It sounded as if the future had turned into an apocalyptic nightmare, with an undead swarm of Pokémon laying waste to the world. But that wasn't my vision at all. Had my future self changed their mind? Or had the system assigned such a task?
As Lucius pondered this, Giovanni continued speaking. "This incident will undoubtedly go down as one of the most significant events in world history. However, for Team Rocket, it's not necessarily a bad thing."
Upon hearing this, most of the people in the room frowned. Although they were part of a criminal organization, even criminals relied on a functioning society. Only in a stable system could they reap the greatest benefits.
Some might argue that chaos presents opportunities, but if it spirals into complete collapse, those so-called opportunities lead straight off a cliff.
A parasite thrives as long as its host—the society—remains alive. A healthy host means more sustenance for the parasite. But if a catastrophe of this magnitude were to occur, causing widespread disorder and societal breakdown—even the Pokémon League falling—could Team Rocket possibly stand stronger than the League?
Giovanni smiled slightly, seemingly aware of their concerns, and cast a glance at Dr. Namba across the table.
"Ahem, allow me to explain." The middle-aged scientist with thinning pink hair cleared his throat, drawing the attention of everyone present.
From the original canon, Lucius had a strong impression of this guy. His name was constantly mispronounced, and in one episode, he even kidnapped Professor Oak to force him into researching a Pokémon virus.
Wait… a Pokémon virus?
Lucius narrowed his eyes at the scientist.
According to Archer's memories, this man was one of Team Rocket's top-tier scientists, a researcher at the forefront of technological advancement. Many of Team Rocket's operations were conducted to support his studies, and he was even assigned a dedicated Special Operations Unit.
His primary research focus? The impact of negative emotions on a Pokémon's potential and the effects of viral substances on their strength.
"I have been researching a virus that enhances Pokémon potential," Dr. Namba began, glancing at Archer. "However, this research had not yielded any groundbreaking results—until yesterday. The substance extracted from the creature that Archer captured… or rather, the virus we isolated from it—has finally opened the door I had been knocking on for so long."
"Viruses differ from bacteria; they lack metabolic functions and cellular structures, surviving only by invading host cells. Though we haven't had enough time to fully understand it, preliminary testing has already confirmed that this virus drastically enhances a Pokémon's base attributes. More importantly, it adapts uniquely to each individual Pokémon, triggering different mutations."
"Do you realize what this means? It suggests that this virus might possess intelligence. It is so powerful that it exceeds the host's capacity to endure, leading to their breakdown and transformation. Though research has only just begun, I firmly believe that if a Pokémon's genetic structure is strong enough, it will not only survive the infection but also gain tremendous power." Dr. Namba's excitement grew as he spoke, perfectly embodying the image of a mad scientist.
"If Team Rocket can master the mutation patterns of this virus, we can mass-produce and control its effects. We will be able to create an endless army of Pokémon immune to death itself." His eyes gleamed red with fervor, as if already envisioning a world kneeling before Team Rocket.
Lucius couldn't help but admire the scientist's capabilities.
It had only been a day since he sent over the mutated Pokémon, and Dr. Namba had already made such discoveries. And he was right—the stronger the Pokémon, the higher its adaptability to the virus, just like Gardevoir.
However, he hadn't realized the most fundamental aspect: the individual link established in the Queen Ant Form—how higher fusion levels suppressed those with lower integration.
If Team Rocket continued their research, they might preempt the plan that Zeyan had hinted at.
Giovanni nodded. "That is why, in response to the potential outbreak of this virus, I have decided to temporarily halt our expansion beyond Kanto and Johto. From now on, our entire organization will shift its focus to capturing high-tier Pokémon and fully supporting the research division."
Ah… classic Team Rocket strategy: hold small meetings for major decisions, hold big meetings for minor ones, and avoid meetings altogether for the most critical matters.
Although this was technically a conference, it was nothing more than an announcement. Even though the attendees were all high-ranking members, Giovanni alone dictated the organization's direction.
Lucius could tell that this decision didn't sit well with many executives, while the scientists looked visibly pleased.
And no wonder—under Team Rocket's policy, whoever founded a division became its leader. The shift in strategic focus meant that those who had been working on expansion would see a significant reduction in organizational resources. In other words, all their previous efforts were rendered meaningless, and their aspirations of becoming regional commanders had just gone up in smoke.
On the other hand, the researchers were about to step out from behind the curtain and into the spotlight.
This news didn't concern Lucius much. After all, Archer was in charge of Johto, and as an Elite Four-level trainer, he remained unaffected.
However, Vicious wasn't pleased.
He had long desired to break free from Team Rocket's constraints. His original plan was to use his newfound strength as an Elite Four-level trainer to defeat Archer, establish his dominance, and propose the creation of a Unova division during the meeting. But today had been a complete disaster—first humiliated by Archer, and now Giovanni had shut down all plans for expansion.
It was as if every move had been aimed directly at him.
…
What exactly is Hive?
As Flora waited for her coffee, she pondered Ophelia's question.
Honestly, she had no idea.
But seeing the elegant, upper-class woman across from her wearing such a curious expression, she couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction.
She had never really given it much thought. All she knew was that she had gained extraordinary power and found friends who truly connected with her on a deep, intrinsic level.
That kind of connection felt amazing. Even among her own blood relatives, she had never felt anything like it before.
It was as if she had finally found her "real family."
But was Hive formed to create one big, happy family? Clearly not…
"Hmm… Hive is an organization dedicated to maintaining world peace," Flora answered seriously after some thought.
"???" Ophelia twitched.
That's it? Just 'maintaining world peace'…?
"And how exactly does Hive plan to maintain world peace?" Ophelia pressed, a wry smile forming on her lips.
As a trained member of Shadow Ops, she knew all too well that 'maintaining world peace' wasn't something you just said—it was something you did.
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