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"As expected of the Elite Four Champion!" Archer acknowledged with grudging respect.
However, facing the overwhelming situation before him, Archer didn't seem to be panicking at all. He looked up at Lance and displayed a confident, almost playful smile.
"No matter what your twisted purpose is, you cannot succeed. Give up now!" Lance declared as he continued approaching step by step, his presence radiating authority.
The expressions of the other Team Rocket members around the laboratory changed noticeably when they witnessed this intimidating display. Despite their superior numbers, they felt the overwhelming aura emanating from the man before them and unconsciously stepped backward.
Only Archer and Ariana remained unintimidated by Lance's commanding presence, though it was also clear that they understood they were no match for him in direct combat.
"It's far too early to make such declarations! Your strength is indeed extraordinary, but unfortunately, you're still too late!" Archer responded with dangerous confidence.
"What?" Lance's expression shifted slightly after hearing Archer's ominous words.
At that moment, Archer turned his head slightly to look at the figure standing in front of the massive glass containment system behind him.
"How's the progress, Dr. Namba?" Archer called out to the scientist.
"Everything is ready to proceed!" came the enthusiastic reply.
The figure wore a pristine white laboratory coat and had a distinctive bald head with an unusual Mediterranean-style orange haircut. The remaining hair on the back and sides of his head was styled in a flamboyant, upward-swept manner. He looked less like a distinguished professor and more like someone from an unconventional subculture.
After listening to Archer's inquiry, Dr. Namba sneered with satisfaction and pressed a critical button on the control panel before him.
When Lance witnessed this action, his expression immediately became alarmed. Although he didn't fully understand Team Rocket's ultimate purpose, he was determined not to allow them to succeed in whatever they were planning.
However, the moment Dr. Namba pressed the activation button, all the surrounding scientific instruments began glowing with brilliant light. At that moment, Archer also turned his attention back to Lance, who stood before him.
"Lance! Allow me to let you witness the glorious beginning of our Team Rocket's ultimate triumph. This will be a power that even you cannot hope to match!" Archer declared as he slowly spread his arms wide, his entire being radiating an indescribable sense of twisted ambition.
Lance frowned deeply and focused his attention on the glass containment chamber. The three legendary birds seemed to sense that something terrible was about to happen and suddenly opened their eyes in unison.
At the same moment, bursts of electrical current began appearing throughout the containment system, and these currents connected the bodies of the three legendary birds in a complex series circuit. Simultaneously, a cylindrical platform began rising from above the container.
A capsule-like device was revealed on the elevated platform, with numerous transparent tubes and pipes connecting it to the cylindrical base structure.
At that point, the entire laboratory began producing sounds reminiscent of a massive engine coming to life. Through those connecting pipes, tremendous amounts of energy similar to electrical current were continuously flowing into the cylindrical platform.
The energy then poured into the capsule device above through the cylindrical platform, and the capsule mechanism suddenly opened with mechanical precision. After unfolding completely, it formed a triangular device that emitted red, yellow, and blue light from its three distinct sections.
After rising to the same level as the three legendary birds, the three corners of the triangular fusion device simultaneously released focused beams of light. The three energy rays struck the bodies of Zapdos, Moltres, and Articuno respectively.
Instantly, the three legendary birds' bodies were completely enveloped by electricity in three corresponding colors.
"SCREEEEECH!!!!"
The three legendary birds released piercing, agonized roars simultaneously. The physical restraints on their bodies were removed, but they did not regain their freedom. Instead, their bodies were being pulled uncontrollably toward the fusion device positioned in the center.
"Hahahaha! It finally worked perfectly! Blaine, Fuji—I've finally accomplished something that even you two couldn't achieve!" Dr. Namba proclaimed with overwhelming pride as he stood before his creation.
During his time with Team Rocket, the two scientists he mentioned had always surpassed him in research capabilities and academic achievements. They had even participated in the primary research for the Mewtwo project, while he had been relegated to serving merely as an assistant.
Because of this professional humiliation, he had grown increasingly resentful and determined to prove himself. Now that those two researchers had left Team Rocket, he finally had the opportunity to demonstrate his superior scientific abilities.
"SCREEEEECH!!!!"
At that moment, inside the containment chamber, the agonized cries of the three legendary birds continued echoing throughout the laboratory. The three powerful Pokémon were struggling with all their might, but their bodies were still being pulled toward the center against their will.
"It's completely useless! There's no point in struggling against this technology. This is a device specifically designed to use your own mutual strengths against you!" Dr. Namba observed the scene with a cold sneer.
Legendary Pokémon possessed such incredible power that normally nothing could restrain them. He had anticipated that the three creatures would definitely struggle against the fusion process.
Therefore, when developing this fusion amplification device, he had already considered this possibility. This enhancement system would absorb and merge the power of the three legendary Pokémon simultaneously.
At the same time, the device used their respective elemental powers to create opposition against their own abilities. Since the three Pokémon possessed equally balanced power levels, and their respective elements naturally counteracted each other, they would find themselves unable to escape.
"What are you planning to do with them?" Lance demanded as he witnessed this horrific scene, rushing forward with cold determination in his voice.
"Keep watching patiently, and you will naturally understand our purpose!" Archer replied, still maintaining his confident smile.
"Don't you dare continue this!" Lance shouted, preparing to take decisive action.
However, at that critical moment, he saw Team Rocket members surrounding him from all directions, rushing forward and releasing their Poké Balls in coordinated waves.
In an instant, massive swarms of Zubat and Koffing filled the air above them, while Grimer and Ekans covered every inch of the ground below. Archer's Houndoom also returned to stand beside its trainer.
Although Houndoom hadn't been able to completely block the devastating Hyper Beam attack, it still retained enough strength to continue fighting.
On the other side of the laboratory, Ariana recalled her defeated Arbok and immediately pulled out a fresh Poké Ball, releasing a powerful Muk onto the battlefield.
"I won't allow you to interfere!" Archer declared with icy resolve as he stared at Lance.
After finally reaching this crucial point in their plan, he was determined not to let anything prevent its completion. Although these Pokémon might not be sufficient to defeat the Elite Four Champion, they would be enough to buy the precious time needed.
"Dragonite, use Hyper Beam!" Lance commanded without wasting any more time on words, immediately signaling his partner to launch their most devastating attack.
"ROOOOOAAR!!!"
At the exact moment when Dragonite began charging its attack, the bodies of the three legendary birds were already being pulled directly toward the fusion amplifier, and the gravitational force was growing stronger and more irresistible.
Tremendous energy continued building around the amplification device, and the space surrounding the energy field created by the amplifier began to visibly distort and warp. When the bodies of the three legendary birds made contact with this spatial distortion, something truly horrifying began to occur.
The bodies of Zapdos, Moltres, and Articuno also started to twist and contort unnaturally, which seemed to cause them unimaginable agony and forced them to cry out in pure torment.
"SCREEEEECH!!!!"
Meanwhile, at Silph Company...
"Woo!"
Ash, who was engaged in his intense confrontation with Giovanni on the top floor of Silph Company, suddenly raised his head as he felt an inexplicable throbbing sensation in his heart. It was as if he had heard the distant, anguished cries of Pokémon in terrible distress.