Terrifying Whip

The inhuman slaughter went on for quite some time. How could these ordinary youths escape from powerful Pokémon? Even trying to run to the other side was impossible.

One youth had only just reached out and touched a youth on the other side, not even managing to cry for help.

Blades of Air Slash flew over and sliced him into a heap of mangled flesh. Only that hand remained where it was, frightening the youth he had touched into screaming and losing control of his bladder and bowels!

By the time five hundred mutilated corpses lay scattered on the other side, severed limbs had piled into little hills, and thick blood flowed beneath their feet.

The remaining five hundred youths were pale. Sounds of dry heaving rose one after another, and some had lost control of their bladders and bowels too.

The stench mingled with the smell of blood and spread.

Some youths were frightened out of their minds by the sight, and quite a few clutched their heads and sobbed.

"I'm not taking part in this selection anymore! I want to live! Let me leave!"

"I want to go! This place is the underworld!"

"Help!"

Someone near Giovanni had also been frightened out of his mind and was crying loudly to be allowed to leave.

Even Giovanni's face was somewhat pale. This scene really was rather terrifying.

Fortunately, the Poké Ball in his hand shook, as though offering Giovanni a little support.

Giovanni quietly took a few steps back, putting some distance between himself and the youth who had lost his mind.

Giovanni Rika took out a Poké Ball and opened it, releasing an Alakazam whose entire body was golden.

It hovered in midair. Its powerful aura definitely marked it as an Elite Four-level Pokémon, perhaps even a Champion-level one!

Giovanni Rika spoke coldly.

"If you can't even handle this much, there's no need for you to participate in the rest of the selection. My child has no use for trash."

After receiving Giovanni Rika's order, Alakazam raised the spoons in both hands and aimed them at the crowd. As the spoons flashed, waves of psychic power poured out.

One after another, the youths who had lost their minds floated into the air, unable to let out even a single scream.

Then came a series of bangs!

Clouds of bloody mist burst overhead and rained down. The bloody stench kept invading their nostrils. Those standing closer were drenched in blood, leaving them in a wretched state.

Although Giovanni had taken two steps back beforehand, quite a bit of blood still splashed onto him, though it was just barely tolerable.

After those few were killed, even anyone on the verge of being frightened out of their mind had to recover now.

But terror had long since filled their hearts. According to Giovanni Rika, only one person would ultimately be selected.

That meant only one of the thousand of them could survive.

Death was beside them at every moment.

If anyone's Pokémon Egg failed to hatch later, it would probably drive even more people mad.

Alakazam's terrifying methods left the youths below trembling. A few unusual ones, however, felt an even stronger desire for power after witnessing Alakazam's strength.

Everyone wanted power like this, power that let them control whether others lived or died.

Giovanni Rika gestured toward the filthy ground and instructed the Team Rocket members under her, "Clean this up."

The Team Rocket members answered and immediately got to work. "Yes, Boss."

Giovanni Rika nodded to Miyamoto behind her.

Miyamoto slowly stepped forward and continued.

"Although there were some sacrifices, they were unavoidable. Still, congratulations on passing the first stage of the selection and surviving. You will have fourteen days to rest. These fourteen days will also be the second stage of the selection. During this time, you are forbidden from killing one another."

"Someone will take you to collect supplies and Poké Balls afterward, and register you."

The nervous youths below finally breathed a sigh of relief, the taut strings in their hearts loosening a little.

Mu Sen in particular had actually been afraid of what he would do if Giovanni came looking for him during those fourteen days.

He looked at Giovanni's cold, proud face, his eyes filled with venom, and said through gritted teeth,

"Just you wait. Once my Starter Pokémon hatches, you're finished!"

Giovanni noticed Mu Sen's gaze and turned to give him a cold look, making no attempt to conceal his killing intent.

Just then, Miyamoto changed her tone. "However, remember this: if any of you fools step out of line and we find out, death will be your only outcome."

"One more thing. If your Pokémon Eggs haven't hatched after fourteen days, you'll end up just like them!"

She pointed lightly at the dismembered bodies on the ground that had yet to be completely cleared away.

The youths who had only just managed to calm themselves turned pale again. Each tightened their hold on the incubators in their arms, hoping this would make the eggs hatch faster.

Some also looked at Giovanni with envy and jealousy. After all, Giovanni's Weedle had already hatched, which meant he had effectively passed the Second-Stage Selection.

He did not need to live in fear.

Wanting to make things difficult for Giovanni, Mu Sen whispered a few words into the ear of a subordinate beside him.

Although his subordinate was somewhat unwilling, under pressure, he could only step forward. Pointing at Giovanni, he protested to Miyamoto, "Ma'am, what about someone like him, whose Pokémon has already hatched? Isn't that far too unfair to the rest of us?"

Plenty of people could not stand seeing others do well, and kicking someone while they were down was perfectly normal.

Without Mu Sen even needing to organize them, others chimed in.

"Exactly! That wasn't his own ability. The Pokémon hatched on its own!"

"This is too unfair!"

"I say he should be disqualified!"

Quite a few nodded in agreement. Getting rid of a threat like Giovanni would benefit them all.

Mu Sen curled his lips into a mocking smile, seemingly wanting to watch Giovanni embarrass himself again.

But Giovanni remained just as calm as before. He did not even blink, as though he were not the one being targeted.

Giovanni did not believe he would be disqualified over something like this. Luck was part of strength too. These children might not understand that, but there was no way Giovanni Rika and Miyamoto did not.

He simply made a mental note of the youths who were kicking him while he was down.

Although all five hundred people present were opponents, there was nothing wrong with dealing with a few he disliked ahead of time.

Up above, Miyamoto could not help frowning as she watched the agitated youths.

Giovanni Rika slowly stepped forward. She was very satisfied as she looked at Giovanni, who remained composed and calm. This was how a candidate for a criminal organization should behave.

He would not flinch even if a mountain collapsed before him.

She said, "Luck is part of strength too. If you have his luck and the Pokémon Eggs in your arms hatch right now, you can pass the second stage of the selection too!"

"I don't want to say this a second time. If you wish to argue with me, you had better think it through, or choose your words carefully. Otherwise..."

Alakazam's eyes glowed faintly, frightening the youths who had spoken earlier so badly that they almost tucked their heads into their chests, not daring to say another word.

Giovanni turned his head slightly and grinned at Mu Sen's twisted face, gently raising one finger.