Pokemon: Rising From The Dark

Now Skye stood beside him with an Ekans and a Koffing, his expression filled with obvious fear.

He walked quickly to Aoki, kneeling on one knee.

There were about twenty people behind him, and they quickly knelt down on one knee and shouted, "Master Aoki!"

This loud and unified shout echoed through the entire square, drawing the attention of everyone nearby. The busy workers in the square stopped and turned their heads. When they saw Aoki standing upright while Skye knelt, their faces showed a mix of surprise and unease.

Aoki narrowed his eyes slightly, looking over Skye kneeling respectfully on the ground and the group of about twenty behind him. Some of their faces were familiar—solo trainers whose strength was decent.

The system scanned the Pokemon data of these individuals. Aoki glanced at the results and noted that the average level of their Pokemon was 17. Their qualifications were acceptable. While two trainers had Pokemon with orange ratings, their levels were relatively high.

Aoki nodded indifferently. Skye's ability to manage this situation deserved recognition. In only a few days, he had assembled such a group—a commendable feat.

Skye had also successfully recovered Soros's Koffing. Judging by its state, not only had it been completely subdued, but its level had also increased.

"Everyone, stand up," Aoki said calmly after a moment of silence.

With Aoki's permission, Skye slowly stood, carefully maintaining a posture lower than Aoki's height.

Ekans and Koffing stood beside him, both showing clear signs of fear.

Koffing, in particular, avoided looking at Aoki and Murkrow entirely, its expression filled with terror.

The twenty or so individuals behind Skye stood up as well, keeping their heads lowered. They remained silent, only sneaking cautious glances at Aoki, their new leader, from the corners of their eyes. A few among them were visibly more nervous, quietly wiping the sweat off their foreheads, relieved that Aoki didn't appear dissatisfied.

"You've done well, Skye," Aoki said, his tone softening slightly as he gave an approving glance.

"This is what I should do, Master. Your reputation and Koffing were instrumental in making this possible," Skye replied, hesitating slightly when he mentioned Koffing.

Skye debated whether he should explain further. While he had gathered this group efficiently, some of his methods had been less than honorable.

Some of these twenty individuals had previously been part of Soros's group, and now Skye had taken them under his command. Others were solo trainers who had voluntarily joined Aoki's faction, drawn by his strength and reputation.

The last group, however, was different. They had been coerced into joining through intimidation and subtle threats, with Skye using Koffing as evidence of Aoki's power. This group was the most fearful of Aoki.

Skye wasn't sure if Aoki would be angry about these methods. His hesitation was clear.

Aoki stared at Skye for a moment, his gaze sharp and unwavering. Skye, who had been calm moments ago, now felt cold sweat form on his forehead.

"You've done well. I care about results, not the process," Aoki said, his tone firm but clear.

"Y-yes, Master," Skye stammered, his body bowing slightly lower. The sweat on his forehead remained untouched as he nodded quickly, afraid to anger Aoki further.

The twenty individuals standing nearby didn't dare to breathe too loudly. A moment ago, they had felt a wave of intense malice radiating from Aoki—a terrifying reminder of his power.

Their reactions only deepened Aoki's satisfaction. While the exact methods Skye used to gather them were unclear, the result was undeniable. The group had potential and could be shaped into a useful tool.

"If you do well, you'll be rewarded. Skye, give me your ID card later, and I'll transfer 1,000 points to you as a reward," Aoki said casually.

The mention of 1,000 points shocked everyone present.

Most of the trainers there had never seen so many points at once.

Some hadn't even accumulated 100 points despite their time on the island.

"And you, Fox," Aoki continued, turning to another trainer who had helped Skye, "you'll receive 200 points for your contribution."

Fox, who had been standing respectfully to the side, was stunned. He hadn't expected to receive any reward.

His own total points, earned from completing various tasks, had barely reached 100. Now, Aoki had given him double that amount as a reward. His surprise quickly turned into joy.

The other trainers couldn't help but look at Fox with envy and jealousy.

The reward for Skye didn't inspire the same reaction. Everyone acknowledged his position as Aoki's closest subordinate. But Fox was just another trainer like them. His sudden reward left many feeling resentful, especially those who considered themselves stronger or more capable than him.

Aoki observed their reactions with satisfaction.

He continued, "As long as you perform well, there will be rewards. Points, Pokemon, and held items will all be available for you to earn."

Hearing this, the trainers' eyes lit up. Determination spread through the group, each of them resolved to prove their worth and earn Aoki's favor.