Seeing this scene, Tyranitar's movements stalled for a moment.
For the first time, despair appeared in its eyes.
It did not fear death, but it feared that after it died, it would no longer be able to protect the child within it.
Ariel caught the change in its gaze, but he did not order a stop.
"Hydro Pump."
These two cold words heralded the end of this hunt.
Led by Mega Gyarados, eleven Gyarados opened their massive maws simultaneously.
Water-type energy gathered at an unprecedented speed, ultimately forming an indescribably thick blue beam of light. Carrying the might to purify everything, it blasted towards Tyranitar.
There was no room to dodge, nor was there any possibility of resistance.
Tyranitar let out the final, unwilling cry of its life. It did not turn to flee; instead, it used its last ounce of strength to press its body even tighter against the cave behind it.
Boom—!
The massive torrent of water slammed solidly into its back.
The dust settled.
That mountain-like body slowly collapsed, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Ariel stepped forward slowly and took a Poké Ball from his waist that was pitch-black all over, engraved with intricate silver patterns.
It was a specially made heavy capture ball, designed specifically for catching those Pokémon with astonishing weight and immense power.
He tossed the capture ball gently.
A red light flashed, pulling the collapsed Tyranitar inside.
The sphere shook violently on the ground a few times; every shake tugged at the heartstrings of everyone present.
Finally, after a crisp "click" sound, everything returned to calm.
When the indicator light representing a successful capture went out, the entire Jade Valley seemed to fall into a deathly silence.
The wind stopped, the birds ceased their calls, and even the sounds of team members capturing Pokémon in the distance vanished.
Just at this moment, an abrupt sound rang out.
The roar of propellers cutting through the air approached from afar, oppressively weighing down on this scorched earth.
Ariel stood in the center of the wreckage. The night wind whipped up the hem of his clothes, carrying the peculiar scent of soil, vegetation, and the aftermath of energy scorching.
The ground beneath his feet had been plowed by powerful skills, churning up dark, fresh mud. Just minutes ago, this place had been a backyard covered in lush green grass and dotted with rare flowers.
Now, only ruins remained.
The League's helicopters searchlights were like sluggish giant eyes, beginning to scan the distant skyline. The beams of light cut through the night sky, yet they were always one step too slow.
"Lord Ruth, everything is taken care of."
Several team members dressed in black combat uniforms approached silently. On their bodies, specially made Poké Balls were clipped to their waists, containing those high-value Pokémon that were usually pampered, but were now terrified and uneasy.
One team member glanced at the sky and lowered his voice:
"The League's response was three minutes faster than expected."
"No matter."
Ariel's voice was very flat, devoid of emotion.
"Let them see the scene; the effect will be even better."
His gaze passed over the team members and landed on that huge figure imprisoned separately.
Mega Alakazam had its eyes closed, the spoon in its hand emitting a faint glow. A powerful psychic field distorted the surrounding air, constructing a stable spatial coordinate.
The order to evacuate was given silently.
The members of Team Evil moved in perfect unison, without a single word of nonsense, and carrying their spoils, their figures faded one by one into the halo of the psychic field and vanished.
Ariel was the last one.
He did not leave immediately but instead walked slowly toward the towering obelisk in the center of the safari zone.
This was the symbol of power for the masters of Jade Valley.
"Clang."
A short blade was unsheathed, its body reflecting a cold glint in the night.
Ariel gripped the knife, his wrist exerting force as the tip of the blade scraped across the hard stone surface, producing a teeth-grinding friction sound.
Stone chips flew as three deep scratches gradually formed on the monument.
Stroke by stroke, the force was steady, as if he were not committing vandalism, but performing some kind of ritual.
Team.
Evil.
The three characters were cold and arrogant, like an unhealable scar, forever branded onto this monument that symbolized the top-tier elites of Hoenn.
After finishing all this, he sheathed his blade, turned, and submerged into the final teleportation light of Mega Alakazam.
In his place, there remained only a stone monument carved with a mark of shame and a piece of land that had been completely ravaged, silently waiting for the angry recipients who were about to arrive.
...
The next day's sun rose as usual, but the atmosphere of the entire Hoenn region had changed.
The front-page headline of the "Hoenn Times" reported last night's incident in shocking, large-sized font.
It did not use "unknown organization," but instead directly published that photo of the obelisk—the three characters "Team Evil," clear as a resounding slap in the face.
The report detailed the disturbances that occurred in three places simultaneously.
Now it seemed that those were merely smoke bombs for a diversion.
The real target was that private safari zone—Jade Valley—which was not open to the public, not marked on any map, and accessible only to the most powerful group of people in the Hoenn region.
Of course, the news did not report much about Jade Valley.
But the League's face had been slapped red and swollen.
Everyone now knew that a team within Team Rockets called "Team Evil" had, right under the League's nose, used Pokémon no one had ever seen before to wreak havoc everywhere and then made off without consequence.
"Who is that commander?"
"Team Evil... never heard of them."
"How dare they?!"
Countless discussions fermented in every corner of the city; panic and curiosity intertwined, and ordinary citizens felt both intrigued and fearful about this.
At the same time, at a certain base of Team Rockets.
The cold alloy walls isolated all the clamor of the outside world.
Ariel walked down a long corridor, flanked by rows of energy cages.
The lights were ghastly pale, reflecting the angry, fearful, or numb gazes of the Pokémon in the cages.
He did not stop his pace, his gaze calmly sweeping over these priceless "collectibles."
An Arcanine paced uneasily, emitting low growls from its throat.
A rare Gardevoir curled up in a corner, wrapping itself in a psychic field, trembling.
Ariel's footsteps finally stopped at the end of the corridor.
This was a huge, independent detention cell, using magnetic levitation technology specifically designed for powerful Ground and Rock-type Pokémon.
An exceptionally robust Tyranitar was frantically Tackling the invisible energy wall.
"Bang!"
"Bang!"
The heavy sounds of Tackle echoed throughout the entire base, and every Tackle caused the air to ripple visibly.
Its eyes were blood-red, burning with pure rage.
Ariel just watched it quietly, with no expression on his face.
Ariana wanted a magnificent debut, and he had given it to her.
A grand performance sufficient to make the entire Hoenn remember "Team Evil."
But what he wanted was more than that.
He wanted to personally plant a seed in the heart of the League that prided itself on being powerful and indestructible.
A seed of fear named "Evil" that would take root, sprout, and eventually grow into a towering tree.
This was merely the beginning.
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