"So, munch, munch, munch, you want me to fly over Hoenn, munch, munch, munch, and search for traces of the last remaining meteorite, munch, munch, munch?"
Rayquaza chewed the meteorites in satisfaction, its body surrounded by a full, glowing halo of energy.
Behind it, Groudon and Kyogre lay sprawled on the ground in exhaustion, as if every last bit of strength had been drained from them.
"Human! Why didn't you let Groudon and me undergo Primal Reversion?!"
Kyogre's voice carried suppressed anger, and the surging waves around its body clearly revealed its dissatisfaction.
Grey replied calmly, "I promised I wouldn't interfere. I never said I would lend you a hand."
The time went back to around ten minutes earlier.
Groudon and Kyogre had originally come in aggressively to pick a fight, trying to take advantage of Rayquaza's poor condition and wash away their old humiliation.
However, without the support of their Primal Reversion forms, they quickly fell into a difficult battle.
Although Rayquaza's source had not recovered, relying on its natural advantage, it still displayed overwhelming strength.
Its thick dragon tail directly shattered all of Groudon's Precipice Blades. Its flexible movements made Kyogre's Ice Beams miss again and again.
In just a few rounds, these two gods of the land and sea were successively pressed down to the ground by Dragon Claw.
Faced with the absolute difference in strength, the two super-ancient deities could only unwillingly insist that they refused to accept the result…
If Grey had let them undergo Primal Reversion, they definitely would not have looked this pathetic!
That was what Groudon and Kyogre thought.
But letting them beat up Rayquaza?
Not happening.
Back to the present.
"Damn human!"
Groudon and Kyogre glared at Grey in perfect unison, their eyes almost spitting fire.
If this human had not held onto the orbs and refused to let them undergo Primal Reversion, how could they have ended up so miserable in front of their old rival?!
"Human, I thought you were on their side. Good thing you weren't. Nice work."
Rayquaza leisurely circled beside Grey and affectionately rubbed against his arm.
Then it turned toward the two defeated losers and raised its head, its dragon eyes full of smugness. "Well, well, well. You two defeated losers, where did all that arrogance from earlier go? Come on, keep acting tough."
"Tch."
Groudon and Kyogre silently looked away, not wanting to deal with these two.
"Let's set that aside for now."
Grey gently waved his hand and cut to the main topic. "Rayquaza, do you know where we can still find similar meteorites?"
Rayquaza regretfully swayed its dragon head. "Over the years, I've already searched every known meteorite impact site. You already took the one at Mt. Chimney, and I only just learned about the one at Meteor Falls from you. As for the final one, I truly have no idea."
Great. Now they could only run around like headless chickens.
Grey's head started to ache.
Where exactly were they supposed to find a meteorite?
Grey closed his eyes and thought about a countermeasure.
Hoenn was so large. If they searched aimlessly, it would probably be very difficult to find the meteorite.
It would be all too easy to waste the whole month and find nothing.
"Should I call in another person?"
Grey took a different approach and felt that calling N and Zekrom over might be more effective than spending a month looking for a rock.
Zekrom was a top-tier Legendary Pokémon.
If it really came, then with Reshiram, Kyurem, Groudon, Kyogre, and Rayquaza on his side…
There would be six top-tier Legendary Pokémon!
With the help of the Mythical Pokémon Mew, this lineup actually seemed pretty convincing.
Even if there were still a few stragglers that slipped through when they shattered the meteorite, they still had Steven and the other powerful Trainers below. If everyone went all out, at most, only a few scattered meteor fragments would fall into the sea.
If they really fell into the sea…
The danger would basically be zero.
"What do you mean it'll be fine if they fall into the sea? You're saying that right in front of me, the lord of the sea? Do you have no shame? Believe it or not, I'll beat you up!"
Kyogre could sense what Grey was thinking.
After hearing Grey think that meteorites falling into the sea would not be a threat, Kyogre could not help arguing with him.
"Hey, you're the true God of the Sea anyway. For you, that little bit of meteorite would probably just be a tiny crisis. You could solve it with a casual move."
Grey waved his hand and said it without a care.
"Tch."
Kyogre snorted coldly.
But if it really was as Grey said, and only that bit of meteorite fell into the sea, then it truly would only cause harmless damage.
Kyogre alone could solve it casually.
But that was still no reason for Grey to use its ocean as a shield!
Kyogre was a little irritated at the moment and just wanted to find something to vent on.
Where should it go to start trouble?
Hmm…
"Hm?"
Kyogre tilted its head. It could sense that something dangerous seemed to be happening in the distant ocean.
Right now, the danger was not large, but if left alone, its level of danger would far surpass the meteor crisis.
"Human, I remember the Orange Islands are part of your Kanto region, right?"
