God?
The god of the sea?
Kyogre!?
Upon hearing that, Shelly's heart trembled slightly.
What did that mean?
That they had already found the resting place of the god of the sea, Kyogre?
And that, according to the boss's words, it seemed that she herself had been the one to find it?
Shelly still couldn't react, her mind hazy and confused, not knowing what was happening to her, always feeling as though she had forgotten far too many things.
But soon, her attention was captured by the object Archie was holding in his hand.
A blue pearl that emitted a faint azure glow, on whose surface a special symbol was reflected — "α".
That pearl was precisely what Team Aqua had been searching for within Meteor Falls.
Perhaps the other members of Team Aqua weren't privy to such information, but as one of the highest-ranking executives, Shelly knew well.
That was the one and only artifact capable of awakening the god of the sea — Kyogre.
Then...
Was that pond radiating a bluish light the place where Kyogre slept?
Was the boss about to awaken Kyogre?
Shelly's heart filled with elation, the same joy overflowing on the faces of Matt and Amber behind her, unable to be hidden.
But suddenly, a voice echoed in Shelly's mind.
A voice both familiar and strange.
"Archie's goal is to destroy all the land..."
Over and over again, it resounded endlessly inside her head.
Immediately, Shelly's expression hardened, the smile on her face vanished. Looking at Archie's back, holding the Blue Orb in his hands, she asked in a trembling voice, "Boss... boss, for what purpose do you wish to awaken Kyogre?"
Hearing Shelly's question, Archie turned his face toward her.
In that instant, Shelly saw in his eyes a boundless desire and greed, as if the entire world lay prostrate at his feet.
It was the gaze of someone standing on the brink of realizing his dream, unable to suppress the most primitive ambition welling up from deep within his soul.
Archie spoke: "Of course, it's to conquer the seas. We, as those who live upon the ocean, as Team Aqua who sails freely across it — our goal is naturally to conquer the seas."
Upon hearing that, Shelly let out a sigh of relief.
Thank goodness — the boss didn't seek to destroy all the land and turn the entire world into an ocean, as that voice in her head had made her fear.
But just as her expression began to relax, Archie's face twisted into a sinister grin.
"As the future sovereign of the sea, master of all its resources, anyone who pollutes the ocean, who exploits its riches at will — whether human or Pokémon — shall be punished."
"They have no right to live!"
"I, in the name of the ocean, will wield that right!"
"I'll make the land sink as a warning!"
"The sea is what must rule this world! All forms of life have the right to exist only within the water!"
"And I will be the judge who executes that verdict in the name of the ocean!"
His voice, wild and booming, echoed throughout the entire cavern.
But upon hearing that, Shelly's once-relieved expression tensed up once more.
And not just hers.
Behind her, Matt also frowned deeply.
If all the land disappeared, what meaning would there be in conquering the world?
To gaze upon an endless ocean with not a single living being left to share that victory — were all lives to be discarded for Archie's whim?
"No! Boss! That can't be! If you do that, not just them — we won't survive either!" Shelly cried out, panicked and nearly hysterical.
Beside her, Matt shouted as well: "Exactly, boss! If you do that, we'll all be finished!"
Archie turned his gaze toward them.
That was when Shelly noticed that the boss's eyes had turned completely blue, with the symbol "α" marked within them.
Archie had been under Kyogre's control from the very beginning!
Shelly realized it instantly — the Blue Orb wasn't meant to control Kyogre.
It was merely a tool to awaken it. From the moment one came into contact with the Blue Orb, they fell under Kyogre's invisible influence and temptation.
Archie gave a cold smile, offering no reply.
Instead, he lifted the Blue Orb high above his head and shouted: "Awaken, Kyogre!"
Boom, boom, boom!
Chunks of rock fell from the upper walls of the cavern, crashing into the pond as the water churned violently.
Suddenly, a gigantic stone idol rose from the depths of the water.
By its shape, it was clearly the figure of Kyogre.
The Blue Orb reacted at once, emitting a blue beam of light that enveloped the statue.
Instantly, the rock began to crack and fall away, revealing a blue body lined with crimson markings.
"ROOOAAAAARRRRRR!"
As the entire layer of stone shattered, its eyes opened slowly, releasing a thunderous roar toward the heavens.
The entire cavern shook.
Kyogre — the whale-shaped Pokémon, with two enormous pectoral fins, each bearing four white square-like structures at the tips, and red lines marking its body. On the reverse of its fins was a massive red "α" symbol.
The god of the sea, Kyogre!
After awakening, it remained still, its eyes fixed upon Archie.
A blue gleam flickered in Kyogre's eyes, and at the same moment, the same light glimmered within Archie's. He nodded slowly.
From his chest, he drew a metallic case. Opening it, he revealed a crystal of blue and yellow energy hues.
Without hesitation, Archie grabbed it and threw it toward Kyogre, who swallowed it in a single gulp.
Then Archie burst into maniacal laughter: "Destroy the world, Kyogre! Turn the entire planet into ocean!"
Saying this, he stepped forward toward Kyogre, raising the Blue Orb in his hands.
Under Shelly's horrified gaze, Kyogre turned its massive body and, in a single motion, swallowed Archie whole — along with the Blue Orb.
In its eyes, as it looked toward the three of them, was a faint trace of mockery.
It flapped its enormous fins, and an immense surge of water erupted forth, flooding the entire cavern in an instant.
Paying them no further heed, it ascended with a mighty leap, breaking through the surface and returning to the ocean.
Shelly was incredibly lucky — she wasn't dragged underwater, and thanks to the aid of her Water-type Pokémon, she barely managed to survive and reach the surface.
But what she saw there was the very end of the world.
Endless black clouds, lightning ceaselessly illuminating the sky, and rain pouring down relentlessly like an eternal deluge.
The sea level rose madly, unleashing colossal waves.
Among them, one wave towered as high as Mt. Chimney. At its peak stood Kyogre, now transformed into an even more terrifying form.
It was heading straight toward the Hoenn region, and any Pokémon that tried to stop it was annihilated effortlessly.
In the blink of an eye, the entire Hoenn region was submerged.
Shelly, frozen in shock at the sight, felt that the true end had come, not knowing what to do.
An overwhelming remorse welled up inside her.
Thousands of what-ifs flooded her mind.
If... they hadn't awakened Kyogre!
If... they had never found it!
If... they hadn't obtained the Blue Orb!
If... she had never joined Team Aqua...!
Would all of this still have happened?
(End of chapter)