Chương 59: Survival of the Fittest
"Fine, now that the nonsense has been dealt with, does anyone else have any complaints to put forward?" The overseer chuckled while she casually kicked the little girl's severed head. None of the children dared to even breathe loudly.
"Good, then, in that case, let's first start with the screening process, shall we? I really want to see if the pedigree of one's bloodline truly matters," she commented while gesturing for her subordinates to carry out the screening.
The screening process was to find out if any of the kids had awakened aura or psychic powers, because any children who could awaken their aura or psychic energy before ten would be absolute powerhouses with a high chance of reaching the epic stage in the future.
Soon enough, the goons started bringing some high-tech devices and pushing the kids one by one, asking them to walk through a doorway-like screening device. The kids didn't know what the purpose of the screening device was, but they could feel a strange energy pulsating from it.
"Tch, pedigree my arse, not even a single decent sapling among so many brats," a Team Rocket member who had screened close to a hundred children cursed. He had originally thought these kids must be special.
Even the overseer frowned because she did not expect such a poor outcome. Then, suddenly, the device started beeping crazily as I walked past the screening device. The whole device lit up like Christmas. Even the overseer's eyes widened in sheer shock and delight.
This could mean only one thing: the kid had awakened both his psychic and aura energy. And it wasn't just an initial awakening; the kid had already mastered aura and psychic energy to a certain extent. This was a jackpot.
She immediately rushed to the device to check the information on the display. Two bars of light were blinking, one blue and the other red, with a number 3 across both of them.
"Hisss!" The Overseer reeled in shock, eyeing me like the greatest treasure she had unearthed. Then, she barked at one of her subordinates, "Go fetch the kid's folder immediately." The subordinate immediately ran towards the record room, and I mentally asked Froslass to follow the subordinate and make sure the folder was never to be found.
I also asked Froslass to take care of a few other folders so that the suspicion did not get pointed at me even remotely. I did not want the team Rocket to know that I was part of the Blackthorn family and that the only team Rocket member who knew my identity was Archer, and I was sure he must have been buried by Grandma Agatha in an unmarked grave. To prevent anyone from discovering my true identity.
"Hahaha, a level 3 dual attribute awakened! Who else can boast such a find? You are a genius, kid, an absolute genius!" She chimed in delight as the one in charge of this facility. Such a genius's discovery would add to her contribution.
She was lucky these stupid subordinates had chosen not to screen the children; otherwise, someone else would have claimed the benefit. A level 3 aura and psychic awakening—what a concept! She herself, a master-class trainer, was a level 5 aura user. The kid was barely six or seven years old and was already at level 3, and he could use psychic energy. Psychic energy users were an absolute rarity in the Pokemon world. The kid was a prodigy, and his potential was limitless.
However, unlike her, my mood was sour. No matter how much I tried to suppress my energy, the device was able to pick up the energy signature. Lucky for me, it couldn't detect my full prowess. Because of my sudden rise to fame, I needed to tread more carefully.
"Kid, what's your name?" She asked with a wide smile plastered on her face. I kept my face like the other kids, with a gloomy and lost expression, but still answered, "I... I do not know. All I know is that I am a trainee of Team Rocket."
"Hahahahahaha, good, good. You may yet survive this place, kid. Come stand by my side; you are no longer part of this trash. You are destined for greatness," she gestured, directing me to stand by her side.
The Overseer's enthusiasm for my discovery felt unsettling, her words dripping with a sinister undercurrent. I couldn't shake the feeling that she saw me not as a child to be nurtured but as a valuable asset to be exploited for Team Rocket's sinister purposes.
Suppressing the turmoil churning within me, I reluctantly stepped forward as directed, joining the Overseer at her side. The weight of her expectations bore down on me like a leaden cloak, and the weight of her gaze was heavy on my shoulders.
