"Go, Beedrill."
Ignoring the shock of the Kanto League members, Giovanni gently tossed out the Senzu Bean while calmly speaking.
Beedrill slightly opened its mouth, crunching the Senzu Bean with a "crack" and swallowing it.
"This is bad! Kingdra, use—"
Lorelei's expression changed as she was about to give a command.
But in that instant, Beedrill transformed into a golden flash, teleporting in front of Kingdra and forcing it back with a Poison Sting attack.
Before anyone else could react, Beedrill launched a Pin Missile that knocked down the already weakened ace Dragonite.
Then it turned and charged directly at Lance himself.
Lance's typically defiant face finally showed a trace of panic.
His Aerodactyl tried to use Hyper Beam to protect its master.
But its speed was no match for Beedrill's.
The Hyper Beam was easily dodged.
Then, everyone watched as.
Beedrill appeared behind Lance, its large right stinger piercing through his neck from behind.
Its left stinger pressed firmly against his back, while making "buzz buzz" insect sounds, as if saying:
[Don't move, or I'll kill you.]
"Lance!"
"Champion Lance!"
"Giovanni, stop this at once! If you harm Champion Lance, the League won't let you get away with it!"
With Lance captured, the Kanto League members who had just regained momentum thanks to Mairin and Serena immediately panicked again.
Lance wasn't just their strongest fighter in this operation, but also a representative figure of the Kanto League!
Giovanni had his Crobat carry him by the shoulders with its feet, flying next to Lance who was being held hostage by Beedrill.
"How pathetic."
The corner of Giovanni's mouth curved up slightly as he glanced at Lance from the corner of his eye.
"If you've got the guts, kill me."
Even in this situation, Lance's face showed no less defiance and rebelliousness.
However, Giovanni merely responded to his pride with a "hmph" before turning his gaze to the Kanto League members below, declaring loudly:
"If you don't want him dead, don't follow us. Once we've retreated to a safe distance, I'll naturally release him."
"What proof do we have that you'll keep your word!?"
Bruno shouted.
"You have no choice."
Giovanni replied with a smile, then called out to the Team Rocket members below:
"Retreat!"
"Yes, Boss Giovanni!!!"
The many Team Rocket members responded with fanatical expressions.
To think they could capture Lance himself as a hostage, their Boss Giovanni was truly amazing!
"Elder Agatha, we..."
Watching helplessly as large numbers of Team Rocket members brazenly left right under their noses.
The muscle-headed, simple-minded Bruno turned to Elder Agatha for guidance.
"Lance's life is what's most important, nobody make any rash moves."
Elder Agatha decisively ordered.
Sometimes, one person's importance outweighs that of an entire group.
Lance was such a person.
It wasn't that Agatha was protecting him out of personal feelings.
Even if Charles Goodshow were here, he would support her decision.
Team Rocket could be dealt with later, but if news of Lance being killed by Team Rocket got out.
It wouldn't just be a simple matter of the League losing a top Champion.
The entire Pokémon continent could fall into panic.
"Now this has been quite the show."
Sun Wuming continued watching with amusement.
"Master, that Senzu Bean that Giovanni used just now..."
Mairin ran back with Buzzwole, asking Sun Wuming with confusion.
"About that... hmm, I'll tell you all when we get home."
Sun Wuming replied carelessly.
"Oh~"
The girls obediently didn't ask any further questions.
...
...
About half an hour later.
When they saw Lance return riding his Aerodactyl, all the Kanto League members burst into cheers of joy.
"He really sent him back?"
Bruno blinked in surprise.
Clearly not expecting that Giovanni, a criminal organization leader, would actually keep his word.
Elder Agatha calmly said:
"He couldn't afford the consequences of killing Lance."
The League's position in the Pokémon continent is something no underground organization would dare to challenge.
Although they suffered setbacks this time due to the betrayal of Sabrina, Koga, and Lt. Surge.
There was another important reason behind it.
That being that the Kanto League hadn't requested aid from other Leagues.
If they had added even one other League's strength, even if it was the currently lowest-ranked Kalos.
This battle wouldn't have turned out this way!
Giovanni was well aware that if he killed Lance.
Charles Goodshow would mobilize the entire League's forces to destroy Team Rocket.
This was no joke.
When Lance jumped down from his Aerodactyl, the cheers of the surrounding Kanto trainers sounded harsh to his ears.
To be taken hostage by a crime boss in front of everyone.
It was truly the greatest shame of his life.
And when Lance came down, the first thing he did.
Was to take his Aerodactyl and walk to where Sun Wuming sat eating melon seeds in the shade.
Aerodactyl opened its blood-red maw, its fangs pointing directly at Sun Wuming.
That was also its master's attitude toward Sun Wuming.
Whoosh!
However, just as Aerodactyl bared its fangs.
A blue light flashed from Sun Wuming's waist.
The battle-damaged Zacian bit Aerodactyl's neck with lightning speed.
Seeing this, Lorelei's Jynx opened its mouth to unleash a Blizzard.
