The cave behind was deep, narrow, and extremely long, as well as incredibly dim. Shelly, driving the submarine, had to rely on the strong light of the searchlight to barely see the path ahead clearly.
However, even though Shelly was traveling at full speed, she still hadn't caught up with Archie.
Fortunately, after traveling another few hundred meters, light gradually appeared before their eyes, and the passage curved upward. Obviously, they were about to reach the end.
Finally, as the submarine broke through the water surface, Natsui and the others arrived inside an underground cavern.
Before they could see the surrounding environment clearly, they saw an identical submarine parked on the side.
Needless to say, this must be Archie's transport vehicle!
It was just that there was no movement inside the submarine long ago. Only one Team Aqua member remained on the shore nearby, standing guard.
Shelly opened the hatch and was the first to crawl out.
"Seeing Shelly, the member froze for a moment before quickly saluting. 'Ma'am, what brings you here?'"
While speaking, his gaze swept over Natsui and Misty, who crawled out one after another behind Shelly, feeling very puzzled in his heart.
Who are these two people?
Their faces look very unfamiliar.
Shelly calmly blocked his line of sight and asked, "Where is the leader?"
That member pointed deeper inside: "He just left; he shouldn't have gone very far."
Shelly said no more. She quickly left with Natsui and Misty, chasing in the direction Archie left along the pitch-black cavern.
They walked faster and faster, eventually almost running and dashing, using both hands and feet to cross various protruding rocks and water ditches.
Even with the flashlight's illumination, visibility in the cavern was still limited. One moment of carelessness could easily lead to a fall.
Just now, while climbing over a rock, Shelly lost her footing and almost fell. Fortunately, Natsui supported her in time.
However, this woman had absolutely no sense of gratitude. Without even a word of thanks, she continued to rush on with her head down.
Despite this, Natsui felt a burst of amusement.
Clearly, a few days ago, the two were fighting to the death over the same Pokémon. Unexpectedly, now they had temporarily become people on the same front.
One could only say that fate is sometimes truly unpredictable.
After hurrying for a few minutes, vague light suddenly came from the road ahead, and the sound of 'splash splash' flowing water rang in their ears. Amidst the sound of water, conversation could also be faintly heard.
The group hurriedly quickened their pace. Walking until they were closer and closer to the light, they vaguely saw four figures at the brightly lit spot!
And a rough and loud man's voice also came over at this moment.
"Hahaha! The legendary super-ancient Pokémon—Kyogre!! After so many years, I've finally found it!!!"
Before seeing the person, they heard the voice first.
Just hearing this voice, Natsui knew this should be Archie!
Moving a bit closer, they saw the person in the lead among them. Although not as burly as Matt whom they just saw, his physique was also very strong. He wore a blue bandana on his head, had a beard, and was dressed somewhat like a pirate of old. He wore a blue diving suit that looked like shark skin, and on his chest, he wore an iron chain fashioned into the shape of an anchor, giving people a feeling of being extremely capable and tough!
Beside him were three other elite members, two men and one woman.
And in front of these people was a bright pool of water. This water seemed to emit a strange blue light. Looking at the center of the pool, a gigantic blue Pokémon—resembling a whale but not a whale, a bird but not a bird, a fish but not a fish—was floating quietly there!
Needless to say, this was precisely the Pokémon hailed as the embodiment of the sea, possessing the power to manipulate water, and described in mythology as expanding the oceans by submerging the land with torrential rains and towering waves—Kyogre!
This was a Pokémon even rarer than Lugia. Some people spent their entire lives without even seeing a Lugia, let alone Kyogre.
"Listen well, Kyogre! This is the great and magnificent leader of Team Aqua, Archie! I've waited so long for this day to come! Kyogre, look at this world now! It's in complete chaos! People's greed for power and money has thrown the world into turmoil! Nature, Pokémon, everything is in ruin! And now, it's time to return the world to its rightful state!"
"While speaking, he took out a shining, crystal-like orb and extended it toward Kyogre!"
