Lucius furrowed his brow. He vaguely sensed that something unknown was happening—like an invisible pair of eyes was watching him, observing his every move, waiting for the right moment to strike.
Exhaling slowly, Lucius decided to first settle the matter of the Crystal Onix's nest. Afterward, he planned to browse through the consciousness of all infected hosts to see if anything had gone wrong.
...
Ophelia parked the car by the roadside, her heart still pounding. She glanced at Scott, who sat in the backseat. "Did you hear that?"
"Hear what?" Scott asked blankly.
"After you said 'I join,' did you hear any voice?"
"I heard it—that was the 'Source's' voice. He invited us."
"The Source?" Ophelia turned to Scott, unable to grasp the meaning of the term.
"He's our 'Source'—we are one with him. He is our highest existence." Scott paused, then added, "He was inside me before."
Ophelia's hair stood on end, a shiver running down her spine as if she'd been jolted by electricity.
"The Source... The Source..." she muttered. In that moment, she felt an invisible connection form between herself and something far away—just like the peculiar bond she shared with Scott.
"I need to report this to Shadow Ops."
The thought flickered through her mind, but Scott's voice interrupted her. "Shall we keep going?"
She blinked, restarting the car toward Saffron City—completely forgetting her intention to report to Shadow Ops.
What she didn't know was that the moment she joined Hive, a mental anchor had been planted in her consciousness—one that erased any thought of revealing Hive's secrets to the outside world.
...
"Is this the boy you mentioned the other day?" Professor Oak looked at Gold, sensing a familiar energy in him—similar to Ash and Gary.
"Yes." Oliver Doyle nodded. "Gold and his Treecko—I'll leave them in your care."
"Hahaha, don't worry. I'll take good care of him." Professor Oak chuckled heartily.
Oliver felt reassured by Professor Oak's promise.
Within the League, opinions on the virus varied.
Led by Dr. Rowan, Sinnoh Champion Cynthia, and Battle Pyramid King Brandon, some high-ranking officials advocated for large-scale inspections worldwide—destroying all infected hosts before their numbers grew.
Meanwhile, others like Professor Oak, Unova Champion Alder, and Hoenn Champion Steven Stone believed in containment and research—seeking a cure or even a way to improve the virus, turning it into something that could benefit humans and Pokémon alike.
That's why Oliver had brought Gold to Indigo Plateau, under Professor Oak's watchful eye, rather than any other research facility.
After Oliver left, Professor Oak noticed Gold's hesitation. He smiled kindly. "Don't worry, child. We'll keep you safe."
Gold simply nodded, saying nothing. The main reason he'd come along was the terrifying sight of the mutated monsters in the Orange Islands. He feared becoming one of them—and even more, he feared hurting others.
"Professor, may I video call my family and friends?"
"Of course." Professor Oak nodded. This boy would likely be staying for a while, and he deserved to let his loved ones know. Besides, Oak trusted that this clever child would know what to say—and what not to say.
...
Soran pulled the hood of his sweatshirt low, sunglasses and a mask concealing his face as he sauntered toward an apartment building.
In Cerulean City, the building was decent—affordable only for the middle class.
Ding-dong...
He rang one of the doors.
Soon, a moderately attractive woman opened the door. Her tired face turned wary at the sight of his heavily wrapped appearance. "May I ask who you're looking for?"
"Are you Scott's wife?" Soran asked.
"Yes." The woman nodded immediately at the mention of Scott's name, her eyes anxious. "Who are you? Do you know where he is?"
A month ago, Scott had been mugged on his way home from a late shift, sustaining severe injuries. The doctors declared him in a vegetative state.
Scott had been the family's breadwinner—their sole source of income. His condition plunged them into hardship.
Though heartbroken, his wife had no choice but to work to support their child and elderly parents.
Then, a few days ago, Scott had mysteriously vanished from the hospital. Security footage showed him waking up and walking out on his own.
It was both a blessing and a curse—her husband was alive, but he had disappeared without a trace.
She'd reported it to the police, but Cerulean's force was stretched thin after recent disasters, with no resources to spare.
The woman clutched Soran's hand tightly, as if afraid he would vanish too. "Do you know where my husband is? We've been looking everywhere for him."
Even with his enhanced mutant body, Soran winced at her grip.
He shook her off, checking his sleeve for tears before speaking. "Scott's fine. I'm his friend. He's working out of town now—better pay. He'll send money regularly."
Soran shoved a thick envelope into her hands and turned to leave.
"Wait! Why doesn't he call us himself?" she cried, grabbing his coat again.
In her desperation, she accidentally yanked off his sunglasses.
Soran's mutated eyes—each pupil twitching independently toward his temples—created a grotesque, almost comical sight.
The woman nearly dropped the money in fright.
Seizing the moment, Soran wrenched free, snatched his glasses, and fled.
His altered appearance could not be seen by ordinary people.
The woman stood frozen, clutching the money. After a long pause, she murmured, "Is he really working out of town? Why wouldn't he call us?"
At least... their financial burdens would ease.
"Tch... if the Source weren't using your husband's body, I'd have beaten you up," Soran muttered as he left.
Raindrops began to patter against his hood.
"Hm? Rain?" Soran tilted his head, glancing up at the dark clouds gathering overhead. He muttered to himself, "I'll deliver the rest tomorrow… heh, doing good deeds isn't so bad after all."
Crack—BOOM!
A deafening thunderclap echoed across the sky as a bolt of lightning struck down, crashing directly onto him...
-----
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