[LOOT ACQUIRED: PROJECT MEW-DERIVED TMs]
[TM: Psystrike (Refined)]: A physical-manifestation psychic attack. Perfect for Armarouge to bypass special-defense walls.
[TM: Amnesia (Project Grade)]: Allows a Pokémon to mentally "reset" its pain receptors, drastically raising Special Defense.
[TM: Expanding Force]: A move that capitalizes on the psychic terrain Sabrina loves to build—lethal for a team that needs to punish psychic specialists.
[TM: Future Sight (Optimized)]: A faster-acting version of the delay-strike Zeth saw Sabrina use.
As Zeth pockets the TMs, the air temperature doesn't drop—it becomes still, as if the wind itself has been frozen by a thought. A faint, translucent silhouette of a Pokémon flickers in the corner of the room. It's a psychic echo, a remnant of the stress and power that once saturated this basement.
Zeth doesn't flinch. He releases Abyssal Cloyster (Lvl 58). The black-shelled Pokémon exhales a mist of Frostbite energy, creating a physical barrier of cold between Zeth and the psychic remnant.
"This place is dead," Zeth says to the empty room, his voice echoing off the scorched concrete. "I'm just here to make sure the tools don't go to waste."
The echo vanishes. The TMs are secure.
Before heading to the Volcano Gym, Zeth utilizes the TMs on his team, expanding their coverage to ensure that the "Magma Master" has no blind spots to exploit.
The climb to the summit of Cinnabar is a trial of endurance. The air is thin, scorched by the volcanic vents that line the path to the Gym. Inside, the arena isn't just a room—it's a suspended grate of reinforced steel hanging directly over a lake of bubbling, visceral magma.
Blaine stands on the far side, his bald head reflecting the orange glow of the pit below. He's discarded his lab coat, revealing a scarred frame that has survived decades of fire. He looks at Zeth, eyes narrowing behind his tinted glasses.
"Six versus six. One on one duels until the last man is standing," Blaine rasps, his voice cracking like dry wood. "In this heat, the weak don't just lose—they evaporate. I've seen your record, Champion. But the Orange Islands don't have a heart of fire like Kanto does. Let's see if you can handle the pressure."
[ROUND 1: THE WILL-O-WISP]
Houndoom (Lvl 56) vs. Ninetales (Lvl 62)
Blaine opens with Ninetales. The fox-like Pokémon radiates a mystical, scorching heat, its nine tails weaving through the air.
"Drought," Blaine commands. The artificial sun in the ceiling flares, intensifying the fire energy in the room.
"Flash Fire," Zeth counters.
Houndoom steps forward, absorbing the heat into its own fur. When Ninetales unleashes a Fire Blast, Houndoom simply inhales it, its own flames turning a deeper, more violent red. The two Dark-Fire types trade Dark Pulses and Confuse Rays, but Houndoom's Deep Gold potential allows it to outlast the Ninetales. A final, boosted Crunch ends the first round.
[ROUND 2: THE SPEED OF MAGMA]
Armarouge (Lvl 55) vs. Rapidash (Lvl 62)
Blaine releases Rapidash, a streak of flame that moves faster than the eye can follow.
"Flare Blitz!" Blaine roars.
Rapidash becomes a literal meteor. It slams into Armarouge, the impact nearly throwing the knight into the lava.
[TRIGGER: WEAK ARMOR] Armarouge's brass plating cracks and falls away. Its speed doubles.
"Psystrike," Zeth commands, testing the new TM.
Armarouge doesn't aim for a fire-clash. It manifests a wave of pure, physical psychic force. The wave hits Rapidash mid-stride, knocking the horse off balance. Armarouge follows up with an Armor Cannon at point-blank range, the white-hot blast sending Rapidash back to its ball.
[ROUND 3: THE EVOLUTIONARY WALL]
Rhydon (Lvl 57) vs. Flareon (Lvl 63)
Blaine sends out Flareon, the "Flame Pokémon" radiating a staggering 1700-degree internal heat.
"Amnesia," Zeth orders calmly.
Rhydon closes its eyes, entering a meditative trance. Its skin hardens as it resets its pain receptors. When Flareon hits with a Fire Fang, Rhydon doesn't even flinch.
"Earthquake."
Rhydon slams its massive foot down. The suspended grate shakes violently. Flareon, trapped on the steel platform with nowhere to run, takes the full force of the tectonic shift. One hit. Total KO.
[ROUND 4: THE FROSTBITE TEST]
Abyssal Cloyster (Lvl 58) vs. Magmar (Lvl 65)
Blaine looks at the lake of fire, then at Zeth. "You're good, kid. But let's see how that 'Abyssal' freak of yours handles the real deal."
Magmar steps forward, its very breath melting the steel grate under its feet.
"Abyssal Cloyster—Shell Smash!" Zeth barks.
Cloyster sheds its obsidian shell, appearing as a lean, blue-black blur.
"Icicle Spear!"
The spears fly, glowing with the Frostbite Trait. Magmar laughs, melting the first three with a Flamethrower, but the fourth and fifth spears are infused with the Absolute-Zero Essence. They pierce through the heat, striking Magmar's chest.
[EFFECT: FROSTBITE] A patch of deep-blue ice begins to spread across Magmar's molten skin. The Magmar shrieks, its fire dimming as its Defense and Speed begin to drop turn by turn. Unable to maintain its heat, it falls to a final Razor Shell.
[ROUND 5: THE DRAGON CLASH]
Shiny Salamence (Lvl 63) vs. Magmortar (Lvl 66)
Blaine brings out a heavy hitter from his main rotation. Magmortar levels its cannon-arms.
"Fire Blast!"
Zeth releases the Solid Black Salamence. The Dragon's Intimidate shatters Magmortar's focus for a split second. Salamence streaks through the Fire Blast, its scales unbothered by the heat, and delivers a Dragon Claw that shears through Magmortar's cannons. With a Moxie boost triggered, Salamence is now an unstoppable force.
[ROUND 6: THE FINAL RECKONING]
Lunar Charizard (Lvl 62) vs. Arcanine (Lvl 66)
Blaine stands alone, his five previous Pokémon defeated. He reaches for his last ball—his ace for gym battles. Arcanine appears, a massive, majestic beast that let out a roar that echoes through the volcano.
"This Arcanine is the weakest of my 'true' team, Zeth," Blaine says, a grim smile on his face. "But 'weak' for me is still 'Elite 4' for everyone else. Let's see the Core."
Zeth releases Lunar Charizard. The matte-black dragon and the legendary canine lock eyes.
"Extreme Speed!" Blaine commands.
Arcanine becomes a blur, slamming into Charizard before Zeth can even speak. Charizard is thrown back, its claws digging into the steel grate.
"Lunar Flame," Zeth whispers.
Charizard's tail ignites with that haunting, silver-green fire. It meets Arcanine's Flare Blitz head-on. The two titans clash in the center of the arena, fire meeting fire, until the silver flame begins to eat the orange. Charizard grips Arcanine by the neck and slams it into the steel, unleashing a Blast Burn that lights up the entire volcanic crater.
The smoke clears. Arcanine is down. Charizard stands over it, panting, its matte-black scales glowing from the heat. Blaine walks over, his cane clicking on the metal. He looks at his fallen ace, then at Zeth.
"Seven," Blaine says, handing over the Volcano Badge. "You've got seven. Only one left. But I'll tell you now, Zeth... the man in Viridian isn't like us. He doesn't care about the 'spirit' of the fire or the 'honor' of the match. He only cares about the win."
Zeth takes the badge. He feels the weight of it. He's one step away from the Indigo Plateau.