Just as Chen Shi was about to jump onto Salamence's back, a pair of hands suddenly grabbed him tightly from behind.
He turned around—and froze.
Phoebe was clutching him with all her strength, her eyes brimming with tears. The lively sparkle she usually had was gone, replaced by reddened eye rims and trembling lashes, as if the tears would spill at any moment.
"Chen Shi… please, take me with you," she begged, her voice shaking.
That look was exactly what Chen Shi couldn't handle the most.
And with time already slipping away, he really didn't want to waste even another second.
"Alright, get on—quickly. Don't slow us down."
"Yes! Yes!" Phoebe nodded frantically and scrambled up onto Salamence's back with him.
"Dragon Sis—over there! Full speed! Now!"
"ROAR!"
Salamence clearly understood the urgency. Its blood-red wings snapped open, and in the next instant, it shot forward like a blazing meteor.
"Damn… this was reckless," Chen Shi muttered, clinging tightly to Salamence's neck as the violent airflow made it impossible to even open his eyes.
Phoebe hugged onto Chen Shi's clothes with all her might, terrified of being blown off.
Now that Salamence had broken through to Champion level, its full-speed flight was on an entirely different level compared to before.
Sensing their struggle, Salamence immediately adjusted its energy, forming a transparent barrier in front of them to block the wind.
Only then did Chen Shi finally manage to sit properly on its back.
Even so, his heart was heavy with worry.
If Champion-level Pokémon were openly attacking Mt. Pyre, there were only two possible culprits—
Maxie, leader of Team Magma…
or Archie, leader of Team Aqua.
And their target could only be one thing.
The Orbs.
Chen Shi let out a quiet sigh. No matter which of the two it was, this situation was going to be extremely troublesome.
"Chen Shi… my grandparents will be okay, right?" Phoebe asked, kneeling on Salamence's back, her eyes red as she sobbed.
"They'll be fine," Chen Shi said firmly. "They've controlled the Mt. Pyre line for decades. Their foundation is deeper than you think."
"But… I heard Champion-level Pokémon attacked them…"
Phoebe's tears finally spilled over.
She didn't truly understand how strong a Champion-level Pokémon was—but she knew it was far beyond anything at the Elite level.
And in her eyes, her grandparents' Pokémon were only Elite level at best.
How could they possibly withstand that?
Seeing her cry, Chen Shi felt his own mind grow restless.
He had once promised—if anything happened to Mt. Pyre, he would help.
He'd assumed Team Magma and Team Aqua were only just beginning to stir, that there would still be time for him to grow stronger.
But Mt. Pyre had already been targeted.
And he was still far from ready.
At this point, all they could rely on were his grandparents' Salamence and Garchomp.
Thinking of Garchomp, Chen Shi instinctively glanced to the side—
And froze.
"…Huh?"
He'd just spotted a person standing behind Garchomp.
Chen Shi turned his head sharply.
Cynthia stood calmly on Garchomp's back. When she noticed him looking, she even smiled slightly.
Chen Shi: "..."
...
Inside Mt. Pyre's Ghost-type secret realm.
What had once been a mountain blanketed in flowers lovingly cultivated by Phoebe was now engulfed in smoke and devastation.
The dreamlike floral world was gone—replaced by shattered ground and lingering destruction.
"Old man, I'll give you one last chance," a man in a red uniform and glasses said coldly.
"Hand it over, or you're dying here today."
Standing at the center of the battlefield was Maxie, leader of Team Magma.
Before him loomed a massive Camerupt, its aura violent and oppressive, locked in a standoff with a battered Gengar across from it.
Not far away stood another man, wearing a bandanna and a sailor's outfit. He spoke just as calmly—
"We only want the Orb. Hand it over, and we leave immediately."
"Otherwise… don't blame us for being ruthless."
The moment Archie finished speaking, the Sharpedo in front of him revealed a bloodthirsty grin, clearly itching to strike.
Archie knew very well—if this dragged on any longer, the situation would only worsen.
The earlier clash had been far too loud. The League was likely already on alert.
They needed to retreat—now.
Phoebe's grandfather looked at Gengar, its aura weak and unstable, and couldn't help but feel a wave of helplessness.
This Gengar had belonged to his son. Though it had reached Champion level, facing two opponents of the same tier—especially with Sharpedo naturally countering it—was simply too much.
The fact that Gengar had held on this long was already a miracle.
Just as Maxie and Archie prepared to strike again, footsteps echoed from deep within the secret realm.
The elite members of Team Magma and Team Aqua emerged.
"Boss—got it!"
Maxie's eyes lit up when he saw the red orb in his subordinate's hands.
"Good. We're leaving—now. If we wait any longer, the League's vultures will be on us!"
On the other side, Team Aqua had also secured the blue orb. Archie didn't hesitate either.
"Withdraw!"
They came swiftly—and left just as swiftly.
Phoebe's grandparents didn't even attempt to stop them.
They simply couldn't.
Gengar was at its limit, and the other Elite-level Pokémon had long since lost the ability to fight.
After a long silence, Phoebe's grandmother looked at the ruined secret realm and sighed.
"…What do we do now, old man?"
Phoebe's grandfather said nothing. His expression was grim.
Those two orbs had been guarded by their family for generations.
And now—because of their own powerlessness—they had fallen into the hands of two madmen.
If disaster followed…
How could he face their ancestors?
How could he face the countless people who might be affected?
A thousand years of Mt. Pyre's guardianship—reduced to a joke.
Then—
A thunderous dragon's roar echoed from the distance.
Along with a sobbing voice.
"Grandpa! Grandma! Where are you?!"
The two elders looked at each other.
They recognized that voice instantly.
Moments later, a Salamence and a Garchomp descended before them.
Three young figures leapt down.
And among them—
Was their long-lost granddaughter.
Phoebe.
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