Bang! Bang!
In an instant, Buzzwole and Blastoise, the two powerhouses, pinned Jynx to the ground from left and right.
"What are you trying to do!?"
Mairin and Serena immediately stepped between them, shouting sternly.
Marnie and Serena also readied their Poké Balls, preparing for battle.
"We should be asking you what you're trying to do!"
Lorelei walked up, standing beside Lance and asking coldly:
"What connection do you have with Team Rocket?"
Anyone who wasn't blind could see that the Senzu Bean Giovanni used earlier was the key to turning the tide of battle.
If it weren't for that thing, this war couldn't possibly have turned out this way!
Sun Wuming lightly waved his hand, signaling Mairin, Marnie and the others to step aside.
However, sitting cross-legged and leaning against the tree trunk, Sun Wuming didn't stand up, still maintaining his spectator attitude as he said:
"Yes, I sold them the Senzu Beans, but when they sent people to me, I didn't know they were Team Rocket. It was just a misunderstanding, just a misunderstanding~"
Seeing Sun Wuming's complete lack of remorse, Lorelei became even more angry.
Just as she took a step forward to question him further, Elder Agatha's voice suddenly came:
"Have the Officer Jenny squad investigate the Viridian Gym to see if they can find anything. Everyone else prepare to withdraw."
Lorelei immediately looked at Agatha with an expression of disbelief.
However, the elder merely shook her head, signaling Lorelei not to act rashly.
Finally, under Agatha's clear stance, Lorelei could only swallow her anger.
"What happened here today, let's all treat it as if nothing happened."
Agatha added.
She didn't explain clearly, but even someone with low emotional intelligence could understand her meaning.
She was referring to Lance being taken hostage.
There was no help for it, it was too shameful.
Lance clenched his fists even tighter, grinding his teeth as he stared in the direction Team Rocket had left.
"No more show to watch, let's go home."
Sun Wuming finally stood up from under the tree shade.
At these words, Zacian released its bite on Aerodactyl's neck.
Nearby, Buzzwole and Blastoise also released Jynx.
"Teacher, where in Kanto are we going next?"
Serena walked beside Sun Wuming and asked.
"Well... let's stay in Pallet Town for two more days, I want to see how the League handles the aftermath of this..."
Sun Wuming replied while leading the girls away.
"If it weren't for that man, we wouldn't have been beaten so badly."
Watching Sun Wuming's group leave, Lorelei was still grinding her teeth in anger.
"But if it weren't for his subordinates Mairin and Serena joining the battle, we would have most likely lost."
Elder Agatha leaned on her cane, as calm as ever:
"Besides... do you want to fight Zacian?"
At these words, Lorelei was left speechless.
The speed Zacian had shown in that moment... was no joke.
Actually, Lorelei had major doubts about Sun Wuming's explanation.
During the trade, did he really not know they were Team Rocket members?
But thinking again, whether he really knew or not, did it matter?
What mattered was his own strength!
Even if Sun Wuming had said "I deliberately sold it to them, I wanted to see you Kanto League get beaten up, what are you going to do about it? Come fight me, come on~"
Even then, Lorelei couldn't act rashly.
One Zacian alone could kill most of them, not to mention Lance had just lost several of his main fighters and couldn't stop it.
And then there were those girls around him who looked delicate but were each more fierce than the last.
...
...
Several hours later.
At the Indigo Plateau, Kanto League Headquarters.
"Crash!"
A teapot fell to the ground, shattering to pieces.
President Silph's wrinkled face under his white beard turned red with anger as he pointed at the Elite Four's noses and scolded:
"We pay so much in taxes every year, and this is the bunch of useless people we're supporting?!"
Lorelei almost lost it upon hearing this, but Elder Agatha beside her gave her a cold look.
Barely managing to calm her down.
And Lance, whose pride was higher than the heavens, remained silent in the face of such insults.
He did feel ashamed, and it was precisely because of this that he didn't argue back.
He only wanted to end this foolish meeting quickly and go after that sewer trash Giovanni.
Actually, after the Elite Four returned, they had first reported the whole incident's cause and effect to Charles Goodshow.
Goodshow originally didn't want Lance and Lorelei to attend this meeting.
But their pride wouldn't allow them to avoid it.
Sigh, such difficult personalities to deal with.
"Old friend, calm down, calm down, it's mainly that Team Rocket was too cunning, we didn't expect Sabrina and the others... sigh."
Goodshow quickly played the peacemaker.
But thinking of the betrayal of Sabrina and the other two, he also rubbed his temples with a headache.
"Chairman, according to the regulatory department's investigation, no ships or aircraft with Team Rocket's traces have been found leaving the Kanto region."
At this point, an Officer Jenny chief reported to Goodshow.
"So they're still in this area?"
Goodshow stroked his beard as he analyzed.
Most regions are separated by sea.
But the Kanto region and Johto region are connected on one continent, mainly separated by the Indigo Plateau.
That's why Lance is qualified to simultaneously serve as Champion of both regions.