"From this moment onward, you are under my protection," the Overseer declared, her voice carrying a note of finality. "No harm shall come to you as long as you remain loyal to Team Rocket. Remember, betrayal will not be taken lightly."
As the screening continued, more and more kids emerged from the crowd; a total of thirty-seven were awakened, with all being aura awakened. This was an unprecedented number.
"You were saying something," the Overseer chuckled as she looked at all these elite children with a glint in her eyes while mocking the subordinate who had doubted the value of pedigree. Out of the thousand odd children, there were close to forty with an awakened aura, and even a kid with monstrous potential never before seen.
"Well, this surely has been an absolute delight. So, in order to celebrate this joyous occasion, let me give you kids your first Pokémon." With a gesture from her, more than a dozen goons brought in large wooden crates filled to the brim with Pokéballs and dumped them in front of the podium.
Hundreds of pokéballs were poured out. I immediately started screening the Pokémon in front of me, and as I had expected, they were all low-quality Pokémon with subpar bloodlines. These were all common species, with a few exceptions here and there.
But, on average, most of the Pokémon were below average quality, with orange or lower potential. I did spot a few yellow potential ones and two green potential ones. Despite their captivity, the allure of Pokémon was not something the children could overcome.
However, the fear made them hesitant to act. The obedience born from fear brought a sick smile to the overseer's face.
"What are you kids waiting for? Go ahead and pick a pokéball. May the odds be ever in your favor," she chuckled, and the children, like a tide, descended upon the piles of Pokéballs, not wanting to be the last one left.
"Oh, and just so you kids know, there are only a thousand Pokémon here. Those who cannot get their own Pokémon will be eliminated," she commented loudly, and the children who heard this rushed frantically, pushing each other. The recent death was still fresh in their minds, and the hall soon descended into pandemonium.
The kids on the podium wanted to move as well, but the overseer gestured. "These Pokémon are junk. The elites of our Team Rocket will have access to better Pokémon, so stay back and enjoy the show."
As the Overseer's chilling proclamation echoed through the hall, a frenzy gripped the children like a wildfire, fueled by fear and desperation. With the threat of elimination looming over their heads, they turned on each other with savage intensity, driven by the primal instinct to survive.
The once orderly hall descended into chaos as the children surged forward, their eyes wild with panic. Some resorted to pulling hair, gnawing, scratching, and punching their peers in a desperate bid to secure a Pokémon. The air was thick with the sounds of screams, cries, and the clash of bodies as they fought tooth and nail for a chance at survival.
In the melee, small bodies were trampled underfoot as the stampede of frightened children surged forward, heedless of the consequences. Desperate hands clawed at pokéballs, snatching them away from others with ruthless efficiency. The weaker ones were pushed down, their cries drowned out by the chaos, as they were trampled mercilessly by the frenzied mob.
Amidst the bedlam, none of the Team Rocket members intervened. A silent understanding passed among them as they retreated to the edges of the hall, watching the spectacle unfold with detached amusement. To them, the chaos was merely entertainment, a cruel game played at the expense of innocent lives.
But amidst the madness, a glimmer of defiance flickered in the eyes of some children. Despite the fear that gripped them, a few dared to resist the violence unfolding around them, clinging to their humanity in the face of overwhelming darkness.
Yet, for many, the struggle for survival was all-consuming, blinding them to anything but their own desperate desire to live another day. In the end, the hall was littered with the broken bodies of those who had fallen victim to the merciless onslaught, a grim testament to the brutality of Team Rocket's twisted games.
Amidst the chaos, one of the kids, in a desperate attempt to gain an advantage, fumbled with a pokéball, unknowingly releasing the Pokémon trapped within. With a burst of light, a wild Arbok materialized amidst the commotion, its serpentine form coiled and ready to strike. The sudden appearance of the Arbok sent a ripple of panic through the crowd, but it was only the beginning of the pandemonium that would ensue.
