sato promised not to target the Old Gym Leader deliberately, leaving the matter to be judged by others.

• Sato asked the Old Gym Leader whether he knew about the events of the previous night, but the old man first tried to bargain for Bugsy’s future and Azalea Gym’s support.
• The Old Gym Leader admitted that Sato’s whereabouts had been leaked from Azalea Gym and said Team Rocket had threatened the gym’s apprentices into helping them.
• Sato refused the Old Gym Leader’s offers and left without promising to forgive him.
• Bugsy visited Sato and explained that his Grandpa’s Parasect tracked Sato through invisible fungal spores spread across Ecruteak City.
• Sato told Bugsy that others would judge his Master’s actions and that he would not deliberately target him.