Caught a Weedle

Miyamoto looked down from above, astonished. "A Pokémon has already hatched? It's the brat we picked up outside Viridian Forest!"

Although Giovanni Rika was also somewhat surprised, it wasn't by much. "Sometimes luck is part of strength too. He seems quite lucky."

Miyamoto just felt it was a pity.

"But it looks like it hatched early. It hasn't even absorbed all the nutrient solution. Its potential has probably suffered quite a bit. This Weedle originally had very high potential. What a shame."

"That brat probably won't make it through the next few rounds of selection."

Giovanni Rika had a different opinion. "Not necessarily. A Pokémon Egg he'd only just come into contact with risked forcing its way out of its shell to protect its master. This little brat is quite special!"

Miyamoto asked:

"He must have some secrets. Would you like me to investigate?"

Giovanni Rika waved her hand. "No need. Having secrets is a good thing. The more exceptional someone is, the more exceptional their talents will be!"

Miyamoto nodded firmly. "Yes, everything will be as you wish."

Giovanni Rika pointed below and said with a smile:

"Besides, my other children aren't bad either."

Miyamoto followed her gaze and spotted the burly boy who had knocked down over a dozen other boys single-handedly, as well as the girl who had turned the tables on a group of delinquent girls and made them her followers...

Below, Giovanni didn't waste any time. He immediately ordered Weedle to poison Mu Sen along with the others, preferably fatally.

But just then, Miyamoto shouted, "It's over! Stop fighting!"

The Team Rocket members leaning against the walls immediately entered the grounds with their Pokémon and treated the wounded. Of course, they only treated those who had obtained Pokémon Eggs.

As for the boys who hadn't obtained Pokémon Eggs and had been disqualified, Team Rocket wouldn't waste resources on them.

This treatment also covered Mu Sen and the dozen or so boys Weedle had poisoned.

Only the boys struck by Weedle's first two stings hadn't survived until help arrived. The others had all been lucky enough to live.

They stared fearfully at the Weedle in front of Giovanni, as though looking at a demon or the grim reaper.

Their companions' corpses reminded them that if help had come any later, they would have been dead too.

Mu Sen had the lightest injuries. He glared venomously at Giovanni and Weedle and threatened him:

"You're really something. I'll remember what happened today. We'll settle this later. I'd like to see how that damaged Weedle of yours, which forced its way out of its shell, can beat my Starter Pokémon!"

Giovanni gave him an icy look. If time hadn't run out and this fellow hadn't gotten so damn lucky, his corpse would certainly have joined those on the ground.

Now he actually got to act tough.

"Cough, cough." Giovanni coughed dryly twice, spitting out some clotted blood.

"Woo-oh."

Below him, Weedle gave a low cry, seemingly wanting to rub the blood off Giovanni.

Giovanni struggled a little as he climbed to his feet and reassured Weedle:

"Don't worry. They're all superficial wounds. It's nothing serious. But you hatched early, so your potential must have been damaged, right? I'm really sorry."

Weedle shook its head, seemingly unconcerned about any of that. All it cared about was how Giovanni was doing.

Giovanni reached out and stroked Weedle's smooth body. A green light flashed, and he promised it delightedly:

"I'll make up for it. I'll restore your potential, and even make it better. I'll definitely make you the strongest Beedrill in the world! The kind that can defeat Legendary Pokémon!"

He had just tried it and discovered that the Viridian Force could restore Weedle's energy and strengthen its body.

That meant Weedle would have unlimited room for improvement.

"Woo-oh!"

Weedle nodded firmly and cried out, seemingly believing that Giovanni's words would definitely come true.

Soon, several Team Rocket members came up to Giovanni and carefully treated and bandaged his wounds.

Giovanni's injuries really were all superficial. Later, he could use the Viridian Force to recover completely.

The Team Rocket members patted Giovanni's shoulder appreciatively and gave him a red-and-white Poké Ball. "Kid, you're pretty impressive. Keep it up, and aim to become our young master."

"Executive Miyamoto instructed us to give you this Poké Ball early. She'll explain the rest in a moment."

Giovanni simply nodded and accepted the Poké Ball, replying with neither servility nor arrogance, "Thank you. I'll do my best."

That was what he said, but inwardly, Giovanni thought:

I'm definitely going to become Team Rocket's young master and its future Boss! Not even Charles Goodshow can stop me!

Touching a real Poké Ball for the first time, Giovanni genuinely found it hard to put down. It felt smooth and cool. It was real.

It was a good item, but it could only serve its full purpose if he used it.

Giovanni had no intention of switching Pokémon. Weedle would be his lifelong partner and comrade.

So Giovanni enlarged the Poké Ball, gently moved it in front of Weedle, and said:

"Weedle, will you be my partner?"

Without the slightest hesitation, Weedle pressed its red, nose-like organ against the Poké Ball's button.

Red light enveloped Weedle, and then it was drawn into the Poké Ball. The ball only shook once before giving a ding, signaling a successful capture.

The one true god had taken its rightful place.

The nearby boys all witnessed Giovanni catching Weedle. They glanced at the Pokémon Eggs in their Incubators, and although they were a little envious, they stubbornly refused to admit it.

"Soon, I'll be able to catch my own Pokémon too!"

In the distance, Mu Sen's Gang stared fixedly at Giovanni with venomous eyes. If looks could kill, Giovanni would probably have been cut into a thousand pieces already.

Once the interlude of Giovanni catching Weedle had passed.

The first selection round also drew to a close.

At Giovanni Rika's signal, Miyamoto slowly stepped forward.

All five hundred Pokémon Eggs had been distributed, so the remaining boys who hadn't obtained one were disqualified from the selection.

A few fools tried to snatch eggs after it was over, only to be killed outright by the Team Rocket members' Pokémon, adding several more corpses to the ground.

But the remaining boys still had to be dealt with.

Those who qualified and those who had been disqualified were separated into two groups.

Miyamoto walked to the front and announced coldly:

"Everyone who failed to obtain a Pokémon Egg is automatically disqualified. The price is death!"

The first selection round had been meant to motivate them, while the second would truly make them fight for their lives.

To make them work harder, nothing would spur them on better than hanging a sharp blade over their heads!

A little sacrifice was necessary too.

As Miyamoto's words fell, the Team Rocket members who had just been treating the wounded revealed their true side, the side that truly belonged to a force of darkness.

They commanded their Pokémon to slaughter without restraint!

"Pidgeot, Wing Attack!" "Weezing, Sludge!" "Arbok, Poison Sting!" "..."

These powerful Pokémon unleashed one powerful move after another.

Like harvesting wheat, each attack felled a whole swath.

Piercing screams and pleas for mercy echoed ceaselessly.

"Wait! Please give us another chance!"

"No!"

"Ah!"