Cinnabar Island, also known as Cinnabar Town, is a large island in the southern seas of the Kanto Region.
On this island, there is an enormous volcano.
The volcano is a very important location on the island, dividing the Cinnabar Gym into two parts. One part of the Gym is inside the volcano, with a room that extends over the lava, while the other part is at the mouth of the volcano.
The location of the Cinnabar Gym is extremely well hidden, causing many Trainers who want to challenge the Gym to be unable to find it. For rookie Trainers, finding the Cinnabar Gym is especially difficult.
However, today, there was someone who went directly to the Cinnabar Gym, with a clear goal in mind!
A young man with brown hair tinged with gold slowly walked down the stairs. Feeling the scorching heat rushing toward him, he took a deep breath.
Beneath the hot springs likely lies magma. According to investigations, the Cinnabar Gym's battlefield was built directly above it.
Terrance had seen many Gyms with unique architectural styles: some built deep in the mountains, some on water, but none of these styles were truly unique. Still, one built on a volcano; this was a first for him.
After walking for a while, Terrance reached the lower level and saw the battlefield suspended over the magma. He blinked.
This was way too dangerous. If a Grass-type or Bug-type Pokémon fell down there, it'd be over for them.
After observing the surroundings for a while, Terrance started sweating. He was just too close to the magma; even with his constitution, he couldn't handle it.
"Good thing I came prepared." After coming all this way, Terrance was finding the heat unbearable. He quickly took out a bottle of drink from his backpack.
He squeezed it hard and frowned. When he bought the drink, it was still cold, but now it had already returned to room temperature.
Not letting this disappointing situation get to him, Terrance simply called out Altaria and told it to use Ice Beam to quickly freeze the drink.
After Altaria came out of the Poké Ball, it stood firmly on the ground and released a breath of cold air from its mouth, enveloping the drink. The water inside visibly started to slowly freeze under the chill. As the drink got colder, Terrance was just about to unscrew the bottle cap when, in the next moment, he suddenly looked up.
"The lights are on?"
"It looks like the owner of the Gym is about to arrive."
Terrance smiled slightly and looked at the door across from him. Sure enough, in the next instant, a bald old man walked out.
"Oh dear, I only just noticed someone's entered the Gym this late? I really am getting old." Blaine pushed the door open, came out, and shook his head helplessly.
"I am Blaine, the Gym Leader of Cinnabar Island. Are you a challenger?"
"Hello, Mr. Blaine. I'm not a challenger, I just hope to borrow the Gym for a bit," Terrance said with a smile and shook his head.
As soon as he finished speaking, Blaine's brow furrowed. This sounded just like someone looking for trouble. Borrow the Gym? What did he mean by that?
"To do some special training inside the volcano?"
After thinking for a moment, Blaine spoke.
"Yes," Terrance replied.
Blaine was no stranger to this kind of Trainer. Inside the volcano really was a great place for special training. Whether to hone a Fire-type Pokémon's abilities or to temper a Pokémon's willpower, the volcano was a treasure. Building the Gym in the volcano was partly for personal reasons. Blaine wanted to better train his Pokémon.
"I see." Blaine smiled to himself. Terrance wasn't the first Trainer like this, and he certainly wouldn't be the last. Every year, quite a few Trainers come here hoping to stay at the Cinnabar Gym for training.
However...
None of these Trainers were exceptions; they were all chased out by Blaine!
"Of course, I wouldn't use the volcano for training for free. I can pay a price; whatever conditions you have, just tell me. As long as it's within my ability, I'll make sure it's done," Terrance said.
Although there were several other places suitable for special training, none were as effective as the Cinnabar Island volcano. After much consideration, Terrance finally made up his mind to bite the bullet and pay a visit to the Cinnabar Gym.
"Hahaha!" Blaine laughed heartily and shook his head, saying, "The volcano has always been ownerless. Although I built my Gym inside it, that doesn't mean I'm the owner of the volcano. If you want to use the Cinnabar Gym, it's not impossible. There's just one condition."
"Please tell me."
"Defeat me," Blaine said.
"A battle…" Terrance was taken aback. He'd thought the other party might want some kind of rent or compensation, but it turned out to be a battle?
"What's wrong, kid? Afraid to battle?" Blaine said. "There have been several Trainers who wanted to use the Cinnabar Gym for training, but not a single one passed my test."
"No, if it's a battle, I'd be more than willing," Terrance replied seriously.
"Not bad, that's the spirit. All right, but before we start, you'd best prepare some Burn Heal!" Blaine laughed loudly. He always gave this reminder to every opponent, a sign of his absolute confidence in his own strength.
"Don't worry about that." Terrance patted Altaria on the head beside him and said, "What are the rules for the match?"
"One round, the winner takes all."
"No problem. Then the Pokémon I'll use is this one."
At Terrance's command, Altaria slowly took to the air. At the same time, Terrance smiled and looked over at the old Mr. Blaine.
Although the rumors said this Fire-type master was absurdly strong, Terrance believed Altaria could handle it.
After all, Altaria was his absolute ace!
"I just realized I haven't introduced myself yet. I'm Terrance, from Fallarbor Town in the Hoenn region."
"Very good." Blaine nodded. Glancing at Altaria, a faint smile appeared on his face as he said, "The magma within magma, the scorching flame swimming inside the magma—what is it?"
What?
Terrance was stunned and blurted out, "Magcargo?"
"No!!!" Blaine retorted sharply. "It's Magmortar! Come on out, Magmortar!!"
As Blaine shouted, he raised both hands high, a fiery smile on his face, as if he was eagerly anticipating Magmortar's appearance. In the next moment, the magma surged wildly below, as if something was really swimming inside. With a sudden splash, Terrance's pupils shrank.
A towering pillar of magma erupted from below, splashing countless drops of lava across the battlefield in a dangerously spectacular display. Accompanied by the pillar of fire, a red figure flew out, surrounded with billowing, scorching white smoke!!
This was a Pokémon with flames erupting upward from its head and shoulders, a flame symbol on its belly, and a body that looked like it was made entirely of blazing fire!
From the moment it appeared, the field seemed to get even hotter. One could even suspect its body temperature was higher than the magma below.
"Magmortar, huh…" Terrance frowned and looked down at the magma. Had this Pokémon always been training at the bottom of the magma?
It seemed…the volcano had already become Blaine's exclusive training ground.
****Please support on pat*eon for extra chapters; there is date to date subscription enabled on patreon. [There is a 7-day trial version availabe on patreon.]
https://www.pat*eon.com/dmtranslations
You can read ahead upto 65 chapters on my pa*reon.