Arriving behind them, Shelly could no longer maintain her calm. While hurriedly running toward Archie, she shouted loudly, "Archie! Wait a moment!!"
"Hmm?"
Hearing the voice, Archie's hand stopped in mid-air. He frowned and looked back, seeing Shelly at a glance.
"Shelly?" He asked in surprise, "Why are you here? But that's good too, come look quickly! The goal we have pursued for so long is right before our eyes; it can be realized immediately!!"
"Wait a moment first! Listen to me!" Shelly said anxiously, "The world you expect and the world Kyogre will create are completely two different things!"
Archie's face darkened immediately: "What nonsense are you talking about?"
"I investigated everything at the Weather Institute!" Perhaps startled by Archie's sudden change of tone due to his long-standing authority, Shelly flinched slightly. But holding back the fear in her heart, she said with a trembling voice, "When Primal Kyogre awakens, whether your ideal world can truly be realized, and exactly how strong its power is—I have simulated all of these. But there is only one result. What awaits us ahead is only an abyss of despair from which we cannot escape!! All living things will only sink into the great sea brought about by Primal Kyogre!!!"
"Perhaps what she said was too terrifying; apart from Archie, the three Elite members were all shocked.
Only Archie snorted coldly, not believing her words at all.
"Hmph, simulations? Research? Those are just cold facts and assumptions!" He raised the Blue Orb high. "As long as I have this, Kyogre will obey me!"
Although it was their first meeting, what Archie displayed in front of Natsui was only unmoved stubbornness and hysterical madness!
He had become so stubborn that he wouldn't listen to anyone anymore, only willing to believe his own judgment.
At this moment, he appeared just like a confident gambler, betting all his chips on the hole card about to be revealed, believing he would be the one to laugh last!"
Sighing, Natsui took a step forward, came to Shelly's side, and said to her, "It seems your dissuasion failed. Next, you might as well consider my method."
Hearing his voice, only then did Archie notice this man wearing a Team Aqua uniform.
What surprised him was that he basically knew all the members who could accompany an Admin, but he had never seen this person. Very unfamiliar!
"Who are you?"
"Who am I?" Natsui took off the bandana on his head and smiled. "That's strange. During this period, I've dealt with you guys many times. I thought as the leader, when I stood in front of you, you would recognize me immediately. I didn't expect you to be even worse than those ordinary members. It seems all your energy has been poured into finding Kyogre, making you completely unaware of who exactly is your Team Aqua's greatest enemy right now!"
"What?"
Archie's rough face looked blank. After being dazed for two seconds, he finally realized who the man standing in front of him truly was!
"It's you!?" He said in disbelief, "You are the Champion, Natsui!?"
Before Natsui could answer, Archie flew into a rage again, glaring fiercely at Shelly and shouting loudly, "You traitor! You actually brought him here!?"
"I..."
Shelly opened her mouth wanting to explain, but how could Archie be willing to listen? With a wave of his hand, the three elite members beside him released their Pokémon one after another!
Instantly, several Mightyena, Golbat, and Crawdaunt surrounded Natsui, Misty, and Shelly!
Before this, Shelly hadn't thought she wouldn't end up in such a situation, but when it really happened before her eyes, it still made her feel both sorrowful and miserable.
Unlike her, Natsui and Misty had made preparations long ago. As the two threw out their Poké Balls, their Pokémon appeared one after another instantly!
Natsui's Gardevoir, Dragonite, Scizor, Eevee, and Metang.
Misty's Starmie, Staryu, Politoed, Corsola, Psyduck…
Wait?
Psyduck??
Misty was startled and hurriedly took out the Poké Ball to recall Psyduck.
The Pokémon of both sides confronted each other on two sides. A great battle seemed imminent. But even at this moment, Shelly still didn't give up and was making a final effort.
"Wait… wait a minute!" She shouted, "Don't attack yet! Archie! I didn't betray Team Aqua; this man came to…"
Unfortunately, Archie had already determined Shelly was a traitor, so how could he listen to her explanation?
