Unlike Lucius, whose virus was integrated with a system, human consciousness is tied to a physical brain. The moment Archer's brain was paralyzed, his will immediately dissipated.
With his mental resistance gone, Lucius proceeded with his psychic erosion.
To avoid damaging Archer's brain functions, Lucius maintained the paralysis for less than ten seconds. However, after the paralysis wore off, it took Archer more than a minute to regain consciousness and piece his will back together.
"You... What exactly are you—"
"Paralysis."
Lucius didn't wait for Archer to fully recover his awareness before paralyzing his brain again, interrupting his thoughts.
"What's happening to me? You—"
"Paralysis."
"..."
Repeatedly, the unfortunate Archer barely had a second of lucidity before being plunged back into paralysis. Each time he regained consciousness, the duration before he could think clearly grew longer and longer.
Finally, after the sixty-fifth time Lucius shattered his consciousness, Archer's will completely collapsed.
He held out longer than I expected.
This was Lucius' first time doing something like this, and Archer's tenacity exceeded his expectations. An ordinary person wouldn't have lasted even thirty cycles.
If he wasn't actively suppressing bodily mutations, Lucius could have controlled him outright just through the fusion rate. But to maintain Archer's outward appearance, he had to take this approach instead.
"My apologies, Mr. Archer. I'll be taking over your body entirely."
Archer slowly got up from the floor and walked to a mirror. The reflection still showed the same blue hair and handsome features—outwardly, nothing had changed.
"Hmm, this body is much better than Scott's," Lucius muttered as he stretched, feeling quite pleased.
Scott's body, being comatose, was easier to control without effort. However, Archer's well-trained physique was far superior to that of an office worker who had been bedridden for over a month.
Not to mention the resources and secrets Archer possessed—this effort had been well worth it.
With Archer's will completely destroyed, this body had to be used long-term. If the Emperor Strain ever left, he would instantly become a mindless husk, and the unrestrained virus would mutate him into a monster.
Wait… Does this count as possession? The thought flashed through Lucius' mind.
Scott's body was no longer necessary for now, but since he had been a vegetative patient, he had no reasoning capability to preserve. Left unattended in the car, his body would soon mutate, driven by primal hunger.
Well, I did inhabit your body at some point. I can't be that heartless...
Let's give it a try.
Lucius activated the "Heart of the Emperor" skill, remotely manipulating the virus to stimulate Scott's brain.
Scott's brain death had been caused by external trauma and extreme cold, but there was no actual tissue loss. Lucius' virus happened to accelerate metabolism and generate bioelectric currents.
Under continuous stimulation, the virus rapidly mutated his brain, reactivating most of its functions.
Scott's eyes snapped open.
Lucius ceased his control and observed. Scott seemed confused about why he was here, and some of his memories were fragmented.
It appeared that while he hadn't fully regained intelligence, he could walk, sit, and perform basic tasks. However, complex thinking and communication might be challenging.
Hmm~ He's a bit slow now, but at least he's alive again. His brain has restarted; maybe he'll gradually recover over time.
This works. If he couldn't regain rationality, I would have had to burn him to avoid unnecessary attention…
Lucius issued a remote command for Scott to drive to the base and notified the guards to let him in.
As a criminal organization, Team Rocket's nocturnal activities were considered normal, so the guards didn't find it odd that someone was arriving late at night.
"Bush, this is an informant I planted outside. He's returning to the team now. Take him to get settled," Lucius instructed as he exited his office, addressing a Team Rocket grunt.
"Yes, Mr. Archer," replied a Rocket member with slicked-back green hair, standing up immediately. He hesitated for a moment before saying, "Sir, my name is Butch."
"Oh. Got it, Bush." Lucius nodded.
"..."
As he watched Scott leave with his companion, Lucius smiled slightly.
This guy was none other than one-half of the Rocket duo that frequently clashed with Jessie and James in the original anime. His partner was a woman named Cassidy.
Although their missions often failed in the original series—mainly due to running into the protagonist group—their competence in executing standard operations was actually quite solid.
Both of them were members of Team Rocket's Special Operations Unit under Giovanni's direct command. This time, they were sent to join Archer's team under the orders of their squad leader, Pierce, to participate in the excavation project involving the Syndicate.
Pierce...
Lucius recalled him. This was the same man from the Pokémon: Black and White anime, the one who had met with the Rocket trio after their transformation into a darker, more serious force.
From Archer's memories, Pierce took direct orders from Giovanni and didn't have the best relationship with the four Rocket Executives.
Heh. Sending these two over… Does the Special Ops Unit want a piece of the ruins as well?
Lucius suddenly paused in thought. Thankfully, it wasn't Jessie, James, and Meowth who had shown up.
If it had been them, he wouldn't even know how to handle the situation…
Unlike Archer, Lucius didn't care whether Team Rocket's mission succeeded or failed. If necessary, he could eliminate everyone in the ruins without hesitation.
Since he hadn't enhanced Archer's body with any modifications, Lucius could now clearly feel the exhaustion creeping in after a long day's work.
This might be the first time I've actually felt tired since coming to this world.
The human body really is inconvenient…
...
The sun rose, casting its golden light over the land.
To the west of Cerulean City, on the road leading to Pewter City, stood a towering mountain range—Mount Moon.
Legend had it that meteorites frequently crashed here, enriching the interior with an abundance of Moon Stones. As a result, the mountain was never truly desolate; authorized mining companies operated within, and astronomy enthusiasts often traveled from afar to explore its mysteries.
Yet now, an eerie silence blanketed the entire mountain.
Three terrifying auras loomed atop its peak, an overwhelming pressure suffocating every living creature in the forest and caves below. Pokémon throughout the area trembled, cowering on the ground in fear.
Even the humans working in the mining zone felt an inexplicable sense of unease. Their heart rates spiked, their blood pressure rising as their instincts screamed at them—danger was near.
"D-Did you see that?"
"You saw it too?"
"Yeah… Good. At least I know I'm not hallucinating…"
Two workers who had been slacking off huddled behind a boulder, their eyes fixed in awe upon the three figures standing at the summit.
Even with their limited education and meager knowledge of Pokémon, they could instantly recognize these majestic beings.
The Legendary Beasts of Johto—
Entei, Raikou, and Suicune.
The three regal and awe-inspiring Legendary Pokémon stood upon Mount Moon, their gazes locked onto Cerulean City, unmoving…
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