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After finalizing the matter of the red Gyarados, Sato looked up and realized it was already past five in the evening—the sun was close to setting.
Glancing at the supplies strung from the cave ceiling by Ariados's silk, and then thinking about the massive size of the Shiny Gyarados, Sato could only sigh and lead his Pokémon out of the cave again.
The red Gyarados was at least five or six tis larger than Arcanine. With such an enormous body, the amount of food it needed for a single al was also five or six tis greater than Arcanine's—if not more.
Not to ntion, the aftereffects of the Revival Serum were still lingering in its body, aning it needed even more nutrition. The limited food Sato had on hand wouldn't last even a few als for it.
So, before darkness fell and the forest beca more dangerous, it was wise to restock provisions and avoid running into a food shortage.
As the sun neared the horizon, Sato returned to the cave with Ariados and Ursaring. At this ti, eight thick strands of spider silk wrapped around Ursaring's body—on the other end of each was a wild boar tightly bound in webbing.
Wild boars were significantly larger than wild deer, and Sato didn't have the energy to carefully roast eight of them. So, he had Arcanine use its flas to quickly roast the boars, and then tossed them into the pool once they were roughly cooked.
Although hastily roasted and lacking in flavor, the boars were incredibly rich in protein and fat.
And the red Gyarados was clearly starving—it devoured the food ravenously, chomping down on half a boar at a ti and swallowing it with barely a chew.
Judging by the look of pure satisfaction on its face, it was very pleased with this dinner. It didn't even spit out the bones.
Unlike the first night, tonight the wild Pokémon nearby were very well-behaved. Even though the sll of food was just as tempting, not a single one dared approach.
No wonder—last night Sato had only Arcanine and Ariados available for battle. Now he had added both Ursaring and Bellossom, whose auras were on par with Arcanine's.
Especially after the local wild Pokémon realized that even their forr leader, Ursaring, had beco a "henchman" of Sato, their fear of him escalated to an entirely new level.
In the quiet and peace, Sato and his Pokémon enjoyed a hearty dinner. Then, just before bedti, he got ready to tackle the last task of the day.
That's right—Sato was preparing to interrogate Aoki, the mysterious contestant whose identity was still unknown.
Soon, at Sato's command, Ariados deftly removed Aoki—currently in a feigned death state—from the webbing near the cave ceiling and dragged him in front of Sato.
After unbinding the silk wrapped around Aoki's body, Sato took out a paralysis recovery serum and poured it into Aoki's mouth.
Then, grabbing a nearby bucket filled with cold water from the pool, he splashed it directly onto Aoki's face.
Stimulated by the freezing water, and with the serum taking effect, Aoki quickly stirred awake. At first, he looked blankly at Sato in front of him, then turned his head and saw Ariados beside him.
"D-Don't—don't co near !!!"
The next second, it was like sothing triggered him—he scrambled backward in a panic, retreating a good distance, trembling all over with fear as he stared at Sato and Ariados.
In truth, Ariados's venom combined with its webbing could induce a pseudo-death state for a period of ti.
During that ti, the victim was essentially trapped in a pitch-black prison, unable to move even a finger. Their thoughts were dulled, their awareness frozen. Ti seed to stretch on endlessly.
Aoki had no desire to recall the terrifying process of gradually falling into a deathlike state inside a cocoon. The helpless, suffocating loneliness in that darkness was far more frightening than death itself. That he hadn't gone completely insane was a testant to his ntal fortitude.
Still, even thinking back to it now made him shiver uncontrollably.
"Eat. I have so questions for you later. If you answer truthfully, I might consider letting you go."
Sato looked at the clearly traumatized, half-delirious Aoki with a hint of surprise but didn't press for details. Instead, he tossed a roasted venison leg from beside the fire toward him and said coldly.
Since breakfast, Aoki hadn't eaten a single grain of rice or drank a drop of water. Although the pseudo-death state limited his bodily functions and reduced consumption, the torture he endured before that had left his energy reserves severely depleted.
Now, seeing the golden, crispy roasted deer leg in front of him, saliva pooled in his mouth, and his stomach growled loudly with hunger.
He didn't hesitate long—his eyes glowing green with hunger, Aoki snatched up the leg, brushed off the dirt, and started devouring it like a starving beast.
About ten minutes later, with food in his belly and his strength sowhat restored, Aoki curled up in the corner of the cave, still trembling and eyeing Sato and Ariados with fear.
Sato didn't imdiately resort to violence or torture. Instead, he calmly began questioning Aoki about Ranka, the other team mbers, and how they stayed in contact.
However, Aoki was in no condition to answer. His ntal state had clearly suffered—he drifted between lucidity and madness, sotis speaking coherently, sotis muttering and flinching.
Throughout the interrogation, he either trembled constantly or kept repeating pleas like, "Don't let it co near ," referring to Ariados.
"No problem. You can keep refusing to talk if you want. I'm not a fan of torture—but my patience is limited. Your ti is running out. Ariados, web him up again and hang him."
Seeing Aoki's condition, Sato guessed he had experienced sothing extrely traumatic, though he didn't know exactly what. He kept a cold expression and gave the order.
But facing soone already half-mad, Sato found it hard to push further. He knew all too well—interrogating a madman was far more difficult than interrogating a sane person.
"I'll talk! I'll talk! I'll say everything—just don't let it bind ! Don't let it bind again!"
Suddenly, Aoki sprang up from the ground like a spring, falling to his knees in front of Sato, eyes full of panic and desperation as he pleaded.
"Then tell everything you know, honestly. Otherwise—Ariados will wrap you up from head to toe again."
Sato's eyes lit up with understanding. Without missing a beat, he motioned for Ariados to shoot out a strand of silk in Aoki's direction, then growled nacingly.
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