"Heh, good observation. No need for words—let me show you directly…" Lucius said, releasing massive clouds of the Venomous Plague into the air.
It was no surprise that Volkner's identity had been recognized. He was, after all, somewhat of a celebrity. Even if he wasn't well-known among mad scientists, he wasn't an absolute nobody either.
Ignoring the panicked shouts of the researchers, the virus surged forward, colliding with the sterilizing gas and infiltrating the researchers' bodies.
Since this was a facility dedicated to virus research, its sterilization and decontamination systems were top-notch. Even with Lucius' level 6 virus adaptation, large amounts of the virus were being annihilated.
But that didn't matter. As long as even a single trace of the virus invaded a human body, it would regenerate.
Simultaneously, two King-class Pokémon and one Leader-class Pokémon unleashed Psychic Disruption, their combined power covering the entirety of Saffron City Base. Every person and Pokémon inside was frozen in place.
And within those immobile bodies, the virus danced.
Crack…
A Team Rocket grunt's body suddenly split open, jagged bone spurs sprouting from the tear.
His eyes filled with blood, but his pupils turned an eerie gray-white.
Riiip!
His uniform shredded as his body expanded grotesquely, tearing the fabric into scraps.
In just moments, he had transformed into a monstrous being, struggling against the psychic hold.
Lorelei's pupils contracted.
So… this is what a virus-mutated monster looks like…
She had seen footage before, but this was her first time witnessing such a thing in person. A shiver ran down her spine.
Yet at the same time, she could feel it—this creature was under her control.
If she willed it to move east, it would not go west.
All over the base, similar transformations were occurring. Saffron City Base had far more Team Rocket members than other locations, and many who couldn't withstand the infection began to mutate—some more, some less.
Lucius didn't have the time to personally suppress every single transformation. Instead, each time a new mutation occurred, he would incinerate it with Toxic Flame.
Lorelei hesitated for a moment, but in the end, she followed his lead. These creatures would pose a greater threat if they were allowed to escape. This was the optimization process their organization needed.
"You're not afraid of infection? No… you can control the virus?" Dr. Zager stared in shock as he saw mutated humans and Pokémon obeying Lucius' will. The realization dawned upon him.
"Correct," Lucius nodded. "This virus was created by Hive, and we hold absolute dominion over it."
"Really? Your organization can truly control it?" The researchers' eyes gleamed with excitement.
They had spent so much time studying this virus, yet understanding even its basics had been a struggle. Let alone mastering it. If someone had claimed to have absolute control before, they would have scoffed. But now… they had no doubts.
"Of course. Once you join Hive, you too will gain this power," Lucius declared.
For these scientists, he had suppressed the mutations—after all, their brains were the most valuable asset. Their genetic compatibility didn't matter much.
"I… I can feel it… I can feel the control…" Dr. Namba murmured.
His expression was initially dazed, but suddenly, he turned to a fellow researcher and commanded:
"Kill yourself."
The researcher immediately clutched his own head, twisted his neck, and collapsed lifelessly onto the floor.
A chilling silence filled the room.
No wonder he was a scientist with a highly developed brain—he had mastered the core technique almost instantly.
Dr. Namba had been fully infected.
Lucius could tell—he had just used his control ability to kill someone he had a personal grudge against.
Sigh… this is the issue with a large organization.
The bigger the group, the harder it was to manage.
Every individual had their own emotions, desires, and conflicts, leading to internal strife that was impossible to avoid.
And because higher-fusion-level infected held absolute authority over lower-fusion-level infected, these internal disputes could turn deadly.
If left unchecked, a high-fusion-level infected could slaughter every low-fusion-level member around them simply because they were in a bad mood.
They had the power to do so.
But that would be detrimental to Hive as a whole.
Lucius realized he needed to establish rules.
If left unchecked, chaos would ensue…
...
Meanwhile, as Saffron City Base succumbed to infection, Pierce finally broke into Vicious' control room.
"Why are you doing this?" Pierce stared at Vicious, his eyes full of disbelief.
It was well known that Giovanni didn't trust Vicious, but betrayal was a different matter entirely.
And judging by his expression, Vicious wasn't merely acting in self-interest—he understood these mutations.
Had he… cracked the secret of the virus?
"Why?"
Vicious let out a wild laugh before his expression turned deadly serious.
"For Hive."
Hive?
Pierce furrowed his brows, about to ask further when a massive explosion suddenly erupted from above.
"You bastard! Are you trying to get yourself killed?" Pierce's expression turned to shock.
The force of the explosion was powerful enough to collapse the entire base.
He glanced at Vicious and saw that his face remained impassive, unfazed even as cracks rapidly spread across the ceiling.
"For Hive."
Vicious repeated those words before he was crushed into pulp beneath the falling debris.
Hive…
Hiding behind his Tyranitar, Pierce's pupils contracted. Vicious had always been selfish—yet he willingly sacrificed himself for this "Hive."
What kind of force was this Hive?
Now wasn't the time for questions. The explosion above had triggered a chain reaction, causing the upper levels to collapse one after another. If they didn't escape soon, they would all be buried here. Their only hope lay in his Tyranitar, a true powerhouse.
The mighty Pokémon continuously swatted away falling debris, but even it seemed uneasy.
Even if the entire base collapsed onto it, the damage wouldn't be significant—it was a Rock- and Ground-type, after all. However, being buried underground would be an issue. It could dig its way out, but the humans under Pierce's command wouldn't survive.
At that moment, an overwhelming force descended from the sky. The sheer power was both sharp and majestic, obliterating the explosion and the collapsing floors above, reducing them to dust.
Pierce's vision blurred for a moment. When he looked up, he saw nothing but blue sky and white clouds. In the blink of an eye, the entire underground base had vanished. What remained was a massive rift in the earth, a deep canyon where only jagged cliffs, twisted steel, and exposed machinery hinted that this place had once been a sprawling industrial complex.
Giovanni's helicopter still hovered in the sky. But next to it, a Mega Beedrill had appeared.
The massive insect's right arm, shaped like a lance, was still glowing faintly red, radiating heat.
The moment Vicious died, Lucius had sensed it.
However…
"Vicious, your sacrifice was not in vain. You drew the enemy's attention, securing victory elsewhere. Your name will be forever engraved on the Hive's memorial in the days to come…"
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