Inside Stark Mountain, a wave of scorching heat rushed toward them.
The two made their way along a narrow path winding above molten lava, glancing down cautiously.
Magma surged from fissures below, swallowing the ground in bubbling, searing liquid. The air rippled with intense heat.
"Now this," Flint took a deep breath, grinning as he wiped sweat from his brow, "is what gets this old man's blood pumping!"
"Not good…"
The aged man adjusted his detector, frowning. "Something must have disturbed the volcanic seal."
Rumble…
A deep tremor echoed from the heart of Stark Mountain.
Handsome and Flint exchanged a glance.
They quickened their pace, sprinting across the treacherous path of hardened magma toward the cavern's entrance.
A blistering gust of wind roared toward them, carrying with it the violent tremors of the earth itself.
Then—amid the sparks and molten fury—Flint and Handsome froze.
A massive, rust-red figure, as if forged from molten metal and raw power, stood anchored to the stone with thick, metallic limbs. Its maw gaped wide, unleashing a terrifying blast of white-hot steam!
BOOM—
"Heatran!!" The beast's deafening cry sent chunks of rock cascading from the ceiling.
"That's…" Flint's eyes widened, gripping his afro in disbelief. "A legendary Mythical Pokémon…!"
"International Police Artifact No. 6, Standard Pokédex—activate!"
Handsome reached into his coat with dramatic flourish, then aimed the device at the creature.
The Pokédex's signal light flickered, and a mechanical voice announced:
[Beep… Heatran. The Lava Dome Pokémon. Data incomplete. Moves unknown. Sightings reported near volcanic regions.]
"Whoa… We've got ourselves a real monster here!"
Flint ducked as another wave of heat scorched past him, then yanked a Poké Ball from his pocket, his expression sharpening.
"Go, Infernape!" he roared. "Mach Punch!"
A burst of red light erupted, revealing the blazing Infernape.
With a crack, the ground beneath it shattered as it closed the distance in an instant.
BAM BAM BAM!
A flurry of Mach Punches hammered into Heatran's armored back, leaving faint white marks—but nothing more.
"Heatran!!" Heatran's eyes burned crimson as it reared back, a blinding orb of energy gathering in its maw. The sheer pressure of the attack sent shockwaves rippling outward.
Flint's pupils shrank. "Get out of there, Infernape!"
"Infernape!" Infernape kicked off the ground, flickering midair to dodge—
BOOOOM!!
A devastating Flamethrower erupted from Heatran's jaws, carving horizontally through the cavern. Stalactites shattered, raining debris in a storm of dust and embers.
"With a crack, the ground beneath it shattered as it closed the distance in an instant.
BAM BAM BAM!
A flurry of Mach Punches hammered into Heatran's armored back, leaving faint white marks—but nothing more.
"Heatran!!" Heatran's eyes burned crimson as it reared back, a blinding orb of energy gathering in its maw. The sheer pressure of the attack sent shockwaves rippling outward.
Flint's pupils shrank. "Get out of there, Infernape!"
"Infernape!" Infernape kicked off the ground, flickering midair to dodge—
BOOOOM!!!
Infernape barely had time to cross its arms before the flames swallowed it whole.
"Too strong!" Handsome paled, scanning their surroundings. There had to be another way!
CRASH!
Infernape was sent flying, smashing through falling pillars before finally skidding to a stop. It struggled to rise, its golden scales charred, its back embedded with rubble. Wiping blood from its mouth, its eyes blazed with defiant fire.
Blaze—activated!
"This guy…" Flint gritted his teeth, glaring at Heatran. "Is it the volcano's guardian?"
"More like a rampaging beast," Handsome corrected. "No recorded Heatran has ever exhibited this level of power. This must be why Stark Mountain's volcanic activity is spiking!"
"HEATRAN!!"
The monster roared again, its eyes flaring with murderous light. Its metallic limbs clanked as it descended the stone steps toward Flint, each step fracturing the ground beneath it.
Meanwhile, Handsome's gaze snapped to a massive, dislodged seal-stone atop the platform.
