I am Giovanni

Chapter 70: A Cunning Alliance

When Giovanni and the Meowth stopped, the pursuers immediately revealed excited smiles.

"That brat and that damned Meowth have stopped! Do they know they're at a dead end?!"

"I think so!"

Arui, catching his breath, sneered at Giovanni. "Nowhere left to run, Giovanni. You're dead."

"That depends on whether you have the strength," Giovanni replied indifferently.

Seeing Giovanni still so arrogant, Arui roared furiously, "Kill him and that Meowth for me! Attack together! I want to see a pile of minced meat! I want them to die without a complete corpse!"

Yamaguchi frowned. The situation felt off. Firstly, why had they ventured so far into the forest without encountering a single powerful Pokémon? Secondly, Giovanni and the Meowth's fearless attitude was unsettling. They were the ones who had cornered them, yet it seemed as if their situations had been reversed.

Yamaguchi was an experienced squad leader, entrusted with an important task by a Captain. He wasn't a fool. He quietly took a step back.

"What's wrong?" Arui roared. "Kill them! Are you going to defy my orders?"

Months in Team Rocket's brutal environment had twisted Arui— adolescence, especially, is the easiest period for one to be changed and influenced.

Yamaguchi gritted his teeth, his gaze towards Arui now clearly impatient, even sinister. Arui felt a chill but still self-righteously ordered him, "What? Aren't you afraid Lord Ank will blame you? Do you still want your squad?!"

Yamaguchi grew even more annoyed. It was one thing to have to escort this brat, but it was another to be treated like a servant. Compared to the unperturbed Giovanni, Arui was a child throwing a tantrum— but now was not the time to turn hostile.

Yamaguchi carefully observed his surroundings, and only after confirming there was no immediate danger did he instruct his subordinates, "Move!"

Several Team Rocket members ordered their Pokémon forward. Streams of dazzling attacks were unleashed, heading straight for Giovanni and the Meowth. If these attacks hit, they would not escape unscathed. However, neither of them showed any fear.

The Meowth was the first to act, slamming its paws down on the large rock they were standing on.

"Beedrill!" Giovanni immediately ordered. "Downwards!"

Though Beedrill didn't understand the command's purpose, it obeyed, striking the stone with its massive stingers.

Bang! Bang!

Dull thuds echoed. The large stone moved. Then, a giant figure formed of massive rocks, like an earth dragon turning over, wriggled and coiled, finally raising its head and roaring.

The Meowth, its work done, gave Giovanni a cunning smile, leaped from the rock, and instantly ran off. It had, at some unknown point, secretly snapped the String Shot tethering it to Giovanni.

Giovanni felt the ground shake and nodded to his Beedrill, which hastily carried him to the side.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The series of attacks landed on the figure that had just emerged from under the rock.

"ROOOOAR!"

An earth-shattering roar echoed through Viridian Forest, its sound waves causing wild Pokémon to flee in terror. Faint smoke permeated the air— a massive tail made of rock suddenly whipped out, scattering the smoke and revealing a furious, ten-meter-long Onix.

Being attacked and woken from its sleep would make anyone angry. This Onix was no exception. Its eyes were bloodshot as it turned to look at Arui and Yamaguchi's team.

Giovanni and his Beedrill, hovering in the air, dared not make a sound. If this Onix discovered them, they would be doomed as well.

When Yamaguchi saw the Onix, he finally understood what had felt so off. Scheming brat! He decisively turned and ran, shouting to his subordinates, "Retreat!"

Arui reacted the fastest, also turning and running with his Pokémon. His terrified subordinates frantically tried to escape after them— but how could the Onix give them a chance? It roared, its huge and thick tail slamming into the ground.

BANG!

Huge rocks fell from the sky, smashing onto their only escape path— Rock Tomb.

Stunned, they turned back to face the furiously angry Onix. They had no choice. Rather than waiting for death, it was better to fight. "Attack!" they hysterically ordered their Pokémon. "Full power!"

Though the Pokémon feared the Onix's terrifying power, they obeyed. Countless attacks flew towards it. The Onix quickly curled its body, using Harden. Its already tough body became even more solid, even shimmering with a metallic luster.

"ROAR!" it roared again, spitting a large amount of scorching Dragon Breath from its mouth. As the fiery attack fell, the low-level Pokémon let out tragic cries. Their flesh was scorched, leaving third degree burns in gory flesh.

"Damned Meowth! Damned Giovanni! I curse you to die without a burial place! May your souls be forever tormented by Ghost-type Pokémon!"

CRUNCH!

The Onix whipped its thick tail, instantly shattering their remains into a bloody pulp. It had not forgotten the two who had escaped. How could it let those who provoked it leave alive? It roared, its body moving swiftly, crashing through trees as it chased after Arui and Yamaguchi.

They heard the commotion behind them and secretly cursed their bad luck, and swore vengeance on that damned Giovanni and his Meowth.