Chapter 21: The Central Mountains
Recap: Fang Yuan defeated the Tide Caller and earned his sixth badge. He evolved his Water Snake Gu into a Frost Serpent Gu. Now he travels to the central mountains, where the seventh Gym Leader—a Steel specialist—awaits.
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The central mountains rose from the earth like the teeth of a buried giant.
Fang Yuan walked through passes of black stone, across bridges of natural rock, past waterfalls that plunged into valleys so deep they seemed to swallow the light. The air was thin here, cold, and the wind carried the scent of iron and dust.
He had been walking for five days.
His Subjects were strong. The Storm Phoenix Gu circled above him, its wings crackling with lightning. The Frost Serpent Gu slithered beside him, its scales gleaming with frost. The Stone Dragon Gu was too large for the narrow passes, so he kept it in its sphere. The Solar Vine Gu rode on his shoulder, its flowers blooming, its tendrils waving. And the Moonlight Gu—his first, his weakest, his most mysterious—hovered at his side, its silver light steady.
He opened his Status screen as he walked.
TRAINER: Fang Yuan
Rank: 1 (Mortal)
Badges: 6/8
Primeval Stones: 81
Immortal Essence Stones: 0
Active Subjects: 16/42
Total Captures: 24
Key Subjects:
· Moonlight Gu (Light, Rank 1)
· Lumina Gu (Light, Rank 1)
· Stone Dragon Gu (Rock/Dragon, Rank 3)
· Storm Phoenix Gu (Electric/Flying, Rank 3)
· Frost Serpent Gu (Water/Ice, Rank 3)
· Solar Vine Gu (Grass/Light, Rank 2)
· Wildfire Stallion (Fire, Rank 2)
· White Boar Gu (Normal, Rank 2)
Sixteen Subjects. Three at Rank 3. The rest at Rank 2 or 1. Against a Rank 5 Steel specialist, it's not enough.
He needed more. He needed to evolve his remaining Subjects. But evolution stones cost IES, and he had no primeval stones left to convert.
I need to capture more. Battle more. Earn more stones.
He quickened his pace.
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The Steel Clan's fortress was carved into the mountain itself.
It was not beautiful like Eastern Sea City. It was not ancient like the Wu Clan's temple. It was functional, brutal, designed to withstand siege, to resist assault, to endure. Its walls were black iron, its gates were steel, its towers bristled with cannons that fired molten metal.
Fang Yuan stood at the base of the fortress, looking up. The seventh Gym Leader was inside. A man named Steelhand Zhou. Rank 5. His Gu were said to be unbreakable—a Rank 4 Iron Golem, a Rank 3 Steel Serpent, and a Rank 3 Magneton Gu.
Steel type. Weak against Fire and Fighting. Strong against everything else.
He had Fire. The Wildfire Stallion was Rank 2. The Fire Cricket Gu was Rank 1. Not enough. He needed something stronger.
He reached into his pocket and touched the cracked stone. The creature stirred.
There is a cave to the east. In it, a Fire type. Rank 3. Capture it, and you will have what you need.
Fang Yuan turned east.
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The cave was a wound in the mountain's side.
Heat radiated from its entrance, shimmering the air. Inside, the walls glowed red, and the ground was covered in ash. Fang Yuan walked deeper, his robes soaked with sweat, his Subjects' spheres warm in his pocket.
He found it at the cave's heart.
A Magma Tortoise Gu. Rank 3. Its shell was molten rock, its eyes burning coals, its breath a cloud of ash and fire. It was massive—twice the size of the White Boar Gu—and it was sleeping.
Fang Yuan released his Frost Serpent Gu.
The creature materialized, its scales gleaming with frost, its breath misting in the heat. The Magma Tortoise stirred, its eyes opening, its shell glowing brighter.
"Ice Beam," Fang Yuan said.