"That's it."
He bolted forward, Croagunk at his side slicing through airborne debris.
"Flint! Buy me time—I'll reset the seal!"
"Easier said than done…" Flint clicked his tongue, then smirked as he faced Heatran. "But hey, no pressure."
Heatran's jaws gaped—a white-hot Fire Blast gathering within—
"Flare Blitz!" Flint commanded.
Infernape's body erupted in golden flames as it slammed through the Fire Blast, then crashed fist-first into Heatran!
BOOOOM!
Heatran didn't budge. Instead, it grabbed Infernape with a metallic claw and—
CRUNCH.
Smashed it into the ground, fracturing the stone in a spiderweb of cracks. Flint's Houndoom lunged in to distract, barely giving him time to recall Infernape.
"Flame Body? Flash Fire?!" Flint's mind raced. "How does this hunk of metal have that too?!"
Fire attacks were useless.
Worse—Heatran's armored spine pulsed red, its eyes glowing even brighter.
Meanwhile, Handsome had reached the volcanic seal-stone…
Heatran whirled around, firing a blast of energy that exploded against the rock face beside Handsome. The shockwave sent him flying.
"Dammit!"
Flint hurled a Poké Ball. "Flareon, catch Uncle!"
Dust swirled as Handsome's Croagunk leapt to intercept him, cushioning his fall. Flint let out a long breath of relief.
Then, he turned back to the towering metal beast, cracking his knuckles with deliberate emphasis.
"You're really," he growled, "forcing this old man to get serious!"
"Heatran!!" Heatran's maw gaped wide, unleashing another devastating Fire Blast. Flint stood firm as his Magmortar materialized before him, cannons glowing with searing white light—
BOOOOM!!!
The two Fire Blasts collided, the explosion shaking the entire cavern.
Flint wiped blood from a cut on his cheek, muttering under his breath:
"If only Volkner were here..."
"Thunderbolt!"
Flint's head snapped up. A trainer stood silhouetted in the cavern entrance, his Pokémon unleashing a dazzling bolt of electricity.
"Volkner...? No, wait—"
Flint's pupils shrank.
"That's Natsume-sensei's Rotom!"
The Thunderbolt from Rotom's Pokédex form lit up the cavern, arcing straight toward Heatran.
"Heatran!" Heatran's eyes flashed with contempt—then widened in surprise.
"Call it Thunderbolt, but really—" Natsume smirked. "—it's Thunder Wave."
"Whoa, Natsume-sensei!" Flint yelled. "What're you doing here?!"
"Heard you were having fun. Thought I'd join in."
"But the exit! If lava blocks it—"
"Blastoise is on guard duty."
As if on cue, Blastoise stood firm at the cavern mouth as molten rock surged toward the narrow path.
"That guy—" Natsume grinned.
Blastoise adjusted its sunglasses, cannons gleaming.
"—is rock-solid reliable."
A torrent of Water Pulse crashed down, cooling the lava instantly into steaming basalt. The path widened before them.
Natsume's confidence was so absolute that Flint couldn't help but gulp.
"Heatran!!"
Heatran shattered the Thunder Wave's paralysis, charging straight for Natsume!
"Didn't last long, huh?"
Natsume rubbed his temple. "Gengar, Gravity. Then go help Uncle."
"Gennn~gar!" Gengar cackled, pressing its tiny hands downward. Heatran's massive frame sank into the ground as fissures spiderwebbed outward.
Snarling, Heatran gathered another orb of searing light in its jaws—this one swelling with far more terrifying pressure.
Flint's brow furrowed. "That's not Fire Blast. That's—"
"Heatran's signature move," Natsume said grimly. "Magma Storm."
Flint blinked. "You sound like you've caught one before."
"I have a friend who did."
Flint stared blankly, scratching his head.
Yeah, sure. This "friend" of yours...
While Heatran weren't one-of-a-kind, this one—sealed beneath Stark Mountain—rivaled the legendary "Darkrai of Alamos Town" in sheer power. An ordinary Heatran wouldn't have given Flint this much trouble.
