I am Giovanni

Chapter 29: The Insect King Project

When dealing with a researcher like Dr. Ryoki, it was best to be direct. They had no time for riddles.

"Resources," Giovanni said, getting straight to the point. "I need Poison and Bug-type resources. My Weedle is about to evolve, and I need to improve it further."

As a seasoned researcher, Dr. Ryoki knew that evolution was a rare opportunity for a Pokémon to improve its innate potential. When he heard what Pokémon Giovanni had, his eyes lit up with a manic excitement.

"A Weedle? What a coincidence!"

"What do you mean?" Giovanni asked, confused.

"One of my previous research passions was Bug-type Pokémon," Dr. Ryoki explained. "I had a project I always wanted to pursue, but never had the chance. Coincidentally, my current project just finished, and you just happened to appear. It must be fate. May I take a look at your Weedle?"

Giovanni frowned but released his partner. He needed to see what the doctor was planning.

The moment Weedle appeared, Dr. Ryoki thrust his face close, startling the small Pokémon so much that it almost launched a Poison Sting.

"Weedle, no!"

Fortunately, Giovanni stopped it in time, preventing a tragedy. Dr. Ryoki, completely oblivious to his near-death experience, pulled out a strange instrument and began scanning Weedle from every angle— when he finished, he frowned.

"Its talent is only average, and its potential seems to have been damaged. How about I get you one with better aptitude?"

Weedle was so insulted it almost fainted. It deeply regretted not poisoning the old man when it had the chance.

Giovanni stroked Weedle, calming its agitated emotions, then smiled at the doctor. "No. It is my partner. My family."

"Tsk," Dr. Ryoki clicked his tongue, now a bit hesitant. "I'll have to consider this. With this specimen, the probability of failure is very high. I would be risking my reputation to request the necessary resources."

Giovanni, however, had unconditional faith in his partner. "Why don't you tell me about your project first?"

"I call it the 'Insect King' project," Dr. Ryoki explained, his eyes gleaming again. "Due to their unique nature, many Bug-type Pokémon live in matriarchal, hive-like societies. The initial 'Queen' of a hive often doesn't have particularly high aptitude— but she can continuously improve the bloodline by breeding, producing offspring with stronger and stronger potential."

"However," he said, his voice dropping with excitement, "my research indicates that simply devouring resources to improve aptitude doesn't significantly improve a Bug-type's combat prowess.

But... if one hundred Bug-type Pokémon were confined in a single space and made to fight to the death until only one remains... it's highly probable that an unprecedented 'Insect King' would be born— a creature with superior aptitude, toxicity, physique, and even a dominant status over all other Bug-types!"

Giovanni's brows furrowed. The risk was enormous. A slight misstep could lead to Weedle's death. This method... it was essentially the same brutal trial he was being put through.

Unlike Giovanni's hesitation, Weedle was filled with a burning fighting spirit. The doctor's earlier dismissal of its strength had deeply affected it. Its nature was to never give up. Now that it had a chance to prove itself, it would seize it.

"Wee!" it cried, its small eyes burning like fire.

Giovanni saw his partner's resolve. He knew its temperament. Once it chose a path, it would see it through to the end.

"We'll do it," Giovanni said to Dr. Ryoki, his voice firm. "We'll do the 'Insect King' project."

Seeing the doctor still hesitating, Giovanni raised the stakes. "I will give you a vial of my blood. I know my body best. It will give your research... unexpected results— but I need everything prepared within a week."

Dr. Ryoki's eyes flickered. He was clearly tempted. Nothing attracted a researcher more than the promise of a scientific breakthrough. And since Team Rocket was footing the bill... it was doable.

"Alright, it's a deal!" he finally agreed. "Don't worry, I'll prepare a group of Bug-types with similar strength to your Weedle to minimize the risk." He shouted to the back of the infirmary.

"Ogawa! Go apply for one hundred Bug-type Pokémon, all under level 10! And requisition a secure laboratory and a healing machine!"

A young man in a white lab coat emerged. "So urgent, teacher?"

"What are you waiting for? Go!" Dr. Ryoki urged. The young man gave Giovanni a confused look, then ran off.

"That's my student, Kawatada," Dr. Ryoki explained. "Quite intelligent, but his methods can be... a bit extreme." He then smiled brightly, pulling a syringe from a drawer. "Now, where do we draw the blood?"

That night, Giovanni asked Weedle one last time. "Are you sure? You can still back out."

Weedle just nodded firmly.

Giovanni said no more. He placed his hand on his partner's body and fully unleashed the power of Viridian. Green light filled the entire room. He was going to spend the entire night restoring Weedle's full potential, and then, in the days that followed, he would make it even stronger.

He was drenched in sweat, the color draining from his face from the exertion, but his efforts paid off. Weedle's aptitude was finally, completely restored.

— — —

Time passed quickly. The end of the month arrived.

As Giovanni had suspected, the so-called "random" duels were organized by class. Ultimately, only one person would survive from each of the three classes.

Understanding this, Katsu sighed. "If we meet in the duel... I won't hold back."

Giovanni nodded, his expression unreadable. "Neither will I."

One by one, the anxious recruits were led into their prepared battle rooms. This time, it wasn't just the trainers who were at risk of dying. Their Pokémon were on the line as well.