"How would I know?!" Shelly's eyebrows twitched as she gritted her teeth. "This method of driving Pokémon into a frenzy isn't caused by traditional electromagnetic interference. Nor does it involve drugs or using the intimidating presence of powerful Pokémon to force them into submission..."
"It must be the result of some kind of cutting-edge research. No one hates the people behind this uprising more than Team Aqua does."
After hearing her answer, Shiro shook his head in disappointment and turned his attention to the other Team Aqua ships.
If he couldn't get the answers he wanted from Shelly, he would have to question the other members of Team Aqua. Perhaps Archie himself knew the cause and how to resolve the situation… While he was at it, he could also ask about Kyogre.
Shiro glanced at her coldly. "Since you don't know anything useful, there's no reason to keep you alive. You have one last chance to say something."
As he spoke, he opened his palm, where Psychic energy flickered.
If Shelly still couldn't tell him anything useful, he would have no choice but to search her memories and waste more time looking for someone else.
Seeing his cold gaze and the Psychic energy in his hand, Shelly immediately turned deathly pale. She opened her mouth, and when she saw his Psychic-covered palm about to come down, she hurriedly shouted, "It's Devon Corporation! This is the result of Devon Corporation's latest research!"
Shiro stopped and looked at her. "Devon Corporation..."
He didn't ask what kind of research could drive so many Water-type Pokémon into a frenzy, nor did he ask who was responsible.
Including the shares he had received as a reward from Chairman Sterling of the Hoenn League, Shiro now controlled more than 30% of Devon Corporation's stock. That made him the company's largest shareholder apart from the father-and-son duo of the Stone family.
The combined shares held by the two Stones should amount to around 51%, giving them the power to veto company decisions. The remaining shares held by smaller investors probably accounted for less than 20%.
As a major shareholder, he had never heard of the company developing anything like this. Of course, that wasn't particularly surprising.
But how had Shelly, a Team Aqua executive, learned about it?
Judging by her appearance and clothing, she looked like a sailor who had spent years at sea. What connection could she possibly have to Devon Corporation?
Shiro immediately asked, "How do you know about this?"
Shelly's expression stiffened. However, when faced with Shiro, the Galar Champion and Hoenn Professor, she decided to come clean.
"I'm an undercover agent sent by Devon Corporation to infiltrate Team Aqua. I've been here for thirteen years."
"An undercover agent for Devon?" Shiro asked suspiciously, but his Psychic abilities confirmed that she wasn't lying.
"That's right," Shelly explained. "I used to work for Devon, along with... some others. After I was laid off, I went to sea and joined Team Aqua."
"So Team Magma must have an undercover agent too." Shiro quickly figured it out and asked, "Who is it?"
Shelly shook her head, unwilling to say anything more.
She had only confessed because Shiro was a high-ranking member of the League, and she believed he wouldn't betray her.
As for the undercover agent in Team Magma, that was one of Devon Corporation's most closely guarded secrets. There was no way she would reveal it so easily.
Shiro slowly curled his lips into a smile and extended his hand. "Do you think I'll spare your life just because you're a Devon Corporation undercover agent?"
"Tabitha...!" Shelly blurted out, "It's Tabitha, one of Team Magma's three executives!"
"Now that's more like it..."
Shiro nodded in satisfaction. He glanced at the few Team Aqua members hiding behind the cabin door. Seeing that they weren't making any unnecessary movements, he continued questioning her.
"How far has Team Aqua progressed with its plan involving Kyogre?"
Shelly had no intention of saying anything more, but seeing the Psychic energy still swirling in his hand, she reluctantly continued, "Team Aqua has already discovered traces of the legendary Pokémon."
"What else do you need to accomplish your goal of awakening Kyogre?"
"A large amount of Water-type energy, the Blue Orb to control the legendary Pokémon, and a submarine capable of withstanding the water pressure so we can reach it in the deep sea."
"What about the orb? How are you planning to find it?"
"We haven't found the orb yet, but we... have a map."
After answering, Shelly looked dejected. She had already begun preparing herself for the worst.
Whether Shiro killed her after getting the information and then wiped out the entire ship, or simply left after questioning her and forced her to explain everything to the crew herself, neither outcome was something she wanted to imagine.
"Where's the map?" Shiro asked.
"It's with me," Shelly hesitated before answering.
Shiro finally smiled. "Where?"
Shelly glanced toward the cabin. "In a storage room below deck, at the southernmost end."
The moment she finished speaking, Shiro disappeared.
The Team Aqua members hiding behind the cabin door were left speechless with shock. They exchanged glances, unable to believe what they had just witnessed.
They had only gone into the cabin to move some things. When they returned after noticing that their executive had disappeared, they had stumbled upon something unbelievable.
Their beloved Executive Shelly was actually an undercover agent sent by Devon Corporation!
And now, she seemed to have been brought under the control of that powerful League trainer.
"What do we do...?" one of the Team Aqua members whispered to his companion, unsure of how to handle the situation.
However, the others could only look at one another. None of them knew what to do.
"How about we report this to the boss first?" one of them finally suggested, coming up with what seemed like the most sensible course of action.
The others quickly agreed.
But just as they were about to take out their communication devices, they realized they didn't have them with them.
The devices capable of directly contacting their leader were especially restricted. There was one in the captain's quarters of this ship, and another carried by Shelly herself.
But now, a powerful trainer of unknown identity was searching the ship for the map. Although Shelly was currently unable to move, who knew when she might recover?
Her long-established authority within Team Aqua made them hesitate.
As they stood there debating what to do, a cold breeze swept past them.
One after another, they collapsed without warning, falling over each other in a tangled heap. Their vision blurred, and their memories gradually grew hazy.
Accompanied by Gengar's shadow, Shiro reappeared on the deck with a deep blue crystal in his hand.
"Is this it?"
Shelly glanced at her former subordinates. Her expression was complicated as she nodded. "That's right."
"I only put them to sleep and erased a few memories," Shiro said as he put away the blue crystal. "You wouldn't want Team Aqua to discover that you're an undercover agent either, would you? Otherwise, you might end up being sacrificed to the Sea God."
"Of course, there's one more important matter..."
"What should we do about the frenzied Pokémon? And what is the basis for Devon Corporation's new technology?"
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