The most frightened people were Guga's group, especially those who had shouted about attacking Aoki the previous day. They were relieved that Guga had stopped them from acting rashly. Aoki's impressive results made it clear that even if Guga ordered them to confront Aoki in the future, they would be too scared to do so.
Though test results don't fully reflect a person's strength, they do reveal some aspects. Aoki's high attack value showed he was far from ordinary.
Aoki didn't concern himself with what others thought or the reactions he caused. His confidence stemmed from activating his system, knowing the other trainers couldn't keep up with him.
Murkrow landed gracefully as Aoki walked to a corner, leaned against the wall, and closed his eyes to rest. He wasn't interested in the achievements of others.
From the stands, Viper frowned. He wasn't surprised by Aoki's performance, thinking it should have been expected from someone with potential. To Viper, the score seemed low, but he was curious about one thing.
"That Murkrow… it seems..." Viper muttered, glancing at the mysterious figure beside him.
The mysterious figure understood Viper's doubt. He nodded slightly, his hoarse voice emerging from under his black robe. "You're right. It's carrying a load."
Viper confirmed his suspicion but was surprised that Aoki had trained the naturally talented Murkrow so well in such a short time. Adjusting his seat, he remarked, "This kid is impressive. If he's not chosen for the Shadows, what will happen to him?"
The mysterious figure smiled faintly under the black robe and asked, "What do you think?"
Viper sighed, "It's always the same with the Shadows, taking everything so seriously."
Both knew the Shadows' strict rules. No one in Team Rocket could interfere with a member's mission unless they failed or died. Since Aoki had accepted the reserve member's medal, he was considered part of the Shadows. As such, he was off-limits to the rest of Team Rocket, even the top leaders, until his mission ended.
This rule, set by Team Rocket's leader Giovanni, ensured that each Shadow Group member was carefully chosen. The mysterious figure took this seriously and reminded Viper, "Watch your words, Viper."
Though they were friends, the mysterious figure had great respect for the Shadows and Giovanni. He admired Giovanni's leadership and strength, which earned him the title "Hidden King of the Earth."
Aoki, despite his resistance to Giovanni's methods due to his knowledge of the future, still respected him. Giovanni had transformed Team Rocket from a minor organization to the most powerful one in Kanto, wiping out other underground groups. His initial Pokémon, a Beedrill, had become one of the strongest, showcasing Giovanni's skill and resourcefulness.
As the testing concluded, the results were announced:
Aoki - Attack value: 265Guga - Attack value: 258Jasmine - Attack value: 227Alec - Attack value: 225Soros - Attack value: 215 ...Attack value: 45 Tʜe source of this ᴄontent ɪs novel⸺fire.net
The top rankings remained unchanged, with Aoki and Guga leading the trainers. The gap between the top two and the rest became more evident.
The last-place trainer, with only a 45-point attack value, stood frozen. His Rattata, despite its potential, hadn't been trained well enough to compete. Desperately hoping someone else had scored lower, he was dragged away by Team Rocket soldiers when no one did. His pleas for another chance were ignored, and his Rattata was quickly overpowered by two Mightyena, leaving him without hope.
Viper watched the scene with indifference. He considered it a waste to invest in someone so unmotivated.
As the trainer was taken away, the other participants saw the brutal reality of Team Rocket. Aoki observed without emotion. Having taken many lives, he was unfazed by the harsh lessons imposed on the weak. He saw the event as a demonstration of Team Rocket's ruthlessness.
The strong trainers weren't concerned, viewing the event as irrelevant to them. They knew only the best would thrive under Team Rocket's intense pressure, much like sardines forced to swim frantically to survive alongside a predatory catfish.
In this scenario, Team Rocket was the catfish, pushing the trainers to become stronger, ensuring only the most capable would survive and be valuable to the organization.