Team Rocket's efficiency was undeniable, especially under Giovanni's direct command, accelerating their operations.
Before long, their forces had surrounded Vicious's division.
Fortunately, the division was constructed within a valley, far from any urban areas; otherwise, Team Rocket's large-scale mobilization would have undoubtedly drawn the attention of the city's police force.
"Metagross, break through."
Seated aboard a helicopter, Giovanni remotely commanded his Metagross to charge into Vicious's base.
Pierce, along with his two Special Operations Units, followed closely behind the rampaging Metagross.
Inside the base, Vicious's men quickly recognized the Pokémon—it was Giovanni's. That could only mean one thing: Giovanni himself had come. Their plan had succeeded. Without hesitation, Vicious ordered the remaining personnel to unleash their more uncontrollable creatures to counterattack, using the infected Pokémon to resist both the intruding Metagross and Pierce's forces.
From the very beginning, Vicious had never destroyed the base's surveillance equipment. He had deliberately left it intact so that Team Rocket's headquarters would take notice and send reinforcements—just as planned.
As monstrous infected creatures charged forward, the Metagross hovering at the front unleashed a storm of razor-sharp Stone Edge projectiles, cutting through its foes like a relentless grinder.
With the power of a King-tier Pokémon leading the charge, Pierce's team quickly reached the base's central elevator access point.
Since most of Team Rocket's division was underground, controlling the main elevator shaft would effectively trap everyone inside.
Not that Vicious had any intention of escaping.
Giovanni had finally taken action himself.
This was precisely why Lucius had ordered Vicious to infect Team Rocket's division.
Summoning his Gardevoir, Lucius executed a series of rapid Teleports, infiltrating the control room of Team Rocket's Vermilion City division.
The sudden arrival of a black-clad Gardevoir and Volkner in the control room left the stationed Team Rocket operatives utterly dumbfounded.
Before they could react, Gardevoir unleashed a Psychic Surge, knocking everyone unconscious.
Lucius wasted no time. He released the virus throughout the Vermilion City base, severed its electrical circuits, and temporarily disabled the surveillance system. Utilizing the Emperor Strain, he accelerated the infection process. Any failed mutations were incinerated with Toxic Flame, while the remaining survivors were assimilated into the Hive.
The entire operation took less than twenty minutes.
Once most traces of his infiltration were erased, Lucius restored power and reactivated the surveillance system.
However, when the cameras came back online, more than half the personnel were gone.
With the Vermilion City division under his control, Lucius commanded Gardevoir to swiftly Teleport to the Celadon City division.
The same process unfolded again, but this time, the division had two executives present—Attila and Hun.
When Volkner unexpectedly appeared in the base, both men prepared to fight back. But before they could act, they found themselves powerless against the overwhelming force of a King-tier Pokémon.
Lucius swiftly assimilated them.
Meanwhile, Team Rocket's headquarters began to sense something was amiss. Most of their focus was on Giovanni's assault on Vicious's division, but the consecutive power failures in Vermilion and Celadon City raised alarms.
Team Rocket divisions weren't small, makeshift bases; they were well-equipped and highly advanced. Backup power systems were standard, making it nearly impossible for a facility to experience a total blackout for twenty whole minutes.
"Hun, what the hell happened over there?" Proton asked upon receiving the report. Though puzzled, he chose not to escalate the issue—Giovanni was currently leading an attack, and this matter seemed minor in comparison.
"Nothing much," Hun replied nonchalantly. "Just an experiment that drained all the power in an instant. Backup power's already restored."
"An experiment?" Proton frowned but didn't press further. He simply instructed Hun to submit a report on the test later and ended the call.
For now, the priority was eliminating Vicious.
If Vicious was taken out, there would be one less obstacle in Team Rocket's path.
With Celadon City under his control, Lucius assigned Attila and Hun two of Archer's Pokémon each and ordered them to infiltrate the nearest Team Rocket bases to spread the infection.
Of course, even with Leader-tier Pokémon at their disposal, they wouldn't be able to execute the operation as flawlessly as Lucius had. Mistakes were likely.
But that didn't matter.
According to Vicious's latest update, Giovanni's Pokémon had already penetrated deep into his base. It wouldn't be long before the entire facility fell into Team Rocket's hands.
Against the might of a King-tier Pokémon, the mutated creatures stood no chance—only Vicious's personal Pokémon could put up any real resistance.
As Lucius prepared to move toward Fuchsia City, Dolores and Sham's battlefront finally saw significant progress.
Lorelei, the Ice-type Elite Four member, had been wounded by a surprise attack from a Dugtrio—an attack that had infected her with the virus.
Fate was truly on his side.
Lucius had originally planned to use Volkner's body to infiltrate the Elite Four, but this was even better—an Elite Four member was already infected.
To prevent Lorelei's unstable genetic compatibility from causing her to mutate into a monstrous creature, Lucius remotely manipulated the virus, suppressing its mutation properties.
This way, the stunningly beautiful Ice-type master wouldn't turn into a mindless, flesh-eating beast.
"Hive…?"
Lorelei adjusted her glasses, her face filled with shock.
The wound on her leg, inflicted by the Dugtrio's underground assault, pulsed with an unfamiliar sensation.
Her mind immediately recalled what Ash from the future had warned them about—the virus.
Yet, unlike those who had transformed into horrific creatures on Sunburst Island, she hadn't mutated into an abomination.
Instead, something new had emerged in her consciousness—an entity known as the "Hive."
It was her first time encountering the name, yet it felt as though the knowledge had been burned into her soul.
Everything about the Hive seemed… natural. As if it was her destiny.
She gave a silent command to her Pokémon, halting their attacks.
Apart from her King-tier Lapras and Jynx, who had sustained only minor injuries, her other Pokémon were badly battered.
Still, the fact that she had managed to hold out this long against a dozen Leader-tier opponents was a testament to the strength of the Elite Four.
She could feel it.
Apart from her Cloyster, most of her Pokémon had already been infected.
A new bond, deeper than any she had ever known, connected them now—one that ran through their very blood.
And it wasn't just her.
Standing before her were two individuals—an infamous Syndicate fugitive and Dr. Onando from Unova.
Both of them were infected.
"So… things have already progressed this far."
Lorelei let out a bitter chuckle.
The Pokémon League had only just begun mass-producing and distributing the virus detection devices, yet it seemed the virus had already infiltrated both the criminal underworld and the scientific community…
And now, even she—one of the League's Elite Four—had fallen victim to it.
"Elite Four Lorelei, from now on, we're on the same side," Onando said with a smirk.
His sense of pride in his Hive affiliation was undeniable. After all, being chosen by such an extraordinary virus—how could that possibly be a bad thing?
Ever since his body had undergone a drastic enhancement, a certain part of him—long dormant for years—was once again standing tall in the early morning.
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