"Boooo~" Dragonite let out a cheerful call, greeting its teammates and signaling that it was doing fine.
Drake understood that unless his other Pokémon were infected like Dragonite, they would need some time to accept its changes.
He released his team, instructing them to fan out and search the area.
Before long, Gengar made a discovery.
It was a site marked with heavy signs of artificial construction—neatly arranged basalt pillars encircled a rocky formation that jutted outward. At its peak stood a small, weathered altar.
This had to be the place.
Drake approached, spotting a stone pedestal embedded with a small orb.
The orb was completely transparent, but at its core burned a flickering flame of golden-red.
A mysterious orb.
Drake picked it up. It wasn't heavy—warm to the touch, almost as if it had a pulse.
Now that he had the orb, he began calling his scattered Pokémon back to him across the island.
So… the legend might hold some truth after all.
Just as his Pokémon began regrouping, a sharp cry echoed from within the volcano.
A bird Pokémon soared out from the crater, flapping its wings as it veered directly toward Dragonite.
Its feathers blazed in brilliant red, with a straight, sharp brown beak and a streamlined crown. Its tail billowed behind like living fire, and its wings shimmered with flames. It radiated nobility and power.
"Moltres?" Drake immediately recognized it.
The Legendary Fire-type, said to be born from magma itself. It's told that even the night sky glows where it flies.
So this was the Legendary Pokémon hinted at in the Hive's mission briefing. No wonder only trainers with King-class Pokémon were authorized to attempt this task…
Drake now understood the hidden meaning behind that warning.
Moltres flew straight toward the mutated Dragonite, clearly sensing its presence as a threat.
Even among Legendary Pokémon, territorial instinct runs deep—especially when faced with a being whose very presence radiates strange power.
Moltres let out a piercing screech and unleashed a burst of Flamethrower.
A massive pillar of searing flame shot straight at Dragonite, who looped mid-air to dodge the attack.
"Gengar, Shadow Ball!" Drake barked.
With a flick of its tiny arms, Gengar conjured a barrage of basketball-sized orbs of dark energy, launching them toward Moltres in rapid succession.
Moltres flapped its wings and gained altitude, deftly dodging the barrage.
But a flash of red light glinted in Gengar's eyes—and suddenly, the previously dodged orbs arced mid-air, homing in from behind.
"Electabuzz, use Thunder!" Drake ordered.
This wasn't a League match. A coordinated multi-Pokémon attack against a Legendary? Drake felt no shame.
"Elekkaaa~" Electabuzz crackled with power as golden currents surged from the dual conductors on its head, shooting into the sky.
CRACK!
A massive bolt of gold thunder slammed down from the clouds, striking Moltres square in the back, knocking several burning feathers loose.
Though Gengar and Electabuzz were only Leader-class, their teamwork was enough to pressure a Legendary—especially with Dragonite taking point.
Seeing that Moltres had slowed down from the lightning strike, Dragonite closed in, claws glowing with brilliant cyan-gold.
Dragon Claw slashed across Moltres' chest, leaving glowing trails of blood in the air.
Moltres shrieked in pain and flapped hard, forcing Gengar and Dragonite back with a wave of fire—a Inferno Storm, a variant of Inferno intensified by its rage.
But the damage had been done. Drake could tell from Dragonite's close strike that the virus had now entered Moltres' bloodstream.
Time to retreat.
Though the surprise assault had worked, Moltres was now enraged. A prolonged battle would be a losing game.
Gengar had already taken a hit from the counterattack. If only Dragonite remained, the missions on the remaining islands would be in jeopardy.
Drake ordered Dragonite to block Moltres and swiftly mounted Onix for retreat.
Dragonite—formerly a mere entry-level King-class Pokémon—had gained significant power after unrestrained virus augmentation. It might not be able to take Moltres down solo, but it could hold it off.
Once Drake was over thirty miles away from Fire Island aboard Blastoise, Dragonite finally caught up.
Seeing that the intruders were gone, Moltres didn't pursue. The gash across its chest still throbbed—it needed to return to the lava below for recovery.
With Moltres no longer chasing, Drake moved on to the second island.
Based on his calculations between Shamouti Island and Fire Island, he quickly located his next destination.
This island was mountainous but lacked volcanic activity. Riding Dragonite in a wide aerial sweep, Drake spotted another altar at the island's summit.
Another orb.
He landed directly in front of the stone dais. Embedded within was a glowing, golden orb.
Similar in design to the one from Fire Island—but instead of flame, this one crackled with electric energy.
He stashed the orb in his pack. Not wanting to attract more powerful Pokémon, Drake quickly mounted Dragonite for departure.
Unfortunately, it seemed Dragonite's aura was too potent. In just a few minutes, the island's apex predator appeared—a massive bird Pokémon with a long orange beak and black-and-gold spiked feathers on its wings and tail.
"You've gotta be kidding… Zapdos?"
As the second Legendary, cloaked in crackling thunder, loomed above, Drake couldn't help but laugh.
This mission was absolutely worth it.
Infecting these Legendary Pokémon—that was Hive's true objective. But what were the orbs for?
Drake didn't have answers. What he did have was a thunderous problem hurtling straight toward him.
…
Mt. Coronet, Sinnoh Region.
Towering high above the heart of the Sinnoh region, Mt. Coronet is the tallest and most ancient mountain in all of Sinnoh. Its vast, snow-covered peaks stretch across the land, dividing Sinnoh into East and West.
Now, at the summit—perpetually blanketed in snow—several human figures stood.
Behind each of them loomed powerful Pokémon, their presence radiating overwhelming might. Each one was a force to be reckoned with, the kind of strength that made the very air hum with tension.
"Where are Brandon and Anabel?" Lance asked, frowning.
According to the plan, today was the day Anabel would establish contact with Lugia. But since last night, both Brandon and Anabel had mysteriously vanished without a trace.
"Could something have happened to them?" Cynthia said, concern evident in her voice.
Coordinating with Mythical Pokémon to repel the apocalyptic virus was no trivial task. Both Brandon and Anabel were elite-level Trainers—Champions in their own right. They would never simply disappear or show up late.
As the group exchanged theories and concerns, a haunting and melodious cry echoed through the skies.
A massive, silver Pokémon descended from the heavens above, its wings spread like the tides themselves.
The aura it exuded was regal and absolute—none other than Lugia, the Guardian of the Seas.
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