The Frost Serpent Gu opened its mouth, and a beam of ice shot toward the Magma Tortoise. It struck the creature's shell and hissed, steam rising, but the ice did not penetrate. The tortoise's shell was too thick.
The Magma Tortoise roared. Fire erupted from its shell, a wave of heat that swept across the cave. Fang Yuan dove behind a rock, his Frost Serpent Gu recoiling, its frost melting.
Fire against Ice. Super effective. I can't use the Frost Serpent.
He recalled it and released his Stone Dragon Gu. The dragon materialized, its scales grey, its eyes gold. The Magma Tortoise roared again, and the Stone Dragon answered, its own roar shaking the cave walls.
"Dragon Breath."
Golden fire erupted from the dragon's mouth, striking the tortoise's shell. The creature screamed, its shell cracking, molten rock spilling. But it did not fall. Its shell was too thick.
I need to get through its defense. Something that can pierce, not burn.
He recalled the Stone Dragon Gu and released his Magnemite Gu. The small electric creature hovered in the air, its magnets spinning.
"Thunder Shock."
The lightning struck the tortoise's shell. The creature convulsed, its shell cracking further, but it still did not fall.
Its defense is too high. I need something that ignores defense.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out the black-and-gold sphere. The fragment. The thing the system couldn't identify.
Not yet. Not for this.
He tucked it away and released his Wildfire Stallion.
"Flame Charge. Full power."
The Stallion charged, its body becoming a streak of fire. It struck the Magma Tortoise's shell, and the creature screamed, its shell shattering. Molten rock spilled across the cave floor, and the tortoise collapsed.
Fang Yuan pulled out a Pokeball and threw.
The sphere struck the creature's head and opened. Red light swallowed it, and the ball wobbled once, twice, three times, four times, five—
Click.
[Capture Successful!]
Magma Tortoise Gu added to Storage.
Type: Fire/Rock
Rank: 3
Moves: Flame Charge, Rock Slide, Shell Smash
Reward: 50 Primeval Stones
Fang Yuan retrieved the sphere and left the cave.
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He returned to the Steel Clan's fortress the next morning.
The gates were open. No guards. No sentries. Just an iron portcullis raised high enough for a single person to pass. Fang Yuan walked through, his footsteps echoing in the courtyard beyond.
The courtyard was vast, paved with steel, surrounded by walls of black iron. At its center, a man sat on a throne forged from the mountain itself. He was massive—broader than Tie Shan, taller than the Beast King, his arms thick as tree trunks, his hands covered in steel gauntlets. His hair was grey, his eyes black, his face scarred by a hundred battles.
Beside him, three Gu hovered. An Iron Golem, Rank 4, its body gleaming, its eyes red fire. A Steel Serpent, Rank 3, its scales silver, its fangs dripping venom. A Magneton Gu, Rank 3, its three bodies spinning, electricity arcing between them.
Steelhand Zhou's eyes fixed on Fang Yuan. "You're the one who's been collecting badges."
"Yes."
"The Gu Yue boy who beat the clan leader. The child who tamed the Stone Dragon. The demon who walked through the temple of the dead and came out alive." He leaned forward. "I've heard the stories. They say you're not human."
Fang Yuan met his gaze. "They're right."
Steelhand Zhou smiled. It was not a kind smile. It was the smile of a man who had faced demons before and buried them all.
"Then let's see what you're made of."
He raised his hand. The match began.
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The Magneton Gu struck first.
Lightning arced across the courtyard, faster than Fang Yuan could react. He dove, the bolt scorching the steel where he had been standing. His Storm Phoenix Gu materialized, its wings crackling, its own lightning answering.
"Storm Call!"
The sky darkened. Clouds gathered, heavy with rain, and lightning flashed. The Magneton Gu's electricity was absorbed by the storm, its attacks neutralized.
But the Iron Golem was already moving.
It was massive—twice the height of a man, its body solid iron, its fists the size of boulders. It charged, its footsteps shaking the courtyard. Fang Yuan released his Stone Dragon Gu.
