"Then I'll untie you, but don't even think about trying anything funny." Lorelei said, nodding towards Ash. With a wave of Ash's hand, the thick ropes binding Mars tightly were torn apart.
They weren't really worried about Mars trying anything, since they had already confiscated her Pokemon. Although she was one of the four top commanders of Team Galactic, without her Pokemon, she was just a woman with a bit of presence.
In front of so many eyes, she had no room for tricks.
Mars twisted her wrists, stiff from being tied up, then walked to the large door. Her hands skillfully operated, keying in a long string of numbers that seemed almost haphazard — who would use a password over twenty digits long?
However, after Mars's rapid input, the tightly shut door began to slowly open.
Seeing this, Ash and Lorelei's faces lit up with joy. If they could rescue Cynthia, they would have a powerful new ally.
But as the iron door opened halfway, the soft white glow around them suddenly turned red, and a sharp sound blared in their ears!
"Is that an alarm? What's going on?"
"It's her doing, she really can't be trusted!" Misty gritted her teeth, casting a very unfriendly look at Mars. It was obvious that the sudden alarm was Mars's work.
The seemingly random numbers she keyed in must have activated the base's alarm, and now the half-opened door began to slowly close again.
Ash's expression hardened, his hands outstretched as a blue energy ball rapidly formed.
"Aura Sphere!" With Ash's firm shout, the blue energy ball traced a dazzling arc through the air, heading straight for the closing door.
"It's useless; even a Champion Level attack can't penetrate this door. You're just waiting to be—"
"Boom!!" Before Mars could finish, the Aura Sphere struck solidly against the supposedly impenetrable door!
The explosive force was visible, and the door that even Champion Level attacks couldn't breach shattered into countless flying pieces. Rubble scratched Mars's face, leaving a visible mark, but she didn't seem to care. Her eyes were wide with disbelief.
"How... is that possible? That door, which even a Champion Peak might not open, was shattered with a single blow! Impossible!!" Her frantic voice echoed down the corridor. Mars couldn't believe it; a door fortified with Team Galactic's top technology and infused with Divine Power was destroyed by a single human! Was Ash truly human, or was he a Mythical creature in human form, experiencing life in the mortal world!?
"I knew you'd come, Ash." A clear voice came from beyond the shattered door.
"Tap! Tap! Tap!" The sound of high heels clicked on the ground as the mist cleared, revealing the silhouette beyond the door — a tall, black-coated figure with long golden hair and a goddess-like face. It was the long-missing Sinnoh Champion, Cynthia!
Surrounding Cynthia were Garchomp and several other Pokemon. Clearly, during her time inside, Cynthia had released her Pokemon, both to guard against Team Galactic's surprise attacks and to seek a way to break the dimensional barrier.
However, before Cynthia could find a way out, Ash and the others arrived. She firmly believed that even if she couldn't find a way, Ash would come to her rescue.
Indeed, Cynthia thought Ash's likelihood of arriving was even greater than the alliance finding her, and she was right.
"Miss Cynthia, are you alright?" Seeing Cynthia safe, Ash ran up to her, his face filled with both concern and excitement.
"I'm fine. I couldn't get out or send out any messages, but they couldn't do much to me. Aside from not being able to bathe, it's been rather cozy in there, like a forced vacation~" Cynthia said playfully, winking at Ash.
She had been confined for nearly a month. If it were someone else, going without conversation or external information for a month might have led to a mental breakdown, but Cynthia was different. She had a stronger mental resilience and never felt hopeless.
The seemingly indestructible barrier was weakening over time and under the attacks from Garchomp and other Pokemon. Even without Ash, Cynthia would have found her way out.
But if Cynthia emerged too late, Team Galactic's plans might have already succeeded, leading to irreparable consequences.
Therefore, Ash's timely arrival was crucial.
"Cynthia, you're really optimistic. Trapped for nearly a month, and your spirits are unscathed. As expected of the Sinnoh Champion." Lorelei expressed genuine admiration for Cynthia.
Honestly, if it were her, staying in an enclosed space for a month, even with ample food supplies, would likely lead to irreversible mental damage.
Unable to sense the passage of time or make contact with the outside, one's mental state would inevitably deteriorate over time.
"Since the situation couldn't be changed, I could only stay positive. By the way... are we surrounded now?" Cynthia smiled, glancing around. Unbeknownst to them, they had been encircled by Team Galactic operatives.
Ash's Aura Sphere not only shattered the door but also wreaked havoc in the corridor, attracting Team Galactic members who were now moving in. Wearing high-tech visors, the members had flickering lights in them, possibly analyzing or communicating.
Mars, after recovering from her shock at the door's destruction, seized the opportunity to regroup with some Team Galactic members. She now stood behind Ash and the others, with a large group of Galactic members behind her, looking menacingly.
"So what if you've rescued Cynthia? None of you are leaving today!"
"Mars, you're really regressing. Bringing the enemy here, and even letting the Sinnoh Champion escape. If the big boss finds out, your position as a commander might be at risk." A deep, sinister voice chimed in after Mars's threat.
Ash and the others turned to the voice's source, where an old man in a white lab coat, with a balding head and grey-white hair, made his way through the Galactic members, who instinctively parted to let him through. Clearly, he held significant authority in Team Galactic.
"Ha, isn't that your problem too? You didn't properly investigate Ash before sending me on this mission. If the boss blames us, neither of us will escape culpability, Pluto." Mars replied with a sneer, unfazed by the bald man's warning.
This somewhat bald researcher was Pluto, the head honcho of this base!
Upon learning his name, Ash's gaze turned hostile. "So you're Pluto? You're the one who transformed Lugia into that state!"
In response to Ash's accusation, Pluto merely shrugged and said dismissively, "So what if I did? I don't know how you managed to fully integrate that power, but since you're delivering the test subject back to me, I'll gladly accept it."
Ash: !!!
Test subject? This guy had no respect for Pokemon, treating them as mere lifeless tools! Such words ignited a fiery wrath within Ash!