"That's right. Why are you suddenly bringing that up?"
Grey was extremely confused.
Although Hoenn and Kanto were relatively close, Kyogre suddenly mentioning this, was it trying to say something?
"Nothing much. It's just that the sea around your Kanto region's Orange Islands seems off… I remember a fellow top-tier Legendary Pokémon is there too. But it seems like… it's about to be captured?"
Kyogre's expression changed slightly.
A top-tier Legendary Pokémon being captured by humans, wasn't that a disgrace among top-tier Legendaries?
Hearing that, Grey's expression also changed.
What did it mean, the top-tier Legendary Pokémon at the Orange Islands was about to be captured?
The Orange Islands…
Wait!
Wasn't that where Lugia was?
Damn it!
Team Rocket was making a move now?!
Damn you, Giovanni! You saw me in Hoenn and decided to go straight for Lugia, didn't you?!
When Grey thought of Giovanni, who had slipped away, he became so angry his teeth itched.
"Rayquaza, you go search for the meteorite. I'll leave Hoenn for a bit with Groudon and Kyogre first. Then I'll bring some reinforcements back."
Grey thought of a way to call in backup.
He had also captured a Mewtwo.
And there was that Lugia that was about to be captured.
If he saved it too, then called in Mewtwo, that would be a full eight top-tier Legendary Pokémon!
At that point, why even look for the meteorite?
Could eight top-tier Legendary Pokémon not resolve the crisis?
Thinking that, Grey quickly sent Steven a message.
Dojo Annihilape: Steven, something happened over in Kanto. Team Rocket is about to make a move on Lugia in the Orange Islands. I'm heading back to help out, and I'll bring some reinforcements over while I'm at it.
Steven Stone: No problem. Handle your own matter first, Grey. We still have a month. It'll be fine.
After explaining the situation, Grey left in a hurry.
…
…
Orange Islands, inside Team Rocket's vessel.
After leaving Hoenn, Giovanni had stopped by here along the way to see how the plan to capture Lugia was progressing.
The answer was obvious. Things were moving in a good direction.
At this moment, Dr. Namba pointed at the violently fluctuating ocean current data on the monitoring screen, his face showing a fanatical expression. "Boss, Lugia is indeed living beneath this sea area. According to the energy readings, now is the best time to carry out the capture."
Giovanni nodded slightly. "Namba, how confident are you in this operation?"
Right now, Giovanni was certain that Grey was far away in Hoenn handling the crisis and absolutely could not notice the movements in the Orange Islands.
Thinking that after all the plans he had arranged over the years, one of them was finally about to be fulfilled, a determined gleam flashed through Giovanni's eyes.
Dr. Namba reported with complete confidence, "Ninety percent."
Giovanni nodded in satisfaction.
But.
At that moment, Mewtwo appeared beside him through Teleport and, without any explanation, disappeared from the spot together with him.
Giovanni frowned slightly, showing confusion.
He had just been about to ask Mewtwo why it had done that.
Then Mewtwo's voice sounded inside his mind. "Mew is bringing Grey here. If we don't run now, it really will be too late."
Giovanni froze.
There were clearly no traces of Kanto League Trainers in either the Orange Islands or the Hoenn region. How had the other side learned of the news in such a short time?
Now was not the time to investigate. Giovanni made a prompt decision and chose to retreat.
"Where is Colress?"
But soon, Giovanni remembered that dark scientist.
Dr. Namba would probably be captured. If they also lost Colress, Team Rocket's research capabilities would likely stagnate.
Mewtwo calmly answered, "He has already been safely sent back to headquarters."
Hearing that, Giovanni let out a breath of relief.
As long as Colress was still there, that was fine.
As for Namba…
If he had to be sacrificed, then so be it.
Some things had to be let go.
…
…
"Everyone, it's time for our performance! Let's bring the boss good news as quickly as possible!"
On Dr. Namba's side, he knew nothing about the real reason Giovanni had left. He simply assumed the boss was busy and had gone to handle other matters.
He turned around and operated the control console, locking onto the coordinates of Lightning Island, Fire Island, and Ice Island. Then he started the missile launch procedure without the slightest hesitation.
Boom!
Several missiles trailed flaming tails and shot straight toward the three sacred islands, only to be destroyed in midair by sudden flames, lightning, and frost just before they hit.
And there they were.
Moltres, Zapdos, and Articuno had appeared!
The three Legendary birds spread their wings and hovered in the air, their gazes piercing through the sea surface as they locked onto the Team Rocket submarine hidden in the distance.
"They really appeared! The powerful Legendary birds!"
Seeing this, Dr. Namba immediately ordered, "Everyone, dive into the deep-sea zone together! Then head toward your assigned islands!"
