At this moment, atop each stone pillar, everything was still calm and tranquil.
Although a fierce battle was raging below, none of it affected the Team Rocket members atop the pillars, responsible for escorting the hostages.
All of this was thanks to a portion of their combat forces holding back most of the League's firepower and impeding the investigators' advance.
And among all the battles, it was Team Rocket's Boss Giovanni's overwhelming strength that played a decisive role.
As Agatha struck fiercely, engaging in a fierce battle with Giovanni, the expressions on the League's side grew increasingly grim.
This was Giovanni's first time openly displaying his prowess as a Trainer before the League, but this debut left the League deeply intimidated!
"With your strength, if you had chosen the righteous path, you could have become a Champion,"
Agatha's aged, hoarse voice rang out coldly. Though she was his enemy, Giovanni's strength was among the greatest she had ever seen. She could not help but admire him.
"No need. I prefer things the way they are now."
At present, the members of Team Rocket were still fighting with the League investigators who continued to land on the island, but none of this would decide the outcome.
As the helicopters slowly started, a slight smile crossed Giovanni's lips. If these helicopters managed to evacuate, then this whole farce would come to an end.
"Agatha, it seems neither you nor Lorelei can take me down anytime soon. In that case, why don't we peacefully end this?"
For this battle on prison island, Giovanni had mobilized the 48 Pokémon he had personally raised, single-handedly turning the tide and holding back two Elite Four members at once.
Among them, some of the ground army was tasked with destroying the island's foundation. Although Lorelei knew Giovanni was using this to tie her down, she had no choice but to stop his reckless actions, for this was a gamble whose cost she could not bear.
Destruction is far easier than protection. Using only a fraction of his power, Giovanni demonstrated the terrifying might of a Ground-type master.
As the island began to collapse, the crisis deepened, forcing the League's fleet to keep its distance. At the same time, League investigators who were not suited for aerial or naval combat had all been stationed outside the danger zone.
On Team Rocket's side, roles were clear: the combatants obstructed the enemy, the escort team piloted the helicopters. Very quickly, the entire turning point of the prison island battle focused on the movements of the helicopters.
Although a few key technical personnel had been rescued, there was nothing more to be done about that. Giovanni wasn't one to quibble over every loss. Seeing that the outcome was set, he decisively abandoned those prison island personnel rescued by the League and began negotiating terms with them.
"The battle is already over. Any further fighting would just mean pointless casualties. The League's operation wasn't without its gains, so I advise you not to push your luck."
Giovanni spoke.
Everything Giovanni said was true; anyone in his place would have thought the same. Aatha could see the direction the battle was heading as well.
But duty bound her. She could not simply give up on rescuing the remaining elites. In the end, what should have been a one-sided, unfair game had its balance restored, all because of Giovanni's personal strength.
On Giovanni's side, besides his ground army and sandstorm army, he also had two Mega-Evolved Pokémon standing behind him, eyes fixed on Agatha's Mega Gengar.
These two Mega Pokémon were Mega Kangaskhan and Mega Gyarados.
In addition, a Marowak and a Dugtrio hidden underground made up Giovanni's lineup against Agatha.
With just these four Pokémon, he displayed strength on par with a Champion, even managing to steadily suppress Elite Four Agatha.
These four Pokémon were all part of Giovanni's main team. As for his other main Pokemon, such as Nidoking, Nidoqueen, Rhyperior, Golem, and Onix, they were deployed elsewhere to hold back the Pokémon armies of Agatha, Lorelei, and the investigators.
In this battle, Giovanni's Pokémon army alone not only had strength to spare in fighting against two Elite Four members, but could also divert attention to hinder other investigators, leaving many people astonished.
"We underestimated your strength. That was indeed our oversight," Agatha fell silent.
Before Giovanni revealed his full power, no one knew his true capabilities. Although Giovanni controlled Team Rocket, a massive criminal syndicate, this didn't necessarily reflect his personal combat prowess. Everyone knew Giovanni couldn't be weak, but no one expected that, by taking advantage of the terrain, he alone could stand against two members of the Elite Four. This was beyond what Agatha and the others had anticipated.
It should be known that, in the traditional sense, the title of League Champion is an honor earned through 6-on-6 full battles in the Champion League. But in this battle on prison island, both Elite Four members demonstrated deep reserves of strength, and the battle was no longer just about teams, but about armies. Giovanni's own Pokémon army numbered nearly fifty, and each one possessed power far beyond what ordinary Trainers could muster. With the coordinated efforts of several Pokémon, they could even unleash power greater than that of an Elite Four member!
"Agatha, what do you say?" Giovanni spoke.
In this situation, he did not believe the League would dare to continue fighting. Compared to victory or defeat, interests were more important. For both Team Rocket and the League, if they could not guarantee that continued battle would change the fate of the prison island elites, then everything was meaningless.
Moreover, as far as the League was concerned, although Team Rocket was a crime syndicate, it actually thrives under the support of the Kanto region's commercial giant, the Silph Co. It has intricate interests intertwined with business, politics, and various other sectors. Even if the League had the ability to keep Giovanni, they would still need to consider the massive upheaval that would shake the Indigo League if Team Rocket were to lose its boss.
Furthermore, the existence of Team Rocket indirectly restrained the growth of other illegal groups in Kanto, resulting in a currently stable balance with the League.
Additionally, although each region's League was closely connected, the fight against organizations like Team Rocket had not yet reached the highest levels of priority, and some high-ranking members of the Indigo League didn't want to suffer losses while letting the other Leagues sit back and watch.
Looking at the contemplative Agatha, Giovanni showed a faint smile. He believed Agatha could understand the web of interests involved.
Watching the League investigators below fighting passionately, desperately trying to break through Team Rocket's defenses and stop the helicopters from taking off, Giovanni smiled and shook his head. But just as Giovanni was certain the situation was settled…
Suddenly—
"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!"
The merciless sound of destruction came from the sky, then spread extremely rapidly across the entire island, like a song of annihilation bombarding the eardrums of every Team Rocket member.
The sound wasn't loud; in fact, it was almost insignificant amid the chaos of battle. Yet, as over a dozen of the dozens of helicopters rising into the sky began trailing black smoke, Giovanni's expression instantly twisted with fury.
TN: Hey guys, I've picked up a new One Piece novel. You can search it: One Piece: The Undying King.
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