With his command "Attack," although the several elite members beside him hesitated slightly, as die-hard loyalists, they still resolutely executed his order. Even if the target of the attack was, just seconds ago, one of their Team Aqua Admins, the brains of the team, and the number two figure second only to Archie!
Several powerful high-pressure water streams rushed over.
Seeing Shelly still standing there stupidly, Natsui pulled her over. At the same time, his Gardevoir Teleported in front of her, using Psychic to block all the incoming Water Guns!
Seeing Natsui actually protecting Shelly, this time, Archie was even more convinced of her betrayal!
To think I trusted you so much and promoted you to Admin. I didn't expect you to bite the hand that feeds you!
Under the double stimulation of seeing Kyogre and his subordinate's betrayal, Archie looked just like a bloodthirsty shark, entering that frenzied state!
Regarding Shelly's words earlier, although he didn't believe them, he at least had a few doubts. But now…
Hmph, these are all just ghost stories fabricated to snatch my orb!
Thinking of this, he hurriedly turned around, about to use the orb.
Seeing this, Natsui hurriedly urged his Pokémon to speed up the rhythm of the attack. However, the strength of these few elite members beside Archie was completely different from ordinary members. Each one was relatively difficult to deal with, and for a moment, he really couldn't conquer them!
This made him feel the situation was somewhat tricky.
After all, in such a narrow cavern, and underground at that, to avoid collapse and being buried alive, he simply dared not use Legendary Pokémon, let alone use any high-power moves. And his main lineup wasn't present. If there were enough time, it would be fine, but right now…
Thinking of this, he hurriedly called Gengar out.
"Gengar, dive underground and go snatch that orb over!"
"Understood!"
Gengar also knew the matter was urgent. Ignoring any verbal play, it dove directly underground, sneaking quietly toward Archie.
In front of Natsui, although the few Team Aqua elite members weren't as strong as him, with tacit cooperation, they stubbornly withstood the offensive and refused to retreat a step!
"Your efforts are in vain after all!"
Amidst wild laughter, Archie threw the orb in his hand forward with force, throwing it toward Kyogre!
"No!!!" Shelly screamed.
In an instant, time seemed to slow down.
The orb spun in the air, flying toward Kyogre bit by bit.
Natsui's eyes were equally fixed on the orb. At this moment, his heart was in his throat.
Gengar was still underground, still some distance from Archie; it definitely wouldn't make it in time.
Could it be… he's really going to succeed and prompt Kyogre to undergo Primal Reversion?
Just then, the orb flying toward Kyogre stopped abruptly in mid-air, as if confined by something.
Everyone present was stunned. Only Natsui was the first to recover, looking at his Gardevoir.
He saw it extending a hand, pointing remotely at that orb. Obviously, it was Gardevoir who, at the critical moment, activated its psychic power to intercept the orb!
"Beautifully done!!"
Natsui's eyes lit up, and he shouted loudly, "Quickly bring the orb over!"
"What!?"
Compared to him, Archie's expression changed drastically!
Watching the orb leap over his head and fly toward Natsui, he reached out to grab it, but due to the height, he simply couldn't reach it!
Seeing the orb getting closer and closer to Natsui, he became anxious and ruthless in his heart.
"You guys, attack there!"
He pointed casually at the cave roof. The several members looked in the direction he pointed and saw a huge stalactite hanging from the cave roof in the center of the battlefield!
Without time to think much, they commanded their Pokémon to attack that spot one after another.
Just as the orb flew under the stalactite, their attacks arrived. Instantly, several different moves hit the stone. Amidst the explosion, the stalactite crashed down violently. Not only did it crush the orb underneath, but a burst of smoke also filled the air, completely blocking each other's vision!
Damn it!
Almost at the same time, Natsui and Archie lunged toward the spot where the orb fell.
Naturally, the Pokémon on both sides wouldn't let Natsui and Archie reach there so easily. They turned their targets to attack, but were intercepted by the opposing Pokémon.
The scene was extremely chaotic.
Almost simultaneously again, Natsui and Archie arrived atop the ruins of the stalactite.
It was just…
That Blue Orb was buried in the rubble, so neither of them could spot its trace in the first instant!
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