Pokémon: Virus Evolution

Unlike Area B, which housed Pokémon primarily from Hoenn, Area A contained mostly Pokémon from the Sinnoh region.

Just like any other illicit trade, the rarer and more remote something was, the more valuable it became.

Selling Johto Pokémon to Kanto residents wouldn't make much of a profit.

Perhaps due to the mass escape of Pokémon from Area B last night, the Syndicate had been on high alert, increasing security in Area A and even withholding food from the poor Pokémon imprisoned there.

A small Shinx, clearly not long after birth, was among them. Its fur was still predominantly blue, with only sparse patches of black on its hindquarters.

Compared to the other Pokémon trapped in cages, the weak Shinx appeared even more listless.

As cruel as it might sound, this wasn't necessarily a bad thing for Lucius.

The weaker a Pokémon, the faster the infection and parasitism process.

Having chosen his target, Lucius immediately merged two strains of the virus and sent them flying toward the half-blue, half-black cub.

As the virus entered Shinx's body, Lucius could distinctly feel its trembling.

Tch, it seemed to be sick.

Newly born Pokémon weren't as fragile as human infants, but they were still in their early stages of life. Their bodies were weak, and in such harsh conditions, illness was expected.

Lucius commanded his viral army to spread without resistance, completing a 100% infection rate in no time.

[Shinx's ability 'Intimidate' has been fully analyzed. Virus evolution progress increased by 10%. Infection speed increased by 40% for non-leader-level Pokémon.]

Its ability was the same as Mightyena's. After analysis, the only enhancement was an additional 10% increase in infection speed.

Checking Shinx's physical stats, Lucius sighed inwardly.

Too weak…

But you're lucky. Thanks to my virus's enhancements, if you survive, you will become a king.

This wasn't just an empty boast. Being infected by Lucius would elevate the Pokémon's overall qualities significantly.

However, saving it wasn't his goal—testing his skills was.

Heh, good luck, little one.

Skill Activated: Mental Corruption.

Shinx, curled up quietly in the cage, suddenly jolted as if struck by an electric shock.

Its golden eyes slowly opened.

At first, confusion filled them, then curiosity, and soon, astonishment.

It looked down at its own paws, then staggered to its feet within the narrow cage, excitement flashing in its eyes.

I… I can control its body now…

At that moment, Shinx had already become Lucius. Or rather, its consciousness was now under Lucius's control.

So this is the power of Mental Corruption…

The moment he activated it, Lucius felt his consciousness link to another, weaker presence—like two pools of water connected by a small channel.

Lucius realized he could transfer his thoughts through the link, and the weaker consciousness, in its muddled state, was immediately influenced.

He understood then—the feeble mind linked to him had to be Shinx's original consciousness. Since it was so weak, he had taken advantage of the situation and easily seized control of its body.

It was akin to hacking a remote computer, except in this case, he had hacked another brain.

Lucius was overcome with excitement and joy.

If he could control Pokémon bodies, then controlling human bodies was surely possible. Didn't that mean he could become human again?

Hahaha! That means I can become a Trainer!

Lucius laughed maniacally in his mind.

Being a virus wasn't entirely bad, but he had been human before. His interests and desires were all rooted in humanity—such as chasing after women.

What was he supposed to do? Court a female virus? He was a genderless microorganism now, for crying out loud!

Crude as the thought was, Lucius wasn't some enlightened monk beyond mortal desires.

Now that he had the ability to control human bodies—combined with the buffs of his virus—becoming a Pokémon League Champion was just a matter of time!

System, oh system, even though you turned me into a virus, you still left me a loophole. You do have a conscience, after all.

After basking in his excitement, Lucius gradually calmed down.

Something was off. His system was called "Virus Evolution System."

That name alone suggested a very specific purpose. There was no way it would just let him smoothly take over a human body, become a CEO, marry a rich woman, and win the championship.

Something was fishy…

The more he thought about it, the more he doubted the system's generosity. He had already suffered through its malice multiple times.

As a virus with an experimental spirit, Lucius immediately devised his next plan.

Shinx's eyes flickered, and suddenly, they turned from clarity to confusion.

Lucius had withdrawn from its body.

Little one, you're truly fortunate. Not only did you avoid death, but you also received a permanent, all-around enhancement.

Consider it my reward for being my test subject.

Lucius then split himself into two parts again—one entered a Drillbur lying in its cage, and the other infiltrated a Nuzleaf, the guard of Area A.

In the original anime, Ash's companion Iris had an aggressive Excadrill, and Drillbur was its pre-evolved form.

It had arms larger than its feet, which could combine into a drill-like shape, making it adept at digging. Archeological teams in Unova often used multiple Drillbur for excavations, but they were rare in Kanto, where Sandshrew and Sandslash were more common.

He chose it to test how the Progenitor Virus would affect Ground-type Pokémon.

Nuzleaf, on the other hand, was the pre-evolved form of the cunning Shiftry, a Grass/Dark-type Pokémon from Hoenn.

Lucius selected it partly because his virus could infect Dark-types faster, and partly because it was in excellent condition, making it a perfect test subject.

His previous success in controlling Shinx's mind was likely due to its extreme weakness.

But what if he tried the same on a Pokémon in peak condition? Would it still be so easy?

Experimentation is the only path to truth, and Nuzleaf is the perfect test subject.

Lucius believed in the principle of "knowledge through experimentation."

While Lucius was fully focused on infecting these two Pokémon, all members of the Syndicate inside the base received an urgent command.

"Abandon this base."

The operatives glanced at each other in confusion.

"Lady Dolores, is it really necessary to abandon everything?" one Syndicate member asked, looking at the cold, golden-haired woman with a puzzled expression.

They understood that many Pokémon had escaped last night, making the location unsafe.

But so far, there was no sign of exposure. They had informants within the police force, after all.

Besides, they had spent a long time building up this base, and finding another secure location to detain a large number of Pokémon wouldn't be easy.

"Just follow the orders," Dolores replied indifferently before turning back toward her office.

-----

Want to read ahead of schedule? 

Join here for advance chapters: patreon.com / madbot635