He didn't have much time, nor the mind to waste it.
Since they were just three ordinary members of the Magma Team, there was nothing worth considering or fearing.
Just eliminate them.
With a slight movement of his fingers, a Salandit dropped from his shoulder.
Upon reconsideration, relying solely on the Salandit was a bit of a push and a waste of time.
He then brushed his hand across his waist.
With a flash of red light, a Salazzle and four other Salandit appeared in front of him.
All of them were Salandits?
Moreover, one Gym Leader Level and five Elite Level ones!
Nanmu and Ishino looked at each other, both seeing the surprise and a hint of excitement in the other's eyes.
Such strength definitely equaled that of an Elite Captain!
"Take care of them," Natsuhiko casually told the Salazzle.
"Hiss!!"
The Salazzle was thrilled; it hadn't battled or "dealt" with other Pokémon in a long time, especially with its most trusted subordinates.
With a single hiss, the five Elite Level Salandits immediately dashed out.
Seeing the Salazzle and four Salandits appear, the three Magma Team members immediately realized something was wrong, their faces turning pale.
Trying to escape or give up resisting proved futile.
Under the Salazzle's skilled command, the five Salandits cooperated perfectly without any disturbance, quickly taking care of the three and their Pokémon.
"Clean up."
After saying this to Nanmu and Ishino, Natsuhiko focused his attention on the group of Pyroar.
They were somewhat valuable, especially the little ones.
If any of the little Pyroar exhibited exceptional talent, it might be worth nurturing.
But clearly, not being the fire-type Pokémon he favored, Natsuhiko's standards were high, and none of the little Pyroar met his expectations.
After dealing with the group of Pyroar, Nanmu and Ishino completed the cleanup of the three.
"I'll take the items, and you can have the Pokémon," Natsuhiko said with a wave of his hand.
After all, since they were working with him, Natsuhiko wasn't as "vampiric" to the point of taking everything; he had to leave them something.
Furthermore, these Pokémon didn't hold much value to him; they were already tamed and trained, making their worth minimal.
"Thank you, sir!" Nanmu and Ishino gratefully replied.
Though of little value to Natsuhiko, they were worth a fair bit to them since there were a couple of Elite Level Pokémon among them that could be turned into effective combat strength with some taming.
They weren't as picky about Pokémon as Natsuhiko.
To them.
If it's usable, it's fine.
After they finished dividing the spoils, Natsuhiko pondered slightly and then said, "This efficiency is still too slow. Continue gathering intelligence on your own; I can manage alone."
"Once we... gather intelligence, how should we contact you, sir?"
Natsuhiko placed a Pokeball in each of their hands.
"These are two Salandits. Once you gather useful intelligence, give it to them, and they'll bring it to me."
"Understood."
The two then quickly left with the two Salandits.
Through brief contact, Natsuhiko discovered that the Magma Team didn't strictly oppose mutual killing among members, despite nominally forbidding it. In practice, management was lax and could be described as turning a blind eye.
Natsuhiko could understand such a decision.
Without the human resources of an alliance, underground forces like the Magma Team cast a wide net to find those truly valuable and worth nurturing. Such tacitly approved mutual killing, akin to Raising Gu, became the most convenient method.
As for those inherently talented yet unlucky and prematurely eliminated?
Sorry, luck is a talent too.
How many of the highest officers among the current underground forces didn't claw their way up from the bottom on their own abilities?
While Natsuhiko now leaned toward the alliance for more resources and legitimate status, he also had to admit that he preferred the purity of these underground forces.
The pure reliance on self-ability.
Once Nanmu and Ishino left the area, Natsuhiko finally summoned his own Pokémon.
Ultimately, his own Pokémon were more familiar, sparing him the focus on every battle detail.
Moreover, it allowed them to gain more experience.
Whether to counter the Magma Team or prepare for the upcoming "Lily Youth Competition," enhancing their strength was a priority.
After spending some days with Kona, he had a clear understanding of her strength.
Though she lacked experience and capability in the wild, on the battlefield, she was undoubtedly a "War God."
If Kona was like this, one could only imagine how strong Lance, Flint, and Hilona were.
Bringing his Pokémon into unexplored areas, Natsuhiko ordered Salazzle and the Salandits to guard the entrance. If anyone attempted to enter, they were to eliminate them without hesitation.
"Roar—"
When Natsuhiko and his Pokémon ventured into the deepest part of the area, a roar echoed through the valley.
It was quickly followed by a scorching breath of flame.
And a black silhouette emerged.