Chapter 177: Beware of Rodents
The video continued playing.
Nidoking and Nidoqueen simultaneously stepped forward, their claws leaving fine cracks across the stone floor.
"Your father should have taught you this."
Giovanni snapped his fingers.
"When faced with an overwhelming difference in strength, clever words are meaningless."
"I specialize in both clever words and decisive action."
Miori adjusted her sunglasses.
"By the way, are your Nidoking and Nidoqueen a couple? They look rather well matched standing beside each other."
"Trying to stall for time won’t help you."
Giovanni kept both hands inside his pockets.
"The power of the Reveal Glass is continuing to increase. With every passing minute, the Forces of Nature grow stronger. No matter how powerful Asher may be, he cannot hold them back indefinitely."
Miori knew Giovanni might be deliberately trying to provoke her, but there was little point in continuing to stall.
Giovanni certainly didn’t seem like someone who could be tricked into revealing information easily.
Miori took a deep breath before throwing all her remaining Poké Balls into the air at once.
"Everyone, come out!"
Red light erupted.
Luxray, Ampharos, Metagross, Hydreigon, and Aegislash landed in the center of the chamber.
Together with Zeraora, who was already standing before her, the six Pokémon formed a protective circle around Miori.
Giovanni raised an eyebrow before lifting one hand and snapping his fingers.
A dense rush of footsteps came from the corridors outside the chamber.
Six Team Rocket executives poured in from different passageways, each accompanied by two Pokémon. Mightyena, Liepard, and Weavile formed a dark mass that completely sealed every exit from the chamber.
"My dad was right after all."
Miori planted both hands on her hips.
"Team Rocket’s defining characteristic really is its complete refusal to fight fairly."
"Little girl, do you think this is a children’s game?"
A female executive stepped forward.
"Surrender now, and you might be spared some suffering."
Miori appeared perfectly calm, but inwardly, she was beginning to feel anxious.
Judging by the current situation, rescuing Meloetta was no longer the only problem.
Even protecting herself would be difficult.
I need another plan!
As she considered her options, Miori casually glanced upward.
That single glance revealed an extremely familiar figure.
Emolga was clinging to a ventilation opening in the chamber’s domed ceiling, making a heart with its paws toward her.
Miori nearly broke character.
Fortunately, her facial control had been professionally trained. All those hours she had spent practicing in front of a mirror as Gym Leader hadn’t been wasted.
She turned back toward Giovanni, an exceptionally brilliant smile appearing on her face.
"Mr. Giovanni."
Giovanni raised an eyebrow.
"You’re using those chains to control Meloetta and amplify the Reveal Glass’s power, correct?"
Giovanni didn’t answer.
"Then, as far as I understand..."
Miori tilted her head.
"The more sophisticated a machine is, the more vulnerable it becomes to—"
She raised one hand and snapped her fingers.
"—rodents."
Giovanni frowned.
Then he heard an exceptionally crisp crack from above.
Emolga leaped from the ventilation opening, two dazzling bursts of golden electricity exploding from its cheek pouches.
It didn’t attack Giovanni.
It didn’t attack Nidoking or Nidoqueen.
Instead, it charged directly toward the imprisoned Meloetta.
"Stop it!"
For the first time, Giovanni lost his composure.
He raised one hand to release another Pokémon, but Emolga was faster.
Emolga flipped through the air and landed steadily on the energy chain above Meloetta’s head.
Facing the chain, Emolga opened its mouth—
And bit down.
The instant the energy chain snapped, every restraint surrounding Meloetta loosened.
The dark-purple chains shattered one after another, and Meloetta’s body slowly began falling from the air.
Miori rushed forward and caught it with both arms.
Meloetta opened its eyes and looked at her. It tilted its head ever so slightly before releasing a brief cry that sounded like a wind chime stirred by the breeze.
"I’m glad you’re all right."
Miori released a relieved breath.
Emolga crawled out from the pile of shattered chains.
Its entire body was covered in dust and grime, but it still used the last of its strength to give Miori a thumbs-up.
It then fell backward, sprawled on its back amid the fragments with its tongue hanging from the corner of its mouth.
"Emolga~"
Miori handed Meloetta to Zeraora before walking over, scooping Emolga up, and placing it atop her head.
"You worked hard. You’ll get an extra-large dinner tonight."
Giovanni stood silently where he was.
His expression was no longer composed.
It was the silence of a man who had meticulously arranged an entire chessboard, only for a rodent to chew through it.
There was no longer any reason to continue fighting.
Meloetta had awakened. The moment its song began, the Forces of Nature would completely break free from his control.
"Withdraw."
Giovanni’s voice returned to its usual steadiness.
He recalled Nidoking and Nidoqueen before turning toward the passage behind the chamber.
The six executives exchanged glances. Although their faces were filled with reluctance, not one of them dared disobey.
They recalled their Pokémon and followed Giovanni in retreat.
[Regular-Seat Chat Group]
"Emolga!!! You are my god!!!"
"I’m already on my feet! What do you call this? A mouse bringing down an elephant! A single loose screw destroying an entire building!"
"Miori: Emolga, show him something good! Emolga: Say no more! Giovanni: ???"
"The person above me is a genius!"
[VIP Chat Group]
[Valerie]: I’m genuinely moved to tears. Emolga, you’re the very best.
[Diantha]: Giovanni had only just said that clever words were meaningless before an overwhelming difference in strength. Emolga then demonstrated through its actions that before the element of surprise, a difference in strength can also become meaningless.
[Volkner]: Still, Giovanni withdrew extremely decisively. His ace never even truly entered the battle before he ordered a retreat.
[Flint]: Giovanni isn’t stupid. Meloetta is already awake, and the Forces of Nature are about to escape his control. Continuing to fight would only cost Team Rocket its elite members.
[Lance]: A rational retreat is more dangerous than a blind attack. That is precisely what makes Giovanni so threatening.
The video continued playing.
Meloetta shifted within Miori’s arms.
Its emerald-green eyes blinked before it gently slipped free of her embrace and floated into the air.
Then it opened its mouth.
The instant its song began, the entire Abyssal Ruins trembled.
It wasn’t a physical vibration.
It was a deeper resonance—one that penetrated all matter and reached directly into the soul.
Every spreading crack across the Reveal Glass stopped expanding at the same moment.
Meloetta’s song passed through the chamber’s domed ceiling, pierced layer after layer of seawater, and erupted above the ruins as expanding rings of silver light.
Only after the song ended did Meloetta slowly descend before Miori once again.
"That was beautiful~"
Miori smiled and gently stroked Meloetta’s head.
"Everything has been resolved. It’s time for us to leave this place."