But this one... was something else.
Natsume's gaze flicked to Handsome, who was limping toward the seal-stone platform.
"Hurry, Sir Handsome!"
"Yes, Sir!"
Stubborn and clumsy, but the man got results.
Handsome's eyes burned with determination as Gengar floated beside him. Almost there... Just a little further!
Heatran's Magma Storm kept growing, drawing power from the volcano itself.
Flint reached for another Poké Ball—only for Natsume to stop him.
"Let me do it," Natsume said, "You can't handle it."
The bluntness should've been insulting, yet Flint only felt overwhelming relief.
"All yours." He grinned.
Natsume tossed a Poké Ball, and Sylveon materialized in a flash of white.
"Sylveon, Light Screen!"
"Sylvee! (▼ヘ▼#)" Ribbons fluttering, Sylveon erected a shimmering barrier against the heat.
Then—
Clink.
Natsume's Luxury Ball rattled violently.
"Arcanine! (｀0′)"
Arcanine burst forth in a streak of red light, shaking its golden mane with a fearless snarl.
Natsume and Sylveon both froze.
Arcanine planted itself firmly at the front lines, its roar echoing through the cavern.
"Arcanine!!"
If I have a dream...
It's to be a hero who protects everyone.
Flames licked at its fur as it stood tall before Natsume—majestic, unwavering, loyal.
Natsume exhaled, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
"If that's your choice—"
He recalled Sylveon, eyes sharpening.
"Go, Arcanine!"
"Arcanine!!" Every strand of Arcanine's fur blazed with light.
Heatran's Magma Storm reached critical mass—a swirling vortex of molten destruction.
Arcanine crouched low, the Moltres feather around its neck glowing brilliantly.
"Here. This packs more punch."
Natsume handed Rotom the Rainbow Wing, using Trick to swap items mid-battle.
Arcanine's body erupted in prismatic radiance, its vitality surging so powerfully that Flint's jaw dropped.
"Th-that's just..."
"Cheating levels of tanky!!"
"Arcanine! (◕‿◕)" Arcanine wagged its tail cheerfully.
KABOOOOOM!!!!
The shockwave cracked Sylveon's Light Screen as Magma Storm engulfed Arcanine in a helix of fire and molten steel.
"Arcanine..." Arcanine's pained growl cut through the inferno. Its fur smoked, muscles trembling—yet its eyes never wavered.
Then—
WHOOSH!
Sacred Fire erupted from the Rainbow Wing, clashing against the magma in a spectacular struggle.
"Arcanine!!"
The cavern trembled as the two forces warred.
Flint clenched his fists.
It's actually working...!
Heatran's eyes widened. It ceased its attack, staggering back from the backlash.
"Our turn."
Natsume's voice carried rare intensity.
"Arcanine—Extreme Speed!"
A golden blur smashed into Heatran with enough force to quake the mountain. Flint's eyelid twitched.
"You're telling me it powered up after tanking that?!"
Or—had Natsume brought Arcanine here specifically to temper it in volcanic fire?!
"Now this is what an Elite Four's Fire-type should be," Flint muttered, wiping sweat.
Heatran skidded back, claws gouging trenches in the stone. Its eyes burned with fury.
"Natsume-sensei, look out!" Flint warned. "It's priming Eruption!"
"Arcanine—"
Natsume snapped his fingers.
"Bulldoze."
Heatran barely had time to look up before 200 pounds of heroic dog crashed down—Ground-type energy pulsing through its paws.
CRUNCH!!!
The super-effective impact sent Heatran plowing into the ground.
Handsome whirled around, stunned.
To counterattack from that position...
And nearly one-shot a Heatran...
Just how strong is our police consultant?!
But there was no time to dwell. With a grunt, he heaved the seal-stone back into place.
Clunk.
Light spilled from the stone's engravings, washing over Heatran.
"Heatran...?" Heatran's anger faded into something almost grateful as it glanced at Handsome.
Then—in a flash of red—it vanished into the seal.
The mountain's tremors ceased.
Silence fell.
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