"Dragon Breath!"
Golden fire struck the Iron Golem's chest. The creature didn't slow. Its iron body absorbed the heat, glowing red, but it did not melt. It did not break.
Its defense is too high. Physical attacks won't work. Fire won't work. I need something else.
He recalled the Stone Dragon Gu and released his Magma Tortoise Gu.
The creature materialized, its shell cracked but glowing, its eyes burning. The Iron Golem raised its fist to strike, but the Magma Tortoise was faster. It spat a stream of molten rock, striking the Golem's legs, fusing them to the steel floor.
The Golem stumbled, its legs locked, and fell. Its body crashed against the steel, shaking the courtyard.
Steelhand Zhou's Steel Serpent lunged.
It was fast—faster than the Golem, faster than the Magneton. Its fangs dripped venom, its scales gleaming. Fang Yuan released his Frost Serpent Gu.
"Ice Beam!"
The beam of ice struck the Steel Serpent's body. The creature hissed, its scales cracking, its movements slowing. Ice against Steel. Not super effective, but enough to slow it down.
The Steel Serpent recoiled, its body freezing, and Fang Yuan recalled the Frost Serpent.
He was winning. But Steelhand Zhou was smiling.
"You think this is all I have?" He raised his hands. "I am Steelhand Zhou. I have fought a hundred battles. I have never lost. And I will not lose to a child."
His Gu changed.
The Iron Golem's legs melted, freeing it from the steel floor. The Magneton Gu's bodies merged, forming a single, massive creature. The Steel Serpent shed its frozen scales, revealing new, harder armor beneath.
And then they attacked together.
The Iron Golem charged. The Magneton Gu struck with lightning. The Steel Serpent lunged with venomous fangs. Fang Yuan had no time to dodge, no time to recall his Subjects.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out the cracked stone.
"Fusion."
The creature inside him erupted.
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It was different this time. Smoother. Controlled. The darkness flowed through him like water, filling his veins, his bones, his soul. His eyes became silver mirrors. His skin became cold. And when he raised his hand, the shadows around him rose.
The Iron Golem stopped. Its red eyes flickered. The Magneton Gu's lightning faltered. The Steel Serpent's fangs withdrew.
They were afraid.
Fang Yuan walked toward them, his steps silent on the steel floor. The shadows wrapped around the Iron Golem's legs, lifting it, crushing it. The creature screamed, its iron body crumpling.
He raised his other hand. Shadows wrapped around the Magneton Gu, squeezing its three bodies into one, crushing its circuits, silencing its lightning.
He looked at the Steel Serpent. The creature coiled, hissing, but it did not attack. It could not. The shadows held it in place.
"Yield," Fang Yuan said.
His voice was not his own. It was the creature's voice, old and cold and vast.
Steelhand Zhou stared at him, his face pale, his hands trembling. "I yield."
The shadows receded. The Iron Golem fell. The Magneton Gu sparked. The Steel Serpent uncoiled, slithering back to its master.
Fang Yuan stood in the center of the courtyard, his eyes silver, his skin cold. He walked toward Steelhand Zhou.
"The badge," he said.
Steelhand Zhou reached into his armor and pulled out a badge of black steel, shaped like a fist. He held it out.
Fang Yuan took it. The system flared.
[Gym Badge Acquired: Steel Badge]
[7/8 Badges Obtained]
[Unlocked: Sacred Ash now available in Shop]
[Unlocked: Increased capture limit to 48 total Subjects]
[Seventh Badge Bonus: 350 Primeval Stones]
His status updated: Primeval Stones: 481.
He pocketed the badge and turned to leave.
"Wait." Steelhand Zhou's voice was hoarse. "The eighth Gym Leader. The Dragon Lord. He's not like us. He's not human. He's been waiting for you."
Fang Yuan looked back. "I know."
He walked out of the fortress and didn't look back.
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End of Chapter 21