Chapter 128: Rhyhorn's Submission

Chapter 128: Rhyhorn's Submission

The long road to Saffron City was made even longer by the group of children now in their charge.

Unlike Surge, Giovanni had not simply caught Pokémon for Proton and the rest to train. He intended for them to learn the hard way; capturing their own Pokémon would be one of their first true tests.

For now, Giovanni's only concession was to have Archer and his other followers instruct the children on the safest and most efficient capture techniques.

Coincidentally, Giovanni's own methods served as the most potent lesson.

During a break, the youths sat obediently in a circle, attempting to focus on Archer's instructions. Not far from them, Giovanni was engaged in a brutal lesson of his own, riding a Rhyhorn and forcing it into submission as it bucked and thrashed.

Watching Giovanni break the Rhyhorn's will, the children's eyes lit up. He was an intimidating figure, but his power was undeniable. Proton, in particular, watched Giovanni with a fervent gaze.

Noticing the divided attention, Archer wisely slowed his lecture. Allowing them to witness this raw display of dominance was more instructive than any words he could offer.

As for the Rhyhorn, Giovanni had intended to fully subjugate it back on the island. He hadn't anticipated the creature's stubbornness, and having to dedicate precious time to breaking its spirit was a source of growing annoyance.

After the Rhyhorn collapsed from exhaustion for what felt like the dozenth time, Giovanni's patience finally snapped. He vaulted from its back, leaning close to its horned head. His voice akin to a blade of ice.

"I have told you before, my patience has its limits. If you will not submit, then I will kill you."

The Rhyhorn's pupils constricted, but it still managed a defiant roar.

A murderous intent flooded Giovanni's eyes. He waved a dismissive hand at the Beedrill hovering above. "Kill it."

Under the horrified gaze of the recruits, Giovanni slowly turned his back and walked away.

Beedrill dove, its venom-laced stingers aimed at the fallen Pokémon. The chilling intent to kill suffocated the Rhyhorn, and the imminent threat of death sent tremors through its exhausted body.

Pokémon are intelligent creatures. The Rhyhorn sensed that Giovanni's threat was no bluff; this time, it was real. This time, it felt fear.

As the stingers filled its vision, it let out a desperate, guttural cry—a plea. It bowed its proud head toward Giovanni's ruthless, retreating back.

Pffft!

The stingers still found their mark. The Rhyhorn shrieked in pain as its body convulsed, a tear of agony tracing a path through the grime on its face. The stinger, embedded deep in its flesh, was ripped free, bringing a gush of blood with it.

Though his back was turned, it was as if Giovanni had eyes in the back of his head. The moment it had tasted the consequence of its defiance, the moment it had submitted, he spared its life. "Stop."

The threat of death had been terrifyingly real; Giovanni had genuinely intended to execute it.

Only by being pushed to the absolute brink could the Rhyhorn appreciate the value of its life and, by extension, the value of obedience.

Giovanni used the power of Viridian to remotely assess the wound, then turned and walked unhurriedly toward the trembling Pokémon. Under the Rhyhorn's desperate, pleading gaze, he knelt, placing a hand on its battered flank and channeling his power.

The invasive surge of the power of Viridian was an alien sensation, a potent energy that overwhelmed the pain and left an unnerving sense of awe in its place. The weakly wailing Pokémon fell silent, its pupils wide. The sheer force of this ability filled it with a new, deeper fear of the man who wielded it.

Giovanni turned his head and called out, "I need a Super Potion."

Archer, startled by the sudden turn of events, began to rise.

Before he could move, a boy named Karle scrambled to his feet, rushing to Giovanni's side with a Super Potion in hand. A fawning smile plastered his face. "Boss, please, use this."

The other hopefuls, Nick and Ono, cursed their slower reflexes.

Giovanni was well aware of their sycophantic maneuvering. He took the offered potion. Whether he acknowledged such brown-nosing depended entirely on his mood.

He sprayed the contents onto the Rhyhorn's wound. Combined with the power of Viridian, the injury was already thirty or forty percent healed. With its own natural durability, it would be combat-ready in a few days.

Giovanni tossed the empty canister back to Karle. "Thanks."

Karle, emboldened, sputtered, "It is my duty! It is my honor that you would use it, Boss!"

Behind him, Nick and Ono muttered curses, though they knew they would have been just as shameless given the opportunity.

Giovanni patted Karle's shoulder. "Get back to it."

"Yes!" The boy was electric with victory. While Giovanni had not yet granted him a Pokémon or special resources, this single pat of acknowledgment was a monumental step.

Giovanni's generosity to his proven subordinates was legendary; gaining a foothold was all that mattered. As Karle returned to the group, he was immediately accosted by an envious Ono.

The scene solidified Giovanni's image in the eyes of the young recruits. To them, boys like Proton were already formidable, yet here they were, desperately currying favor with a man who was on another level entirely.

Giovanni gave the Rhyhorn a light kick. "Get up."

The rebellious creature from before was gone. At Giovanni's command, it staggered to its feet. The defiance in its eyes had been replaced by a deep-seated fear. It had submitted.

He leaped onto its back. This time, there was no resistance. It stood perfectly still, awaiting his command. It dared not move. A glance at the nearby Beedrill, its stingers still gleaming with cold light, was enough to quell any lingering thought of disobedience.

Giovanni stroked the Rhyhorn's armored hide, a faint smile finally touching his lips. The creature's aptitude was strong, merely hampered by prior malnourishment. With conditioning and the power of Viridian, it had the potential to be the second of his Pokémon to reach the Senior Level.

The second, because his Persian was now just a hair's breadth away. With its own impressive aptitude, it was due to break through within the next two days.