Zoroark was Sato's Starter Pokémon, the one that had been with him the longest in both his past and present lives, and the one he trusted the most.
But, embarrassingly enough, Zoroark hadn't had many chances to appear in battle… its total appearances didn't even add up to half of what Houndoom or Sharpedo had.
At first, due to Zoroark's uniqueness and the need to evade the Ghost Ship Organization's pursuit, Sato didn't dare send it into public battles. Like Pupitar, it became part of his "hidden" strength.
Later on, thanks to his knowledge regarding future "trends" and his ability to detect emotions through Dark Energy, Sato quickly gathered a group of high-potential Pokémon partners.
With these new additions, if a battle didn't absolutely require Zoroark, Sato preferred to send out others to train them.
And so, Zoroark's chances to fight became even fewer, so few that Sato gradually developed a subconscious habit of not using it.
Eventually, Sato gained the power of Mega Evolution, and later, the ability to use long-distance amplification via the Key Stone and remote Dark Energy.
At that moment, Sato finally had the foundational strength to stand firm in the Pokémon world and no longer feared the Ghost Ship's assassinations, whether in secret or out in the open.
But once Sato was finally able to release Zoroark at any time, he realized that both he and Zoroark had grown used to having it remain "in the background," serving as his most solid support.
The same applied to Gengar, which stayed hidden in Sato's shadow and participated in formal battles less and less.
But that only highlighted how important Zoroark and Gengar truly were.
When Gengar appeared, it meant Sato's life was in danger: it was his final line of defense.
When Zoroark appeared, it meant Sato had encountered a truly powerful opponent and needed a definitive blow to secure victory.
So even though Zoroark didn't appear often, it was still Sato's ultimate trump card.
"Now, the battle continues!" Joseph's booming announcement snapped Sato out of his thoughts.
When Sato refocused on the battlefield, he saw a blazing flame already launching from Blaziken toward Zoroark.
"Dodge it!" Sato gave a complex glance at Blaziken before giving his next command. "Zoroark, use Imprison."
Naturally, Zoroark wasn't about to get hit by such a probing first attack. With a slight side jump, it avoided it with ease.
At the same time, red-and-black energy surged around Zoroark's body. In the blink of an eye, it vanished… only to flash across Blaziken's form. The effect was so brief, Blaziken didn't even notice.
Across the field, a trace of confusion flickered in Ryoko's eyes. 'The move Imprison...' she definitely remembered seeing it somewhere before. Damn, it was one of those moves she'd forgotten.
"Blaziken, close in and use Sky Uppercut!"
"Zoroark, Aerial Ace!"
A clash between two high-speed, high-attack Pokémon. Although Blaziken's Fighting-type gave it a clear advantage over Zoroark, Sato still didn't hesitate to send Zoroark charging in.
Zoroark's red claws turned bright white, faintly outlined with sky-blue Flying-type energy; this was an advanced form of Aerial Ace, allowing for more flexible close-quarters maneuvering.
On the other side, Blaziken's Sky Uppercut had also been heavily developed. No longer a single low-frequency strike, it now incorporated martial techniques, unleashing a chain of consecutive attacks.
Blaziken had clearly undergone rigorous martial arts training. Every move it made was precise and structured; it didn't seem like a Pokémon at all, but rather a seasoned martial artist.
Zoroark, on the other hand, was the complete opposite. Its fighting style was wild and feral, using all four claws as mediums to trigger Aerial Ace, almost looking possessed in its ferocity.
One righteous, one wicked… yet perfectly matched!
Before long, the match shifted again. After another head-on exchange, Blaziken and Zoroark leapt apart simultaneously, catching their breath.
It was obvious both Trainers knew their Pokémon's limits well. The moment Zoroark steadied itself, Sato gave his next command.
"Zoroark, use Extrasensory."
Ryoko was only half a second slower, hurriedly shouting her counter, "Use Flamethrower!"
Extrasensory was one of the few visible psychic-type attacks. As the energy ring shot rapidly toward Blaziken, it inhaled deeply, preparing to unleash a scorching- 'Wait, where was the flame?'
A flicker of panic crossed Ryoko's eyes, followed by sudden realization, but by then, Extrasensory had already hit, lifting Blaziken into the air and locking it in place.
"Was that the Imprison move from earlier?" Ryoko voiced it as a question, but she was already certain in her heart.
Imprison placed the user in a sealed state, preventing opponents from using any moves that the user also knew.
And Zoroark… could use Flamethrower.
Sato gave a slight smile, offering no explanation. He simply stayed focused on the battlefield; after all, Blaziken still hadn't escaped from Extrasensory yet.
"Blaziken, use Flame Charge!"
Ryoko clearly knew how to break out of psychic control.
Flame Charge enveloped the body in flames, struck the opponent, and guaranteed a one-stage Speed boost. It was the best way to break free.
But battles are won by slowly accumulating advantages… until you crush your opponent in one blow.
"Zoroark, Night Daze."
Blaziken had finally broken free from Extrasensory, but just as the move ended, Sato issued the next command.
No hesitation. Had it been a different move, Zoroark might have taken half a second to respond.
…But with its signature move, Night Daze?
Not a chance!
Zoroark slammed both hands to the ground and seamlessly transitioned into Night Daze. A dark "bubble" erupted and expanded instantly, crashing into the charging Blaziken and knocking it backward once more.
Wherever Night Daze passed, the battlefield was torn up as if plowed by oxen: scorched, chaotic, and ruined.
Fortunately, Blaziken had decent resistance to Dark-type moves, so the damage wasn't too severe.
Ryoko clenched her teeth. She remembered Imprison now, but this "Night Daze" move? She had never even heard of it.
As the so-called "little princess" of the Hoenn League, a standout among even the core lineage, being outmaneuvered over and over by Sato was… humiliating.
"Blaziken… FOCUS BLAST!" Ryoko barked out the next command, her voice tight with tension and a flash of hesitation in her eyes.
'Tsk tsk tsk… how awkward. My Zoroark can use that too!'
"Zoroark, Extrasensory again!"
"Blaziken, cancel Focus Blast! Use Flame Charge!"
But both were high-speed, high-attack Pokémon, neither was significantly faster than the other. In the end, Blaziken still got hit by half of the Extrasensory move.