As the Arbok hissed and lunged at the nearest children, more than a dozen others, who had some knowledge of Pokémon training, followed suit and released the Pokémon trapped within their own Pokéballs. However, this decision proved to be a grave mistake. These Pokémon, captured from the wild and untamed, were unused to the presence of humans, and the chaos of the situation only served to agitate them further.
Soon enough, a cacophony of enraged cries and roars filled the air as more than a dozen wild Pokémon joined the fray. Their eyes glinted with fury as they found themselves surrounded by hundreds of children who had no idea what they were doing.
A Spearow swooped down from the rafters, its sharp talons slicing through the air as they dived at its targets.
A Gyarados thrashed its massive form, its powerful jaws snapping dangerously close to the terrified children.
"You morons! You left a Gyarados to be picked up by these trash?" The overseer's voice sliced through the chaos like a whip, her gaze cutting through her subordinates with disdain. Gyarados was a prized and powerful Pokémon, far too valuable to be wasted on the rabble before them.
"Ah, it must have evolved during the time of capture," one of the subordinates attempted to offer an explanation, but his feeble excuse was met with a withering glare from the overseer.
"Capture that thing and have it transferred to the elite list of Pokémon. These trash don't deserve a Gyarados," she commanded, her tone dripping with contempt. With a dismissive wave of her hand, she turned her attention back to the chaos unfolding before her, reveling in the spectacle of terror and desperation.
The Gyarados that she had pointed out was indeed a rare find, one of the green potential Pokémon that I had detected earlier. Its presence among the chaos only served to heighten the danger and add another layer of unpredictability to the situation. Yet, for the Overseer, it was merely a pawn to be manipulated in her twisted game of power and control.
Panic and terror gripped the hall as the children scrambled to evade the wrath of the wild Pokémon. Some attempted to flee, only to find themselves cornered by the relentless onslaught. Others stood frozen in fear, their eyes wide with disbelief at the nightmare unfolding before them.
Amidst the chaos, the Overseer watched with cold amusement, her lips curled into a cruel smirk. To her, the chaos was a mere spectacle, a game played for her own twisted entertainment. She made no move to intervene, content to watch as the children reaped the consequences of their own folly.
After relishing the sick entertainment for a few minutes, the Overseer decided that they had enough chaos for one day. Any more, and they risked depleting their already dwindling numbers of goons, especially after the recent blow their organization had taken. They needed to ensure they had enough underlings to train and maintain control.
"Alright, that's enough for today. Take back those Pokémon. I'm sure there should be enough to go around now that the numbers have been trimmed," she commanded. With her words, many of the Team Rocket members recalled their Pokémon, and within moments, the once-feral creatures were subdued. Most of them were in the silver stage or below, no match for the experienced trainers.
The hall was left littered with blood and body parts, a grim reminder of the carnage that had unfolded. More than a hundred children had likely succumbed, and an even greater number lay injured and traumatized.
With a wave of her hand, the overseer directed her subordinates to clean up the mess while she turned her attention to the children on the podium behind her.
"Now that your future subordinates have chosen their Pokémon, it's time for a treat. Follow me," she whispered, her voice dripping with false sweetness. With a few commands to her subordinates, the remaining thirty-odd children obediently trailed behind her as they ventured into a separate area of the facility.
This was the first time we had been brought to this area, and curiosity mingled with apprehension as we followed the Overseer and two more Team Rocket members towards what appeared to be an underground rail network. Waiting for us was an old train, its rusted exterior hinting at years of neglect.
We boarded the train, and after what felt like an eternity of rumbling through dark tunnels, we arrived at our new destination. As I stepped off the train, I felt the familiar sensation of Froslass merging with my shadow once again. As a legendary stage Pokémon, Froslass could detect me from hundreds of miles away, ensuring my safety even in the most remote locations.
As we stepped into the main central hub of the island, I couldn't help but notice the bustling activity around us. The complex sprawled out before me, a labyrinth of corridors and chambers interconnected like the veins of some colossal beast. It was clear that this place served as the nerve center of Team Rocket's operations, with connections to a dozen other bases scattered across the island.