The submarines sank deep into the sea and soon vanished.
Having lost their attack targets, the three Legendary birds immediately turned their hostility toward one another, instantly plunging into a chaotic battle.
Lightning raced and flashed through the clouds. Surging waves and bone-chilling cold currents intertwined. Blazing flames burned across the islands. The entire sea seemed to have fallen into the apocalypse.
Watching this scene, Dr. Namba's face revealed a smile that said everything was going exactly as he had expected.
He had collected plenty of information over the past few days.
Just as he had predicted, when the three Legendary birds appeared to protect their respective sacred islands, the natural balance between heaven and earth was broken.
The thunderstorm caused by Zapdos, the scorching waves stirred up by Moltres, and the cold currents brought by Articuno were clashing with each other. The energy field of this sea area had begun to fall into violent disorder.
In order to calm the natural crisis caused by the battle between the three Legendary birds, the God of the Sea, Lugia, would definitely appear to restore the balance!
And that moment would be the best time for them to capture the Legendary Pokémon!
"Fight! As long as you fight! Whether it's the three Legendary birds or Lugia, all of you will become Team Rocket's prizes!"
Dr. Namba was still immersed in his fantasy of capturing Lugia when the deep sea suddenly churned violently.
A shadow appeared on the screen.
When he clearly saw the huge figure breaking through the waves, his whole body felt as if it had been struck by lightning.
A "whale" Pokémon was sitting in front of his vessel, even showing its white teeth in a teasing manner. The sight was terrifying.
Dr. Namba gripped the edge of the control console tightly, feeling as if his head were about to explode.
Wasn't that damn thing Kyogre?
Why would a Legendary Pokémon that should be thousands of miles away appear in the Orange Islands?!
Before Dr. Namba could think further, Kyogre had already raised towering waves.
Whirlpools forcefully lifted the entire submarine fleet out of the water. The metal hulls shook violently in the waves, like toys casually overturned by a mischievous child.
"Damn it… Why is Kyogre here?! No… If the three Legendary birds join forces, maybe they can take down Kyogre!"
Dr. Namba forced himself to endure the dizziness and looked toward the monitor, hoping to watch the three Legendary birds battle Kyogre.
However, all he saw was a blue-white flame tear through the gloomy clouds.
When he saw that pure-white dragon silhouette and the Trainer sitting on its neck, Dr. Namba's blood ran cold.
The appearance of Reshiram and Grey meant Team Rocket's carefully planned operation had been completely exposed!
"Kree!"
The three Legendary birds sensed Grey's presence and launched a fierce attack at the same time.
Zapdos called forth towering lightning, Moltres stirred up sky-burning flames, and Articuno summoned piercing frost. The three attacks converged and roared toward Grey!
"Reshiram."
Grey spoke softly.
Reshiram merely raised its dragon head, and blue-white flames spread out like the light of dawn.
Wherever the flames passed, lightning vanished, fire died, and ice melted.
The combined attack of the three Legendary birds was erased so effortlessly!
"Kree!"
Seeing this, the three Legendary birds immediately flew into a rage. Violent energy gathered between their wings once again.
At this critical moment, scorching reefs suddenly rose from the sea surface, and Groudon's towering body broke through the waves.
Countless Precipice Blades wrapped in magma shot into the sky, accurately striking the abdomens of the three Legendary Pokémon.
"Kree…"
The Legendary birds let out painful cries and fell like kites with severed strings.
The once-overbearing three Legendary birds now lay in a sorry state on the reefs, their wings spread messily and the energy glow around their bodies already dimmed.
Kyogre slowly rose from the waves, gazed at the defeated Legendary birds, and let out a long cry toward the bottom of the sea.
Deep beneath the sea, Lugia awakened from its slumber. Its silver-white wings gently moved within the undercurrent.
It raised its head, sensing the abnormal energy fluctuations on the sea surface in confusion.
Lugia had been awakened by Kyogre's call and still had no idea that the outside world had already been turned upside down.
"What happened… Holy shit?"
Lugia broke through the waves and appeared on the sea surface. When it saw the three Legendary birds collapsed on the reefs, as well as Reshiram circling in the sky and Groudon and Kyogre standing among the waves, its wings immediately froze in midair.
This God of the Sea fell completely into bewilderment.
"Lugia, let me explain what's going on."
Grey slowly stepped forward and explained Team Rocket's plot to capture it.
Lugia nodded gently. Although it did not quite understand what "Team Rocket" specifically referred to, looking at the miserable state of the three Legendary birds and the lineup of Legendary Pokémon before it, it knew very well that it had indeed narrowly escaped disaster.
So…
They were not here to cause trouble for it, right?
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