The moment Feng Che reached the lake, a massive flock of Pelipper intercepted them. These birds were abnormally aggressive, diving toward the Red Gyarados like kamikaze bombers.
"Gyarados, Dragon Rage!"
A burst of explosive flame erupted from Gyarados's maw, taking the form of a snarling dragon that swallowed the Pelipper whole.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The birds fell from the sky like rain, their blue and white feathers drifting over the water's surface. This lake sat at the very heart of the deserted island.
"Gyarados, dive!"
Feng Che followed Gyarados as it plunged into the depths. A thin purple film—Mewtwo's psychic barrier—surrounded Alivia and Lewis, allowing them to breathe and resist the water pressure.
"Alivia, where exactly were the drones destroyed?" Feng Che asked.
"The eastern sector of the lake," she replied, checking her waterproof laptop.
"Got it. Gyarados, to the east!"
The Exile's Spite
On a remote island in Johto, Sakaki Tsuna was in a foul mood. He had just learned that Giovanni had completely uprooted his sleeper cells within Team Rocket. He was down to only a handful of loyalists.
His plan to use the Rocket's internal network to track Feng Che's every move was now dead. Just then, his phone rang. It was Captain Kurotani from the freighter.
"Lord Tsuna, I've done as you asked. I sent Feng Che straight into the Great Maelstrom surrounding the island. Even if he survives the whirlpool, he's trapped. There's no way off that rock."
"Excellent," Tsuna sneered, a murderous glint in his eyes. "That island isn't just a prison; it's a death trap of ancient ruins. I lost dozens of men just to map a single safe path out. It was only by inheriting the psychic legacy within those ruins that I escaped. Feng Che... you can rot there until I grow strong enough to personally claim your head."
"Kurotani, head to the Johto coastline. Call me when you reach the rendezvous point."
The Prophecy of Hoenn
In the Hoenn region, Steven Stone was deep within an ancient ruin. The air was thick with the scent of dust and damp earth.
The walls were covered in magnificent, sprawling murals depicting two titans. One was a behemoth of crimson stone, born from magma, creating new land wherever it stepped. The other was a gargantuan blue whale-like creature, shrouded in rain and storms, drowning the world in its wake.
"The legends of Groudon and Kyogre..." Steven whispered.
"Young Master Steven! We found something further in!" a researcher shouted.
Steven followed him to the deepest chamber. There, a mural of a magnificent emerald dragon soared above a structure known as the Sky Pillar.
Suddenly, Steven's vision blurred. The ruins vanished.
He saw Mt. Chimney erupting, a primal Groudon awakening from the lava. He saw the nearby towns buried under silver-grey ash as the behemoth marched toward the sea. Then, he saw a primal Kyogre leaping from the abyss, bringing floods that swallowed entire islands.
The two gods met at Sootopolis City. One brought the sun that parched the earth; the other brought the rain that drowned the sky.
Then, an emerald streak descended from the ozone layer. Rayquaza appeared, letting out a roar that vibrated through Steven's very soul. With its Dragon Ascent, it suppressed both titans, forcing them back into their eternal slumbers.
The vision snapped. Steven found himself staring at the mural again, but the colors of the emerald dragon seemed fainter, as if it were losing its connection to the world.
"Rayquaza... are you warning me?" Steven murmured. "Groudon and Kyogre are waking up, and without you, Hoenn is doomed."
His heart grew heavy. His father, President Stone, had been obsessed with "Infinity Energy" and had even collaborated with Damalanchi to ambush Rayquaza years ago. The dragon had fled the Sky Pillar in Johto and vanished. Even the High Priestess, Zinnia, had lost track of its presence.
"If they wake up and we can't find Rayquaza, we will be the villains who destroyed Hoenn," Steven thought grimly. "I must find the Sky Pillar."
The Lake of Whispers
Back on the deserted island, Feng Che arrived at the eastern shore of the lake.
The area was swarming with Whiscash, basking in the shallow waters. Scattered along the muddy banks were the mangled, sparking remains of the reconnaissance drones.