People are driven by their hearts. Though Anabel was a formidable psychic, she was far from being a flawless saint. She had her own emotions—joy, sorrow, anger, and longing.
But the deepest secret she had buried since childhood was the mystery of her origins.
Like every orphan, she had always wondered—where had her biological parents gone? Why was she adopted?
Even after she became an International Police officer, part of her motivation was to use her position to uncover her past.
It wasn't until she reached the higher ranks of the International Police that she learned the truth—she was someone who had fallen into this world through an Ultra Wormhole.
This was precisely why the League appointed her as the head of the UB Countermeasure Headquarters, tasking her with combating the Ultra Beasts that came from beyond this world.
It took her a long time to steady her breath.
"I won't join you," Anabel said softly. "Your existence poses too great a threat to this world. I cannot trust you."
"Heh, but I know you already do," Lucius chuckled. "Don't forget, we share the same bloodline. I know there are people from other worlds who have told you terrifying things, but I can assure you—I have no interest in destroying this world."
"Then what do you want?" Anabel asked.
"World peace."
"World peace?" Anabel nearly laughed, but not a single ounce of amusement reached her face.
"I can tell you this—I will eradicate all criminal organizations in this world. Within three days, I will uproot Team Rocket from Kanto." Lucius spoke indifferently. "After that, I will come to you again. I hope you will reconsider by then."
With that, Lucius vanished with Teleport.
Anabel did not stop him. She knew that this sentient virus, if ranked on the scale of human Trainers, had already reached the level of a Champion. Interfering now would only put innocent lives at risk.
Still, Lucius' words echoed in her mind, stirring turbulent waves within her.
Lucius reappeared in a forest on the outskirts of Slateport City.
He hadn't lingered because he sensed that many Elite Four-level Trainers from the Battle Frontier had begun converging toward the Battle Tower. He wasn't certain if they would risk destroying the entire facility just to take him down.
With Anabel's exceptional psychic abilities present, being surrounded could mean having the movements of the Emperor Strain tracked.
But even though he left, he had already achieved his goal.
He could feel it—his words had left an impact on Anabel.
A crack in one's resolve is the easiest thing to exploit.
Lucius strolled through the forest, letting the breeze brush against him.
The silence was unusual. The usual Wurmple and Zigzagoon were nowhere to be seen, hiding as if sensing an impending catastrophe. Only the sound of his footsteps, crunching softly against the forest floor, filled the air.
Suddenly, a violent surge of energy blasted toward him, sending a gust so fierce that Volkner's hair was whipped into disarray.
As the winds subsided, a majestic figure stood before Lucius, its crimson eyes locked onto him, burning with fury and uncontained hatred.
Ever since Raikou realized it had been tainted by a sinister force, it had left the Battle Frontier, waiting here for Entei and Suicune to arrive.
But its restless anger and volatile aura pressed down upon the forest like an invisible weight, leaving the smaller Pokémon gasping for breath.
And yet, to its shock, the very source of that corruption had now brazenly appeared before it.
"Raikou, from today onward, I am your master," Lucius declared calmly.
Master?
Raikou's mind blazed with rage, but for some inexplicable reason, its body did not move to rip the man apart. Instead, it let out a deep, guttural growl.
"Heh." Lucius smirked. "Be good—roll over twice on the ground."
Raikou suddenly lost control of its body, as if it were merely reacting on instinct. Against its own will, it rolled onto its back and playfully flipped twice.
This bastard—was he treating it like a dog?!
Raikou could hardly believe that it had been reduced to this.
"Weren't you always Ho-Oh's hound?" Lucius sneered. "From now on, be mine."
He lifted his right foot.
Raikou's body instinctively crawled forward, its tongue flicking out to lick his boot twice.
"Hahahaha, good boy." Lucius laughed as he patted Raikou's head, utterly unconcerned with the seething fury raging within the Legendary Beast.
Lucius had never been the type to engage in petty humiliation.
But this Thunder Hound had nearly wiped out his entire swarm of infected creatures back in Cerulean City. It was also the one that had imprinted the virus' signature onto Anabel, allowing her to track him down at sea—almost leading to his death.
Now that it had fallen into his hands, it was only right to train it properly.
Sealing Raikou inside a Poké Ball, Lucius returned to Slateport City, preparing to take a ship from Slateport Harbor back to Kanto.
After all, forcing Gardevoir to keep teleporting across continents was exhausting, especially after their recent skirmish at the Battle Tower.
Even a Trainer like him knew better than to overwork his Pokémon.
Slateport City was located in the southern part of the Hoenn region and was the ninth-largest city in the world.
It was originally settled due to its clean water sources and abundant food supply, which attracted people to gather there. Over time, it developed into a world-class port city with a thriving trade industry, with ships frequently arriving and departing.
The city was home to the renowned Stern's Shipyard and the Oceanic Museum, both major attractions in the area.
Lucius didn't waste time sightseeing. He headed straight to the port and purchased a ticket for a ship bound for Vermilion City in the Kanto region.
At that moment, a luxurious car pulled up. A middle-aged man in a gray suit, with a friendly demeanor, stepped out.
A swarm of reporters immediately rushed toward him like a tidal wave, blocking his path.
"Mr. Stern, there are rumors that your partnership with Devon Corporation wasn't entirely voluntary. Is there any truth to that?"
"Mr. Stern, we've heard that the S.S. Tidal is nearing completion. When will it officially be put into operation?"
"Mr. Stern, there are reports claiming that you're having an affair with a Gym Leader from another region. How do you respond to these allegations?"
"Mr. Stern, is it true that you have invested in Mauville Holdings?"
Stern remained silent in the face of the reporters' questions. Under the protection of his security team, he made his way into the harbor building without uttering a word.
Stern…
Lucius remembered this man. He was a well-known entrepreneur in Slateport City. In the Pokémon games, he was responsible for developing the submarine engines used by both Team Aqua and Team Magma.
Based on the memories of Archer, Volkner, and others, Stern was also a famous figure in the real world, with numerous business ventures under his name. It seemed he even had a stake in this very port.
Seeing him sparked Lucius' curiosity.
The reporters had just mentioned Devon Corporation—one of Hoenn's largest companies, led by its president, Mr. Stone, the father of Hoenn's Champion, Steven Stone.
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