Chapter 97: A Second Encounter

"Feraligatr, have some fun with it."

It was evident that Silver had put a lot of effort into training this Feraligatr. Its massive jaws and sharp claws exuded an intimidating presence.

The ship's crew member, recognizing that Feraligatr wouldn't be easy to deal with, chose to strike first.

"Krokorok, use Crunch!"

Krokorok lunged forward, jaws wide open, its teeth shrouded in dark energy as it bit down fiercely toward Feraligatr.

Feraligatr swiftly retreated three steps, causing Krokorok to snap at empty air. Then, twisting its torso, it swung its thick tail with immense force.

Water vapor condensed, and a rushing current surged.

Surrounded by swirling water, its powerful tail struck Krokorok with a resounding smash, sending it flying.

Aqua Tail—super effective against the Ground-type Krokorok.

In this first clash between the Water Gator and the Sand Crocodile, Feraligatr had taken the advantage.

Watching the Pokémon duel back and forth on the deck, Lucius found himself unexpectedly entertained.

This is how a proper Pokémon battle should be. Compared to the apocalyptic, earth-shattering clash of titans he had witnessed earlier that day, this was much more enjoyable—such grand battles should be reserved for special occasions.

"Not bad, little guy." Seeing that his Krokorok was on the losing side, the crew member tossed out a second Poké Ball. "Garbodor, you're up too!"

A towering, two-meter-tall Pokémon appeared on the deck, emanating a foul stench. Now, with Garbodor and Krokorok flanking Feraligatr, they had the numbers advantage.

"Hey, isn't this a bit unfair? A two-on-one?" Lucius questioned.

Even I, a supposed villain, play by the rules—why are you cheating first?

"Shut up, kid. Who cares about rules?" The crew member barked. "Garbodor, use Sludge Bomb!"

With an ear-piercing shriek, Garbodor's pipe-like fingers spewed a barrage of purple-black toxic sludge.

"Damn!" Lucius cursed, rolling out of the way just in time. The sludge splattered onto the spot where he had been standing moments before, corroding the deck as black smoke rose from the surface.

What the hell is wrong with this guy? He actually ordered his Pokémon to attack a human!

While dodging Garbodor's attacks, Lucius gave a command to the Honchkrow circling above.

"Use Extrasensory!"

Garbodor trembled violently as psychic energy enveloped its body, causing filth and debris to fall off in large chunks.

Feraligatr seized the opening, delivering a powerful Ice Punch to its opponent.

Seeing his Garbodor collapse to the ground, the crew member immediately pulled out a communicator and called for backup.

A kid boards your ship without causing trouble, and you're already panicking this much?

Lucius furrowed his brows—there was something off about this crew member.

Not only had he commanded his Pokémon to attack a human, but his Pokémon choices were also unusual for a typical ship's crew.

From what Lucius knew, most ship crew members used Pokémon like Kingler, Crawdaunt, or Gastrodon—Water-types suited for both land and sea. Garbodor and Krokorok, on the other hand, were far from ideal for long-term life at sea.

Moments later, several individuals—some in crew uniforms, others in regular clothing—emerged, forming a semi-circle around Lucius.

"Who are you?" A blond-haired man in a suit stepped forward, questioning Lucius.

"I'm a traveler who got lost at sea. I saw your ship and came aboard seeking help, but your crew accused me of being a thief and attacked me with their Pokémon." Lucius explained.

His words, paired with Silver's naturally sharp yet youthful face, made the story somewhat believable.

"Oh, I see." The suited man glanced at Feraligatr and Honchkrow, then smiled. "You're a Pokémon Trainer, huh? Your Pokémon are quite well-trained."

He continued, "This ship is headed for Vermilion City. Since you're lost, why don't you travel with us? How about it?"

"Sure, that works. Thanks." Lucius replied casually—he had wanted to check out this ship anyway.

The blond-haired man nodded and instructed a nearby crew member, "Arrange a room for him. He'll travel with us to Vermilion City."

The crew member approached Lucius. "Follow me. Stay in your room and don't wander around."

As Lucius walked, he kept his guard up, taking in his surroundings.

The deck now had more people than before, yet everything remained unnervingly orderly. No one spoke to each other. Instead, they all kept a wary eye on him.

Additionally, whether they were crew members or passengers, they all displayed an almost reverent attitude toward the blond-haired man in the suit.

Heh, this ship is definitely suspicious…

Lucius followed the crew member to a standard ocean liner cabin—simple, nothing out of the ordinary.

Lying on the bed, he released a virus particle into the air, silently directing it to follow the blond-haired man into the luxurious suite on the top deck.

"What happened just now?"

A strikingly beautiful woman with golden hair and gray eyes sat on the sofa in her nightwear. From her loose robe and slightly flushed face, it was clear she had just finished an intimate moment.

"Some kid got lost at sea and wanted to board the ship. He ended up battling with our men on the deck." The suited man sat down across from her, his gaze appreciating the view before him.

Wait a second… this woman…

Lucius immediately recognized her—Dolores, the Syndicate's top agent in Vermilion City.

She was also the first person he had encountered who possessed Safeguard, making her immune to his parasite infection.

"And you let him on board?" Dolores asked in surprise.

"Hahaha, don't worry. It's just to keep him complacent for now." The suited man's lips curled into a sinister grin. "His Pokémon are well-trained. Tonight, once he falls asleep, we'll kill him and dump his body into the ocean. His Pokémon will belong to us, the Syndicate."

Well, well, talk about running into old enemies.

Lucius smirked coldly. Encountering members of the Syndicate here only confirmed that this ship was crawling with criminals.

Without hesitation, he directed the virus to penetrate the suited man's body.

"What's wrong?" Dolores asked, alarmed as the man suddenly tensed, his eyes turning bloodshot.

"Cough… cough…!" The suited man convulsed violently, his body wracked with tremors—just like Sham had been when he was infected.

Just as Dolores reached for her communicator to call for reinforcements, a sharp pain suddenly shot through her head. Her vision went black, and she collapsed to the ground.

This was the same woman whose Froslass had indiscriminately attacked everyone at the Syndicate base outside Cerulean City, nearly costing Lucius his life. There was no way he would let her go today.

Both their bodies convulsed violently, yet under Lucius' control, neither of them uttered a scream.

Before long, the virus had fully infected Dolores, and her spasms came to an abrupt stop.

"W-what… what's going on?" Dolores' once neatly tied golden hair had become disheveled. One hand clutched her head while the other pushed against the ground as she struggled to lift herself up.

"Bernard?" She distinctly remembered Bernard collapsing in front of her just moments ago, his body wracked with convulsions. She had tried to reach out and support him, but before she could understand what was happening, she had blacked out.

Now, she was the only one left in the room. Had Bernard returned to his own quarters?

Suddenly, a foul stench filled her nostrils.

At some point, the floor had become littered with patches of gray-black dust. Some of it had even adhered to her nightgown.

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