Aside from the continued operation of the Silver Conference, over the course of this month, the virus had spread to nearly every surface region of the world.
Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, the Sevii Islands, the Orange Archipelago, the Whirl Islands, Kalos, Galar, Fiore, Almia, Oblivia, Orre, Ferrum, Camonta Island, Tumblecube Island, and Pasio—large and small regions alike—fell one after another.
Only the Unova continent and the Alola region remained protected by Arceus's divine energy. Everywhere else, humans, Pokémon, animals, even plants, had been infected by the virus.
When a single person is infected, they are considered sick. But when the majority are infected, the ones untouched are seen as abnormal.
Lucius stood atop the Indigo Plateau, once the seat of the world's highest authority, sensing the full reach of his clones. He felt the time had come.
Half a month later, under the Hive's directive, the most consequential event in recorded history unfolded.
On the morning of June 6th, at 6:00 a.m., all regions except for the Unova League and the autonomous Alola islands jointly issued a declaration: the dissolution of the Pokémon League system and the founding of the Holy Leviathan Empire.
At the very moment the proclamation was issued, Leviathan, its massive body stretching several kilometers, rose into the sky, casting a titanic shadow over the Indigo Plateau.
Simultaneously, Mega Rayquaza, Black Rayquaza, Xerneas, Zygarde, Regigigas, Kyogre, Dawn Wings Necrozma, along with multiple Moltres, Articuno, Zapdos, Latios, Latias, Celebi, and Shaymin, ascended and encircled Leviathan, like a host of angels exalting their god.
This sacred and awe-inspiring scene, unveiled alongside the founding edict, was broadcast to the entire world.
The Holy Leviathan Empire's First Imperial Decree:
Leviathan is the one true deity and sovereign of all life. All other beings once revered by the ignorant masses as divine, be it Palkia, god of space; Xerneas, god of life; or Azelf, god of willpower, are henceforth demoted to mere Legendary Pokémon. Citizens of the Empire are strictly forbidden from referring to any entity other than Leviathan as a god.
This decree officially established Leviathan's singular divinity and stripped all previously venerated beings of their divine titles, reducing them to myth and legend.
Second Imperial Decree:
The Empire shall be governed under Leviathan's divine throne by a Council of Seven Elders. The inaugural elders are: Lance, Brandon, Giovanni, Steven Stone, Blaine, Monk Braham*, and Anabel.
This decree abolished the former Pokémon League's High Council and its chairman, replacing them with the Elder Council.
In other words, the role once held by Charles Goodshow and the entire League assembly was now assumed by seven individuals.
Each of the Seven Elders represents a pillar of the old world: the League Champion, the Frontier Brains, the underworld syndicates, commercial magnates, scientific elites, religious authorities, and intelligence operations.
It was a clear message from the new empire: all backgrounds would be embraced. All were citizens now, equal under the Empire. Even the Bell Tower, once a shrine to Ho-Oh, was rededicated as a temple of worship to Leviathan.
Third Imperial Decree:
The governance of the Unova League and Alolan kahunas is hereby declared illegitimate.
The Empire had been established, and in the new world order, the defiance of Unova's League remnants and Alola's tribal autonomy was inherently unlawful. "All under heaven belongs to the Emperor."
The decree fell like a thunderclap.
There had been no prelude, no foreshadowing, no leaks, not even a rumor. The first imperial edict arrived out of nowhere, and yet it was met with thunderous applause and public celebration across most regions.
Because the virus within them compelled them to cheer*.
Of course, not everyone's joy was genuine.
But the tide had turned. This rising torrent could not be resisted. Those who opposed it quietly would, within years or decades, be assimilated, and by the next generation, the legitimacy of the Empire would be unquestioned.
In one sweeping moment, the largest, most populous, most technologically advanced, and most unified nation in the world's history was born.
At the same time, the Unova League and Alola's island kahunas became global pariahs.
Though the Empire took no direct military action beyond declaring their illegitimacy, within days, both were besieged by worldwide condemnation.
To the global public, they were nothing but relics of a fallen order, obstacles to progress.
As waves of criticism mounted, the people of Unova fell into a state of collective unease.
What was happening to their world? How had they become enemies of humanity overnight?
Even as the Unova League and Alola's kahunas publicly warned that the rest of the world had been infected by a virus and could devolve into hellscapes like Sunburst Island at any moment...
...modern society still had eyes. People in Unova and Alola could view global media.
And everything looked normal. Aside from some leadership changes and the reclassification of a few Pokémon, life went on. The Indigo Conference still ran. Movies were still being filmed...
So what virus? Was this just another lie by the League and kahunas to maintain their grip on power?
Soon, voices within Unova and Alola began to call for submission to the Empire.
These voices were loudest in commercial sectors.
The reasoning was simple: global trade with Unova and Alola had ceased, and the resulting economic losses were staggering.
As the world's most advanced region, Unova's economy relied heavily on exporting high-tech goods. But with trade routes sealed, domestic markets alone couldn't absorb the surplus.
Worse than halted exports was the inability to import.
Take smartphones, for example. Unova made the best in the world, but each unit contained over a thousand components, most of them imported from Kalos, Kanto, and elsewhere.
Now, with foreign parts cut off, manufacturers were forced to rely on domestic substitutes. But due to regional industry disparities, local replacements couldn't match the quality of imports. The entire sector was on the brink of collapse.
The same crisis rippled through other industries, heavy machinery, infrastructure, anything requiring specialized materials.
Large-scale equipment production depended on rare materials unique to each region. Without them, even finished products were of dangerously low quality, or simply unfit for use.
In addition to commercial chaos, grassroots pressure mounted.
Many trainers from Unova were currently traveling abroad.
With the new Empire's rise, those trainers joined it, proudly. Through calls and messages, they urged their families back home to do the same, listing the many benefits of Imperial citizenship and leaving their loved ones torn.
This was not an isolated phenomenon.
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T/N:
*Monk Braham. If my memory serves me right, I think this is one of monks mentioned before who worshipped Ho-Oh along with other two monks.
*This reminds me of the Naruto movie, the lost tower, where citizens were merely just puppets.
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