Lucius felt a sense of satisfaction with Brandon's vision and ideology. Ever since he decided to eradicate all criminal organizations from the world, he had been laying the groundwork for the establishment of the Hive system.
Brandon was the first to truly understand and willingly accept this philosophy.
Even those infected by the virus were still influenced by their previous beliefs. Take Shelly and Matt from Team Aqua, for example—even after joining the Hive, their primary goal remained finding Kyogre.
Similarly, Ophelia was leveraging the Hive's intelligence network to serve the Shadow Ops.
Anabel, on the other hand, had initially harbored deep resentment toward the Hive.
But Brandon was different. He recognized the grandeur of this order from his own perspective. He understood its longevity and could see the benefits it would bring.
Once the Hive fully matured, it would become an unshakable, unified force from top to bottom—something the fragmented Pokémon League would be powerless against.
"I know you're all wondering why we've come here," Lucius spoke. "For the Hive to grow stronger, we need not only powerful individuals like Mr. Brandon to join us but also to continuously integrate powerful Pokémon into our ranks."
"Our next destination is a ruin. There, we will find the target of this mission."
"A ruin?" Brandon's interest was piqued the moment he heard the word.
As an archaeologist, he had discovered his trio of Regi Pokémon in ancient ruins.
"That's right. This is the remnant of an ancient crystal civilization. The properties of this crystal culture are extraordinary and will play a crucial role in our advancement."
Lucius didn't elaborate further. Some things were best understood through firsthand experience.
Leading them into the Crystal Onix's cavern, Lucius released his Crystal Rampardos.
"What is that?" Brandon stared in shock at the gleaming crystalline creature, its body sturdy and imposing.
"Even the Hive has access to such extraordinary Pokémon?" Anabel was equally stunned.
Though both were champion-level trainers with extensive knowledge, encountering a Pokémon that had undergone such a drastic elemental reversal and was entirely unique was a rarity.
"Let's go," Lucius instructed, as the Crystal Rampardos submerged into the water to lead the way. The group followed, teleporting once more into the depths of the Crystal Cave.
As the three of them arrived, they found the cavern unchanged, with countless crystals surrounding them.
Gardevoir, upon returning to this place, gazed around with a sense of sorrow, reminiscing on what had transpired here.
Brandon, driven by his natural passion for archaeology, could barely contain his excitement.
"Brandon, there are other unique Pokémon here, like the Crystal Rampardos," Lucius informed him. "But for now, let's focus on our mission. Afterward, this cavern will be yours to excavate with your archaeological team."
Brandon nodded solemnly, suppressing his enthusiasm. Lucius' implication was clear—the crystal Pokémon here would be under his jurisdiction.
Arriving at the cavern with three towering crystal pillars, Lucius turned to Gardevoir. "Gardevoir, open the pathway. We are heading to Azelf's resting place."
Gardevoir had understood Lucius' purpose from the moment they arrived, yet hearing his command still triggered an emotional conflict within her.
"Gardevoir, our army is growing stronger. Isn't this precisely what Azelf entrusted you to accomplish?" Lucius said gently.
Even if he hadn't spoken, Gardevoir would have followed his order regardless. But after spending so much time together, Lucius wanted to ease her heart.
Azelf?
Brandon and Anabel exchanged glances, now understanding their mission's true objective.
As Gardevoir's psychic energy resonated with the crystal pillars, a time-space wormhole materialized before them.
"Let's go recruit the God of Willpower," Lucius smiled before stepping through the wormhole first.
The spatial distortion settled, revealing a vast lake before them.
Behind Lucius, Anabel and Brandon followed.
Like the Orange Archipelago, it was nighttime here as well. The sky was adorned with a blanket of stars, their reflections shimmering across the water's surface.
"Gardevoir, please awaken Azelf."
So soon...
The moment had arrived sooner than expected.
Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Gardevoir stepped forward to the lake's edge, channeling her psychic energy to communicate with the entity below.
A gentle breeze swept across the lake, sending ripples cascading outward, the moonlight fracturing into a dreamlike glow.
As Gardevoir's mind delved into the lake's depths, a soft psychic presence stirred in response.
It was here.
Lucius, now far stronger than before, no longer needed Gardevoir's assistance to sense Azelf's presence.
"Anabel, take us inside," Lucius commanded quickly.
Celebi, with its small, verdant body, generated a wormhole before them. Grabbing hold of Lucius and Brandon, it whisked them away in an instant.
The space around Lucius twisted once more, depositing them into a realm of pitch-black void.
"Who are you?" A voice echoed in their minds.
"Azelf? We've come to aid you in facing the impending crisis," Lucius stated.
Before him, a transparent, abstract figure gradually took form, solidifying into the small, blue, mushroom-like Pokémon.
"Gardevoir brought you here?" Azelf asked. "But it is not yet time for me to awaken."
"That's fine—you can continue to slumber. But before you do, I want you to join the Hive," Lucius said, meeting the Legendary Pokémon's wide, innocent gaze.
"The Hive?"
"That's right. Celebi, Regice, Regirock, and Registeel have already joined us. We would like to extend the same invitation to you." As he spoke, Lucius gestured for Brandon to release the three Regis.
Azelf remained silent for a moment. Then, a ripple of psychic energy surged from its form as its emotions abruptly shifted.
"No! You are not here to fight the crisis. You are the crisis!"
The surrounding darkness churned violently, surging like an ocean tide, threatening to engulf Lucius entirely.
So, words alone wouldn't suffice...
If that was the case, they'd have to take a more forceful approach.
"Anabel, Brandon—attack!" Lucius commanded immediately.
Though this was a space Azelf had constructed, there was no way it could simultaneously fend off four Legendary Pokémon of equal standing while still in slumber.
The clash of psychic power lasted mere seconds before cracks, like shattered glass, splintered through the void.
As the darkness crumbled, Lucius realized they were now in a sealed cavern.
Before them, Azelf floated in midair, visibly drained, its expression weary.
Lucius wasted no time. A surge of the virus shot from his hand, infiltrating Azelf's body.
The moment it entered, Lucius could feel Azelf's fierce resistance.
As expected of the God of Willpower—compared to the mindless Celebi, its defiance was on an entirely different level...
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