After completing the transaction, Sieg could clearly feel numerous covert glances directed his way.
While 300,000 Pokédollars wasn't an enormous sum, it certainly wasn't trivial either, especially since Sieg had made several other deals, earning over 500,000 Pokédollars in just half a day.
This was more than enough to tempt these dangerous gray-market operators into taking desperate risks for a robbery attempt.
However, even more attention was focused on the girl hidden beneath the black robes.
Compared to Sieg, who occasionally emanated a dangerous aura of unknown depth, the girl's disguise was clearly amateurish, her delicate voice, slender figure, various telltale mannerisms, and thoroughly inadequate camouflage.
All of this marked her as a prime target.
Such quality prey would inevitably attract numerous predators competing fiercely for the prize.
Watching the girl's retreating figure, Sieg had a momentary vision of a life about to be extinguished.
"The world is just this cruel!"
Sieg observed coldly, with no intention of warning the girl that she'd been marked as an easy target by multiple stalkers.
After completing his sales, he quickly packed up his stall and navigated the black market's winding passages, shaking off various pursuers.
With his well-practiced counter-surveillance techniques, ordinary gray-market personnel couldn't hope to track him.
Changing his appearance and attire, Sieg continued shopping at various market stalls. As a new team member, Sandile needed Protect and Hidden Power TMs arranged immediately.
These two moves required visits to several shops before he could acquire them, as such universally useful skills were quite valuable.
Additionally, he purchased Rock Tomb and Stomp TMs for Sandile.
Sandile could learn few Rock-type moves, only Rock Slide and Rock Tomb. As for Stomp, it was purely to cover Ground-type attacks before learning Earthquake.
After all, Earthquake could only be learned after evolving into its final form, Krookodile.
He also bought materials for crafting Pokéblocks specifically suited to Sandile.
Sieg personally configured specialized Pokéblocks for each of his main team members based on their individual needs.
After this shopping spree, the 500,000 Pokédollars he'd just earned vanished instantly, actually putting him deeper in the red.
However, for Sieg, this was all worthwhile. Current investments in his Pokémon would eventually translate into formidable combat power, showing impressive returns.
Just as Sieg finished shopping and prepared to leave, he noticed a crowd gathered around one particular shop.
Moving closer, he caught fragments of hushed conversations.
"It's actually a Blizzard TM!"
Following the surrounding discussions, Sieg looked toward the ice-blue TM displayed in the shop.
As one of the few ultimate Ice-type moves, Blizzard's power was unmatched, except for certain legendary Pokémon and species-exclusive techniques.
It was currently the most powerful known Ice-type move.
With 110 base power plus an enormous attack range, it was beloved by Ice-type specialists.
Precisely because of this, its rarity rivaled that of stat-boosting moves, making it virtually impossible to find on the open market.
"Two million Pokédollars? No wonder everyone's just looking without buying."
Seeing the price tag beneath the ice-blue TM, Sieg felt like cold water had been thrown over him.
While his finances were sufficient for the purchase, it would consume most of his wealth.
Moreover, since Crawdaunt had only recently learned Ice Beam, buying a Blizzard TM wouldn't be cost-effective.
After careful consideration, Sieg decided against making an offer. Just as he prepared to leave, a melodious female voice rang out.
"I'll take that Blizzard TM!"
The voice sounded familiar. Turning around, Sieg saw a black-robed woman.
But that figure...
Didn't it resemble the girl who'd bought the Kadabra earlier?
Sieg hid among the crowd, observing secretly. Many people were stunned by such a large expenditure, sizing up the robed girl from head to toe.
Countless probing stares seemed to startle the girl, who shrank back somewhat timidly.
Fortunately, her black robes concealed her flustered expression from the crowd.
Watching the robed girl's departing figure, Sieg noticed several people already beginning to tail her discreetly. A ripple of interest stirred in his heart as he considered taking advantage of the chaos.
After leaving the black market exit.
In a dark, lightless canyon, the evening hour made everything feel eerily silent.
Sieg immediately used camouflage techniques to hide in the shadows, and sure enough, spotted traces of the girl.
The girl had removed her black robes, revealing delicate features that made her appear a bit younger than Sieg.
She wore an elegant red dress, with hints of joy flickering across her brow.
"Come out, Tropius."
The girl released a pink Pokéball, and a nearly three-meter-tall Tropius appeared in the valley.
Tropius had a long neck, sturdy limbs, massive green leaves on its back, and yellow banana-like fruits hanging from its lower jaw.
The girl climbed onto Tropius's back by grasping its leaves, gave it a gentle pat, and the Pokémon spread its enormous leaf-wings to fly into the distance.
Immediately after, Sieg spotted several shadowy figures following the red-dressed girl, releasing their own Flying-type and mount Pokémon.
Some pursued through the air while others gave chase on the ground, all treating the girl like a lamb ready for slaughter.
Sieg didn't rush to follow. Instead, he hid behind a boulder, quietly waiting for combat to erupt.
"That girl isn't ordinary either. She's probably from some prominent family, otherwise she wouldn't have a Tropius as a mount," Sieg mused internally.
Judging by size alone, that Tropius was exceptionally well-developed, far exceeding normal specimens.
Standard Tropius measured only two meters, while the girl's was nearly three meters tall, with far more yellow fruits hanging from its jaw than typical.
Unfortunately, he couldn't observe closely enough for further assessment, but Sieg estimated the Tropius was at least level 30 or above.
The girl surely had other Pokémon as well, so she should be able to hold out for a while. There was no rush to swoop in for easy pickings.
After all, you never know if there might be another predator waiting behind the predator.
The hunter may become the hunted.
Finally, after waiting over ten minutes, Sieg emerged from the valley.
He released Murkrow, a black shadow flashed as it spread its wings and soared high, swiftly cutting through the night sky.
After traveling just over a kilometer, he suddenly sensed move fluctuations coming from not far ahead.
Various explosions of light were visible in the night sky from a distance.