However, when Soros heard Sky's answer, his eyes became red instantly, and he stared at Skye with hatred. Now his hatred for Skye had surpassed his hatred for Aoki.
But fortunately, he did not respond slowly. At that moment, he turned and ran directly.
Originally, Skye and the two of them joined forces. They were not necessarily Aoki's opponents, not to mention that he was left alone now. If he didn't run now, could he wait to die?
Aoki looked at Soros's movements and smiled disdainfully. If Soros had chosen to fight back directly, Aoki might have looked at him a little higher.
"Slowpoke, Confusion!" With completely unequal strength, Soros was nothing more than a lamb to be slaughtered.
The eyes of the Slowpoke glowed with strange red light. A wave of psychic energy spread out from it, targeting Soros, who was running away. ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ novᴇlfire.net
"Koffing, block it!" Soros noticed Aoki's command. His eyes widened, his face sullen, and he desperately ordered his Koffing to block the attack!
"Koff!" The Koffing hesitated slightly but still followed its trainer's order, placing itself in the path of Slowpoke's Confusion.
Psychic attacks are doubly effective against Poison-types, and with Koffing's low special defense, Slowpoke's full-power attack sent it staggering to the ground, unable to battle.
Skye, standing next to him, narrowed his eyes. Outwardly calm, his mind was racing.
Initially, Skye had thought to feign allegiance and wait for an opportunity to strike back. But seeing Aoki's Slowpoke so easily take down Soros's powerful Koffing made him reconsider.
"Perhaps truly following him isn't such a bad choice," Skye thought to himself.
Aoki, ever observant, noticed Skye's inner conflict despite his calm demeanor. Skye's wavering resolve was evident in his eyes.
Defeating Soros's Koffing wasn't just about showcasing power—it was a calculated move to push Skye into submission.
Soros, now fleeing frantically, realized his Koffing had been defeated. Panic surged through him as he ran harder. But a human could never outrun Pokémon.
"Murkrow, finish him off."
Soros, who had once been so arrogant, now looked pathetic. His desperate attempt to escape only piqued Aoki's disdain.
Hearing the command, Murkrow nodded. With a powerful flap of its wings, it flew swiftly after Soros and struck him down with sharp claws. Another lifeless body hit the ground.
Soros, once a prominent figure in the base, could never have imagined meeting such an end.
As for the last person left, Aoki wasn't ready to kill him. Since he had decided to form his own team, one subordinate wasn't enough. This survivor would be spared.
Aoki walked to Soros's body and looked at his lifeless eyes, still wide open in terror and regret. Calmly, Aoki removed Soros's Team Rocket belt and retrieved the Poké Balls around his waist.
He toggled the button on one of the Poké Balls, recalling the defeated Koffing lying on the ground. Then he locked the Poké Ball and turned to Skye.
To Skye's surprise, Aoki casually tossed him the Poké Ball.
"This Koffing is yours now. Don't disappoint me," Aoki said.
Soros's Koffing had a dark yellow qualification, far superior to Skye's original orange-qualified Ekans.
"For me? Really?" Skye asked in disbelief, needing confirmation.
Ignoring the envious stares of the other person nearby, Skye clutched the Poké Ball tightly, his knuckles whitening from the pressure. To him, this was more than just a Pokémon—it was a lifeline.
This was the Pokémon ranked fifth in the last trial. Anyone who could control it would be a contender for the top. The temptation was irresistible.
"What? Don't want it?" Aoki frowned.
Pokémon with a previous trainer can be difficult to manage, but Aoki was confident in Skye's ability to handle it.
"No, no! Thank you..." Skye stammered, bowing slightly in respect, unsure of how to address Aoki.
"Just call me Aoki," Aoki said nonchalantly.
"Yes, thank you, Mr. Aoki," Skye replied respectfully, bowing repeatedly. He was beginning to understand his place and role.
Aoki nodded, approving of Skye's response.
In reality, Skye was three years older than Aoki. At 18, Skye towered over the 15-year-old Aoki. Yet, to show his submission, Skye bent almost in half, making himself appear smaller.
Aoki's strategy of using both pressure and reward had worked perfectly.
Turning his attention to the last person, Aoki observed him carefully. The man's expression had shifted from stubborn defiance to envy when Aoki handed the Koffing to Skye. Now, he stood trembling, his face pale.
Skye, noticing his hesitation, kicked him lightly to snap him out of his daze.
The man jumped, snapping back to reality. He stammered, "M-Master Aoki, my name is Fox. My Pokémon is a Koffing. I-I'm willing to surrender. Please don't kill me!"
Aoki had already scanned his Pokémon—a level 16 orange-qualified Koffing. While unremarkable, it was still useful as extra support.
"You will follow Skye from now on," Aoki said flatly.
"Y-yes! Of course!" Fox answered instantly, relief washing over him.
At least he had his life.
For Fox, following Aoki was far safer than staying under Soros. After all, Aoki was the strongest, and Soros had fallen so easily.