"Boom!"
Suddenly, a strong vibration shook the Team Aqua's gigantic ship, and explosions echoed in the distance.
"Something's wrong, Lord Archie. Groudon has been released by the Team Magma!"
A panicked Team Aqua grunt ran over to report to Archie.
Archie couldn't afford to delay and immediately ordered his subordinates to seal the damaged compartments to prevent the ship from sinking.
Suddenly, another explosion came from the wall behind Archie, and the strong airflow sent the blue orb on the table flying into the air.
Ash seized the opportunity to command Pikachu to snatch the blue orb. After a struggle, Pikachu successfully grabbed it, but unexpectedly, the orb fused directly into Pikachu's body.
Rex was baffled by Ash's actions. They were surrounded by the Team Aqua, yet Ash was still determined to seize the blue orb from them. Was he underestimating Archie's power?
However, since it had already happened, Rex could only tightly grip Swellow's Poké Ball, ready to fight if necessary.
When Archie saw the mysterious markings appear on Pikachu after it touched the blue orb, he knew it was connected to Kyogre. He quickly ordered his men to capture Pikachu, but Pikachu's power increased dramatically after merging with the orb. With just one Thunderbolt, Pikachu defeated the Mightyenas sent by Archie.
As the situation grew tense, another massive explosion occurred, and the shockwave knocked Archie and his men to the ground.
Taking advantage of the chaos, the group ran towards the outer fence and saw Kyogre, the first Legendary Pokémon they had encountered in this world.
Kyogre, known as the embodiment of the sea, possesses the power to control water. In myths, it's described as a Pokémon that expands the sea by causing heavy rains and massive waves.
It can generate massive rain clouds that cover the entire sky and unleash torrential downpours. It once saved people suffering from droughts.
Legend has it that in its quest for natural energy, Kyogre continuously fought with Groudon until Rayquaza mediated their conflicts. After a fierce battle with Groudon, Kyogre fell into a deep sleep at the bottom of a trench.
Under Kyogre's attack, the Team Aqua's ship was already on the verge of sinking. The only option was to jump into the sea.
Rex released Lapras and, after exchanging glances with the others, they jumped into the water.
Lapras quickly rescued them, but once they were stable, they realized Ash hadn't jumped. He was captured by the Team Aqua.
Kyogre's assault resumed, striking the ship with its body. As the ship began to sink, Rex noticed a helicopter taking off from the ship, indicating Archie and his men had escaped.
There was no time to worry about that, as the sinking ship created enormous waves heading their way. Rex instructed Lapras to dive underwater, taking them away from the danger.
"Cough, cough."
By now, Rex and his group had moved far from the previous location, thanks to Lapras. The recent underwater turbulence had left him shaken. If he hadn't held onto Lapras, he might have been swept away by the currents.
"Are you all alright?"
A voice came from above them. Looking up, they saw a red-haired youth in a Team Aqua uniform, riding a Dragonite.
"Lance, I didn't expect to see you here."
Rex was about to release Swellow to fight, but relaxed upon hearing Brock excitedly call out the newcomer's name.
Lance explained he had infiltrated the Team Aqua to investigate their conspiracy with the Team Aqua and had followed them once he saw Rex and his friends involved.
"Lance, Ash has been captured by the Team Aqua. You have to save him," Brock urgently requested Lance's help, recalling Ash's capture.
"I know Ash is only being detained. They should be heading to Mossdeep Island now. I'll have my Gyarados guide you there while I go rescue Ash on Dragonite."
Lance, well-acquainted with the Team Aqua's movements, quickly devised a plan.
Time was of the essence. Lance released his red Gyarados to guide them and then flew off on Dragonite.
"Lance truly lives up to his title as the Champion of the Elite Four. His Pokémon are incredibly imposing."
After researching Lance, Max couldn't help but admire him.
Rex was thrilled to meet Lance. As a Dragon-type specialist and the current Indigo League Champion, Lance had numerous accolades.
Half an hour later, they finally saw a small island. Thunderclouds covered the sky, and lightning flashed, with countless waterspouts surrounding the island. Rex knew this chaotic scene was caused by Kyogre's power.
They avoided the area where Kyogre was and landed on a secluded beach on Mossdeep Island.
Feeling the soft sand beneath his feet, Rex finally relaxed a bit. He preferred the solid ground.
"Ash, are you alright?"
As they cautiously advanced, they found Ash searching for something and called out to him.
"I'm fine, but Pikachu ran off. I need to find it," Ash responded anxiously upon seeing them.
However, they hadn't gone far when they noticed signs of a volcanic eruption at the island's center, and the dark clouds overhead were dissipating.
"Groudon."
A massive, red-armored beast appeared before them, and they couldn't help but cry out in shock upon recognizing it.
Groudon, said to be the embodiment of land, is described in myths as a Pokémon that creates land and expands continents.
It can cause rain clouds to vanish and expand land with intense sunlight and high temperatures. It once appeared as a savior to people suffering from floods.
Legend has it that Groudon constantly fought with Kyogre for natural energy until Rayquaza mediated their conflicts. After a fierce battle with Kyogre, Groudon fell into a deep sleep within the earth's magma. It's said that its awakening would trigger volcanic eruptions.
"Pikachu."
Ash suddenly shouted towards Groudon.
To their surprise, Pikachu, now marked with blue mysterious patterns, was standing on Groudon's head. Seeing Pikachu unharmed, Ash felt somewhat relieved.
Maxie, holding the red orb, had temporarily controlled Kyogre with his strong willpower, although the orb was originally created to control Groudon. The red and blue orbs were essentially crystallized natural energy imbued with ancient people's willpower.
Although Maxie controlled Kyogre with the red orb, Kyogre surged towards Groudon upon seeing it, causing massive waves.
However, Groudon wasn't to be underestimated. It gathered energy in its mouth and fired a Solar Beam, shattering the incoming tsunami.
Groudon then stepped into the sea, choosing to fight Kyogre in its domain. According to Lance, Groudon did this to stop the rampaging Kyogre from causing more destruction.
Following Lance's lead, they attacked Maxie, who, to protect himself, had Kyogre defend him. This gave Groudon a chance to strike Kyogre with a powerful Solar Beam.
The impact caused the red orb to dislodge from Maxie, and the blue orb left Pikachu's body, causing Pikachu to lose consciousness and fall into the water.
Riding on Dragonite with Lance, Ash saw Pikachu fall and jumped into the sea to rescue it.
A while later, just as they were worried about Ash's safety, they saw Kyogre surface with Ash and Pikachu, indicating it had regained its senses.
Under their watchful eyes, the red and blue orbs collided in the sky and shattered into powder, signifying the end of any tool capable of controlling Groudon and Kyogre.
Groudon then walked into the volcano and disappeared, while Kyogre dived into the ocean, leaving the stunned group behind.
Disheartened by their failed dreams, Archie and Maxie led their teams away from Mossdeep Island.
(End of Chapter)