As I scanned the area, I realized we were not alone. Dozens of other groups were present, each led by figures cloaked in silver masks. These must be the overseers of their respective sites, I thought, their identities concealed behind the polished facade of their masks.
However, what struck me the most was the disparity in the number of children accompanying each group. While our party was sizable, with more than thirty children in tow, the others seemed to have significantly fewer. Most had no more than seven or eight children, and even the largest group had fewer than ten.
"Lena, did you by any chance forget that the main base is reserved only for children who have awakened their aura or psychic energy?" A rough voice cut through the air, drawing my attention to a man clad in a pristine white suit. Flanked by two imposing figures, he led a small group of children who followed obediently in his wake.
"Hehe, Jaime, it's you," Lena replied with a playful smirk, her gaze flickering towards the man in the white suit. "Of course I haven't forgotten the rules. It's simply my luck this time around that seems so astonishing."
As Lena chuckled, her eyes danced with mischief as she observed the children trailing behind the man in the white suit. There was an air of amusement about her, as if she were silently comparing the two groups and finding amusement in the contrast.
"Lena, you mean to say all these kids are aura awakened?" Another woman interjected, stepping forward with curiosity evident in her voice. She, too, had been drawn by the sight of the large group accompanying her fellow executive.
As the women's soft-spoken words rippled through the crowd of overseers, a sense of envy and frustration simmered beneath the surface. Each of them eyed Lena's group with a mix of longing and resentment, seeing in them both a threat and an opportunity for advancement within the organization. After all, the more adept subordinates they could groom, the greater their resource allocation and potential for growth.
"Tch, so what if she has numbers? Quantity doesn't make up for quality," another executive retorted, his tone laced with thinly veiled disdain. He singled out a child in his own group, proudly boasting about their achievement. My gaze followed his gesture, and to my shock, I recognized the child immediately.
It was Steven Stone, a name that resonated deeply within the Pokemon world. In my previous life, he had been a formidable figure, known for his unwavering determination and his quest for peace in the Hoenn region. Yet, even he had met an untimely demise, overwhelmed by the sheer power of Pokemon.
Despite the mental manipulation and brainwashing tactics employed by Team Rocket, Steven still clung to shreds of his sanity. His eyes held a glimmer of resilience, a spark of defiance that refused to be extinguished by weeks of captivity.
In that moment, I realized the gravity of the situation. If someone from the formidable Stone could be captured, who else did the team rockets lay their hands on?
As I scanned through the sea of faces, a wave of shock washed over me. Among the hundred or so children gathered before us, I recognized more than just Steven Stone. Despite their youthful appearances, the resemblance was undeniable—I had known most of these powerhouses in my previous life.
Even my closest friend, Cynthia, stood among the captured, her once-joyful eyes now clouded with a weight of sorrow. She had been my steadfast companion, fighting alongside me through every trial and tribulation in my past life.
But the surprises didn't end there. As my eyes roamed the crowd, I spotted more familiar faces: Bruno, Lorelei, and Karen—all renowned trainers in their own right. Each one had played a significant role in the world of Pokemon, and now they stood before me, stripped of their former glory and reduced to mere captives.
Amidst the murmurs of the crowd, a voice rang out, cutting through the tension like a knife. It belonged to an old man, accompanied by a single girl, who sent shivers down my spine. It was Sabrina, my arch-nemesis from my previous life—the one who had ultimately ascended to become the next Crimson Empress after I took down her mentor. Ultimately, she was consumed by madness and driven by a desire for world destruction.
As I stood there, overwhelmed by the sight before me, I couldn't help but feel a sense of responsibility weighing heavily on my shoulders. The ripple I had set in motion had altered the fates of these children irreversibly. Fate, it seemed, was a cruel mistress indeed, weaving a tapestry of destiny that no one could escape.
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