I am Giovanni

Chapter 50: The Captain's End

Aye glanced at Giovanni and Archer, then lightly tapped a Poké Ball, releasing a powerful Venomoth. It merely flapped its wings as it drifted towards them, but the aura of a Gym-level Pokémon, once released, completely crushed even the intimidating presence of Giovanni's Beedrill.

"Wait!" Giovanni shouted, decisively raising his hand and recalling his partner. "We surrender!"

Archer quickly did the same. At this moment, anyone who resisted would be a fool.

Aye spoke, his voice as cold as steel. "Poaching Pokémon in the Safari Zone is an insult to the balance of nature and a direct challenge to the Fuchsia Gym. The only payment for such a crime is blood."

This one is serious, Giovanni thought. No negotiation. He and Archer exchanged a look, and in an instant, made a decision.

"Run!"

They turned and fled, putting all their strength into it.

Aye looked at them with disdain. Trying to escape from a Gym Leader was wishful thinking. He gave a light command to his Venomoth. "Go. Kill them."

The Venomoth flapped its wings and gave chase.

Aye then turned his head slightly, looking at Mondo, who was silently trying to retreat. He stroked his chin, pondering for a moment. "I don't know why you were chasing them, and I don't care. It doesn't matter. You have to die too."

Mondo hadn't expected a Gym Leader to suddenly appear. His face turned green. He knew who this was. As a Team Rocket squad leader, he had memorized all the League's Gym Leaders.

Aye, the leader of the Fuchsia Gym, was known for the number of poachers' bodies he had left in his wake. If he fought him, there would only be one outcome: death.

He placed his hand on his Dugtrio's Poké Ball. "You all, stop him for me!" he shouted to his Pokémon. "Dugtrio, use Dig!"

The three Pokémon he had left out—an Arbok, a Gloom, and a Beedrill—looked at their master with disappointment in their eyes. They knew they had been abandoned, used as a shield— but that's how Pokémon were. If they had truly submitted, they would fight for their master until the very end. They let out defiant roars and charged towards Aye and his Crobat.

"Crobat, use Supersonic," Aye ordered, his voice devoid of pity.

The Crobat's four wings folded together, then suddenly spread open, emitting a silent, invisible sound wave. The three charging Pokémon collapsed to the ground, rolling in agony, blood seeping from their eyes and ears.

Meanwhile, the soil next to Mondo began to churn as his Dugtrio started to burrow.

"Run?" Aye sneered. "Can you get away? Crobat, use Mean Look. Don't let this selfish coward escape."

The Crobat let out a low cry, its orange eyes turning a solid, menacing black. At the same time, the Dugtrio's eyes also turned black, and its sinking body paused as if it had hit an invisible wall, stopping it in its tracks. Mean Look's its true effect was on the mind.

Realizing this, Mondo's face darkened. "Damn it, you bastard." He hastily recalled his Poliwhirl, which had not been affected, then shouted at the now-useless Dugtrio, "You, take Poliwhirl's place!" He himself then took off running on foot.

The helpless Dugtrio charged towards the Crobat.

Aye looked at the fleeing Mondo with disgust. "What a ridiculous man. Crobat, let him experience true despair. Cross Poison."

The Crobat let out a sharp cry. As it flapped its wings, streaks of purple, X-shaped blades of poison shot out, raining down on the abandoned Pokémon. The blades were incredibly sharp, making sickening sounds as they cut through flesh.

The potent poison entered their bodies through the deep wounds, causing them to scream in agony, their bodies swelling grotesquely. Though the Arbok resisted the poison, the physical force of the Cross Poison cut it into several pieces, its writhing segments spilling blood and organs onto the ground.

Their agonizing screams did not make Mondo stop, pause, or hesitate for even a second. His back was resolute as he fled, leaving his Pokémon to die in despair.

"A man who doesn't deserve to be a trainer," Aye said with disgust. "Crobat, use Agility. Then, Leech Life."

The Crobat became a blur, moving so fast it was nearly invisible. It instantly appeared behind Mondo, opened its mouth, and bit down on his neck.

Mondo let out a choked scream, fumbling for his last Poké Ball, but he had no strength left. He collapsed to the ground, his body completely drained of blood and moisture, like a dried husk. His last Poké Ball rolled from his hand, coming to a stop in the empty eye socket of his skull-like face.

The Crobat took flight, returning to Aye's side. He wasn't worried about his Venomoth; it was more than capable of handling the other two. He had originally intended to check on Baoba, but the ranger, having finished his own task, had already arrived with his Slowpoke.

"Mr. Aye," he said with a polite bow. "You've arrived."

Aye nodded. "Baoba, what's the situation?"

"Aside from a few Tauros that were trampled to death, everything else is fine," he replied. "There were three poachers on my side, but they were trampled to death by the enraged herd. How about yours?"

Aye pointed to Mondo's corpse. "I killed one here. And I sent my Venomoth to chase after the other two. They won't get away."

Baoba was about to nod, but the Slowpoke beside him tugged at his sleeve, making a series of strange gestures.

"Mr. Aye," Baoba said, pointing in the direction Giovanni and Archer had fled. "Did they escape in that direction?"

"Yes, why?" he asked, a little confused.

"Slowpoke says there are five humans in that direction."

Aye knew about the special psychic nature of Baoba's Slowpoke, but he trusted his own eyes more. "Five people? Impossible. There were only two."

"It seems," Baoba continued, interpreting his partner's gestures, "that two others came from the direction of Fuchsia City.

And the other one..."