[Kanto's Sevii Islands]
Compared to the entirety of Kanto, the area here wasn't particularly large, yet it remained an essential part of the region.
Not only did every island have its own Gym, but this was also the hometown of Lorelei, one of the Elite Four and Kanto's Ice-type master.
Precisely because of that, Team Rocket had stationed considerable forces here, all under the command of the Three Beasts.
"Damn it! We just got word from mainland Kanto that Boss Giovanni disbanded Team Rocket and told us to surrender ourselves?"
"I refuse! Boss Giovanni should be leading Team Rocket to conquer the entire world."
"The current announcement must've been made because Giovanni-sama had no other choice. We need to preserve the Sevii Islands' forces and prepare for Boss Giovanni's comeback."
The three known as Team Rocket's Three Beasts, Chakra, Sird, and Orm, sat inside the command room of the airborne battleship, each filled with resistance.
Some of them didn't want to surrender. Some still dreamed of conquering the world. Others wanted to preserve enough strength for Giovanni to rise again.
Though each harbored different motives, they reached the same conclusion in action.
"We still have the airborne mothership and a portion of the space virus samples. We may not have any researchers right now, but we can cultivate new ones ourselves."
"The mothership alone is already enough to ensure our survival. Once we reproduce the space virus genes, dominating the world will be entirely possible."
"Exactly. Then we can bring Boss Giovanni back!"
Hearing Orm's last sentence, Chakra and Sird curled their lips in disdain, though neither objected.
Among the three of them, Giovanni trusted Orm the most and had granted him the highest level of authority.
Without Orm, they wouldn't even be able to activate the mothership's strongest functions.
Sird tapped the table lightly, "Since we've already agreed on the overall direction, the next thing to decide is whether the mothership should stay airborne or submerge into the sea."
"Staying in the sky is the safest option. Aside from a handful of Legendary Pokémon, nothing else could even reach us."
"But the energy consumption would be enormous, meaning we'd have to descend regularly to replenish power."
"Submerging underwater would make us easier to attack, but we could remain hidden indefinitely. Let's vote."
"Alright."
"Fine!"
After thinking for a moment, Orm spoke first, "I suggest hiding underwater. That way the mothership can conserve enough energy. If Boss Giovanni ever wants to make a comeback, it'll be far more convenient!"
"I disagree. It's too dangerous!", Chakra immediately voiced his objection.
Watching the two begin arguing, Sird chuckled softly, "Looks like the two of you can't agree?"
"In that case, the deciding vote falls to me. I choose—"
"You don't need to decide. I still have a vote here."
A weary voice suddenly rang out.
An overwhelming chill descended instantly, coating the entire airborne mothership in frost.
"The Masked Man? No… I guess I should call you Pryce now," Through the control console, Sird saw the familiar figure standing ahead of the mothership.
"It's true that Team Rocket has always cooperated with you people, but that was Lance and the others' business."
"When the Three Beasts make decisions, it's not your place as an outsider to interfere!"
"Outsider…", Pryce's expression remained utterly still, like a face frozen beneath layers of ice. Then suddenly, it twisted into a faintly crazed smile.
"You three are my daughter's chance to redeem herself."
"I've already lost Lapras… I can't lose my last daughter too."
"Giovanni can throw away all of Team Rocket for the sake of his son. I can also earn enough merit for the sake of my daughter."
"Before you get captured… let me thank you first for not surrendering yourselves."
"Mamoswine, Delibird, attack!"
Before the Three Beasts could react, Pryce's assault had already begun!
"Mamoswine, Icicle Crash! Delibird, Present!"
Pryce's commands were cold and precise, devoid of even a trace of hesitation.
Mamoswine let out an earth-shaking roar as its massive tusks gleamed with icy light. Countless sharp, lightning-fast icicles materialized in midair like artillery shells, screaming through the sky as they rained down upon the mothership's energy shield.
At the same time, Delibird reached beneath its comical red tail and pulled out one dangerous "gift box" after another, each wrapped in dense Ice-type energy. They were hurled at high speed, striking the exact points already under concentrated attack from the icicles.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Violent explosions erupted across the shield. Ice shards and fragmented energy scattered everywhere.
The barrier flickered wildly, clearly under tremendous strain.
"Activate defensive countermeasures! Maximize energy output!", Orm roared inside the command room, his hands flying across the control panel.
The mothership's side cannons rapidly adjusted position, unleashing blazing energy beams in an attempt to intercept the icicles and exploding presents. At the same time, several tracking missiles streaked toward Pryce and his two Pokémon.
Pryce's gaze sharpened slightly, "Delibird, Protect. Mamoswine, Blizzard!"
Delibird swiftly flew in front of Pryce and erected a pale blue barrier, blocking every incoming beam and missile.
Meanwhile, Mamoswine inhaled deeply, its chest swelling enormously before it unleashed a freezing torrent cold enough to freeze the soul itself.
A terrifying blizzard instantly swept through the skies, causing the temperature to plummet.
The mothership's energy beams rapidly weakened and distorted within the freezing storm before dissipating entirely.
As for the tracking missiles, their propulsion systems froze solid, turning them into giant chunks of ice that dropped straight into the sea below.
Under the blizzard's suppression, even the mothership's shield emitted strained creaking sounds. Thick layers of ice rapidly formed across its surface, and the flow of energy became sluggish and unstable.
"Shield energy dropping rapidly! 60%… 40%… 15%! We can't hold it much longer!", Chakra shouted in alarm as he stared at the flashing numbers on the screen.
"Impossible! How can this old man's Ice-type Pokémon be this strong?", Sird cried out in disbelief. Pryce's strength far exceeded their estimates.
"It's the environment! This is the Sevii Islands, close to the Seafoam Islands and Lorelei's hometown. The entire area is saturated with dense Ice-type energy. On top of that, the mothership already consumed part of its power supply when it took flight, so the shield isn't at full strength!"
Orm instantly analyzed the reason, his expression turning ugly.
"Initiate emergency evasive maneuvers! All weapons target Pryce, full saturation bombardment!"
The massive mothership attempted to turn, trying to avoid the center of the blizzard.
More cannons opened. Missile silos unlocked.
In an instant, countless energy shells and missiles surged toward Pryce like a swarm of locusts, the dense barrage leaving virtually no gaps.
Faced with enough firepower to erase a small town in moments, Pryce merely curled his lips into a cold smile.
"A futile struggle."
He didn't command Mamoswine or Delibird to defend.
Instead, he slowly pulled an ancient, heavy Poké Ball from his robes, his tone dark and chilling.
"I know you once harmed Him…"
"Now, it's His turn to claim justice."
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