"Retreat, we've been discovered!"
The panicked shout of a Team Rocket member echoed through the forest. Hearing it, the captain of Group A broke into a cold sweat and immediately turned to flee in the opposite direction of Ash. The rest were not fools, they followed without hesitation.
"Trying to run… stay right there."
"Mokuton, Four-Pillar Prison."
Ash's voice rang out like a death sentence. In the next instant, the ground trembled violently. Thick wooden pillars burst upward from the earth, forming a prison that instantly bound all nine fleeing members of Group A.
"Damn it, what is this?!"
"It's too tight, I can't break free!"
No matter how hard they struggled, the wooden restraints held firm, draining their strength. Ash stepped forward slowly, his presence suffocating.
"You really are fools. You knew my strength, yet still walked right into this. I almost don't know where to begin with you."
His gaze was cold and sharp, like a blade.
"Gulp…"
Meeting Ash's crimson eyes, the Team Rocket members felt their scalps go numb. It was as if they were not facing a human, but some ancient beast. Fear tightened their throats.
"You… you dared to toy with us. Despicable!"
The captain of Group A forced himself to shout, though his voice trembled.
"Despicable? That's rich, coming from Team Rocket." Ash let out a faint laugh. "I already knew your location the moment your base was exposed."
After absorbing the memories of earlier members, Ash had long since learned about their temporary base. He had held back only to lure out someone more important. Unfortunately, the result was underwhelming.
This was not entirely Team Rocket's fault. Giovanni had no knowledge of this forced evolution device. Each executive guarded their own secrets, and as long as there was no betrayal, Giovanni rarely interfered.
This device was the joint creation of Lambda and Ariana. Both sought to rise higher within Team Rocket, so they kept the project hidden from rivals. Calling for reinforcements would expose their work, and worse, risk having it taken over.
Because of that, the "big fish" Ash had hoped for never appeared.
"I suggest you let us go. Otherwise, Team Rocket won't let this go. I serve under Lambda, one of Boss Giovanni's top executives. He will avenge us!"
Though fear lingered in his eyes, the captain still managed to speak. The others, however, were already too terrified to utter a word.
"Is that so…"
A cold smile formed on Ash's lips. He snapped his fingers.
"Snap!"
"Pu—!"
"AAAAARGH…!"
In an instant, sharp barbs sprouted from the wooden pillars, piercing straight into their bodies. Screams tore through the air, turning into desperate wails before fading into silence.
The captain watched everything unfold, his mind collapsing under the horror. He had never expected Ash to act so decisively, completely disregarding any hesitation or restraint.
"Any last words?" Ash stepped closer, placing his hand on the man's forehead, his expression utterly indifferent. "If not… then this is the end. There won't be a next life for you."
At this moment, in the captain's eyes, Ash was no longer human… but a merciless executioner who did not blink.
"W-Wait… I have something to say. You can't kill me. I know many things about Executive Ariana. I can help you… just don't kill me!"
The captain completely broke down. Fear had shattered his composure, and his words came out in a desperate, incoherent rush. Even he likely did not realize what he was saying anymore.
"So, that's your last words?" Ash let out a cold laugh. "Thanks for the offer… but I don't believe you."
Trusting an enemy like this would be foolish. Compared to empty words, directly extracting the truth from his memory was far more reliable.
"AAAAAAHHH!!!"
A horrifying scream tore through the night. This time, it was even more agonizing than the cries of the others before him. The pain of having one's soul forcibly pulled out far exceeded physical suffering. It was not just flesh being torn, it was existence itself being ripped apart.
"Does it hurt?" Ash's voice was calm, almost indifferent. "Compared to the Pokémon you captured and experimented on… this is nothing."
He deliberately slowed the process, dragging the man's soul out inch by inch, forcing him to experience every fragment of unbearable agony. Only when the pain reached its peak did Ash end it in an instant, swallowing the soul completely.
"Haa…"
Ash exhaled softly.
"With the Soul Gem, my control over the Human Path and Naraka Path has improved."
Both abilities governed the soul. Combined with the enhancement from the Soul Gem, their effects had become far more refined and precise.
Glancing at the lifeless bodies scattered around him, Ash's eyes showed no trace of emotion.
"Since the big fish won't come… then I'll move directly."
With that, he turned and walked back toward the cabin, as if everything that had just happened was nothing more than a trivial matter.