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Chapter 143 - Chapter 143: The Purchase

Chapter 143: The Purchase

Giovanni stood outside Saffron City's premier Pokémon breeding facility. He observed the lavish decorations, the rows of Pokémon Eggs nestled in state-of-the-art incubators, and the small, newly hatched Fighting-type Pokémon playing within their enclosures— a faint green light shimmered in his eyes as he used the power of Viridian to assess the potential of every creature within.

His pause made Kenji anxious. "Brother Giovanni, is there something wrong with this shop? I can find another."

"No," Giovanni shook his head. "The one you found is the best. Let us go in."

Kenji pushed open the glass door, a small bell chiming as he held it for Giovanni to enter. The clerk, who had been dozing at the counter, immediately straightened up, rubbing the sleep from his face as he approached with a practiced smile.

The smile vanished the moment he saw Kenji. "You again?" he sneered, his voice dripping with impatience. "I told you, you penniless brat, even if you're an apprentice at the dojo, we won't sell to you on credit. Give it up. If you don't have money, you'll never be a real Trainer. Just be content with your station, you low-class filth."

The venomous words struck Kenji like a physical blow. The usual light in his eyes dimmed, his face turning pale.

Just as the boy flinched, a gust of wind whistled past his ear— a dark figure blotted out his vision.

Whoosh!

"Ugh!" The clerk's face went crimson, his body suddenly suspended in mid-air.

Giovanni had him by the throat, his hand an iron clamp, lifting the man off his feet with effortless strength. The clerk, like most men from Saffron, knew some basic fighting techniques, but they were useless now. No matter how hard he struggled, he couldn't pry open Giovanni's grip.

"You are courting death," Giovanni said, his voice a low, terrifying growl. His gaze was glacial, and his hand tightened— a wave of pure, murderous intent washed through the facility. The young Pokémon in the enclosures whimpered and shrank back into the corners.

"H-help..." the clerk choked out, veins bulging on his forehead, his legs kicking frantically as his eyes began to roll back in his head.

Giovanni showed no mercy. His grip tightened further, and a series of sickening cracks echoed in the silent shop. Just as the man's struggles began to weaken, a luxuriously dressed old man emerged from the back of the shop.

"Young master, please, stop!" he pleaded. "Harris is just a snob with a big mouth. His life is not worth staining your hands."

Giovanni's cold gaze met the old man's, but his grip did not loosen.

The old man, Mr. Silas, quickly turned to the stunned Kenji. "Young man, please, help me."

Kenji finally snapped out of his shock. He was grateful to Giovanni for defending him, but he didn't want him to commit murder on his behalf. "Brother Giovanni," he said, his voice trembling slightly, "he is not worth it."

Giovanni snorted, then casually tossed the half-dead clerk to the floor. He loomed over the gasping man, his voice a blade of ice. "Beg him for forgiveness. If he does not grant it, you will still die."

Harris, so terrified his legs had turned to jelly, scrambled toward the old man. "Manager Silas..."

Mr. Silas was a shrewd and mercenary businessman. He could see the extraordinary power in Giovanni, and he knew without a doubt that the boy had been seconds away from crushing Harris's windpipe. This was not a young man to be trifled with; he was clearly backed by a powerful force.

"Do not look at me," Silas snapped. "Apologize!"

Seeing no help was coming from his employer, and feeling Giovanni's murderous gaze on him, Harris scrambled on his hands and knees to Kenji's feet.

Thud.

Harris's legs buckled as if his strings had been cut. He knelt, then began kowtowing, banging his head against the polished floor. "I was blind! Please, forgive me! Spare my life!"

Kenji was at a loss. The arrogant man from moments ago was now prostrating himself at his feet. But he couldn't bring himself to wish death on anyone. "Get up," he said quickly. 

Harris didn't dare to move. He looked fearfully at Giovanni.

Giovanni's eyes narrowed as he considered simply finishing the job.

Mr. Silas, ever the opportunist, intervened. "Why are you still here? Get out!" he shouted at Harris. "Your work today was... unsatisfactory. Don't bother coming in tomorrow. Now get lost."

Harris didn't need to be told twice. He scrambled out of the shop as if the hounds of hell were on his heels.

Giovanni gave Mr. Silas a long, deep look. "You are quite cunning."

"It is all thanks to your magnanimity," Silas replied smoothly, his fear of Giovanni's backers far outweighing his own strength. He glanced at Kenji's uniform and smiled. "To make up for today's unpleasantness, I will offer you a twenty percent discount on any Pokémon, egg, or food you wish to purchase."

Kenji was happy for Giovanni— a discount was a good outcome. Giovanni, however, didn't care about the money. "Show me the Fighting-type Pokémon with the highest potential in your shop."

"Of course," Mr. Silas said, gesturing for them to follow. "This way, please."

Giovanni walked over to a row of high-end display cases where several young Fighting-type Pokémon were still trembling from his earlier display of violence.

"Ahem," Mr. Silas cleared his throat, launching into his sales pitch. "These are the finest specimens in our shop. Excellent value. I wonder, which of you is looking to purchase? You, sir, are clearly an excellent Trainer, but for this young master, I would recommend starting with an egg."

"Not me," Kenji quickly waved his hands. "I don't have any money."

Mr. Silas, knowing Giovanni was the one in charge, simply waited for his reply.

"I am buying it for a younger brother of mine," Giovanni said faintly. "He is about the same age as him."

Though Kenji's heart settled at the words, a strange bitterness bloomed within him. He felt that Giovanni was only being kind to him because he reminded him of this other boy.

Mr. Silas, too smart to comment, simply nodded. "Is that so? Then an egg would be best?"

Giovanni patted Kenji's shoulder. "Kenji, why don't you choose one? Youngsters your age likely have similar tastes. Help me."

Kenji nodded silently and walked toward the display cases.

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