I am Giovanni

Chapter 31: Gu

The first round of duels for the third stage was over.

Of the hundred-odd recruits, only half remained. The other half had become corpses, their bodies forming the rungs of a ladder paved with bone and blood.

The next day was a rest day, but no one was happy. Some spent the entire day in the bathroom, trying to scrub the bloodstains from their bodies— but even after their skin was raw and inflamed, they still felt unclean. The stench of death clung to them.

The paranoia only grew worse. During classes, they watched each other with extreme vigilance, a faint killing intent in every sideways glance, ready to strike at the slightest provocation. A few couldn't bear the pressure and snapped, nearly killing another recruit for getting too close.

A few more days passed.

Dr. Ryoki finally had everything ready. The recent culling had, coincidentally, made dozens of Bug-type Pokémon available. With a few more requisitioned from Team Rocket, the specimens needed for the "Insect King" project were assembled.

To increase the chances of success, Dr. Ryoki had even eliminated any overly powerful Bug-types, ensuring that all the participants had similar strength.

Having analyzed Giovanni's blood and discovered the powerful, unique genes within, Dr. Ryoki now held him in high regard.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked, a rare hint of concern in his voice. "You can still back out. If your Weedle dies, the subsequent trials will be... troublesome for you. I can keep it safe, and when the project is complete, I can simply give you the Bug King we create."

Giovanni just patted his Poké Ball. "It's fine. I believe in it."

Dr. Ryoki gently patted Giovanni's shoulder. "Alright. Even if something goes wrong, I'll protect you from the Boss."

Giovanni's expression remained unchanged. He and the doctor were merely parties to a transaction. When one lost their value, the deal was off. It was the law of this world.

"Get ready to start, Kawatada!" Dr. Ryoki called to his student.

Kawatada extended a hand to Giovanni. "Please follow me."

They arrived outside a large, transparent glass door. Inside was a completely sealed, white room containing one hundred red and white Poké Balls.

"Put your Poké Ball in with the others," Dr. Ryoki explained. "We will open all of them at once."

Giovanni took out his Poké Ball and spoke to his partner inside. "Good luck."

The ball shook slightly in response. He placed it inside the chamber and sealed the heavy door.

"Begin!" Dr. Ryoki commanded.

Beep.

A special instrument inside the room activated, sending a signal that simultaneously opened every Poké Ball.

Click, click, click...

One by one, bewildered Bug-type Pokémon were released. There were Caterpie, Weedle, Venonat, and Paras. Even a few Kakuna, Metapod, and low-level Butterfree were among them. A hundred insects crawling over one another was a truly unsettling sight.

"Release the stimulant!" Dr. Ryoki ordered.

Kawatada immediately pressed a button on a remote. A pink mist sprayed into the sealed room, enveloping the Pokémon. As they inhaled it, their confusion was replaced by raw, primal aggression. Their eyes glowed red.

Giovanni's Weedle was no exception. Its already unyielding nature, now amplified by the drug, caused it to lash out instantly at the nearest Pokémon.

"It has begun," Giovanni whispered, his heart in his throat. He stared through the glass, his gaze fixed on his partner. "Go, Weedle!"

With Weedle's first strike, the entire room erupted into a chaotic battle royale. Shrieks and the buzzing of wings filled the air as every creature fought for its right to survive. The scent of bug blood, a sickly sweet and acrid smell, began to permeate the air.

Giovanni's Weedle was a whirlwind of destruction. Honed by weeks of relentless training, its combat skills and strength far surpassed the others. A volley of Poison Stings shot from its horn, piercing the bodies of weaker opponents. Emerald green fluid splattered against the walls. It opened its mouth and bit into a struggling, scrawny Weedle, tearing its flesh open and ripping out its poison sac, which it swallowed whole.

The red glow in Weedle's eyes intensified. Its own body was now stained green with the blood of its kin, making it appear even more ferocious. This was just the beginning.

It charged a nearby Caterpie, sinking its mandibles in with a vicious Bug Bite. The Caterpie screamed as Weedle jabbed the sharp stinger on its tail into one of its large, innocent eyes. It burst with a wet squelch. Next, it bound a Paras with String Shot as it greedily gnawed the mushrooms from its back, then stabbed its horn through the creature's head.

One after another, they fell. Weedle was a machine of war, slaughtering everything in its path. Its aura grew stronger, more brutal, more insane. Its yellow-brown body was now so drenched in green hemolymph that it looked like a Shiny Pokémon.

"It seems I was mistaken," Dr. Ryoki exclaimed, his eyes wide with scientific glee. "Your Weedle is quite remarkable!"

Giovanni, however, was frowning. Through his connection, he could feel his partner's mind. It was losing control, completely dominated by a blind, savage killing intent. If this continued, it might never regain its true self, even if it survived.

And survival was not guaranteed. Weedle was not the only powerful Pokémon in the chamber. Across the room, a Kakuna was shaking violently, its hard shell beginning to crack.

It was about to evolve.